Odyssey7 & Odyssey7Q Status Update

Clermond said:
sorry I did not get this right. No DNxHD no Pro–Res either till the end of 2014?
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This quote was only about DNxHD. Mitch and Co. are still saying ProRes compressed recording is just around the corner (days or weeks, not months).

I know to those who use DNxHD frequently, this delay must be really annoying, especially considered they announced DNxHD last April. To me that's the one feature announced at the beginning that has been pushed back the most. For me, a guy who lives in ProRes, I'm still feeling OK because they're only behind on ProRes by a month or so, and because Dan and Mitch are SO involved and clearly care about us the user base.
 
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hugofilipe said:
I asked for shipment prior to the firmware update so I could update it myself, the dealer said that there is no guarantee that its only a firmware that is causing the SSD's error (and others errors), so they need to be sure its not hardware issue prior to shipment so that they don't need to handle warranty returns.
If this is true, then it might be a nightmare to many current users, if its not true, maybe CD should call EMEA and get things sorted properly in Europe.
What i know for sure is that I'm delivering lower quality AVCHD images instead of delivering proper footage to my clients, while I wait for the next delay announcement. (really hope not)

Btw, it's almost February! :)
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This is completely incorrect information you are being given. I'd like to know the name of the company you are dealing with so that we can set them straight. If they refuse to sell you our product then they are not abiding by our agreements.

Any SSD issues are firmware related and as such will be dealt with in firmware updates. They do not require a warranty return, RMA or other action on the part of the dealer. I am aware of a SINGLE SSD that turned out to have a physical fault in it that required a warranty replacement. That's one out of many hundreds shipped. Sorry we let one get through.

Unfortunately this is how rumors and misinformation gets out to the world, as someone with good intentions does something that has repercussions. THERE IS NO TECHNICAL ISSUE WITH THE ODYSSEY7Q THAT SHOULD CAUSE ANYONE TO DELAY A SALE OF THE UNIT. I hope that is clear.
 
I will post our new update information very soon. I think I should start a new thread. At almost 700 posts this thread is awfully hard for anyone but die hards to follow.
 
Hey. Cant find that other thread about these monitors where some folks were mentioning color discrepancy issues between their cam viewfinders and the odyssey. Is this a temporary issue or just the way it is with these monitors--the issue where monitor looks way warmer than cam evf/lcd?
 
I believe this is our white balance issue, where the file processes through the Odyssey differently than it is shown in the camera. This is corrected in our upcoming firmware release.
 
cuervo said:
Gene_can_sing wrote:
I'm afraid I have to totally disagree with this assessment. ProRes is available for recording via Mac's, only. There's a whole community of PC users, not to mention that DNxHD is the mainstay of Avid's Media Composer. I'm not sure what limited community you work in Gene, but, DNxHD is certainly alive and well and AFAIK, preferable over ProRes. Both formats support 444, ProRes is a variable bit rate codec, while DNxHD is a fixed rate. Each has an applicability and value.
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“I'm not sure what limited community you work in." Really Cuervo? Thanks for the condescension.

Here’s the link to my portfolio URL.

www.builtbyUgene.com

Take a look at the client work that I do. All major networks and huge corporations - Disney, NBC, RedBull, SyFy, Cartoon Network, HBO, HGTV, A&E, ABC, History Channel, Fox, etc…. Since graduating from art school in 2000, I’ve worked in one industry, the television industry in Los Angeles, and pretty much only for the big boys. I’ve mainly worked in Motion Graphics and post, but in the last three years or so, even my upstart DP career has started to take off with projects for bigger clients. I've still got a long ways to go with learning about the camera and I take what I can get for DP work, but it will get there eventually, or at least that's the hope.

Since I work in TV 24/7 and it’s my one and only career, I have a very good idea of what post workflows people are using here at one of the major hubs for TV.

While major shows and films might be cut on Avid still, a HUGE MAJORITY of small to medium sized studios (where I mostly work), and even some large studios (I freelance for DirecTV regularly) in Los Angeles are on Pro-Res, Mac based pipelines. When i started around 2000, Avid was the dominate platform. Since then the numbers have strongly shifted the other direction. Even all the client footage that is feed to us from Alexa, Canon cameras, all animation and 3D work and even transcoded RED footage is almost ALWAYS in Pro-Res. When we do final outputs for any TV client, the one and only codec that is ever requested is guess what? Pro-Res.

Also, not sure why you get so bent out of shape. I wasn’t attacking Avid at all. I’m sure it’s a great system, but I’m just saying that for better or worse, Pro-Res just has the bigger numbers at least at the studios where I work; and that’s I guess that where Convergent feels like they needs to have their focus.
 
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In polling many clients, the vast majority have asked us to first enable a popular compressed codec in several formats before enabling DNxHD. While DNxHD will not be a part of our upcoming firmware release, it is still very much in our plans to offer as soon as is feasible.
 
gene_can_sing said:
“I'm not sure what limited community you work in." Really Cuervo? Thanks for the condescension.

I wasn’t attacking Avid at all. I’m sure it’s a great system, but I’m just saying that for better or worse, Pro-Res just has the bigger numbers at least at the studios where I work; and that’s I guess that where Convergent feels like they needs to have their focus.
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That's exactly my point, Gene. I'm sorry if you see my comment as a condescension. I don't care if you work for Spielberg, himself. If you think DNxHD is a "has-been" codec, you work in a bubble. You need to get over your arrogance and self importance and recognize that there's a world of independent film makers out here that don't buy into Apple or FCP.

The intention, here Gene, isn't to flame you, specifically. So, sorry if you're feeling a hurt ego. Just have some awareness that there are users not in your community that don't hold the same brand loyalty that you seem to have. From a purely technical standpoint, ProRes and DNxHD are equally significant. To diminish either is kinda insular and parochial.

If C-D's true focus is the production television sitcom market, which I doubt, then they have just lost a significant piece of market share, myself included.
And, finally, if ProRes was open source, as DNxHD is, I would support your perspective. But, the fact is that Apple has made ProRes available to a limited market, trying to promote their own product line. And that's the biggest problem with it. I've seen this corporate behavior before, in the CAD/CAM marketplace. And it leads to nothing but problems for users who don't have the deep pockets of Disney, Sony, or Follywood.
 
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Mitch Gross said:
This is completely incorrect information you are being given. I'd like to know the name of the company you are dealing with so that we can set them straight. If they refuse to sell you our product then they are not abiding by our agreements.

Any SSD issues are firmware related and as such will be dealt with in firmware updates. They do not require a warranty return, RMA or other action on the part of the dealer. I am aware of a SINGLE SSD that turned out to have a physical fault in it that required a warranty replacement. That's one out of many hundreds shipped. Sorry we let one get through.

Unfortunately this is how rumors and misinformation gets out to the world, as someone with good intentions does something that has repercussions. THERE IS NO TECHNICAL ISSUE WITH THE ODYSSEY7Q THAT SHOULD CAUSE ANYONE TO DELAY A SALE OF THE UNIT. I hope that is clear.
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Thanks for your reply Mitch,
Sent you a PM with further details.
 
Any news on a sun hood yet Mitch? I know Olof makes and sells one, but I'm also keen to actually see what CD has in the works! (and whether it's more reasonably priced)
I was shooting outside yesterday and it was completely useless. Could not see a damn thing on that screen. I remember vaguely earlier on there was talk of a CD hood.
I would have thought this particular accessory would have been one of the more important ones to get out there.

Having one bundled with the SmallHD screens (or only $60 separately) was one of the best things they ever did and meant you could shoot in any condition right off the bat.
Any news on whether its actually happening and how much it might be?
 
I second that question. The hood is already listed on some dealers' online shops but without detailed description or images. I like the idea of Olof's hood with a sturdy frame protecting the monitor and a flexible cover you can adjust to your given situation. I am curious of what convergent's solution will be
 
Ours is still in development and I'll be honest and say that I have no idea where it really lies on the schedule. But there are several options:

Olof (Westside AV) has a nice solution and it's available now.

PortaBrace makes a bag for the Odyssey with integrated sun hood. I consulted with them to make some adjustments to the initial design. The bag can be left in place while the Odyssey is in use. The front & back are attached on all four sides by Velcro flaps, allowing access to connectors and the SSDs. The sun hood folds flat to double as a screen protector when not in use. The rear has a similar flap to allow ventillation and space for whatever battery mount may be in place. This item is also currently available.

At IBC we showed a Hoodman prototype for the Odyssey. We (well, I) decided that if we OEMed it from Hoodman it would bump up the price to the enduser while not exactly lining our pockets, so Hoodman will be selling it directly and through its own dealer network. Look for it at NAB time.

At our recent event at B&H, Ocean Video, maker of the Enduro Power Plate for the Odyssey, showed off its prototype for a shade. It reminds me a bit of the one included with the Blackmagic Design camera (now there's a screen that really doesn't do well in the sun!). Ocean Video will show this again at our upcoming event at AbelCine LA next week on Feb. 10th. I believe this item will be available shortly.


We are still looking into the possibility of our own hood product, and I had a few ideas for an inexpensive but effective solution I gave to our mechanical engineer to mull over. Y'all would have loved the cardboard mockup I slapped together in 10 minutes to show him. But with all of these other products coming to market we will see if we are significantly different and/or less expensive to make it worthwhile. We may just point our clients to the items listed above, as I just did now.
 
fyi, the good design for the Samurai Blade is excellent. It is a good size - not so big that it is ungainly but big enough to work. It secures firmly to the monitor and is very sturdy, unlike some other designs I've seen. You might take a look at one as you consider options - and give us one for the Gemini as well. No aftermarket hoods work on the Gemini.
 
Mitch Gross said:
Y'all would have loved the cardboard mockup I slapped together in 10 minutes to show him.
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I'm probably going to get the portabrace - mostly for the rain protection (I do live send work in the UK!) whenever they get round to making them. But in the meantime I figured I'd just mock something up from cardboard, matte-black gaffer and Velcro tape. Always worked well in the past...
 
I know this probably isn't the correct thread for this but I used my Odyssey 7Q as a monitor for my HDMI output from my Canon C100 on a shoot and it worked pretty well, however, I'm not overjoyed by the mini HDMI connector. I know real estate on the unit is scarce but really would have preferred a full sized HDMI. The mini HDMI is horrid on any device - but I digress. Anyway, I had a strange thing happen using the HDMI monitoring - after I swapped out a Sony NP battery (using Olaf's actually available battery adapter), it seems that the 7Q got a bit confused about the format which was 29.97 PSF (reported by the Odyssey). It started cycling between an error message, flashing white then displaying the image, the error message, I think was 'bad format' or 'unsupported format' or something like that. Has anybody seen that? It was quite disconcerting… I think it eventually settled down but I didn't really have a chance to figure out what was going on, I had to use the C100's LCD to finish the shoot.
 
I can only agree with the Mini-HDMI connector.

As I posted in another thread my Odyssey doesnt work with the Blackmagic Intensity Pro card HDMI output and acts similar to what you describe.
I think it is just (still) very picky about the signal. I would like it to accept more signals or at least doesnt need a reboot after a strange signal.
 
Ed Ding said:
I can only agree with the Mini-HDMI connector.
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One slightly annoying feature of the mini-HDMI connector is that it's actually quite hard to find basic mini-HDMI Cables! I spent ages searching on Amazon for one (as I had a shoot on one of those awful 5D thingies and they also only have mini-HDMI) but every cable they had was mini to regular!

Anyway. I don't think there's much that can be done about that now...
 
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