Reel-Stream Andromeda @ NAB05

khill

khill

Member
Has anyone had a chance to stop by the 21st Century booth to see the touted Andromeda device yet? After all of the major announcements that have surrounded Apple and Panasonic the last couple of days, I'm surprised to not have a blurb or two about this groundbreaking product. Can some DVXuser at NAB please stop by and check this thing out for us all?
 
I second that motion. I'm very interested in the andromeda, so please, someone check it out.
 
Yes, I did stop by especially for getting info on the Andromeda for you guys today and I must say, Keanu Reeves-"Whoa!". This thing is great, I wish I had a DVX100A to send in. The 4:4:4 "HD" footage looks incredible! Think along the lines of Hellboy to get a guess of what the footage looks like when enriched with the full resolution and 4:4:4 color space. Note, that the footage is somewhere between 720 and 1080 resolution wise, but that's still saying a lot for the DVX100/A. You will be saddled with laptop however to get the HD footage, but you can still shoot with miniDV if you just want plain DVX footage. The modification doesn't disable your DVX100A in any way, you just get the option for shooting HD when you feel like it! The guy said that the price is $2999 MSRP and beta testers, whose names will be drawn at random due to all the signups for it, will recieve 50% off. The only cosmetic differences are a USB 2.0 port added to the bottom of the camera underneath the LCD screen dock. He also said that there are some plans being made for possible XL2, HVX200, and other camera versions! Well, if they "get that working on the GL1 motherf***er!" then I'm sold. But I don't know, a used DVX100A won't be too much for long ;).
 
Does anyone have an internet hyperlink?? The Andromeda device is a far more reasonable budget procedure at obtaining HD than buying an HVX200 (Kick ass as it is.)

I know several DVX100A's that could use retrofitting to put them into the future.

Does the 4:4:4 color space on the Andromeda + DVX100A REALLY look like Hellboy color??
 
Jack_Felis said:
"get that working on the GL1 motherf***er!"
Click to expand...

ahahaha a Steev Dinkins quote!


Oh yeah, I guess I live like 10 minutes away from Juan, the developer of the system. I sent him an email yesterday so I could meet up with him and check the system out.
 
haha well if the guy lets me take a look at his stuff. I'm guessing he's at NAB and hasn't had a chance to check email.

I don't know if there will be a contract like Barry had with the G35 people, but if I am allowed to take pictures and stuff, I will post them on here. Maybe even some screen grabs perhaps?
 
Ohhh kayyy. I won't buy his stuff, and neither will anyone else?? It can be your commercial secret????

Don't be a wack job. Tell us all more about this Andromeda device, and the maker will be rich.
 
me and mr. moore went on a crusade to find these guys at NAB today and just couldnt find them... have no idea where they where hiding but i know they where there.
 
I will never understand why they are so slow to move at Reel Stream. I've been waiting for footage forever. Now they're showing footage at NAB so why not online.

As for the Andromeda, I'm not against business and all, but $3000 seems like a lot of cash on top of a DVX100a especially since the alteration will void the warranty. Now, if there was some footage to drool over maybe I'd shut my mouth. Or probably not since I'd be drooling so damn much.
 
There's footage but you have to ask the guys sitting at the Macintosh with the Reel Stream background. They're kind of easy to miss, they were sitting down chatting when I walked around. The 21st Century 3D booth is almost all the way in the back of the upper south hall, you can tell you're there when you see the 3D laptop and the dual DVX 3D setup, the Reel Stream guys are behind that. You just have to walk up to them and ask them about it. They've got footage, but the DVX footage is a little unfairly blown out IMO yet you can still see the advantages of the Andromeda in the comparison footage.
 
Guys,

They are co-habitating in the 21st Century 3d booth. Also, in about 5 minutes Jeremy of ReelStream will be on a "Live" online radio show live talking abou the technology. There will also be a live chat for questions.

Go to for the show: http://www.dvguys.com/launchpad.shtml

If you miss the "live" stream you can download it later. Also the hosts of the online show (Dvguys/Inside MAC) have archives from other interviews during this week's NAB.
 
It's weird how everyone in the HVX forum are so resilient to the idea of the Andromeda, this mod with the HVX will make it a truly amazing camera.
Some people just dont see the value in 4:4:4 and 36 bit.
 
practical concerns

practical concerns

fiercecurry said:
this mod with the HVX will make it a truly amazing camera.
Click to expand...

This mod will make it a truly MacGyvered camera. I can't justify having a $9,000.00 camcorder without a warranty (HVX+mod) I mean, if it just quits working, will Panasonic be able to diagnose it and repair it when there is somebodys proprietary hardware inside? Can Reel Stream perform satisfactory repair work using genuine parts if they're not an authorised servicer? This should be on the top of anyone's list seriously considering this option.

fiercecurry said:
Some people just dont see the value in 4:4:4 and 36 bit.
Click to expand...
I wholeheartedly believe Panasonic would make a camera that output uncompressed, pre-dsp, 4:4:4 raw CCD output if it were practical to do anything with it, but frankly right now this technology is impractical and out of reach for me. While I like the idea and potential for images with more information in them, I don't think it's a good tradeoff if it seriously hinders workflow by having me tethered to a recorder. While Vipercam does this, it is a practice for the most part abandoned twenty years ago when they started putting VHS inside the camera so you didn't have to carry around a deck. So, yeah I can imagine better looking images, but I can't imagine the pain-in-the-ass factor making it worth it in the end.

brian wells
 
Quote:
"Can Reel Stream perform satisfactory repair work using genuine parts if they're not an authorised servicer? "

they said they will warranty their modification, but obviously not the camera itself, how long is any manufacturers warranty anyway...90 days max. If you are serious you would rent this unit out first, before doing it to your camera, and see how it performs.

Quote:
"While I like the idea and potential for images with more information in them, I don't think it's a good tradeoff if it seriously hinders workflow by having me tethered to a recorder.While Vipercam does this, it is a practice for the most part abandoned twenty years ago when they started putting VHS inside the camera so you didn't have to carry around a deck. So, yeah I can imagine better looking images, but I can't imagine the pain-in-the-ass factor making it worth it in the end."

This depends on your workflow. Have you ever shot film, or high end HD? Have you ever worked with a dolly, monitors, battery packs, lights, a crew? Have you noticed all the stuff around a camera and on the set, that goes into making a good shot/scene. You dont think a camera is not tethered to at least one other piece of equipment, besides a tripod at some point. If you haven't than of course this doesnt make sense to you, and its just seen as an obstruction.

Simply put its not for everyone, but if you want high end results because your project demands for it, this a very good OPTION for your camera. If you just want to shoot in the field sunsets and beaches, no this is not something you need.

Personally i want to use this camera for green screen effects work, in a studio environment, without having to rent a F950 or a Viper, this is a very economic option, in fact as a rental i could afford 3 cameras on set,
allowing for a faster workflow.

On location shoots, having a laptop is probably the least of my worries.
In fact there is usually one already for scheduling, storyboards, shot lists.
 
Curry,

The examples I have seen of 4:2:2 compared to 4:4:4 don't really appear that different. The benefit derived is of course more information to work with in animation and keying. I don't do animation or keying. My specific need for a camera is to be mobile and a model that requires power, HDD, or cables could render shooting a real chore. Yes, I have shot A-Minima and VariCam and have a working knowledge of a Fisher10 dolly. But, it doesn't really matter.

My needs for a compact camera appear much different than yours. I don't really need/want the increased storage space required by uncompressed field capture. I need a single piece mobile camera with reasonable runtimes and excellent battery life. This is a reason I love the DVX so much; it fits the bill in so many ways for my particular--and mostly common--application.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
brian wells
YESTHATSME.jpg
 
Hi Brian,

Mobility is good. At times its essential. But you will still be able to use your camera as is. So when you dont want 4:4:4 12 bit 720p HD, you can still shoot to tape . Thats the cool thing about it.
 
i was really bummed. i looked all over the south hall, second floor for nearly two hours to find
these guys... i really wanted to check it out. never found them. the numbering is really weird
on that part of the building. they are SU9969.. the numbering ended at 78xx on one side of
the walkway and started at 10000 on the other side; like ten feet apart. it was terribly confusing.

i did the see the 3d-DVX guy running down the escalator and around the first floor goofing off,
but never actually found his booth/the real-stream booth. oh well.

oh, and about the mod: they never said it was both 444 and 720p *at the same time*
ask them about this in an email or something. it will do 480p in 444 or 720p (with anamorphic lens) in 422. It is a mathematical impossibility to get both 444 and 720p at the same time from a DVX. it's one or the other and never at the same time. still looks very promising, i agree.
 
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