Reel-Stream now taking orders for Andromeda

It's that weak dvx lens that worries me about the upgrade. If they were to replace the lens and do the uncompressed mod... then maybe 3000 would be worth it. However, the proposition still is very intriguing.
 
I've been a beta tester for this. I was extremely hot to try it out. The practicality has been the major drawback. That is -having to have a laptop to record to via USB with 7200 RPM spin HD. Think about shooting a feature or even a music video -you're moving so fast that you cannot afford any down time to wait for the file to take on the hard drive, and then you cannot tell until you render that the file is good, or if there's a corruption problem. Plus you have to send another cable to a monitor to see the image and having to run a hard wire to the laptop so you don't run low on power and lose the entiire shot. If a cable accidentlally gets disconnected -oops...going again. While the footage itself looks fantastic, having to rely on the media going thru the USB pipe (for all intents and purposes), it's hard to tell if you've got what you need until you render it out, which right now takes some real time, but is supposed to get faster.

I'm looking to get rid of my DVX100A with the modification from Reel Stream. To me it's just not practical. I can't wait for the HVX. In spite of the concerns above, anybody want to buy a gently used 100A with the Andromeda?
 
Thanks Joe,
You answered a lot of my questions about the workflow that I have been wondering about. I think this further justifies my future HVX purchase, but I still am interested to see if Reel-Stream will do a mod for the HVX.
 
I want it, I want it ... lol

But thanks for your user feedback ... I really did want to hear how a beta tester thought about the whole andromeda thing ...

Looks like I may hold on to my HVX preorder after all ...
 
I want to find that guy who got a copy of SculpterHD and did his own hardware mod.

$500 to the first person to reverse engineer this thing.
 
I can see where the Andromeda is useful, for green screen and special effects and whatnot. But for practical shooting, you'll still be using the tape and getting SD footage. Would an argument make sense for using the Andromeda versus the XLH1 with HD-SDI uncompressed output?

Either way, HVX for me. I like things to be simple.
 
I would definitely buy this upgrade for a grand, but three thousand is way too much. I just posted a question/rant over onto their forums regarding the price issue. Lets see what their response is.
 
Joe_Digital said:
or if there's a corruption problem. Plus you have to send another cable to a monitor to see the image and having to run a hard wire to the laptop so you don't run low on power and lose the entiire shot. If a cable accidentlally gets disconnected -oops...going again. While the footage itself looks fantastic, having to rely on the media going thru the USB pipe (for all intents and purposes), it's hard to tell if you've got what you need until you render it out, which right now takes some real time, but is supposed to get faster.

I'm looking to get rid of my DVX100A with the modification from Reel Stream. To me it's just not practical. I can't wait for the HVX. In spite of the concerns above, anybody want to buy a gently used 100A with the Andromeda?
Click to expand...

Hi Joe, I absolutely see what you are saying. However, I haven't gotten any corruption problem. Have you? It also depends on what version you have...maybe you have an earlier beta version.

As far as the wires...I would agree. However, on a film shoot you have wires coming off a camera all the time. So on the cable to the monitor...is comparible to a cable to a video tap. For me, the Andromeda system is more of the bridge between digital and film. Unless the HVX can provide the Latitude and Greenscreen capabilities...they are in two separately leagues.

The rendering does takes some processing power...which makes the new Apple Quad computer look even better. Juan has been upgrading ScultorHD and has been getting it more efficient and faster.

I guess for me, it's more comparible to a film camera than a digital camera. The reason is the dynamic range and latitude. The higher resolution is also a huge factor. I don't think it's intent was to be compared to digital as much eventhough it's stems from it.

Apples and Oranges...to me. One is more mobile, the other has more resolution. One has smaller storage capabliities...the other is stored in hard drive. ONe needs a laptop...the other needs a deck. One is more mobile...the other....hmmm I'm working on a solution on that...so not so fast. One has variable frame rate, the other is uncompresss.....so if all that doesn't sound like absolutely two different systems with very different features....hmmm

I just wish you sold your Andromeda sooner, as I would have bought it from you. Like Deja Vu.

We are also comparing a beta unit to what is a final product. I am confident that once the production unit of the Andromeda unit is release...SculptorHD software wouldn't take much time to render.

I do await the HVX like the rest of you...I'm willing to bring the Andromeda out and give the HVX a run for it's money.
 
What's interesting is that an early version of Andromeda had a little box that was a computer that run Sculptor. You could attach a battery powered harddrive to it and it was pretty portable. It attached below the DVX but was scrapped so that people would be able to use other accesories. I would definitely prefer that box to taking along a powerbook.
 
Jun Tang said:
One is more mobile, the other has more resolution.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure we can say the Andromeda has "more" resolution than the HVX. 1080p in the HVX trumps 720p Andromeda footage in terms of actual pixels.

One has smaller storage capabliities...the other is stored in hard drive.
Click to expand...
Again, if you can record the andromeda to hard disk (with laptop or Mac mini attached), you can record the HVX to hard disk with a firestore attached. The Firestore is MUCH more convenient and portable, plus it's self-powered.

ONe needs a laptop...the other needs a deck.
Click to expand...
Andromeda needs a laptop or desktop attached, period. The HVX absolutely does NOT need a deck. A deck is only if you want to dump the footage to DVCProHD tapes, which is counter-productive, and very expensive. A much cheaper, faster, and practical way of archiving HVX footage is to cheap off-the-shelf firewire hard disks. They preserve the clip-based nature of the footage, and keep all the metadata. Dubbing to tape, even HD tape, gains very little, if anything.

One is more mobile...the other....hmmm I'm working on a solution on that...so not so fast. One has variable frame rate, the other is uncompresss.....
Click to expand...
Agreed. The HVX is definitely the more user-friendly, convenient, and portable of the two, offers 1080p/60i/24p/30p or 720p with many framerates, is native widescreen, and comes with a full warranty. The ONLY advantages the andromeda has are:

Uncompressed 4:4:4 output (which is big news)
Possibly greater dynamic range (another big point)
Price (if you already have a DVX)

If any of these three are critical to you (FX or greenscreen work, heavy image manipulation, etc.) then the Andromeda may be for you. The greater dynamic range is very appealing, but I'd have to hear a bunch of people telling me how marvelous the Andromeda is before I plunk down $3K for it.
 
Isaac_Brody said:
What's interesting is that an early version of Andromeda had a little box that was a computer that run Sculptor. You could attach a battery powered harddrive to it and it was pretty portable. It attached below the DVX but was scrapped so that people would be able to use other accesories. I would definitely prefer that box to taking along a powerbook.
Click to expand...


Me too Isaac, would have been much cooler.
Of course, the only pic I remember seeing of that prototype showed a box about the size of the camera body itself.
It wasn't exactly what I would call "portable."
But it was a hell of a lot more portable than the current set up.
 
jrv3034 said:
I'm not sure we can say the Andromeda has "more" resolution than the HVX. 1080p in the HVX trumps 720p Andromeda footage in terms of actual pixels.
Click to expand...


With most of what you point out is accurate. But it does come into a few other variables. Such if you use the firestore, you can only record 720p or 1080i. So between 720p between the Andromeda and the HVX...I think the Andromeda got the leg up. With all the other things you point out...depends on othe factors.

The Firestore is most definitely a very convenient option. No disagreement there.

Also depending on the format you record...determines the storage capability on the P2 or Firestore. So although it sounds great...there are limitations.

Of course if you decide to shoot 1080p which beats the Andromeda 720p...you lose the variable frame rate, which is one selling factor of the HVX. And the Andromeda gives you a 1540x984 resolution...with the uprez software you can get that to 2k with not much problem.

All in all, look at the options and pick which is most important to you. Then pick your camera rig. If I was doing alot of variable frame rate...I would pick the HVX without a second thought.

Also the P2 can be used on PC and Mac, which is great. Because I'm a PC person....and the Andromeda/Sculptor is on mac. I would prefer it to work on a PC....but I can still bring it into Premiere Pro and edit.
 
Jun Tang said:
if you use the firestore, you can only record 720p or 1080i.
Click to expand...

That's completely false.
You can record every format available on the HVX on the Firestore.
That includes 1080P24, which has a pulldown added and is carried in a 1080i stream.
It's recorded exactly the same way on the P2 card and on the FireStore drive.

Also depending on the format you record...determines the storage capability on the P2 or Firestore. So although it sounds great...there are limitations.
Click to expand...

But you're talking about comparing, what, an 8GB P2 card to a 100GB hard drive.
Sure you might take up more space per second on the Firestore than on teh P2 card if you're recording 720P24, but you've got over 12 times the space to begin with.
 
I won't disagree that I can be wrong....I always can learn something. But according to HVX FAQ question....this is what it says....

Can I record directly to a FireStore drive (Focus Enhancements)?
Yes. The FS-100 from Focus Enhancements will give 90-100 minutes of high-definition content in 720p or 1080i modes. In DVCPRO50 it will record 200 minutes, and in DV or DVCPRO it will offer 400 minutes.

If I got something wrong...you can set the matter straight. I'm just reading the FAQ page. So can you do variable frame rate on 1080p?
 
The HVX records 1080P the same way that the DVX records 24P, by adding a pulldown and recording an interlaced stream.

You can record 24P in 1080 on the HVX, or you can record 1080i
If by "variable frame rate" you mean slow motion like you get in 720P the answer is no unfortunately.

1080P is a 30frame per second format, so there is no provision in the spec for anything over 30 frames per second. 720P on the other hand is a 60 frame per second format, which is why 2.5 times slow motion is possible in 720.
 
Yeah, what Luis said. You can record 1080 at 60i, 24p, and 30p. You can record 720 at many more frame rates. All modes of recording are supported by the Firestore, the Cineporter, the P2 cards, and direct-to-laptop. It will record 90-100 minutes of all the modes of HD, and even more minutes of DVCPro50 or DVCPro25.

Also, if you can uprez the Andromeda footage to 2K, why can't you uprez the HVX footage also? Apples to apples.
 
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