FS7: SmallHD 701/702 OK with FS7?

K

Ken Hull

Well-known member
I'm thinking of getting either the 701 or 702 monitor for my FS7. But I just watched a review on the SmallHD site, which said there was a slight jitter when using the 702-Bright with the FS7. And it gets worse if you use the monitor's zoom function. I wasn't planning on getting the Bright version, but I wanted to ask if anyone has seen this on the non-bright versions.
 
I did get alot of jitter with the 502 model on both somy f3 and fs7. Sent the monitor in for repair and waiting for the results. On my monitor the signal did not get recognized as PsF but rather as interlaced.
 
Not to highjack your SmallHD thread, but being forced to save cash after FS7K purchase that I had to break my piggy for :) - how do cheaper Liliput monitors fare vs. SmallHD? They don't offer their own LUTs, for example - but FS7 is able to apply its own mLUT to external monitor as well, right?

For instance, the Q7 is full HD and looks interesting - but please tell me what its disadvantages vs. SmallHD are, before I get one. I currently have an 800x480 Marshall, and it's not good enough for critical focusing especially in 4K; it's also fat and heavy so I'm thinking of selling it and buy a full HD one. Thanks in advance for any advise;

Piotr
 
The 702 does not handle interlaced signals properly. That causes the jitter from all cameras outputting interlaced signals. It might not go noticed until you zoom but it's there. If this is a bug or hardware limitations only SmallHD knows. Other than that it's a great monitor albeit not the sharpest one. The handling of interlaced signals also causes judder while panning.
 
It's the same problem with any camera outputting interlaced signals. I've tested it with Canon C100, Sony FS7 and 5D mkIII and they all show the same result. It's easy to verify because the 5D mkIII can be set to output either interlaced or progressive and when set to progressive it looks fine.
 
Thanks for the clarification, Osslund. :thumbsup: I wonder if a firmware update to the monitor could fix that, or if it would require a hardware change. Sure seems like a great monitor, otherwise.
 
I think it may be a hardware limit, or perhaps the firmware is not fully developed as other things take precedence.

I've notice modes based around 50P or 60P output progressive via HDMI, and those 25P or 30P are interlaced. So they are basically running the same frequency.
 
Hi All,

If you look in the FS7 manual, there is a section 'Output Formats and Limitations', page 105 in the version I have. That tells you whether the SDI and HDMI sockets will be feeding P, PsF or i signals.

'P' is straight progressive, is what computers prefer and from the sounds of it what the 702 is geared around.
'PsF' is actually the most common approach up to now. This is a progressive signal, but fed out in two halves like an interlaced signal. Rather like telecined film. This allows keeps progressive capture compatible with conventional broadcasts. The image data is identical to 'P', it is a matter of the order in which it is fed out. Monitors will see it as an interlaced signal.
'i' is interlaced. Each frame is made up of two interlaced fields, captured one after the other. Because each field is captured separately, the framerate these days tends to be referred to by the field rate (hence 50i, 59.97i).

It sounds as though the 702 is not keen on 'i', but from what has been described in this thread may also currently have trouble with 'PsF' which is not great considering how common it is.

I don't have a 702, but I have been considering getting one, so very interested to hear any developments,

Ben
 
Last edited:
I've used and/or owned just about every Small HD monitor at some stage, including the DP6, DP4, DP7 Pro, AC7 & now the 702 Bright which I own. I think probably all their monitors have had a bit of 'jitter', which is most noticeable when an interlaced signal is input, and it kind of makes it look progressive. After a while you get used to it, but when you put it side by side with say a Sony monitor it's pretty obvious. Having said that, my 702 seems to me to have less of this jitter than any of their other monitors. I'd never actually had my FS7 in interlaced mode so I just did a quick test (waving my hand in front of the lens), and couldn't really see anything obnoxious. I've fed the 702 with interlaced (and progressive - usually PsF) from various Sony and Hitachi broadcast cameras and not noticed anything too bad either.

I've also seen this kind of 'jittering' behaviour in other brands of monitor, TV Logic and also Marshall.

Ed. - meant to say mostly connected to HDSDI input and always in 25p or 50i, 1920 x 1080.
 
What does the signal read on your SmallHD monitors when you have jitter? I get something like 1080i 47.91 for example. Really strange.

Had the monitor sent in for this issue but it was not resolved.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top