Flying while hard-wired to video village

[Gormaly]

Hi there, I am new to the website, so hello everyone, I was hoping to get some advice on keeping DB while being hard wired to the monitors. I am using a Flyer with an XL2 and am shooting this weekend. While runing the setup with the bnc attached the camera keeps pulling to the right where the tap is. Anyone with any advice or exp. would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

[HJS-MK-V]

Hi Jason

This is quite a simple fix.
get your self some lightweight phono cables and some phono to phono connectors.
Simply use one from the camera to your gimbal (make sure it is nice and loose) - tape it to the gimbal handle and this will stop any problems re balance.
Then connect to the gimbal with another phono cable (long one) with adaptor and off you go.
Loop it over your shoulder and tuck it in near your collar bone.
Make sure you have some phono to BNC both ways, then you can join onto regular video cable.
This works very well and if you forget to unplug it will just pop out.

This is what I used to do for years.

Hope this is of some help?
All the best
Howard

[thecrew]

Do it the way this guy is doing it. LOL
http://www.glidecam.com/img/gon/gal/lrg/1128524117.jpg

[thecrew]

Sorry, i had to show this. This is my favorite pic of showing how it wont work.

If you can, look for a ultra thin bnc cable, connect one end to your vest and connect the cable from video village to your vest. The other end of your ultrathin cable connects to your camera. Wire that cable to the front of you lens and from there loop it to your gimbal. This wont effect your sled much. Its the same way you use when using a zoomremote on your gimbal looping to your lens. With loop i mean not tight, but it hange a little. I hope i make sence


Regards
-edit- Wow, Howard beats me - edit -

[Jason Torbitt]

I would also add to this, if you do use the ultra thin BNC cables, like the ridiculously thin RG179 stuff, then make sure it is properly strain reliefed - keep a bit of slack and make sure it is secured so it can't be tugged or caught. In the past I've ended up with the BNC still connected to the camera, and the bare end of the cable dangling loose. It's very easy for those small cables to pop out of the connectors with even a small pull.

Cheers

[HJS-MK-V]

Hi Jason

(how are you?)

I agree - This is exactly why I recommend using Phono's instead of BNC's - when they do pop, you just plug them back in.

Cheers
H

[Jason Torbitt]

Good call Howard. (Keeping well thanks! - hope all is well with you)

I'm only used to breaking out the RCA cables for 'those' jobs...

I will try that next time.

[aftongrant]

Operating hard-wired has all but become the norm when shooting HD lately. I've simply given into the pressure. The thing is, it's not all that bad provided you have the spaghetti-thin cables that have been mentioned here.

I've attached a few pictures of an HD shoot in which I was hard-wired. You'll see that with the size of the camera, it is virtually unaffected by the tiny cable coming off of it. As Howard mentioned, just make sure there is plenty of slack. I'll grasp it at the gimbal, barell connect it at my shoulder and then run it over my shoulder to a couple loops for strain relief.

Howard's point about the phono cables is a good one if there is no strain relief, or if the relief is not in the right place. The way I do it, there's no way a tug would ever reach all the way to the barell on the front of me. The loops in the back would catch it first. The only way I could bust a cable is if I walked away from the camera after I've docked, in which case I have nobody to blame but myself.

I always make my own cables. It's cheaper, faster, and any length. If anyone is interested, I'd be glad to make some more. Both 50 and 75 Ohm (for HD). Contact me if so.

Best,
Afton

[HJS-MK-V]

Hi Afton

How are you?
The reason behind my method is that you will find a problem as I did when running thru a crowd or cramped set,
I used to catch the cables on things and it was much better for me to have it 'pop' than to rip the cable.
It will also spin you around or worst trip you up.
I got thru so many cables when I first started, with this Phono system I was fine all the time.
And yes I did used to walk away from the sled when still cabled....:blink:
this is why I used them so I would not have to worry.
(basically - I hate cables...) :D

All the best
Howard

[aftongrant]

Hi Howard,

I'm doing well, thanks for asking. Yourself?

I'll agree certain situations you may not want such a hard teather - a crowd being a perfect example. Although, in a situation like that, I might simply insist on being completely free anyway. The production can watch playback if they want. I typically will talk with the DP at the beginning of the day. I'll explain I don't mind being teathered depending on the shot. If it gets complicated, I'll certainly wish to go wireless, but for all else, he can have his precious HD signal. This seems to satisfy most people as they understand I'm making a sacrifice for them most of the time, they're willing to make a sacrifice for me once in a while.

I'm telling you, this business is 10% labor, 90% politics. That 90% is exhausting!

[thecrew]

Amen to that brother.

Btw, your old master vest is still happy overhere. But it has less to do anymore becose of the klassenvest that also arrived a few month ago. But its still going strong.