Overcoming Limitations of VA 4K

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Nathan Wood

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Overcoming Limitations of VA 4K

PostTue Dec 12, 2017 5:06 am

Hi all,

I've recently invested in a Video Assist 4K and so far absolutely love it - great value for money as a directors monitor and as a shooting aid. Only 2 things I'm really confused by with it:

1) The focus zoom in is great quality, but why on earth can't I select which region of the screen that I want to punch in on? I have been using the URSA Mini 4.6k for about a year and love how the focus zoom works on that, just can't for the life of me work out why that system hasn't been implemented on the monitor. It's not that often that what I want to check the focus on is in the dead center of the shot... Is it expected that this may be updated via firmware or is there some limitation I'm missing? Have searched around the forums but can't find any recent mentions of this at all, and to me it seems like a massive issue with what should be a very simple solution.

2) This one is a bit more of a stretch, but has there ever been any discussion of allowing the VA to change the settings (aperture, shutter speed etc) on the Micro Cinema Camera? Seems like it should be possible, and as they are basically partner products made by the same company I'd imagine that there could be some interaction between the touchscreen interface and the cameras settings? Not actually sure if this is possible via HDMI, as I know it has limitations but would love to know if this is something that is possible/desired by other people using the same combination of equipment!

Would be great to get your opinions and any info I may have missed in my searches.

Cheers!
Cinematographer & Chaser of Light - Australia
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Xtreemtec

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Re: Overcoming Limitations of VA 4K

PostWed Dec 13, 2017 10:01 am

Nathan Wood wrote:1) The focus zoom in is great quality, but why on earth can't I select which region of the screen that I want to punch in on? I have been using the URSA Mini 4.6k for about a year and love how the focus zoom works on that, just can't for the life of me work out why that system hasn't been implemented on the monitor. It's not that often that what I want to check the focus on is in the dead center of the shot... Is it expected that this may be updated via firmware or is there some limitation I'm missing? Have searched around the forums but can't find any recent mentions of this at all, and to me it seems like a massive issue with what should be a very simple solution.


This is indeed a weird thing.. I experienced this myself.. And from a programmer standpoint it is not that difficult to make the window of pixel magnification move-able.. Now this window has Pixel X Y start points and end points.. This could be easily changed to assingable XY cordinates.. And the same maginification code behind it can be leaved intact.. But i do believe it is more due to the fact if within the BMD development team there are different teams assigned to different products. And somebody higher up needs to sign off on implementing features in products that are already on the market.. As new products cost more time to devlope and new features for new products.. So developing time will be more assigned to new products then integrating features in already sold products.. ;)
Also the Dev team on the VA products isn't nesecery the same team that works on the FW from the Ursa. And another team works on the Atem products and another different team works on the Teranex converters.. So that could be why it was implemented on the Ursa but not on the monitor..

Nathan Wood wrote:2) This one is a bit more of a stretch, but has there ever been any discussion of allowing the VA to change the settings (aperture, shutter speed etc) on the Micro Cinema Camera? Seems like it should be possible, and as they are basically partner products made by the same company I'd imagine that there could be some interaction between the touchscreen interface and the cameras settings? Not actually sure if this is possible via HDMI, as I know it has limitations but would love to know if this is something that is possible/desired by other people using the same combination of equipment!


Well on HDMI it will not work.. There is a way of communicating trough HDMI.. but it so much different approach to what BMD now uses that i think we will never see this.
I had hoped that they would do something like that on SDI with the VA and Microstudio cam.. But on the other hand. How many people would use that as you can control the whole camera from an Atem
Even more.. What if a monitor and Atem are in the same chain.. But again would be a great feature..
Daniel Wittenaar .:: Xtreemtec Media Productions ::. -= www.xtreemtec.nl =-
4K OBV Trailer, ATEM TVS HD, 4M/E Broadcast Studio 4K, Constelation 8K, Hyperdeck Studio 12G, Ursa Broadcast 4K, 4K fiber converters with Sony Control
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Denny Smith

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Re: Overcoming Limitations of VA 4K

PostWed Dec 13, 2017 8:22 pm

I agree completely, controlling the Micro cameras from the VA would be grand. However, the camera is not designed to accept menu commands from the HDMI port, so a firmware update will not work on either the camera or VA.

The SBus was used instead for remote operators on both cameras and as Daniel pointed out, the Micro Studio has a SDI input for remote settings on it.

That said, you can get one of the SBus remotes attached to the top of the VA to get menu functions.
Denny Smith
SHA Productions
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Francis Chee

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Re: Overcoming Limitations of VA 4K

PostMon Jan 15, 2018 7:02 am

So it seems that the following link is a bit of false advertising?

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/pro ... t/workflow


Specifically how one can:

"The Blackmagic Video assist gives you a quick and easy way to adjust the Micro Cinema Camera’s settings,"

So this can not be done then? Despite this advertisement? Yes one can control some settings via the HDMI and video assist but not all despite being able to see all of the current settings. Or am I being very stupid here, hopefully the latter.

BMMCC running latest firmware update.
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Denny Smith

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Re: Overcoming Limitations of VA 4K

PostMon Jan 15, 2018 5:48 pm

You left out, “When used with the HD I interface, you can see the camera’s menus, to more...
This has always been a bit of confusion on this ad, written by copy writers not the engineers. BM is saying you can see the menus do you can change the settings, it does not say you can actually change the settings with the VA. You need to use the camera buttons or an SBus Remote to do this.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions

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