Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

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paulgolden

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Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostTue Sep 26, 2017 2:42 am

It drives me nuts that I have to reset time and date info as often as I do. Does anyone know if there is any internal battery at all?

Call me crazy, but wouldn't it be nice if there was a tiny watch battery in the bottom of the UMP that helped keep time/date information running even if the camera was off of battery for a couple of weeks?

There, I've got that off my chest...
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David Peterson

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostSun Oct 01, 2017 4:31 am

Can't you just jam TC and then use that to always set the internal time with automatically?

If not, is something BMD should update in the next firmware release.
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Greg Huson

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostMon Oct 02, 2017 12:41 am

David Peterson wrote:Can't you just jam TC and then use that to always set the internal time with automatically?

If not, is something BMD should update in the next firmware release.


Yes, this is an irritating problem that I'd also like to see fixed - we jam 4 cameras a half hour before a show, then, foolishly, turn them off- and they don't match when switched back on. Please fix this - I don't even care if it bleeds my battery. Of course, it would better if there were a watch battery, so TC didn't fail when the battery is changed, too!

Meanwhile, there's this thing:
https://www.timecodesystems.com/product ... async-one/

which we shouldn't need!
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rick.lang

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Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostMon Oct 02, 2017 2:10 am

If only I could find who is selling this Ultrasync One in Canada. The North American distributor (based in California if I remember correctly) completely ignored my request asking who was selling it or distributing it in Canada. Great product for the U.K./EU. With that one device I could keep the Mini 4.6K and a SD MixPre-6 in perfect sync.


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Jamie LeJeune

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostMon Oct 02, 2017 4:53 pm

Greg Huson wrote:
David Peterson wrote:Can't you just jam TC and then use that to always set the internal time with automatically?

If not, is something BMD should update in the next firmware release.


Yes, this is an irritating problem that I'd also like to see fixed - we jam 4 cameras a half hour before a show, then, foolishly, turn them off- and they don't match when switched back on. Please fix this - I don't even care if it bleeds my battery. Of course, it would better if there were a watch battery, so TC didn't fail when the battery is changed, too!

Meanwhile, there's this thing:
https://www.timecodesystems.com/product ... async-one/

which we shouldn't need!


I agree its a pain. A cheaper option than Timecode Systems is Tentacle Sync. They are tiny, relatively inexpensive, and have worked flawlessly since I got them last year.

https://www.tentaclesync.com
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paulgolden

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostMon Oct 02, 2017 8:11 pm

I'm really curious about how the internal clock does indeed work.

I left the body in the case over the weekend without a battery and when I checked it today, the time is still correct. That leads me to believe that either there's a small battery or there's some kind of non-volatile memory that keeps clock info. If the camera is off for several weeks (as it has been) it needs to be reset because it drifts or stops working.

Most of the time, when I'm not shooting sound, I don't worry about jam-sync or lock-it boxes, but I still want TOD code to be accurate. It's just not predictable, so it piqued my interest.
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Uli Plank

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostMon Oct 02, 2017 11:25 pm

I suppose it's an internal rechargeable battery (or huge condenser). If that's true and the camera has been powered long enough, it will be charged and hold the time/date. If the camera has been off for too long (or maybe when it's new), that backup might be empty.

That's the way it's done in quite a few devices these days.
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rick.lang

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostTue Oct 03, 2017 2:33 am

Paul, the new MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 mixer/recorders do not output SDI. Just 3.5mm jacks for output. Or did I miss something? A little spacey here as I’ve been editing all day.


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Steven Abrams

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostTue Oct 03, 2017 10:03 pm

Greg Huson wrote:Yes, this is an irritating problem that I'd also like to see fixed - we jam 4 cameras a half hour before a show, then, foolishly, turn them off- and they don't match when switched back on. Please fix this

Same thing with Alexa, Red, Sony, pretty much every cinema camera. On any shoot if the camera loses power, you ALWAYS re-jam timecode otherwise it will be out. That's why cameras stay on until lunch, then get jammed after lunch before shooting again.
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rick.lang

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Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostWed Oct 04, 2017 1:19 am

Paul, saw the just announced MixPre-10T includes internal timecode and audio output via TA3. Just $1,799 for up to 12 track recording.
http://www.newsshooter.com/2017/10/03/s ... -recorder/

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rick.lang

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Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostThu Oct 05, 2017 3:22 am

Further to Steven’s comments, the MixPre-10T will keep its internal timecode for several hours after being powered off so you can shutdown fir lunch and resume with its timecode still precise and accurate.

Seems to address some shortcomings of the MixPre-6 in that you have proper balanced Output with internal timecode, as well as TC In and TC Out.


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corbingravely

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Re: Ursa Mini Pro Internal Clock

PostFri Feb 23, 2018 4:42 pm

Man, that is a real pain. I thought i was the only one who had this problem. I remember back then when we had to do this at the most congested of times. It was so frustrating. And see where technology is now. Such wow. I just saw this issue posted here and was wandering through my memories.








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