(Part 2) Best products from r/VIDEOENGINEERING

A guy in our office has spent probably 6 months digitizing some old super 8 tapes on his camcorder using this:

Elgato Video Capture, Capture analog video for your Mac or PC, iPad and iPhone, white https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029U2YSA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hy7QAbC7PZKNW

Cheaper ones exist but he seems to like this one, it’s reliable and he likes the software it uses for capturing as well.

You would probably need to get a BNC to RCA adapter for the video.

I’ve been using this guy on a system I designed for graphics and it’s been great. Granted, it’s hard wired into a rack and doesn’t get set-up and taken down, but I have zero complaints despite the low price point.

Well, I would like USB3.0 but that’s tough to come by without dropping more cash.

BlackBox also makes some awesome stuff, but their price point is significantly higher.

I can tell you that our support is better. I can also tell you that we have ongoing development, on our devices. Want an API for a new streaming service? We'll probably add it as soon as possible. Got a bug in the interface or with your equipment? it can get fixed.

Again, without having ever used the cerevo, I can't speak for it's quality. I know the Vidiu pro is a solid unit.

Take a look at the amazon reviews, that might help.

https://www.amazon.com/Cerevo-LiveShell-Streaming-Broadcasting-Recording/product-reviews/B01KOSW3I4

The lights you linked are nice, but probably far more than you need for what you want to do. Do you already have a plain white wall with no extraneous light source? (windows, etc.) If so, what's in your picture is pretty simple. Basic 3 point lighting (key/fill/back) will do the trick with 2 extra dimmable lights for the background. Softboxes are nice but diffusion will work just fine. In recent years we've switched to color-shifting dimmable LED panels for pretty much everything. these lights are dirt cheap, have black barndoors, and color shift between warm/cool, tungsten/daylight, 3200k/5600k, whatever your preferred terminology is:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072QB3K9T/

We have 4 of them and they're fantastic. You probably don't even need the diffusion really but old habits die hard. If I were you I'd get 3 of them plus 2 for the background and you can reproduce that look exactly. (if you already have something you can use for fill or back you can prob get away with 4.)

I assume you already know 3 point lighting, but if not there are plenty of tutorials online.

EDIT - the lights I linked don't come with lights stands, but if you don't already have them here's some cheap ones: https://smile.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Aluminum-7-Foot-Light-Stand/dp/B074VMTP68

I have a Lilliput HD 7in monitor with analog/hdmi/component. Has loop outs of all inputs. Has solid scopes and 2ch audio metering and headphone and a good case. Only con is no signal generator.

I have used the nicer digital forest tester and really liked it, for what it’s worth.

https://www.amazon.com/lilliput-Monitor-3G-SDI-1080p-Peaking/dp/B00BN52ZT0/ref=pd_aw_day0_hl_1/141-2362625-4742667?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00BN52ZT0&pd_rd_r=e0512b91-731e-44b9-936c-b58ca9cf68da&pd_rd_w=zQbwR&pd_rd_wg=A7Cb4&pf_rd_p=bf53da1a-9ec2-43da-a997-98ab9d9d07d2&pf_rd_r=BZWTPXS3DH2DFSB0DZSK&psc=1&refRID=BZWTPXS3DH2DFSB0DZSK

I'm not familiar with Krone, but tally is pretty basic. I've been using Sony CCUs a lot, and they accept a dry contact input, which is literally just shorting two contacts together (no external voltage.) Wiring a Blackmagic GPI interface to a Sony CCU is just a matter of making a DB25 cable with the proper pinout. When you rent CCUs from VER they come with breakout cables with bare ends for tally, so a DB25 screw terminal adapter (like this) is an easy way to make temporary connections.

Opto-isolation uses an LED and a light sensor (as an all-in-one DIP or SMD component,) which provides electrical isolation between equipment.

Screwdrivers: pick up some Klein stuff. #1 and #2 Phillips, plus a few standard flat blades. Get 1 stubby #2 Philips and 1 stubby medium sized standard flat screwdriver. This would be a great set and it's basically what I have.

A couple adjustable wrenches of different sizes.

Some Channellock or Knippex pliers (a few different styles. At least 1 should be needlenose and at least one should be a larger pipe-wrench type.)

A couple Greenies.

Some Xcelite diagonal cutters in a couple different sizes. I also like this particular Irwin set of diagonal cutters. Great for zip ties and cutting cable. I throw one of those Irwin ones in some of my kits too (like my BNC kit has a set of strippers and crimpers plus one of those for cutting the cable and cutting back the braided shield.) It's the perfect multi-purposed size and it takes a lot of abuse. I get smaller Xcelite stuff for fine work on the bench.

A good pair of wire strippers that can do smaller gauge stuff (20-30 gauge stranded.) Get 2 or 3.

A decent utility knife. I just bought a new one, a Stanley 10-788, to replace one that broke. Don't buy one of those it's a piece of shit. Have to use my swiss army knife to depress the lever enough to get into the blade storage. Garbage. I'll be buying another one soon.

For soldering, word is Weller's quality has gone downhill. I don't know. Mine is about 10 years old and has been completely rock solid. Might want to do some research.

Some wire brushes (use 'em all the time on exploded batteries in remotes, sadly.)

One of those BNC removing tools if you don't have one.

Decent hammer and rubber mallet.

A basic level.

Fluke multimeter (toward the lower end of their range is all you need. Don't need precision, just need continuity and basic voltage check for checking power supply rails etc.)

Decent 30' measuring tape.

Decent set of Hex keys.

Socket set. Any Joe Blow set from Home Depot will do.

Cordless drill (I like the M18 hammer drill from Milwaukee if you can just have one, it's a bit on the big side but can handle everything from attaching TV mounts into brick to removing screws from equipment cases.)

Dremel (comes in handy in many last resort "oh shit moments.") Get some extra metal cutting wheels you'll use those a lot.

Wiha set of micro screw drivers for repair. They sell like 8 and 10 piece sets that handle most of your needs. Go Wiha or Klein or something for your screwdrivers (hear Wera is good too.) Don't cheap out you will use the hell out of them.

I have one of these literally just lives on my bench and I like it a lot, along with a decent #2 Philips I have there, it handles 90% of my screwdriver needs without me needing to go to the tool box.

Don't forget yourself get a GOOD set of hearing and eye protection!

Also buy a cheap dollar screwdriver or 2 in the common sizes and let people borrow (and lose) those, keep the good stuff to yourself. (And a cheap tape measure. Those 2 things get borrowed from me the most.

Edit: added more.

I love this little monitor. It's a much bigger picture than most field monitors, which is great when more than one person needs to see. Powered by it's own AC adapter or I run it on a regular USB phone power brick. It has excellent picture quality and will run 10 hours plus on a battery.

It's less than ½-inch thick, weighs next to nothing and the protective case unfolds into a "sort-of" stand which is convenient. I hang mine on a light stand with a strip of industrial-strength Velcro. When you fold it back up it's not much bigger than the latest Time Magazine. Everything is flush-mounted, nothing sticks out.

Down sides: It's mini HDMI input only so you need an adapter cable. All the connections are down one side, so not well protected. There's no remote, so adjustments are in a hard-to-use menu system. Once adjusted it stays put, but better have it adjusted the way you want it before you use it. The built-in speakers are crappy but the headphone jack is good quality and plenty loud.

Usually a crimp tool like that is expensive, and may not work with some cables.

These HDMI connectors with screw terminals may be a more cost effective solution for emergencies. There are a bunch out there from different manufacturers, most less than $10 each.

Here is one on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M98XCL6/

Buy a HDMI Switcher. You can get some on Amazon that some with remotes.

Like this:

HDMI Switch 4k,GANA Intelligent 3-Port HDMI Switcher,splitter, Supports 4K, Full HD1080p, 3D with IR Remote

I'd also add the AVUE, as "sorta cheap"

We've used a good number of these with success

https://www.amazon.com/AVUE-Converter-Supports-1080P-1080i/dp/B0085ZTI50

I'd buy the AJA stuff if you want something rock-solid and it fits into your budget.

Yes I have a native thunderbolt 3 on my laptop but I am using a thunderbolt docking station. I plan on connecting the Samsung T5 SSD to the thunderbolt docking station and connecting the thunderbolt docking station to the native thunderbolt 3 on my laptop.

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I am streaming these sessions using a camera and tablet so that I can do this.

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I could potentially edit them in post but I wanted to record them simultaneously to make it easier on myself when I am teaching. I also wanted to do live sessions in the future.

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I havent tested the Magewell yet and OBS. I just got all my equipment in so I am going to troubleshoot tonight.

Plenty of options out there for me-too GoPro's, here's the $200 one that The Wirecutter recommends as a cheaper alternative, their vetting is usually pretty thorough.
(unclear if it has a video-out, or if you'd be stuck using just the wifi connectivity...could work well if you had a iPad or tablet to dedicate to viewing the action-cam...)
Looks like there's also a regular HD version for half the price....hmmmm.....

> So I would buy a PC, buy one of those, install it into a PC, and plug the cameras directly into that. Then I'd film everything on vMix, and don't even need to use the Roland?

Yeah.

> Is there a specific kind of computer you would recommend that could handle this kind of production? Should I look for any kind of specs?

I use an I5 NUC for single-camera HD streaming with vMix and it works quite well.

I feel like the answer is no as well. I'd be looking for a proper HDbaseT box like this: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-100m-HDBaseT-Extender-110680/dp/B00IACEDEE/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1523411212&sr=1-2&keywords=hdbaset+transmitter

In my brief looking it looks like almost all of them come as a pair however. Unless you go for a matrix type box

https://www.amazon.com/Electricity-Entertainment-Electrician-Technician-Richard/dp/0415714834

A seriously good book, and an area a lot of techs seem to overlook. After that, what u/deviantpixel said about reading manuals is spot on. I have my job today because I blew my boss a away by actually reading manuals when I first worked with him. It turns out, they have a LOT of great info.

I use Scopebox by Divergent Media(http://www.divergentmedia.com/scopebox) with BMD Mini Recorder(https://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design-UltraStudio-Mini-Recorder/dp/B009D91314). Love the fact that i can customize & adjust scope size as well as record the feed to my laptop/computer.

Yes RS422 should have no problem being run over Cat6 (should go to 1500 meters). It looks from the spec sheet that the pinout would be 1->1. It uses pins 3 and 8 for TX, 2 and 7 for RX and 5 for reset. All the others are just tied to ground. I have used these before:

https://www.amazon.com/C2G-Cables-Go-02947-Modular/dp/B0000AOWXP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503836231&sr=8-1&keywords=db9m+to+rj45

since they can be custom configured they are nice. Just make sure to keep pins 3 and 8 on a twisted pair and 2 and 7 on one. I would use pin 1,2 and 7,8 of the RJ45.

Look for a Blackmagic mini recorder. It will convert HDMI to Thunderbolt.

https://www.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design-UltraStudio-Mini-Recorder/dp/B009D91314

You will need thunderbolt and not mini display port.

You’ll also need to purchase a thunderbolt cable.

Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder - Thunderbolt

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009D91314/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1