At IBC 2011, Atomos announced an Avid DNxHD codec upgrade for their flagship video field recorder and monitor, Samurai. They also announced the Atomos Connect devices, small, battery-powered video signal converters. Atomos looks set to win the hearts of Indie as well as broadcast video shooters with their innovative solutions for high-end video quality off a lower-end video camera.
The Samurai portable field recorder, monitor and playback device also has playout capabilities, but until now it was a single-codec recorder. It inspired the makers of the Cinedeck Extreme to point out they are the only company to supply a multi-codec video field recorder, because their device runs on a genuine operating system. Those who doubted Atomos Ninja and Samurai are also equipped with a real, genuine, re-programmable operating system, have been reassured by Atomos’ announcement that you can upgrade your HD-SDI Samurai to incorporate both the ProRes 422 series as well as the Avid DNxHD codecs. The price: approx. 99.00 Euros.
UPDATE: The Samurai’s batteries are kept tightly in place by a spring mechanism that clicks into one of the square cavities at the bottom side of the battery. However, this mechanism fails when using large capacity batteries from a different brand than Sony. I replaced the Atomos Sony NP class batteries with Hähnel’s large capacity Sony NP class replacement batteries. These batteries have no square cavities to hold onto and therefore are prone to slipping off the Samurai easily. The solution is to be either more careful, or hold the batteries in place with duct tape.
In one fell swoop, Atomos announced two pocket sized, battery powered Connect converters, designed to simplify video interconnections on the go and in the studio. The combination of a HD-SDI to HDMI converter and an Avid upgraded Samurai gives serious video producers access to functionality that could only be found on devices that cost over 8,000.00 Euros for a price that is about eight times less.
Connect converters are not yet available, but will be soon. Connecting HD-SDI to HDMI (Connect S2H) or HD-SDI to HDMI (Connect H2S), they remove Pulldown (reverse-telecine) where necessary, and include a built-in test pattern and audio tone generation. They look ugly — battery shaped and compact — but they are rugged and have a modular form-factor.
Atomos have included a dual battery (one internal and one external) system into the Connect converters, which inherit Atomos’ Patent-Pending “Continuous Power” system. This will afford up to 32 hours continuous operation from one (rather bulky) external battery. Users can swap batteries on-the-fly thanks to the internal power cell, which is a major advantage in any remote location, away from the studio. AC power options also available.
Connect converters have true 3G chipsets and updatable hardware on board. Atomos says they are ideal for use with Electronic Viewfinders (EVFs), large-screen monitors, cameras, decks, video switchers and field recorders, and integrate perfectly with Atomos’ Samurai and Ninja recorders for extra video input and output options.
Connect’s design means that they can be used stand-alone or attached unobtrusively to any device with a Sony NP battery plate (or other similar mounting systems with an adaptor plate). Simply by adding a Connect converter to a Marshall monitor for example, that monitor inherits Atomos’ Continuous Power technology, allowing uninterrupted monitoring in the field. In the studio, up to 6 Connect converters can be rackmounted using Atomos rackmount adaptor. Multiple Connects can be stacked and powered from a single battery source.
Here is a list of features of the Connect converters:
- Physical compatibility with Marshal and Small HD Monitors, Atomos Samurai and Ninja field recorders and any device with a Sony NP Battery Mount
- Canon and Panasonic mounting compatibility with suitable battery-plate adaptors
- Data compatibility with any SDI, HD-SDI equipment from the past two decades
- Rackmount adaptor available: ideal for studio or OB truck use
- Real-time conversion between HD-SDI and HDMI (S2H) and between HDMI and HD-SDI (H2S)
- In-line real-time pulldown removal (60i to 24p and 30p; 50i to 25p)
- 3G HD-SDI chipsets used throughout
- Dual battery system (one internal, one external) for continuous power
- Internal battery can power converter for two hours
- External battery (2-cell, NP-470-type) can power a converter for 15 hours (6-cell for up to 36 hours)
- Internal battery can be charged from an external battery
- External DC supply via D-Tap adaptor
- Stackable; up to six converters can be powered from a single source – AC or battery
- Built-in LED torch for use in dark spaces — e.g. behind racks or at night
- Built-in test pattern generator
- LED Battery-level indicators
- Add HDMI inputs and outputs to Samurai
- Add HD SDI input to Ninja
Connect converters will be available later in 2011 for 249.00 Euros.
