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Pocket Ultrascope Not Functional
After reviewing all the requirements for USB 3.0 and the Pocket Ultrascope, I bit the bullet an bought the Pocket Ultrascope. Since BMD has an HP Envy15 laptop on their list, I was sure an HP Elitebook 8740w would work. After downloading and installing the recommended drivers and firmware, my 8740 recognizes the Pocket Ultrascope, but continues to tell me to connect to a USB 3 port and refuses to launch.
Has anyone been able to get this extremely balky product to work, short of spending upwards of $1500 on a new computer?
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26 Replies
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From the Blackmagic Support Document Number 201 of 05 January 2011:
Which notebooks can I use with Blackmagic Design USB 3.0 Products?
There are no notebooks currently available which are compatible with our USB 3.0 hardware. We are in the process of qualifying more notebooks.
We have tried the HP Envy 17” and it didn’t work. So now we have this box waiting for a solution from Blackmagic. How many of us are in the same situation?
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HAH! Thanx for that info. In another BMD source, they show an Envy15 as acceptable. Sounds to me like they released a product before the SDK was fully understood…so so typically bad judgment,
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BMD says “THIS LAPTOP IS QUALIFIED.” So you then buy the product and use it on a model they don’t say is qualified…and you complain that it doesn’t work? Dude…you are using on hardware BMD hasn’t qualified to work with it. You can’t just ASSUME that it will work. Never assume. Because in this case, you are wrong.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
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Well, I’m sure you never took a calculated risk, doode. BMD listed the HP Envy15 as an approved laptop, then retracted their claims. Somewwhat misleading, this. The HP8740 uses the same NEC chipset, so, the gamble was a reasonable one.
BMD has a huge advertising campaign for these devices. Nowhere do the warn potential buyers of the very limited hosts for their product, until you look at the product manual.
The fundamental issue is that USB3 is an emerging technology. Given enough time, implementation will catch up with applications. It’s still misleading to advertise this product as USB3 compatible without also publicly posting a diisclaimer.
My experience with BMD is less than satisfactory, now and in the past. I have no qualms or misgivings with posting my displeasure.
Regardless, your post simply shows your own poor judgment in posting.
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An email we got from Blackmagic support last week:
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Hi PauloWe have recently removed the HP Envy 15” notebook from our recommendations, as the model that we tested and certified is now end of life and no longer available. I must be honest in saying it would be very difficult to find one of these systems, and so we decided to remove this from our recommendations.
The other Envy notebooks in the range, as well as the replacement model for the HP Envy 15” are of different specifications and we have not found these suitable for our USB 3.0 products. We are constantly testing newer laptop systems for our USB 3.0 products, and as soon as suitable systems become available we will be posting these online.
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So you see, maybe they should stop selling the box until they have a working solution. For us, all there is to do is play the waiting game.
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[Bill Ravens] “Well, I’m sure you never took a calculated risk, doode. “
I have. But I didn’t complain about it publically, that a device doesn’t work on the item I took a risk on, and blamed the maker for it. You took the risk, it didn’t work out. Not BMD’s fault.
I too looked at this device. And heavily researched what I would need in order for it to work before I bought. Because USB3 is rare…VERY rare. I found the laptop they said was qualified for it, and it was very expensive, so I opted not to buy.
[Bill Ravens] “My experience with BMD is less than satisfactory, now and in the past. I have no quamms or misgivings with posting my displeasure.”
Well, if it was something bad on their end, I’d not blame you. But it isn’t…you used hardware they didn’t qualify, and you took the risk that it would. It didn’t. Not BMDs fault…it is yours.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Was that notebook the ONLY one on their qualified list?
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Yes, it was.
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I take responsibility for the risk. I never said I didn’t. However, in all fairness, BMD is less than forthcoming in their advertising for this product. My only motivation for even starting this post is to publicly warn other potential buyers that it is $600 wasted. If you insist on slamming me for that, then I have nothing more to add.
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I’ll give you that. They have this great product, but really ZERO laptops that it will work with. I discovered that too.
Marketting strikes again.
OK…pardon my rudeness then.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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