[Bob Cole]

A reality-check aside: “Broadcast tv” may say it is HD, but when you see it through cable, the compression is so severe that it probably should not qualify as high definition.

I just cut the cable, and started looking at over-the-air HD, and the difference is stunning.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

There have been some excellent, highly technical replies to the OP. In case you want a response from a non-techie person, I just “voted” on this very issue by buying a MacBook Pro, for four reasons:

1. OSX works for me; I’m sure Windows 8.1 is great, but I have only so much time to spend on learning new software, and I’d rather spend that time on new After Effects techniques than operating system basics.
2. Our old Windows boxes are a PITA to keep running smoothly; our 1st-gen Intel Macs are still very useful and trouble-free. Having started on PCs, I have been delighted with the ease of use of OSX.
3. Most of the people I work with use Macs, so staying on that platform is just easier.
4. Cost is a non-issue, especially given the longevity of the Mac. I kept hearing how much more expensive the Macs are, compared to PCs. So when I priced out a workstation from HP, I was shocked to find that it wasn’t really that cheap. If you find otherwise, I’d be very interested to know, because we are also looking to get a new desktop this year.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Hi Mark,

Didn’t see all of them, but agreed about the Bud Lite fever dream spot. I disagreed about the Chevy Silverado spot – found the bull date kinda gross. I loved Cheerios with Gracie, and thought Armisen in the Willis spot should get the Chaplin Award for best silent acting.

Did you observe a tendency toward ultra-macho spots at the Super Bowl? But they make the more nuanced spots stand out.

Overall, the score was Commercials 54, Game 7.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Just glad it was not the most riveting Super Bowl. We started channel surfing after the halftime show.

At least they kept the lights on this year!

So what was your favorite spot? I didn’t see that many of them, but liked the Cheerios a lot.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Thanks Steve. I had been checking the refurbs, finding nothing recent
(and I wanted the Oct 2013 MBP). And then when I got your reply and the link I checked again and there it was, exactly what I wanted, and at a much bigger savings than the usual refurb. Very good timing on your reply! Problem solved.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

You have gotten some great advice here.

imho, if hand-holding is important to you, you have to go to a good dealer or a big convention (NAB?) and just try every camera you can lay your hands on. It’s a very personal thing, and what suits one person may not, literally, fit you. By and large, the newer cameras are not very adjustable to accommodate a given operator’s preferences and body-type variations. This is quite puzzling to me, because this problem was clearly solved 20-30 years ago, by the designers of the Betacam and the Aaton.

I have tried to ease hand-holding the EX1R, but without much success. It’s a shame, because the beauty of the camera is that you can carry it so easily, maneuver it in tight spaces, and still get incredible images. Adding a shoulder brace changes the highly portable character of the camera. There are several shoulder braces; the one I tried didn’t work that well. Using a viewfinder magnifier helps; it’s “close” to being right for me, but not perfect. If you are accustomed to the old Betacams (with their extensible (word?) viewfinders and built-in shoulder pads, with the battery nicely placed for balance aft of the shoulder) … well, you won’t be as happy about hand-holding an EX1/R all day.

My solution was to get a monopod with a quick-release. That way, I can get rock-solid shots, even at tele, move around freely (without tripping up people with tripod legs), and pop the camera off when I need to get a low angle, high angle, or do a move.

I added a very solid metal bottom plate and rods to my EX1R, and that helps me a lot. I can grip the rails or the plate, and it’s all quite solid. But it was a task to get everything lined up correctly.

I had to use a client’s JVC camera that looks just like a half-size Betacam, and found it quite nice, except that the viewfinder was rather low-res. Maybe the newer JVC cameras have a better viewfinder.

Good luck and please report back what you discover.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[Nick Griffin] “Spots don’t exist individually in a vacuum. “

What, Nick? Just because I don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re going to disagree with me?

Of course you’re right; testing is much more complicated than I was suggesting. But in some form, testing is the only way to resolve this question – and there are probably scads of studies on the topic.

[Bob Cole]

I don’t think you can determine the answer except by testing. You might produce two versions of the spot, one with the phone number, one without. Run the two spots on alternating weeks; track the sales.

[Bob Cole]

Thanks all, very much. I appreciate the help!

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Very interesting. How do you use a camera with the audio turned off? And by “turned off” do you mean that the audio monitoring is turned off, or audio recording as well?

I have been using the Sony EX1R set to 1080p30 for years, and audio monitoring has worked perfectly, until now.

The Sony repair facility upgraded my version to 1.31. I wonder whether that has anything to do with it.

Bob C