[Will Salley]

The Nanoflash and Ki-Pro are both capable, but designed for portability, especially the nano, but a more affordable option would be this device:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/663226-REG/MOTU_HDX_SDI_VIDEO_INTERFACE_w_EXPRESSCARD34.html

In addition, it gives you eight or more channels of audio. You will also need timecode to sync music playback. I use a Sound Devices 744T, but there are a few other, more affordable options as well.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

UPDATE: So I decided to keep the sheet metal intact and use an external fan to circulate forced air into the Multibridge Pro…although I did enlarge the exhaust hole and removed the baffles, which seemed to produce most of the noise and block airflow.

So far everything works fine. No fan noise and the PC board seems quite cool.

I think Chad’s suggestion is another very good solution that I might try just to keep down on clutter. One problem I have now is that the access to the rear panel is a little limited by the tube running into the MBP.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

This is another modular series mic. I don’t have this mic, but I do have many other Audix brand mics and they are very reliable, give good performance, and are well made.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/242661-REG/Audix_SCX1_HC_SCX1_HC_Microphone.html#accessories

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

Look into the component mics like the Sennheiser K6 series. I have the original model K6/ME66 combination, which is a medium pattern hypercardioid (shotgun). Despite it being over 24 years old, I still use it for various applications including as a backup dialog boom mic. It is heavier than, say an MKE60, but it’s very versatile and well made.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/K6-Mic-Capsules/ci/11038/N/4291086574

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

It’s odd, but I seem to be able to name the files in-camera with any combination of characters and letters I choose. The camera just increments the filenames with an underscore and a digit.

As a test, I preset it to start at 0001 and it worked just fine – at least in FCP.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

John,
Your post got me to thinking about this since I do a lot of music related and sync to sound video work. I took a look at my Alesis BRC and it does indeed have SMPTE in and out, oddly on 1/4″ jacks, and video sync in on BNC. I assume that is intended to take subcarrier sync (genlock) or blackburst. It also has 48Khz I/O, MIDI I/O, and the 9-pin ADAT sync connection. The BRC manual states that it does work with the HD-24 so that may be your best way to achieve sync.

If you’re interested, I found one on eBay real cheap:
https://cgi.ebay.com/Alesis-Adat-BRC-Master-Remote-control-Unit_W0QQitemZ300392873827QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45f0cf7f63#ht_500wt_1182

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

That’s exactly what happened to ours. The legs were in the rear of a golf car (camera was on hi hat) and they got shattered by falling over and binding against something else. I can’t say aluminum wouldn’t have been destroyed, but it certainly destroyed the carbon fiber.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

I’ve got a pair of DP G5’s being used as coffee tables.

Even my cute little Intel Mac Mini run rings around them.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

Word clock is a sync pulse for digital audio to lock together. It really doesn’t have anything to do with timecode, it’s more like blackburst for audio.

Time code is incremental data and can be recorded on an audio track, but you would need an external reader to make use of that. The only device I know that could sync SMPTE to the HD24 is the Alesis BRC, which is a discontinued product but readily available on eBay for next to nothing.

In any event, to distribute timecode you need a master generator (a camera can suffice), a distribution amp or DA (a video DA or audio DA will do the trick – it’s analog data, you just need it amplified), and a bunch of cable. Obviously, all the cameras will need TC I/O.

Let us know how it goes. I have a BRC and would like to know for future reference.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite

[Will Salley]

I know this will be an unpopular response – but, in my opinion, carbon fiber is way overrated and Sachtler is way overpriced. I had several (DV10,DV20) where I used to work and they are nice heads, but the larger Manfrotto heads are just as smooth and durable. I don’t think the lower-end Sachtler heads are as well-built as the Manfrotto 519, which is cheaper.

If you plan on adding any extras to your EX-3 rig, you might want to consider a higher capacity head. If you add a DOF adaptor or a teleprompter or rail system & mattebox, etc, the weight gets up well above 15 lbs. Mine weighs in at 18lbs (EX-3, RedRock carbon fiber rail system & mattbox, Letus Elite and SWIT 92 battery). The FSB-6 can’t handle that.

Here’s my suggestion:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/348777-REG/Manfrotto_519MVBKIT_3182_Tripod_Legs_Black_.html

One man’s opinion.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite