I'll take note of that sir....thanks... I'm planning to hallow the back so it would be easier to detach the battery and maybe put the mic adapter in the right side.Originally Posted by Erik Bien
I'll just incorporate this plans with my previous build posted above.
Going off Erik, you don't have to have any of the back part. The handle would just be connected to the hot shoe mount and nothing blocking the back. Maybe the zoom could just be to left or right of the handle. Who knows...
Hm I was just planning something like this for the HF100! My design has an opening in the back for access to the battery and controls, plus a collapsable side handle for stability. I'm going to make mine out of carbon fiber resin because it's extremely light and strong enough to hold a Formula One car together, so it's strong enough for me. Also looks bitchin' Here is a site that sells the kits:
http://www.carbonmods.co.uk/Products...CMCFLK300.aspx
I'll post my end result in a month or so when I get around to ordering that thing ^^^
That looks sick, i would drop good money for that
what are the controls on the back of the rig?
That is just a photoshop of the concept; not an actual photo. One suggestion for either of the posters planning to make something like this; the carbon fiber is the only way these will sell. Plywood versions just won't cut it unless of course, instead of paint, you finish them with carbon fiber.
As for the the issue of access to the back for controls, I have a solution for that. Trace your HV30 IR remote onto a piece of plywood and cut it out with a bandsaw/jigsaw. When you fill your mold, press the cutout of the remote into the back to create a recess large enough to house the actual IR remote and a strip of velcro. Do the bulb hack to make the remote wired, drill a hole through the recess, run the wire to the jack, affix the hook side of the velcro to the inside of the recess and the loop side to the back of the remote.
That will take care of the issue of access to the controls. The only issue remaining would be battery access but, as long as you make the recess behind the camera large enough to accommodate the highest capacity battery available, most of us would probably be ok with that. I really don't think that, if you are going to try to make the finished product about the size of an XH-A1, you will be able to fit a 12 volt battery and power converter inside it.
The idea of adding an XLR preamp is plausible and would make this a winner. Even with a remote recess, there should still be enough room for one. Rigging a shot shoe extension and incorporating it into the handle would be aces as well. Design-wise, I would suggest that the front edge of the bottom should not extend past it's futhermost contact point with the camera. Has anyone actually begun work on one of these yet or is everyone still just brainstorming?
Last edited by BWC; 2009 February 25th at 15:00.
I've begun thinking about ordering the carbon fiber... but it's going to take at least 2 weeks to get here from the UK.
Would it be possible to crack open a camera and add XLR inputs directly onto the circuit board? I added an external mic to my GS80 in this manner, I'm just not sure if it would work with XLR.
See my videos! http://www.youtube.com/user/lowcostvideos
-Proud owner of the world's only GS80 with a mic input.
Personally, I wouldn't suggest trying it on the HV30. It's way too small and flimsy to boot. There are several good preamps on the market that would fit inside an adapter like the one proposed in this thread. The ability to use it when you want to and store it when you don't is something I personally require. I like the idea of something that looks, and can essentially be, permanent, but can be removed to reveal an unaltered camera. Just my personaly preference of course.
I have been looking into making something like this myself. The hardest part seems like it would be getting your hands on an XHA1 to cast a mold from.
Yeah thanks BWC that added suggestions are great.
I don't intend to pattern perfectly to the XHa1 but would want to do a design that looks like it. You're right about the controls maybe I'll place the IR remote at the handle so I can gain controls through that.
I'm more excited to build one...
Yet I'm still waiting for my hv20.LOL
Hope it arrives soon.
Goodluck to us builders....
I have. My Concept is, however, more about functionality, inspired by the A1 look. My design features a 2 cahnnel preamp (same chip as the Juicedlink uses) w/ 48V phantom power and 2 XLR ins, Handle, BNC video out for my 7" monitor, and when it arrives in the mail, 8.4V for the camera. All controls and features expet for battery and HDMI are fully accessible. A custom designed 12V NiMH battery is attached to the back. All of the Silver aluminum (not camera) will later on be covered by black plastic.Has anyone actually begun work on one of these yet or is everyone still just brainstorming?
That looks like it might turn out to be pretty cool. I don't think I have seen that particular preamp before. What model is it? I would suggest that, if you are still in the design phase, you make the bottom frame extend all the way back to where the battery is. Also, you could probably run your wires underneath, then up through the bottom and cover it with another layer of sheet metal to make it look a little cleaner. I look forward to seeing your end result.
This is only the structure, and I had to use it for taping an event, that's why there are more wires in the wild (from battery) than there are to be in the final product. All the wires running from front to back will be in the handle casing, which I haven't finnished yet due to some internal components missing.
I purposely left the bottom plate shroter than the whole rig, since the battery is mounted to the preamp case, whose back can be attached to the bottm plate for more stability, and a longer aluminum plate would have only driven upp costs and weight. it also allowes acces to the internal compoents of the preamp without disassembling the whole rig. The purpose of the bottom plate is to add more stability to the camera, since it jiggled on the Velbon plate, to stabilitze the front handle when a monitor is attached and to allow the mounting of components on front of the lens, like a promter or follow-focus. Originally, I only wanted it to attach to the hotshoe.
The preamp uses 2 THAT1510 ICs, which are low noise and can provide up to 60db Gain. Picture of pcb below
Last edited by flycam; 2009 February 26th at 14:09.
Nice. Where are the pots located? Also, I am kind of confused about what your final battery setup will be. Is the one on the back of the unit not the one you will be using? Will your final battery be located in the same place or will it go inside that box that the XLR inputs attach to?
um...whats the circuit board thing for?
The Pots are not in the picture, since they are still one problem to be solved. One is attached to a white wire pair. Everything will be powered from the black battery attached to the back (it's removable!). So yes, the battery setup is final, except for a few connection details.
@matt: the circuit board is the Preamp which will be located in the silver box with the XLR jacks on my rig.
This is only the structure, and I had to use it for taping an event, that's why there are more wires in the wild (from battery) than there are to be in the final product. All the wires running from front to back will be in the handle casing, which I haven't finnished yet due to some internal components missing.
I purposely left the bottom plate shroter than the whole rig, since the battery is mounted to the preamp case, whose back can be attached to the bottm plate for more stability, and a longer aluminum plate would have only driven upp costs and weight. it also allowes acces to the internal compoents of the preamp without disassembling the whole rig. The purpose of the bottom plate is to add more stability to the camera, since it jiggled on the Velbon plate, to stabilitze the front handle when a monitor is attached and to allow the mounting of components on front of the lens, like a promter or follow-focus. Originally, I only wanted it to attach to the hotshoe.
The preamp uses 2 THAT1510 ICs, which are low noise and can provide up to 60db Gain. Picture of pcb below
Wow that looks great. Dare I ask for the schematics?
give me a moment to draw them.
Here are the schematics, I omitted the second channel, and didn't draw the IC the correct schematics way, this way it's closer to the actual PCB.
I reccomend you take a look at the datasheet and designnotes from THATcorp.com.
Oh wow. 9000 thanks to you sir.Here are the schematics, I omitted the second channel, and didn't draw the IC the correct schematics way, this way it's closer to the actual PCB.
I reccomend you take a look at the datasheet and designnotes from THATcorp.com.
That was awesome flycam..
You can get a more legible schematic from the THAT1510 datasheet. Thanks for sharing about this, flycam!
I had a drink with an old friend, this evening and got talking about this thread.
He had an interesting idea!
He reckons there's plenty of old Sony Betacam bodies floating about, and you could probably pick a broken one up for song!
There's plenty of room inside to accommodate an HVx0 and you might be able to use the XLR pre-amps if still serviceable. Of course, you'd need to construct some kind of faux lens or snout. But there's plenty of heft to make one very wide so you could take it out quite far without causing vignetting problems.
Just a thought for brainstorming.
Instead of a lens, use a HV30 (Handle w/ Zoom lever is normally on the lens). Good luck taping somewhere w/o a permit. Nice thought though, and would give you a much superior viewfinder than the HV20's built in. Really cool would be mounting the insides of the HV20 into the Lens and Handle on the side of the lens, and feeding the component to the viewfinder. then, If you don't need the whole cam, just tape with the lens by itself, that'll look really awesome.
Last edited by flycam; 2009 February 27th at 09:51.
Oh! I thought that looked familliar. Is that one of those DYI preamps the "$5 preamp" article was written about?
I have had an identical conversation with a few friends. Although that woould be cool, I am after a final result that is more like what flycam is working on.
It's here... somewhere...
Someone started a thread with this kind of mod last year (I looked around for it, but ran short on time)... it looked promising.
Be well,
Jigme
More equipment than talent
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