EPIC FAN NOISE - HEARTBREAKING DURING INTERVIEW

[Patrick Tresch]

Not sure power management is going to help in this case, as when it's recording, that's when the camera's chips that generate heat are gong to be running no matter what.

I think that less power consumption also means less heat generation.

I wonder why they didn't choose a quiet solution based on the Peltier effect for exemple, it's probalbly not efficient enough...?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect

Pat

[Robert Hart]

I had the fortune of sitting in on an intellectual property rights court-fight over CPU cooling using water heat-exhangers and saw one of the exhibits, a beautifully precise piece of engineering. During the submissions on the development of the product, it was mentioned that Peltier effect had been examined and found to be a dead-end. I imagine the same would apply to sensor and processor cooling in the cameras.

[Vico Martin]

My perception is a bit different.

It affects all the cameras the same, but some feel that removing the noise in post, which completely butchers the waveforms so that you might as well be using a $10 microphone, is 'acceptable' - as it will be covered up by music or other ambient noise in the the scene.

Maybe we´re talking about another issue, the "EPIC FAN NOISE - HEARTBREAKING" problem, raising the temperature up to 75c in less than 15 minutes, only affect to some cameras.

I use to work up to 10 epics from diferent hire company and only my one have this problem.

During recording, when the fan is not at 100% there isn´t any problem with sound, no more problem than the RedOne; I suppose someone working in ENG style, with the microphone at 2 inches from the camera ...

[Marc Wielage]

Whilst this will be a much smaller effect if at all with the EPIC/SCARLETT, the position of the fan, under the lens, facing forward towards the talent and the common microphone positions is not an ideal one.

Traditionally, when I've had to deal with HVAC problems on location, the problem is not only with the air conditioning/fan units, but also the shape and size of the vent blades. In some cases, just removing it entirely cuts down on the "whistle" of the air noise going through the vents.

In the case of camera design, I think the issue was, do we expel the hot air directly into the camera operator's face, or towards the talent? Neither is ideal. The recent upgrade does specifically mention a new fan and new heat sinks, which tells me that the company is trying very hard to solve these problems:

http://www.red.com/news/epic-m-upgrade-program

[Patrick Tresch]

The recent upgrade does specifically mention a new fan and new heat sinks, which tells me that the company is trying very hard to solve these problems:

http://www.red.com/news/epic-m-upgrade-program

Yes but it's an upgrade for M's to the current X's standard... nothing new announced.

Pat

[Marc Wielage]

Hey, I'm just glad that it's better today than it was 9 months ago. I'm always grateful for incremental improvements, and I never expect a revolutionary solution. Stuff like this happens a little bit at a time.

[Pablo R. Basulto]

I wonder what genious sound engenieer like Antoine Bonfanti, would say from his grave about Epic SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0094376/

[Mike P.]

Honestly, no matter how you try to rationalize this -- 5k is processor intensive, film mags had a similar time limit, takes should not be 10+minutes, mics shouldn't be within 6ft of the camera, Epic's/Scarlet's size is so small, you can get rid of it with (audio) noise reduction, etc. -- this is still a design flaw. There is no reason that digital cinema should succumb to any of the pitfalls of film. Whether you can cope with it or not is subjective, but the fact that the RED1 didn't actually suffer from heat related issues only makes instances of this problem, no matter how rare, that much worse.

Plus, if it's like this with 5k (4k on Scarlet), how loud is the fan going to need to be for Dragon/6k?

[Patrick Tresch]

I wonder what genious sound engenieer like Antoine Bonfanti, would say from his grave about Epic SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0094376/

Bonfanti would have find out a solution himself. I knew him. He was a great guy.
Strange that no sound guy has tackeled it.

Patrick

[Rocco Schult]

I think that less power consumption also means less heat generation.

I wonder why they didn't choose a quiet solution based on the Peltier effect for exemple, it's probalbly not efficient enough...?

A peltier element is not a cooler per se, it is a splitter that can help you carry heat away: if you cool down 30 degrees on one side, you have 30 more on the warm side of the peltier. Doesn't help you here I think...