iPAQs and Palms for Freelancers

[Austin Reeves]

Hey tomorrow my brand new iPAQ arrives and while I've already got several uses for it, I'm always looking for other ways to warrant my expensive taste in gadgets.

Anyone using an iPAQ of Palm for their work? Of course there is always the contacts and scheduling, but found (or had written) and software that you use for purposes other than that?

I know that with the palm for awhile there was an accessory that could hook up and read timecode, allowing you to log tape, but this wasn't practical.

I'll definitely be using Quickbooks software on it, for billing and estimates, but as I said, always looking for new uses.

Liveshot

 

[NEWS_HAWK]

I have an IPAQ 3835 whihc I use when out on the road etc. I keep looking for WIN CE apps that I can use for filming shot logging etc. I have found a few sites with applications but they tend to lean towards Film and not Video. Drop me a line if you have anything interesting. I am looking for a way of getting timecode out of my camera and into the palm.

 

[dinosaur]

BEFORE iPAQ

BEFORE Palm

There was Newton.

for newton there was "Shotlogger"

A product way ahead of its time.

Too bad it was never updated for Palm.
There's always Scriptlinc

but its not quite as cool as it would be to log shots directly on a Palm. You may be able to inquire if a Palm OS version with the TC Tx/Rx is available at info@gmsw.com Green Mountain Software.

 

[FOCUZ]

Microsoft has come out with a PDA version of "Microsoft Desktop". If your PDA is wireless you can control your desktop from the field. I am hoping to use this software along with the Studio Sweet software that I use for scheduling and billing.

I haven't used this yet, so if anyone has any advice let me know.

 

[NEWS_HAWK]

I spoke with the Green Mountain folks last year, they told me that they have decided not to work on this on this project any further. I asked about obtaining the Time code interface but they said that it was a limited run.

I have decided to persue my own venture and am looking into transmitting SMPTE code via Infra Red that can be read by the IPAQ's IR beam.

Will let you know what I come up with.

Having to teach myself how to program in WIN CE

 

[canuckcam]

I've done a lot of research into this, including talking to the Green Mountain people. They're very nice and they have a good heart, but bottom line is, it is not worth the effort to develop a proprietary interface to the ShotLogger, and nobody has hired them yet to make a version for the Pocket PC. Lou told me up front it's about $30K if anybody wants to head up the endeavour.

However, I've put on a paper a semi-solution using WiFi (802.11b), but, unfortunately, I do not have anywhere near the capital nor knowledge to even start a line of code for the actual Pocket PC program, which would need to be written from the ground up, perhaps using ShotLogger as a basis.

I've also looked into IrDA, but the fact of the matter is, you can have a very powerful IR beam from the camera, but you're never guaranteed to have a good consistent connection with the camera. With WiFi, you have a considerable amount of distance

Anybody interested? Of course. Anybody willing to front some cash? Nope. Perhaps if someone traded their D600 in, we could get this project up and running and call it the B-Roller.

Perhaps we should get a list of those who are interested and can participate somehow by helping make a prototype?

 

[Austin Reeves]

Well here is what I have on my end. I have an electrical engineer (currently contracted for work on the Internation Space Station by NASA) and a computer programmer, currently coding software for the Win32 environments (i.e. Windoz).

The Engineer is on board. If I can convince the programmer to swap API's and program for the PocketPC, here is what I invision:

To begin with:

-Modified WiFi AccessPoint transmitting data from the record deck to a Wifi equiped handheld or Laptop.

-Software enabled logging with hierchal organization (organize by dropping logs into Chapters, Scenes, Shots, etc.)

-Logs export to EDL style file format capturing into Avid, Edit, and Premier/Final Cut style Software.

-Log captures TC In/Out, Scene Name, Shot Name, ID #, Description, and Notes format (in the same format as the "drawings on the PocketPC under NOTES) and the ability for the user to add/remove, and configure each field.

------------------------------------

The reason for the Wifi instead of IR or other format is because 1) the info available on the Wifi broadcast format, 2) the ready availability of hardware on the Wifi band, 3) It is very pervasive, it goes thru walls, around corners, and allows for multiple connections (say director, producer, and script writer all logging notes on a take). It is also faster than IR.

Anything else you guys would like to see? Maybe down the road a low-res video window on-screen?

That is mute right now. I need to convince this programmer its worth his time to do this. He feels' there is no profit in it and the Eng and myself disagree with him. Anything you guys would like to add?

Liveshot

 

[canuckcam]

The reason why others have failed in the past is due to the high cost of R&Ding a proprietary wireless format. However, WiFi has, in its specifications, a serial port "mode" so that WiFi can carry RS-232 data. What we need to do is to rig up an LTC -> RS-232 -> WiFi adapter that's both small, portable and able to be powered by an NP-1, brick or even the 12vdc Hirose connector from the rear of the camera.

Liveshot, give me a private message with your email and we'll discuss further regarding the timecode to WiFi process.

 

[canuckcam]

Originally posted by dinosaur:

Too bad it was never updated for Palm.

The reason why it was never updated for Palm was because the proprietary ShotLogger card was in PCMCIA format. Palm never had a PC card slot.

Second, the major components in the PC card were discontinued by the chip manufacturer without a alternative, thus, back to the drawing board. And I believe at that time, the $$ simply wasn't there to do so. The interface itself was pretty much a robust proprietary modem. All the grunt-work was done on the transmitter end.

 

[Hiding Under Here]

I just want to chime in and say that Shotlogger was in vented by a very good friend of mine, Mike Savino. Like many good ideas, his failed because he got screwed by a business partner. He's back doing what he likes best, producing and shooting oddball commercials and corporate productions. This is a guy with a lot of talent. But he prefers the quiet life.

 

[Chicago Dog]

Originally posted by Liveshot:
Well here is what I have on my end. I have an electrical engineer (currently contracted for work on the Internation Space Station by NASA) and a computer programmer, currently coding software for the Win32 environments (i.e. Windoz).

I've got a rather large group of CS buddies with nothing better to do than re-code instant messaging systems because they've got just that much time on their hands.

I can drop 'em a line and see if they're interested. One of them soaks up programming code like a sponge. What he doesn't understand, he goes to the pool of friends to figure out.

Sort of a jury-rigged think-tank.

 

[NEWS_HAWK]

Ok hear goes folks I just finished shooting a Rock video this weekend and my Clapper loader was logging to paper. I had all my timecode being fed from a Fostex PD4M Dat machine that played back the music track. I fed the TC into a Radio Mic transmitter with sufficient padding to prevent overloading as TC is such a high level. Both cameras and the TC Slate had their own diversity Rx's which worked out just fine.

If we can take the TC feed and come up with a gizmo that will translate the TC audio in to a data stream that the PDA can read Cross Platform then ie both WIN CE, PALM etc we would have a very usefull tool. Miranda have produced a wince version for their downconverter that is pretty cool but you have to be using their housebrick docked onto an HD CAM. Short of reinveting the wheel if this is kept simple then its one less signal path we have to mess with. I know Horita and Adrienne Electronics both make TC translators / readers. Think its time to give them a shout.

 

[Batman]

How about Bluetooth?

It's built into many high-end PDAs, uses very little power, works around corners, and doesn't add any bulk.

You could even use a second bluetooth PDA as your transmitter, if you can build a cable to pump timecode into the device's USB port.

I've been using a Palm Tungsten T on the job for about a year. I navigate with Mapopolis and a Bluetooth GPS -- which gives much better directions than any assignment desk, I might add. A Palm Portable Keyboard is great for logging tape the conventional way -- but only the original one with dedicated number keys.

Scripts can be printed out on a Brother MPrint bluetooth printer for editing, and also emailed to producers via a Bluetooth cell phone. Yes, I actually do this, and yes, it actually works!

As for shot logging, I'd like to see a system that realistically deals with the PDA's limitations. Let's face it -- Graffiti is not as fast as writing on paper. On the other hand, memory cards are cheap and huge, and many Palms have a dedicated chip for audio processing. Give users the option to record audio off the PDA's built-in mic during an interview.

While recording, click a hardware button -- the side-mounted voice memo button, for example -- and the timecode is jotted down, just like taking a split on a stopwatch. Allow the user to either scrawl a handwritten note, or type/graffiti text, next to the timecode. But most importantly ... let the user go back after the shoot, and listen to the audio (starting playback 10 or 15 seconds before the timecode the user taps on), while filling in text with a folding keyboard.

Then let users export the finished log (minus scrawled handwriting, of course) to the Memo Pad application for copying and pasting into a finished script, for printing, or for transfer to a desktop computer.

For me at least, as a both a freelancer and a daily news shooter, the ability to create an EDL is secondary. My main interest is to speed up the process of logging sound bites, key shots and natural sound as much as possible. Less time spent logging means I don't get slammed in the edit bay and the product comes out better.

Any thoughts?

 

[Hiding Under Here]

Batman, I have a new T3. Can you tell me about any other programs you are running? And not just for video but mayne the business end of things?

 

[Batman]

Thomas,

A lot of what I do is actually accomplished with the built-in applications -- VersaMail, Memo Pad, etc. The more you use what Palm gives you, the less you run into compatibility problems and memory limitations. Palm's own software is also generally more keyboard friendly than third party apps.

The T3 is a great unit, and I'm debating whether to upgrade, or wait for the next big one. One of the programs I use, ToDo Plus, is rendered obsolete by the T3's better day planner software.

As far as other add-on software, Mapopolis is indispensible for getting to shoots. I cannot say enough about that program, despite its bugs. If you get it, go for the one-year subscription and immediately download every map that you'd ever possibly want. Dump them all to a memory card to take with you, and copy them over into main memory as you need them.

I track my expenses with PMT (Personal Money Tracker) which is by far the best financial manager out there for Palm. I've suffered through four versions of this software, and it's finally getting more user-friendly. Learn it and you'll never have to wonder if you're over-budget this year on 9-volts.

I use Clip Pro and TealPad to circumvent the OS's 1K clipboard limit for copying and pasting. A nice side effect is you can use TealPad to transcribe audio that you're playing back in Palm's built-in voice memo program. I print with IrPrint (to my portable printer) and PalmPrint (to my full-size laser).

The portable printer is a wonderful thing. You can get carbon-copy paper for it, and print signable receipts, contracts, releases, etc. (on 3" wide paper, of course) from the pocket of your coat. And the sticky-back paper comes in handy when you're dropping off your equipment for service and need to leave a note detailing what's wrong.