New SmallHD Firmware For Entire Production Monitor Line

By James DeRuvo (doddleNEWS)

SmallHD’s line of production monitors is getting an update that will expand their capabilities with HDR, as well as streamlining overall architecture other housekeeping functions. Those filming in LOG won’t be left out in the cold now, either.

“Today we’re releasing version 1.0 firmware on our production monitors that includes some cool new features, including HDR preview.” - Wes Phillips, CEO SmallHD

The version 1.0 update of the SmallHD monitor firmware is designed for the 1700, 2400 & 3200 series production monitors, and it comes with some nifty new features. Chief of these is an HDR Preview mode setting which uses the LOG output from supported cameras and convert it to preview in HDR.

There’s also studio brightness setting that adds the ability to adjust settings from a Rec 709 studio brightness of 100 nits all the way up to the maximum setting. They do this by removing the calibration settings as you reach that upper level, so you can just see what you need to see and are in a bright ambient setting. The multiview window has also been simplified, removing a four picture capability and replacing it with a simple dual, side-by-side letterboxed mode when using two cameras. Or you can go into four camera mode for larger camera setups.

The camera image can be flipped upside down if the camera is mounted on a low hanging Steadicam or gimbal setup ,which would cause the image to be inverted. This way the video village can flip the image and see it properly.

Other features include:

• Enhanced Input Menu:
  • Each input type (HDMI, SDI1, SDI2) can be configured to support different incoming gamma formats.

• Improvements include:

  • Added SD-SDI Support
    • 480i
    • 576i
  • In Page-View, the small tool icons are now rendered green if the tool is active
  • Audio meters are now available in multiview
  • Added screen capture functionality to multiview. There are 3 ways to use this function:
    1. Select the page you want to image capture by clicking your joystick and highlighting the page of interest – then hit the image capture button
    2. Press the image capture button, and then use to joystick to outline the numbered window that you would like to image capture. (The highlight will be a white box around the window number)
    3. Press the image capture button, and then press the corresponding window’s page button for the window that you want to image capture
  • “Please Wait” message now displays while monitor is performing long actions:
    • Max Bright
    • Factory Reset
  • LUT button behavior
    • When a LUT or multiple LUTs exist on a page:
      • LUT button cycles through all the LUTs in the toolbar, ending by turning off all LUTs
      • Each time LUT button is pressed, the name of the active LUT (or “No LUT” when appropriate) appears in text discreetly on screen for 3 seconds
    • If no LUT exists on a page, The system will prompt the user to select a LUT in the file browser
  • Speakers now mute when headphones are connectedHDR Preview Setting (HDR Models Only)
    • Enable with any SmallHD supported log format (HDR models only)
    • Histogram added to help users judge incoming data & make gamma decisions
    • List of recognized input color spaces:
      • HDR Monitors Only
        • BT 2020/2084/2100: Uses a 2020 gamut and the 2084 PQ EOTF
        • HLG
      • All Production Monitor Models
        • REC 709 (with various gamma options)
        • SLOG
        • SLOG2
        • CLOG
        • LOGC
        • RedLogFilm
      • Improved log correction from the above formats
    • New “Appearance” menu which provides controls for the following
      • The Appearance menu is not affected by the “disable calibration” button on the calibration page
        • Sharpness: Increase or decrease the edge contrast of the image
        • Contrast-Increase or decrease the separation between dark and bright levels of the image
        • Brightness: Adjusts the black levels of the monitor
        • Gamma Shift: Adjust image gamma curve with a new slider.
        • RGB Gain: Used to adjust the red, blue, and green balance in the image.
        • OLED Gamma Match: Changes monitor gamma to resemble an OLED display
        • The Appearance menu is not affected by the “disable calibration” button on the calibration page
    • Added Backlight Settings
      
      • • Studio Brightness: 100 nit studio mode for true Rec.709 representation on all* production monitors
          • Excludes the 1703HDR
        • Standard Range: Factory calibrated range of brightnesses
        • Max Brightness: Uncalibrated maximum brightness
      • USB Support Added
        • USB ports are now activated, and can be used to power accessories – Outputs 5v through each port 1.5amp shared (total)”
        • USB flash drives may be used to load/save LUTs, Profiles, and Image Overlays
      • Crop Tool Added
        • Allows user to crop a region of the image and then blow that up to the full video area.
      • Image Flip Added
        • Flip the on-screen video signal and menu both horizontal and vertically
          • Horizontal
          • Vertical
          • Horizontal + Vertical
          • Menu Flip
          • Auto Flip
      • Multi View Page Enhancement
        • You can now select Dual input view or Quad input view for your multiview page. This is configurable in the monitor’s settings menu.
      • Enhanced Focus Tools
        • Focus Assist and Focus Peaking tools now contain a Contrast & Brightness value which can be modified for each page. This will make your focus assist even easier to read when contrast is turned up and brightness is turned down.
        • Peak Thresh option has been added to Focus Assist tool, this allows you to have increased control in your Focus Assist
      • Image Scale tool name has changed to Image Location
    • • • tudio Brightness: 100 nit studio mode for true Rec.709 representation on all* production monitors
          • Excludes the 1703HDR
        • Standard Range: Factory calibrated range of brightnesses
        • Max Brightness: Uncalibrated maximum brightness
      • USB Support Added
        • USB ports are now activated, and can be used to power accessories – Outputs 5v through each port 1.5amp shared (total)”
        • USB flash drives may be used to load/save LUTs, Profiles, and Image Overlays
      • Crop Tool Added
        • Allows user to crop a region of the image and then blow that up to the full video area.
      • Image Flip Added
        • Flip the on-screen video signal and menu both horizontal and vertically
          • Horizontal
          • Vertical
          • Horizontal + Vertical
          • Menu Flip
          • Auto Flip
      • Multi View Page Enhancement
        • You can now select Dual input view or Quad input view for your multiview page. This is configurable in the monitor’s settings menu.
      • Enhanced Focus Tools
        • Focus Assist and Focus Peaking tools now contain a Contrast & Brightness value which can be modified for each page. This will make your focus assist even easier to read when contrast is turned up and brightness is turned down.
        • Peak Thresh option has been added to Focus Assist tool, this allows you to have increased control in your Focus Assist
      • Image Scale tool name has changed to Image Location

SmallHD has fixed some bugs in the monitors as well, including giving them audio meter capability when using an SDI signal. It will also remove the annoying audio POP that occurred when switching inputs, and restores support for SDI in the Sony FS700.

The SmallHD firmware is available for download here.