Convergent Design has released a free firmware update for their Odyssey and Apollo products, unlocking the Titan HD Extract module, AVID DNxHD, and VariCam LT RAW 240fps recording. During NAB, we covered the release of the Atomos Sumo, a product that must have caused Convergent Design to feel the heat from their rivals. While Atomos and Convergent Design have been battling in the price range of their products, Atomos seems to always have been a step ahead with great features at a better price point. With the new firmware update, Convergent Design is showing off the power that Odyssey and Apollo are still capable of. Here are the features of the new firmware update. Titan HD Extract The Titan HD Extract is now available as a free upgrade for both Odyssey & Apollo users. It allows one 4K camera to create three HD video signals. One frame is a Supersample of the full image area and two are windows selected from within the original input. These windows can be panned smoothly through the 4K field, and all three angles can be live-switched. All HD signals can be recorded simultaneously in Apple ProRes with matching timecode and filenames. You can receive your free Titan HD Extract activation key under each device on your Account Page on the Convergent Design website. VariCam LT RAW up to 240fps in 2K Convergent Design seems to have worked closely with Panasonic to enable RAW recording at 240fps in 2K, as well as 60fps in 4K. This update, however, requires the Odyssey RAW Bundle. If you own the bundle, you are in luck and can update your device to firmware v2017.06 to receive this free upgrade. If you don’t have the Odyssey RAW Bundle yet, then you have to purchase it for either $995 for the full licence or $99 as a daily rental option in order to enjoy this “free” update. Panasonic Varicam LT AVID DNxHD up to 1080/50 or 60fps The new firmware update also adds Avid DNxHD support at both 145 and 220Mbps data rates for common HD formats (1080i50/60, 720p50/60, and 1080p25/30) as well as 1080p50/60. The compressed video files are recorded in a QuickTime wrapper with a .mov extension. The Odyssey7Q and 7Q+ can record a single stream of DNxHD, while the Apollo (or Odyssey w/ Apollo Option) can record up to 4 independent streams simultaneously. The addition of DNxHD in particular makes the Apollo a very attractive solution for multi-cam ENG and news magazine shoots. New Features for Odyssey and Apollo From the release notes for the update: NEW FEATURES: APOLLO & ODYSSEY7Q+/7Q WITH APOLLO OPTION Quad-HD: Avid DNxHD .Mov Support Simultaneously record up to four streams of Avid DNxHD 220 or 145Mb. 1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 1080i 50, 59.94; 720p 50, 59.94, 60 Quad-HD Quad-Split: Timecode Option Option to “deselect” or select a Timecode window which is baked into the Quad-Split recorded image in Quad-HD Apple ProRes, or Avid DNxHD Recordings. NEW FEATURES: ODYSSEY RAW BUNDLE (ODYSSEY7Q+/7Q) Panasonic Varicam LT 2k/ HD 240p Support Panasonic Varicam LT 2k/ HD 240p Support Record RAW in CinemaDNG from the Panasonic Varicam LT Variframe Supported from 2->240 fps HD LT RAW -> HD CinemaDNG 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50, 59.94, 100, 120, 200, 240 2K LT RAW -> 2K CinemaDNG 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50, 59.94, 100, 120, 200, 240 NEW FEATURES: ODYSSEY ( ODYSSEY7Q+/7Q/) HD DNxHD .Mov Support Single Channel Recording to Avid DNxHD 4:2:2 at 220 or 145 Mb. 1080p 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, 60 1080i 50, 59.94; 720p 50, 59.94, 60 720p 50, 59.94 NEW FEATURES: ALL MODELS (APOLLO, ODYSSEY7Q+/7Q/7) 8-Channel Audio / 2-Channel Audio Selection Selection is now available for Embedded Audio to be either 8-Channel or 2-Channel in various record modes including: HD/2K Apple ProRes HD Avid DNxHD 4K/UHD Apple ProRes Quad HD Apple ProRes Quad HD Avid DNxHD The new free firmware upgrade can be found HERE. In order to receive the free Titan HD Extract Module, you will have to register your device HERE. What do you think of the new firmware upgrade? Is the 240fps in VariCam LT RAW worth it for you to buy the RAW Bundle? Please let us know in the comments below!

Sony has introduced the worlds fastest SD card, the SF-G Series with 299MB/s write speed, catering for capturing 4K and high-speed video content. As the demand for higher resolutions, deeper color bit-depth and larger data rates consume the video and film production world, the recording media we use needs constant updating in order to keep up. To meet the demand of increasing media efficiency, less buffer and faster write and read speeds when working in higher resolutions, Sony has introduced the new SF-G series of SD cards. Their new firmware, which allows for write speeds of up to 299MB/s, makes them ideal for capturing large bursts of RAW images for photography, or high-speed shooting in large resolutions. It also makes them, for now at least, the world’s fastest SD card. A memory card reader will also be available that allows for the super-fast read time of up to 300MB/s via USB3, which can dramatically reduce the time needed to ingest the captured files. Sony SF-G Series – the World’s Fastest SD Card The Sony SF-G Series UHS-II SD cards will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes, catering for many types of users and cameras in the field of video and filming, including DSLRs, mirrorless cameras like the Sony a7S II or the Panasonic Lumix GH5, but also video cameras like the Sony FS5 that can record both slow motion and 4K, and which demand stable and reliable recording media. What is interesting about this is that Sony cameras typically record X-AVC video files at 50Mbps for 1080p and 100Mbps for UHD 4K. Yes, other cameras will record at 200Mbps, but could this mean Sony has something up their sleeve that would need a write speed of up to 299Mbps? Could this be a hint to a new resolution or format for future cameras? The Sony SF-G series of SD cards will be available in 3 sizes at the end of March of 2017.