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SmallHD DP6 - First to Provide Automated Canon DSLR "fullscreen" HDMI Monitoring
By Staff
posted Oct 16, 2010, 15:37
With its unique ability to add features via firmware download, the SmallHD DP6 5.6-inch 1280 x 800 on-camera field monitor has become the first to display HDMI output from Canon EOS DSLR cameras without the imbedded pillarbox and letterbox seen on other monitors�made possible by DP6 firmware version 1.1.
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With its unique ability to add features via firmware download, the SmallHD
DP6 5.6-inch 1280 x 800 on-camera field monitor has become the first to display
HDMI output from Canon EOS DSLR cameras without the imbedded pillarbox and letterbox
seen on other monitors—made possible by DP6 firmware version 1.1.
(Cary, NC) With its unique ability to add features via firmware download, the
SmallHD DP6 5.6-inch 1280 x 800 on-camera field monitor has become the first
to display HDMI output from Canon EOS DSLR cameras without the imbedded pillarbox
and letterbox seen on other monitors—made possible by DP6 firmware version
1.1.
The DP6 is able to zoom, stretch and squeeze any input signal using a unique
image manipulation feature called "CustomScale". Specific settings
from this feature have been programmed into a quick-access preset, allowing
hands-free "full-screen-width" viewing of Canon DSLR output signals
for the first time ever.
To see a live demonstration of the DP6's "DSLR Preset" in action
go to: http://videos.smallhd.com/
In addition, this custom DP6 preset overcomes a second major issue found only
in the Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 550D. Now with the ability to detect when
these two DSLRs switch from "Live View" (1080i / 16:9) to "Record"
(480p / 4:3), the DP6 automatically adjusts the image to fill the entire screen,
even though both the resolution and the aspect ratio of the signal changes.
See a side by side comparison at http://www.smallhd.com/images/DP6-DSLR-Preset-Diagram.jpg
"This monitor is compensating for the camera in an unheard-of way",
says Weston Phillips, SmallHD's Co-Founder and CEO. "Live View mode on
a Canon DSLR sends a 1080i 16:9 HDMI output. Unfortunately, two black pillars
of pixels are imbedded into the signal by the camera itself, and only 1620 of
the full 1920 horizontal pixels are used to display an actual image. Monitors
think the image is filling the screen because they are deceived by these black
pillars on the left and right. Currently, the DP6 is the only monitor with the
ability to automatically scale this 1620 x 1080 image up to the appropriate
size so the DSLR's pillarbox disappears completely. No pixel is wasted, and
every inch of screen is used."
By providing this true "fullscreen" view, the DP6 uniquely presents
a larger physical viewing area of the actual Canon DSLR image than many competing
monitors with larger screens—giving the 5.6-inch screen of the DP6 a wider
viewing area of the DSLR signal than even a 7-inch 4:3 monitor.
"The best part is, no resolution is lost during this upscale process—actually,
you get the opposite effect", says Dale Backus, SmallHD's Co-Founder and
Lead Designer. "In this mode, the DP6 is simply scaling the 1620 x 1080
DSLR image to its 1280 x 800 screen. Similar to 1:1 pixel mapping, you're actually
gaining visual detail by zooming in a bit. Much like the DSLR's ability to zoom
into its sensor to check critical focus before a shot. The bottom line is that
finding critical focus with the DP6 just got easier."
"We built the DP6 specifically to address many of the challenges facing
the DSLR shooter. Its bleeding-edge raw components, combined with the ability
to add such unique features via firmware download has allowed us to essentially
'future-proof' the DP6", Backus adds. "In fact, we can't wait to show
you what we'll be adding to it next."
SmallHD's DP6 is the world's smallest HD monitor. With a screen size of 5.6
inches and a resolution of 1280 x 800, it exceeds the minimum standard for HD
resolution of 720p (1280 x 720) and comes in two flavors:
-DP6-SLR (HDMI, Component, Composite)
-DP6-SDI (SDI, HDMI, Component, Composite)
-DP6 Product Info: http://www.smallhd.com/Products/DP6.html
-DP6 Product Video: http://videos.smallhd.com/dp6-product-tutorial/
Hi resolution images of the DP6-SLR and DP6-SDI
http://www.smallhd.com/images/SmallHD-DP6-Canon5D-Front.png
http://www.smallhd.com/images/SmallHD-DP6-Canon5D-Back.png
Canon DSLR Cameras Supported
EOS 7D
EOS 5D Mark II
EOS Rebel T2i
EOS 60D
EOS-1D Mark iV
Canon and EOS are registered Trademarks of Canon, Inc.
Resources:
http://www.smallhd.com
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