SmallHD has unveiled the Indie 7 Smart Monitor. The Indie 7 is being touted as an entry-level member of the Smart 7 monitor family.
The Indie 7 is available as a basic monitor or with RED DSMC 2 or KOMODO camera control, or with a built-in Bolt 4K Wireless Receiver.
7″ Display
The Indie 7 features a 7.02″ (17.8 cm) touchscreen 1080p display with 1000 nits and a claimed contrast ratio of 1000:1. It has 323 ppi. 1000 nits is not overly bright and some users may struggle to see images clearly in bright sunlight. The SmallHD Cine 7 for example, has 1800nits of brightness.
The screen covers 100% Rec. 709 which is the same as the Focus 7. It doesn’t cover 100% DCI-P3 like the Cine 7.
Although SmallHD lists it as a 10-bit panel you need to know that it is actually a 10-bit (8+2 FRC) panel. A lot of companies list their monitors as 10-bit even though they are really using a 10-bit (8+2 FRC) panel. FRC stands for Frame Rate Control Technology and an 8+2 FRC panel is basically a way of trying to approximate the color reproduction of a true 10-bit panel. A true 10-bit monitor can display 1024 shades of color, whereas a 10-bit (8+2 FRC) panel can only truly display 256 shades. So what a 10-bit (8+2 FRC) panel does is artificially create in-between shades of color by quickly shifting the pixels to go between certain shades of colors.
For example, you would show the main shade of one color for 75% of the time and then another one for 25% of the time. This creates an illusion for the viewer that they are actually seeing more colors than what can actually be displayed.
The display is housed within a lightweight, anodized aluminum chassis. The monitor is 1.3” (3.3cm) wide and it weighs in at 1.1lbs (530g).
Inputs & Outputs
The Indie 7 features HDMI and 3G-SDI inputs and outputs, and it supports the following video inputs:
HDMI (8/10/12/16-Bit 4:4:4 RGB, YCC)
UHD 4K: 30/29.97/24/23.98
1080p: 60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24/23.98
1080i: 120/119.88/100/60/59.94/50
720p: 120/119.88/100/60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24/23.98
576p: 200/100/50
480p: 240/239.76/120/119.88/100/60/59.94
480i: 240/239.76/120/119.88/100/60/59.94
576i: 200/100/50
SDI (10-Bit 4:2:2 YCC)
1080p: 60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24/23.98
1080i: 60/59.94/50
720p: 60/59.94/50
576p: 50/25
480p: 60
576i: 50
480i: 59.94
It does HDMI to SDI and SDI to HDMI conversion.
The monitor also features an SD card slot for loading up LUTs and updating firmware. SmallHD also includes a 3.5mm headphone out and a USB 2.0 (Micro-USB) Input.
Power
The Indie 7 draws 17.3W of power. It can be powered off a single Sony L-Series battery, however, there are dual battery plates on the back for longer run times.
It can also be powered via a 10 to 34 VDC input through the barrel connector.
PageOS 4
The monitor utilizes SmallHD’s very good PageOS 4 operating system. This is a very intuitive and easy to use OS that I personally think is unmatched in the industry. helps construct better images. It allows you to build customized Page Profiles, and utilize all of the monitoring tools such as personalized frame guides, Focus & Exposure Assist, high-resolution 3D LUT overlays, histogram, vectorscope, waveform, and more.
Camera Control
The monitor can be used with optional paid software upgrades that enable camera control access to RED DSMC2 and KOMODO cameras. These software licenses allow users to control camera functions and project settings such as Start/Stop Record, FPS, Shutter Speed, ISO, Color Temperature/White Balance, and Clip Playback.
The Indie 7 KOMOD Kit includes a custom Control Cable for communication with the camera.
Indie 7 is compatible with the Teradek Bolt 4K RX Monitor Module (Gold Mount or V-Mount), a cableless integration that enables 4K & HDR wireless video from any Teradek Bolt 4K transmitter. Indie 7’s ability to accept a Full 4K image allows for 1:1 Pixel Mapping for greater clarity during punch-in. With a video signal 4x the resolution of the display, operators and focus-pullers will notice a significant increase in sharpness when zooming in to catch critical focus. Teradek RT Command Center is also available for direct interaction with connected Teradek RT lens controllers.
Pricing & Availability
Here are the prices for the various packages that are available:
- Indie 7 Smart Monitor: $899 USD
- Indie 7 RED KOMODO Kit: $1,399 USD – Introductory Price $1,149 USD
- INDIE 7 On-Camera Monitor with Bolt 4K Wireless Receive4 $2,399.99 USD
Software License Upgrades for Cine 7, 702 Touch, Indie 7
- Camera Control Kit for RED DSMC2: $499 USD
- Camera Control Kit or RED KOMODO: $499 USD – Introductory price $249 USD
At these prices, the Indie 7 faces very stiff competition as there are a lot of very affordable 7″ options on the market.
Indie 7 Smart Monitor Full Specifications
- Display: 7-inch IPS LCD touchscreen
- Resolution: 1920×1200
- Brightness: 1000nits
- Color: 100% Rec 709
- Input: 1x 3G-SDI, 1x 3G-SDI In/Out, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x Micro USB output: 1x 3G-SDI, 1x HDMI 2.0Audio: ⅛” headphone jack
- Power Input: 2mm barrel connector (DC 10-34v), Sony L-Series dual-battery bracket
- Construction: Anodized aluminum chassis
- Software: PageOS 4
- Compatibility: Camera Control for RED DSMC2 & KOMODO, Teradek Bolt 4K RX Monitor Module, Teradek R
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