Video Monitoring Devices

Melachrinoso wrote on 6/21/2022, 3:28 PM

I resort here to the knowledge and experience which Vegas videographers may have, and which I have not found yet anywhere else.

Camcorder screens fail or are inadequate under bright sunlight. Viewfinders strain old eyes.... Trying to resort to external, camera mounted monitors is possible but are expensive. A flurry of YouTube posts suggest using our smartphones as video monitors. They are great ideas except that Android phones after OS 10 deleted the ability to input live HDMI video into the phones and being able to display such video on the smartphone screen itself, not on a TV. I have checked newer Android phone specs but none address this issue. The Android forum does not address the issue either.

Does anyone know how to activate an Android phone to allow input of live HDMI video and display it on its screen ?

Canon G30 - Canon EOS 3ti - Vegas Pro 18

Comments

RogerS wrote on 6/21/2022, 8:45 PM

Newer iPhones might be able to do it over the lightning connector as data rates are quite high. Wifi is an option with newer cameras, though lag isn't great.

Newer Android do seem to work but need unsigned apps.

Here's a hack-type approach:

Commercial approach link

For my T3i I used a magnified backscreen loupe and it served me well for many years. Just add Magic Lantern for focus peaking and other critical tools.

Melachrinoso wrote on 6/22/2022, 12:25 PM

Thanks Roger for your comments. I have seen most of those YouTube clips, including the one you included, but they all fail for me at the Android phone input. The HDMI Capture card works fine into a PC. According to the Android Forum, when the OS was updated very recently from 9 to 10, it broke the input connection and it has not been repaired yet. In fact, it seems that all the related YouTube clips on the subject were made before the OS change. A recent list from Apps does not include any of the newer phones except Pixel. I have considered downgrading back to OS 9 but it is very involved and possibly harmful. Thus, looking for other better ideas and experience.

RogerS wrote on 6/25/2022, 5:18 AM

I see. USB and wireless appear to still work on Android. I had a rudimentary monitor setup like that with this software I believe with the Canon USB micro cable connected to one that ended on USB-mini to go into my phone. It was never reliable and I gave up on it around 2014.

Personally I used the Kamerar QV-1 for documentary work and it was excellent in assisting manual focus and blocking external light. It clipped to a Manfrotto-compatible plate magnetically. I see a couple on Ebay and the new one the company has is collapsible and uses bands instead of a magnet. No batteries, no points of failure, works in extreme weather, etc.

Melachrinoso wrote on 6/25/2022, 2:19 PM

Thank you Roger for your very informative reply. I have finally been able to use my Samsung S9, with OS 10, as a video monitor by using a J5 Create adaptor/hub (necessary for laptops with minimal USB-C ports). I have not yet found why this adaptor is necessary for the phone instead of just a plain USB to USB-C connector as promoted in earlier YouTube videos. The flip-out screen on my Canon G30 camcorder is broke so I can only use the viewfinder. However, my Canon 3ti could use your suggested Kamerar QV-1...