LukiLink project turns smartphones into an HDMI monitor

[Kisaha]

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

Sadly there is only the Video Devices (same company as Sound Devices) PIX-E5

Which lacks features the competition has, such as FS raw

...and the price..oh! the horror..

[IronFilm]

Eh, the price is fairly competitive alongside other 4K monitor/recorders?!

[Kisaha]

it is 1900euros in my country (euros is a much heavier currency than any $), and 1700 euros the cheapest in the continent. For a 5" device is rather expensive! You buy a new GH5 with that money and has most of the codecs you need in built!

Anyways, the project seems like a scum, no one is replying, no one says anything. We have started filling complaints. The point of this, was to have a semi-alright ability to turn any mobile phone into a monitor, with no excessive lag, and on a 129-149euros price. That would be amazing, and I could see a lot of amateurs buying one as a primary monitoring device, or professionals as a secondary, or third, or backup plan. It seems like it hasn't been done yet, because it isn't easy.

[Matthew Hartman]

On 2/6/2018 at 5:55 PM, Kisaha said:

I have used once the BlackMagic 5" and it was too wide and heavy. I am not sure an external recorder is the solution to a modern world! Ideally cameras should include great Super Amoled 4.5-5" monitors, great codecs, and that's it. Add an Sennheiser 440 and go!

When you start building up your rig, then you can't stop. I sometimes build a rig out of my NX500 just for fun, with matte box and everything! With all these said, I have to admit that the NX screens are just unbelievable. I watched some footage I shoot for a couple of jobs (together with the clients) and most of the 6-8 hours footage is in focus, but as we (I) getting old, a nice SmallHD does the job better I guess. Haven't used it professionally yet.

 

That's the power of OLED/AMOLED. Pixels emit light as opposed to liquid crystals being illuminated with a back light. The result is more power efficiency and a richer viewing experience. 

[IronFilm]

19 hours ago, Kisaha said:

it is 1900euros in my country (euros is a much heavier currency than any $), and 1700 euros the cheapest in the continent. For a 5" device is rather expensive! You buy a new GH5 with that money and has most of the codecs you need in built!

 

But when you compare to other 4K recorder/monitors then the price isn't too far off?

[Kisaha]

@IronFilm Shogun inferno is 200-250euros less and Ninja is 400-450euros (767NZ$) less. I am not sure about all the specs and everything (I haven't been in the market for an external recorder recently), but that seems like a substantial increase. Sound Devices (and Video Devices) products are very expensive in Europe. BlackMagic offerings are half that money, or even less.

[IronFilm]

42 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

Shogun inferno is 200-250euros

That seems close enough? I'm sure Video Devices believes the price difference is justified. 

[Kisaha]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

That seems close enough? I'm sure Video Devices believes the price difference is justified. 

If I was going for a top video recorder, which even the 5" are big (too much depth) and heavy, I would definitely go for a 7" one. The Atomos offer more options, on a bigger monitor, with lower price.

If I was going for the most compact, cost effective and light solution, I would go SmallHD Focus, which I did.

[IronFilm]

6 hours ago, Kisaha said:

If I was going for a top video recorder, which even the 5" are big (too much depth) and heavy, I would definitely go for a 7" one. The Atomos offer more options, on a bigger monitor, with lower price.

Playing devil's advocate, I'm sure Sound Devices would argue in favor with things like: better build quality, arguably better design (physical buttons vs touch screen being better for extreme cold, wet weather, etc), better audio inputs, etc would justify the small price gap. 

 

6 hours ago, Kisaha said:

If I was going for the most compact, cost effective and light solution, I would go SmallHD Focus, which I did.

I'm pretty tempted by the Feelworld F6 at the moment, which is even cheaper, sub US$200! But also kinda considering holding out to see if Aputure makes a 5" monitor. No rush, I can wait. 

 

[Kisaha]

Yeah, I won't play that game, to be honest I do not know much about external recorders, and you know that I don't like to speak for things I do not know! I only have used the Black Magic ones and weren't comfortable at all.

I do know that you can't go cheap on monitors, mics and tripods! Better use a cheap camera, than a cheap monitor/mic or tripod. Most of the people I know have a bunch of monitors in their closets. Don't add to that pile of garbage!

[IronFilm]

2 hours ago, Kisaha said:

Most of the people I know have a bunch of monitors in their closets. Don't add to that pile of garbage!

I only have a cheap Feelworld FW759 at the moment (plus my Atomos recorder. I'll be using both tonight at a wedding). So wouldn't be adding many to my "collection".
Am kinda ok with that Feelworld, just would like one smaller and newer. 
And because videography isn't my main focus now, I want to spend the least possible and in no rush so might wait and see what happens next (NAB 2018?).
 

[Matthew Hartman]

9 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Playing devil's advocate, I'm sure Sound Devices would argue in favor with things like: better build quality, arguably better design (physical buttons vs touch screen being better for extreme cold, wet weather, etc), better audio inputs, etc would justify the small price gap. 

 

I'm pretty tempted by the Feelworld F6 at the moment, which is even cheaper, sub US$200! But also kinda considering holding out to see if Aputure makes a 5" monitor. No rush, I can wait. 

 

I have a Feelworld 7" 4k.

It's no Shogun, Aputure, SHD, or Black Magic but it gets the job done and has a host of pretty decent tools. Great for low budget filmmakers.  Dedicated physical buttons. 

I also use Samsung's remote app and run that wifi feed through my tablet. The good thing with this is I can control my NX1 setting's as well. 

[Grumble]

@Frank Glencairn there was an email 11 days ago from you saying there will be an update next week. Not heard anything since, looking forward to seeing what this amazing news is.

It sounds like it's close, I'm looking forward to reading the news and getting the final product. Can we expect it soon?

[Kisaha]

If this is a scam, I would be very sad about the community (the lack of it actually), not about the product of course (I have a SmallHD) but for the trust issues that created. 

The truth is that people asked for refund for 3-5 months now, and that didn't happen, and no one replied or anything. The ones that got it, were only a few in the early days when everything looked optimistic.

[Matthew Hartman]

15 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

If this is a scam, I would be very sad about the community (the lack of it actually), not about the product of course (I have a SmallHD) but for the trust issues that created. 

The truth is that people asked for refund for 3-5 months now, and that didn't happen, and no one replied or anything. The ones that got it, were only a few in the early days when everything looked optimistic.

Damn. Not cool. Luckily, I've been fortunate that any crowd sourcing I've been involved in has been legit. The way this one was handled was most unprofessional. 

[Parker]

Luckily I chose to wait instead of throwing my money at this project, despite how perfect it seemed for my needs. But I really wish he would at least release the Android version, which was working perfectly. Apparently it was the iOS version that really caused him problems and setbacks and redesigns and so forth. But something would be better than nothing. This is exactly why I never crowdfund though. Always better to wait. 

[Kisaha]

Even the android version shown, used an already existed device with huge lag. I am not sure if they seriously trying to do anything. They promised that the final product would be out a week ago, and of course it didn't happen! I am not sure what's the deal, seems like too much effort from eponymous professionals to try to scam 80.000euros, even among 4 of them is just 20.000euros each. Certainly a lot of money, but not enough to pass to the other side!

You have to support innovation some times, the cost wasn't huge, around 100$. In no way that would be a substitute for a real and proper monitor, I have expressed about the monitor thing excessively here, you can't cut cost on monitors and tripods, but it could be cool to have the ability for a second, or backup one.

[Matthew Hartman]

4 hours ago, Kisaha said:

In no way that would be a substitute for a real and proper monitor, I have expressed about the monitor thing excessively here, you can't cut cost on monitors and tripods, but it could be cool to have the ability for a second, or backup one.

Despite the lag issue, if you have a phone with a 2k AMOLED screen it will have better resolution and internal specs, and power solutions than most monitors on the market in terms of resolution, pixel density, performance and portability. I suppose these were the main selling points of this product. Remember, this product would have equally worked for tablets as well so it cover the large screen spaces as well. I have a performant 10" Asus Android tablet, I was looking forward to the progression of this product. 

[Kisaha]

11 hours ago, Matthew Hartman said:

Despite the lag issue, if you have a phone with a 2k AMOLED screen it will have better resolution and internal specs, and power solutions than most monitors on the market in terms of resolution, pixel density, performance and portability. I suppose these were the main selling points of this product. Remember, this product would have equally worked for tablets as well so it cover the large screen spaces as well. I have a performant 10" Asus Android tablet, I was looking forward to the progression of this product. 

The lag was huge, even in the prototypes, and for android only of course. Mobile phone screens are cheap as chips right now (even 150$ phones have good enough screen for monitoring purposes) but the rest are more demanding and I guess that is the reason you do not see a Feelworld with a 2K Amoled for 199$.

Even if you have a 4K amoled screen, it would be near impossible to drive it with a 100$ device (like the Lukilink would obviously cost). Also, it is different to use your 3000mAh, phone's battery - which almost all of the times is non replaceable, than good old F960 or 770 batteries. Also, you can't use a power bank, because the only I/O of the phone would be dedicated to the Lukilink connection (there was a constant need for another port on the device, so one could charge the phone simultaneously, but that never answeared back, and it was never in the early product's specs, to be honest).

The idea was brilliant though, I am wondering why none of the Chinese companies do not try to do a thing like this, it could be an instant ebay hit.

[Grumble]

A lot of kickstarters run late and have poor communication, still hoping that is the case here as I think it will be useful (and I've shelled out money for it). Andrew having one as well showed that the prototype did exist and they looked serious about it. 

My gambit of pinging Frank on here as there was no answer to all the comments on kickstarter hasn't shed any further light though. 

Still fingers crossed and hopefully some news will be revealed sooner rather than later on the actual ship date.