Brooks Digi Blog
#DONGLEGATE: A Guide To The Touch Bar MacBook Pro: Part 2 - All About Dongles
Love it or hate it, USB C is here to stay. If you’re thinking about upgrading to a Touch Bar MacBook Pro or purchased one recently and are struggling to adapt, read on to discover which dongles I’m using on set and why, as well as a few others that I’m not using.
#DONGLEGATE: A Guide to the Touch Bar MacBook Pro: Part 1
When the new Touch Bar MacBook Pro was released back in 2016, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. In fact, back then I swore that I would skip this entire generation of Apple’s “professional” laptop offering. I thought I couldn’t survive without my beloved USB A ports or MagSafe, and that my trusty 2015 Retina MacBook Pro had at least a couple more years of life left in it. But when Apple bumped the specs in 2017 and I began to see a number of digital techs adopt the new machines – and after a particularly grueling location job that left my Retina MacBook Pro feeling at a loss for power – I decided to bite the bullet and place an order. And since then, I haven’t looked back!
NAB: Exciting New Products from OWC
This past week has given us some exciting new product announcements, including the new Sony Alpha A9, in the lead up to the NAB Show which kicked off today. Though the show is focused on broadcast technology, a few manufacturers have announced some great new products that both digi techs and photographers who work with a lot of video will find relevant as well.
Getting the Most out of Your TetherBoost Pro
If you regularly shoot tethered, at this point you probably know about the TetherBoost Core Controller from Tether Tools, a nifty device that helps maintain a stable tethered connection with USB 3.0 cameras over longer cable runs. I have had great results with the TetherBoost since I added it to my tethered workflow when it debuted in 2015, and the newer Pro version has solved a number of my complaints about the form factor of the original TetherBoost. While the TetherBoost has become an essential accessory for any digi tech (I carry 4 in my kit) and solves many of the problems associated with tethering USB 3.0 cameras, if used incorrectly, it can yield some undesirable results and occasionally cause more problems than it solves. This article aims to address some common issues and best practices when using this powerful tool as part of your digital workflow.