TRV30-FlatTopPro-Dbox-questions

[cwilcox 0]

I just purchased a Flat-Top Pro, Dbox and a TRV-30. I have a couple of questions for anyone who has a configuration similar to this.
How do you deal with the hand strap on the camera? It seems that the hand strap in the Dbox causes the camera to rotate a bit. I would like to cut the strap off, but I also would like to sell the camera some day. Do you have any suggestions for removing it or how to mount it in the dbox with the least amount of interference?
How do you deal with the cover on the TRV30 covering the video and LANC ports? Is there a way to remove the cover without cutting the connector?
When using this type of setup, do you remove the camera after every jump or do you have an extra cable/connector to easily get video off of the system without taking the camera out of the dbox?
Finally, do most people cut an eye hole in the dbox to site the camera in easier?
Thanks,
Chad

[diverds 0]

I jump a TRV-30 in a dbox mounted on an Optik. When I put the camera in the dbox I let the strap float on the outside of the box(the back of the strap goes out of the dbox where it is cut out for the camera switch and the front of the strap goes back into the dbox where it is cut out to access your ports) . The back velcro strap and the heavier center strap that hold the top of the dbox on will hold your camera strap in place once you put the top on.
I originally drilled a hole in my cover right over the lanc port so that I could plug the cameye 2 in easily(if you look on the back of the cover there are indentions exactly where you need to drill). However, after some experimenting I decided to remove the cover all together. If you cut off the little plastic keeper and remove it from the inside of the camera, the cover will still snap into place and stay there. You just have to be careful not to loose it when you take it off.
If you do remove your cover then you will not have to take the camera out of the dbox to download video(thats why I cut mine off). All you have to do is undo the front velcro strap on your dbox and you will have easy access to all your ports. The remote works well even when the camera is in the dbox so you can rewind and do whatever else you need to do.
I did drill a 1/2 inch hole in the back of the dbox behind the viewfinder so that I can look through it when it is in the box.
On another note, you will want to make sure to cut out some of the foam on the top of the dbox right above where your zoom lever is. Otherwise it will zoom in when you put the top on. I always look through my viewfinder after I have assembled the camera in the dbox to make sure that the zoom is all the way out. You can do this by using your remote. Also make sure that your focus ring did not get bumped when you put the camera in. You should see the mountain sign if you are on infinity. If it did get bumped you can reach in the front of the box with your pinky and turn the focus ring until you see the mountain sign again. Always use manual focus set to infinity or the camera will go in and out of focus if you are not close enough to your subject. I use a kenko .43 wide angle lense and I can get right in my subjects face and it will still be in focus even though it is set to infinity.
Have fun. I love my TRV-30 as I am sure you will. It's an awsome camera. By the way, are you over the price shock of all that stuff you just bought?
TRV-30 $1700
Flat Top Pro $650
D-box $175
Cam Eye 2 $55
DV Tape $10
Getting video of all your friends corking, funneling exits, and blowing landings and then putting it on the internet $$PRICELESS!$$
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[cwilcox 0]

These are the things I was looking for. Thanks for the help. I'll start working on it tonight and hopefully I get it finished for the weekend.
No, I haven't gotten over the sticker shock. I have been putting ebay to good use selling everything I own to pay for it.
Chad

[airdrew20012001 0]

I mirror everything the other poster said. I left the cover on my lanc port and the like because I like the fact that there is that much less area for dirt to get in and I won't loose the cover. Plus when I use it for hand held stuff it stays on. It's so easy to remove it from the D-box I don't care. I, personelly, cut a hole out over the zoom button so I could zoom in and out without taking the top of the d-box off which is handy for filming tandem landings. I also drilled a hole with a dremmel tool so I could get to the fader button for in camera editing for tandems as well. Strap on the outside is a good idea, it's what I do as well.
Drewfus McDoofus

[diverds 0]

Quote

I, personelly, cut a hole out over the zoom button so I could zoom in and out without taking the top of the d-box

That's a cool idea. I might consider doing that with mine. How big a slot did you cut?
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[airdrew20012001 0]

About the roundness of a quarter, give or take.
Drewfus McDoofus

[JeanJeanie 0]

Hi, I saw the post and thought I would respond. Chris made the box so you can put the strap inside and have to struggle with it fitting the same everytime. Or you can put it outside the box and glue layers of pad inside the box for a perfect fit everytime.
I normally opt for choice number 2.
Jeanie

[cwilcox 0]

I am running into another question before I start cutting the plastic on the TRV30. In your post you said:
If you cut off the little plastic keeper and remove it from the inside of the camera, the cover will still snap into place and stay there. You just have to be careful not to loose it when you take it off.
Is there a way to remove the cover without cutting it off? I started removing the screws and quickly stopped after I could not pry it out.
Also, if I do end up cutting the plastic keeper off, how did you get rid of the piece which drops back into the camera?
Thanks again for the great info.
Chad

[diverds 0]

I could find no way to remove the cover without cutting off the keeper. I took a pair of fingernail clippers and cliped both sides of the little keeper off flush at the cover. You will then be left with a sort of U shape that you can pull through the camera. Mine came out very easily. I have a friend with a TRV-30 who saved his, thinking that in the future if he wants to sell the camera he can fish it back through the camera and glue it back together. Like I said earlier though, the cover will still snap into place and stay there just fine even without the keeper. I just make sure to put the cover in my camera bag when I take it off to keep from loosing it. Hope this helps.
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[cwilcox 0]

Thanks again,
Chad

[diverds 0]

airdrew20012001,
Any chance you could post a photo of your d-box. I would like to see just how you did your zoom hole. Does the back velcro strap cover it?
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"

[JeanJeanie 0]

you don't need to cut anything off the camera to fit the camera in the box. Some people don't realise that by removing the hand strap you null and void any possibility of waranty by Sony. And things do happen to these cameras that would fall under waranty
my 2 cents
jeanie

[diverds 0]

I was not suggesting that he cut off the handstrap. I am reffering to the plastic cover that goes over the ports. If you have a cam-eye 2 you have to either drill a hole in it over the lanc port or cut it off so that you have access to all your ports. I experimented with removing the cover and leaving it hanging inside the d-box, but decided against it because it looked like in time it would wear out the plastic keeper anyway.
-Dave
"Gas...Undercarriage...Mixture...Prop...Beer"