Great video as always mate! Lol I’m Canadian we don’t say mate, just trying to be friendly. :) I just wanted to say thanks for all the effort you put into your videos. I recently went back and watched almost all of your practical lighting videos. I’ve been a videographer for over a decade and I still learned and refreshed a lot of things that I had forgotten. Just wanted to say thanks man! I’m always excited to see a new vid of yours come up on my feed.
Thanks for the breakdown and in depth look at the app. Just got my first MC to play around with and am excited for what the app and integration with future products and updates will do for their ecosystem.
Andrew, thanks for the clarity. You are becoming one of my main 'go to' sources of info/review on lighting. I'm a UK based long term amateur photographer, but newbie to video and constant lighting, so subscribed some time ago as your channel has lots of 'useful' advice that helps me better understand this topic. I bought one Amaran 200xS in Jan '24 (liked it) so bought another two and tried to use Sidus Link (on Android phone) on a trial and error basis, No surprise, I could do it but was missing a lot of the functionality you show here in your excellent vid. I guess the old advice holds true, ie just RTFM. Now just ordered an Amaran F22C (liked your review on that too) and thought I needed to see a few vids on how to use Sidus L properly. I still have a lot to learn and feel confident your channel will help going forward too. Off topic.... I'm attempting to learn about DMX too, as I heard you reference that a few times. My short term needs prob don't extend to leveraging DMX capability yet (also not poss on A200xS units). But, good to know the industry standards. My DMX experience is zero and theory limited to just 3-4 vids watched today on multiplex basics, advice and a few tips etc. Maybe you have done already, or will go on to do, a good DMX 101 vid? Enthusiasm, ambition and a bad case of GAS ensure new kit arrives regularly - almost to a point where I can't use it properly. I have to keep reminding myself that in video, 'story is king', skill essential and kit is only a means to that end. My main problem is finding spare time to learn, practice, use, practice some more, to build my skill levels and get the best use from all the new 'toys'. I returned a DJI drone I bought last year (unused) as I didn't have time to learn how to fly. Buying a drone again and using properly is on the 'list' but won't be before 2025. I'm attempting to eBay most of my older kit that no longer gets used. Maybe one day I will get to be 'good' with videography, making stuff appreciated by more than F&F (as I am with stills photography). But I feel there is so much to learn and so little time.
Aputure really put a lot of effort into their products. I never was a big Aputure fan working mainly with big brand lights but I have to say I just ordered a few MC's after your review and I will probably pick up a few 300d's to replace my 575 HMI's wich are most of the time a bit to bright anyways. Thanks for your fantastic work in reviewing all these things Andrew!
Wow, I much appreciate the amount of work and detail you put into this fantastic information that you have so kindly shared with the community. A true pro! 🙏🏾
Didn't really worked in December for me, but with the January fix it does now. I did have to desintall + reinstall the app : that was done very fast. Thx to our Gaffer for the help.
greate movie, great story telling about the app. Thank for good tips about renaming the lights. I have received my first amaron light yesterday and used the app. It seems to have a potential in saving time for rebuilding the stage. If only there was a standard of BT control and possibility to connect lights from other vendors :). Otherwise we have to find ourselves somehow in the world of aputure ecosystem.
Well done with the blue tooth explanation .. Your video stop me from searching. All the others was just a waste of time . Thanks and keep up the good work....
Great video, Andrew! Maybe beyond the scope of your info review but a few lingering questions: 1. Latency/lag with a large number of fixtures. 2. Any idea on what the physical range of the mesh network might be, phone to first light and light to light might be? 3. Any fixture info provided in the app (such as battery percentage on the lights)? One thing about the trending technologies of the industry - can't quite recall the last time you did a review/info piece on an HMI or tungsten fixture - and my guess is the days of dancy DMX might be a bit behind us with the advent of network meshing in fixtures.
Great video as usual! It is a shame that the MC lights don’t dimm smoothly with the Sidus, unless they are in a program. Have you ever found a way to make it work?
There’s a whole section of the app that is like a sequencer for lights. It’s hard to find and I can’t see any tutorials about it anywhere. It’s in the fixtures page and the icon is a globe. Then you get a choice of boxes to put your lights into and it starts making a sequence if you click a box. I can’t work out what it’s doing. Also there’s a manual page where you can make fades and pulses.
I won't recommend one over the other. I suggest watch both videos and make a list of pros and cons for each based on your needs. I went nanlight but that was due to factors that effect me, such as external block battery usage and matching existing lights. For example, if you are going to be heavenly dependant on a phone app, this app is a clear winner as nanlight never got around to fixing bugs.
Great video with lots of useful info! I've built a bunch of QUICKSHOT setups but when switching between them there is a noticable moment they are off while switching colours. I'm wondering if there is any alternative way to setup 3 sets of 2 MCs with various colours and switch instantaneously during a performance video?
I haven't used my B7C in a year and I went to turn on today and it didn't come on. I charged it for two hours and it still won't come on. Have you experience this? Any advice.
If batteries don't receive a charge in a long time they can die. I've learnt this the hard way. So every second week I do a charging day. Every battery and every light with a battery goes on charge. It takes me about 4 hours to do.
About the paused effects setting: maybe they did it to save power? Would make sense considering it's on battery power. Looks like a great app. Fun fact: sometimes I learn more from your side notes like "the color is right it just mixes with the white light in the room" then from the actual topic. :D Thanks so much. Salute!
I absolutely love your channel! Thank you for all the amazing videos! I just received the 300x, my first LED light. I updated the firmware, then connected to it through the Sidus Link app. For some reason, the light periodically turns off, just goes dark. I only have the light on 8% and it's plugged in with AC power. I have to open the app and turn the light back on, or press the on switch on the unit. Sometimes it turns back off again right away, or it'll stay on for a bit first. I had the fan set to "auto" during this issue, so I switched it to "force" which seems to have fixed the issue for the moment. Have you seen or heard of this issue?
great tutorial! anyone having same issues as me? I try to reset BT but it always says reset failed, whatever I do - tried switching off and on the light... I have android and location is enabled...
I have aputure nova 300 ..my issue is that while my light is controlling with arena console ..same time someone is trying to connect light with sidus link app and it ill connect and they fuck my show ..how ill I stop that ...
Hello, remark: the application "sidus link" not work in the last version, it's impossible to create an account and the application is unusable. No support. I return the product.
Hey Astro, I'm sorry to hear about your experience with our app. It's not often we hear that the Sidus Link isn't working, can you help me understand which device you've installed the app on? I'm also wondering if you've sent out the verification code to a working email address? In any case, please do reach out directly to me at jimmy.lim@aputure.com and I can further assist from there.
hello! first of all, thank you very much for your videos! they are very helpful :D i wanted to ask you, in case you know, i'm trying to use picker fx with a video of a lightning bolt and i can't get it to play. thanks a lot!
I would say this, but even this has let me down. I've come to the conclusion that phone apps are ok for once off individual set ups, but if you are shooting for long periods of time and need to swap battery lights out,, or you need to come back to the same saved set up a few weeks later, I find apps to be a total let down. This app for example the lights can't be addressed. So if you do a pick up shot weeks later and you have the same model lights, but not the exact individual light you had before., you are stuffed. Or if someone else has used your kit and done a Bluetooth reset, you are stuffed. With DMX you just put the address and profile into the light I have and off I go.
@@gaffergear thank you for the detailed reply and your always great, thorough videos! I am still curious about the other app though ;) -- As for wireless DMX do you prefer Exalux (watching the two-parter you did now)? Have you used Ratpak system?
@@Roz-Inspire-Video the 120D ii is before this system and his not got the link mesh. However aputure just released a Sidus bridge to integrate older lights. I would go to one of their user group Facebook pages, you will find heaps of info and view from people who have used it.
Get on one of the Aputure Facebook user groups, someone will be able to get you help. I hate using phone apps, I couldn't get anything to connect the other day, then I realised I had rented the lights out and I needed to Bluetooth reset them.
@@gaffergear thanks, I emailed their support. If they can't fix it I'll just stick to Godox for now, their app works without a problem. Or use the lights manually. The B7 I might return since I can't do anything except turn it on and change the temp.
I've found this app to be a steaming pile of horseshit. I can follow any instruction along, get it set up to do what I want. But once I turn off the lights or the app it refuses to pair and work again unless I uninstall and reinstall the app and start the entire process over again. Not worth the time.
Wonderfully comprehensive! Thank you.
Great video as always mate! Lol I’m Canadian we don’t say mate, just trying to be friendly. :) I just wanted to say thanks for all the effort you put into your videos. I recently went back and watched almost all of your practical lighting videos. I’ve been a videographer for over a decade and I still learned and refreshed a lot of things that I had forgotten. Just wanted to say thanks man! I’m always excited to see a new vid of yours come up on my feed.
17:34 Thank you for this! It was driving me insane! I thought creating multiple scenes was going to take forever.
Thanks for the breakdown and in depth look at the app. Just got my first MC to play around with and am excited for what the app and integration with future products and updates will do for their ecosystem.
Thank you!
I was struggling to create multiple scenes and it was very frustrating. This was a perfect explanation.
Andrew, thanks for the clarity. You are becoming one of my main 'go to' sources of info/review on lighting. I'm a UK based long term amateur photographer, but newbie to video and constant lighting, so subscribed some time ago as your channel has lots of 'useful' advice that helps me better understand this topic.
I bought one Amaran 200xS in Jan '24 (liked it) so bought another two and tried to use Sidus Link (on Android phone) on a trial and error basis, No surprise, I could do it but was missing a lot of the functionality you show here in your excellent vid. I guess the old advice holds true, ie just RTFM. Now just ordered an Amaran F22C (liked your review on that too) and thought I needed to see a few vids on how to use Sidus L properly. I still have a lot to learn and feel confident your channel will help going forward too.
Off topic.... I'm attempting to learn about DMX too, as I heard you reference that a few times. My short term needs prob don't extend to leveraging DMX capability yet (also not poss on A200xS units). But, good to know the industry standards. My DMX experience is zero and theory limited to just 3-4 vids watched today on multiplex basics, advice and a few tips etc. Maybe you have done already, or will go on to do, a good DMX 101 vid?
Enthusiasm, ambition and a bad case of GAS ensure new kit arrives regularly - almost to a point where I can't use it properly. I have to keep reminding myself that in video, 'story is king', skill essential and kit is only a means to that end. My main problem is finding spare time to learn, practice, use, practice some more, to build my skill levels and get the best use from all the new 'toys'. I returned a DJI drone I bought last year (unused) as I didn't have time to learn how to fly. Buying a drone again and using properly is on the 'list' but won't be before 2025. I'm attempting to eBay most of my older kit that no longer gets used. Maybe one day I will get to be 'good' with videography, making stuff appreciated by more than F&F (as I am with stills photography). But I feel there is so much to learn and so little time.
Aputure really put a lot of effort into their products. I never was a big Aputure fan working mainly with big brand lights but I have to say I just ordered a few MC's after your review and I will probably pick up a few 300d's to replace my 575 HMI's wich are most of the time a bit to bright anyways. Thanks for your fantastic work in reviewing all these things Andrew!
The scene/quickshot explanation absolutely saved my use of this app. Great real-world explanation, thank you.
You can teach.. I love people that can pass on knowledge. Blessings
Wow, I much appreciate the amount of work and detail you put into this fantastic information that you have so kindly shared with the community. A true pro! 🙏🏾
Didn't really worked in December for me, but with the January fix it does now.
I did have to desintall + reinstall the app : that was done very fast. Thx to our Gaffer for the help.
Just what I needed to get going with my new MC - thanks!
The best tutorial for Sidus App I have found, thanks mate!
Video is a bit outdated so I would suggest heading over to one of the Aputure Facebook user groups.
greate movie, great story telling about the app. Thank for good tips about renaming the lights. I have received my first amaron light yesterday and used the app. It seems to have a potential in saving time for rebuilding the stage. If only there was a standard of BT control and possibility to connect lights from other vendors :). Otherwise we have to find ourselves somehow in the world of aputure ecosystem.
Thank you so much for this. Really helpful and will save us so much time on set
Thanks for the great review! Super useful, as always.
Well done with the blue tooth explanation .. Your video stop me from searching. All the others was just a waste of time . Thanks and keep up the good work....
Thanks mate this was a super help!
Great video, Andrew! Maybe beyond the scope of your info review but a few lingering questions:
1. Latency/lag with a large number of fixtures.
2. Any idea on what the physical range of the mesh network might be, phone to first light and light to light might be?
3. Any fixture info provided in the app (such as battery percentage on the lights)?
One thing about the trending technologies of the industry - can't quite recall the last time you did a review/info piece on an HMI or tungsten fixture - and my guess is the days of dancy DMX might be a bit behind us with the advent of network meshing in fixtures.
Thank you! Really helpful, Good detail, just what I needed to solve my issue with setup. Very grateful.
The paper tip was great!
Thank You Maestro
Very helpful! Thank you very much! Nice video
Excellent tutorial thanks mate.
Thank you for sharing experience Good job 👍👍
Great video as usual! It is a shame that the MC lights don’t dimm smoothly with the Sidus, unless they are in a program. Have you ever found a way to make it work?
Unfortunately no
There’s a whole section of the app that is like a sequencer for lights. It’s hard to find and I can’t see any tutorials about it anywhere. It’s in the fixtures page and the icon is a globe. Then you get a choice of boxes to put your lights into and it starts making a sequence if you click a box. I can’t work out what it’s doing.
Also there’s a manual page where you can make fades and pulses.
That came out about 4 moths after this video. I would suggest "Grips Tips" episode 83. Or have a look at the Aputure users Facebook pages.
Great video. On a separate note, which would you recommend the 300D MII. Or the forza 300? Basically, aputure or nanlite line?
I won't recommend one over the other. I suggest watch both videos and make a list of pros and cons for each based on your needs.
I went nanlight but that was due to factors that effect me, such as external block battery usage and matching existing lights.
For example, if you are going to be heavenly dependant on a phone app, this app is a clear winner as nanlight never got around to fixing bugs.
Jammed pack valuable information. Thanks.
The App has been updated since that video and now has sequence programming
@@gaffergear Thank you. I will do some research on it. Aputure MC look promising in doing some small production. 😃
Great video with lots of useful info! I've built a bunch of QUICKSHOT setups but when switching between them there is a noticable moment they are off while switching colours. I'm wondering if there is any alternative way to setup 3 sets of 2 MCs with various colours and switch instantaneously during a performance video?
I would ask the Facebook user groups, I have found the Asia user group to be the most in-depth users of the app.
We need an in-depth video on how to use your nose to dim lights 😁
Would love to see an update for the newest app!
I haven't used my B7C in a year and I went to turn on today and it didn't come on. I charged it for two hours and it still won't come on. Have you experience this? Any advice.
If batteries don't receive a charge in a long time they can die. I've learnt this the hard way. So every second week I do a charging day. Every battery and every light with a battery goes on charge.
It takes me about 4 hours to do.
Thx! Especially the ‘Scene’ tips. Needs a rename 🤷♂️
Hello the apurture ls1200 d can be controlled with the aap sidus
or do you need another accessory?
It will work directly with the app, you can even update the firmware via the app
About the paused effects setting: maybe they did it to save power? Would make sense considering it's on battery power. Looks like a great app.
Fun fact: sometimes I learn more from your side notes like "the color is right it just mixes with the white light in the room" then from the actual topic. :D
Thanks so much. Salute!
It's a fantastic app
I absolutely love your channel! Thank you for all the amazing videos! I just received the 300x, my first LED light. I updated the firmware, then connected to it through the Sidus Link app. For some reason, the light periodically turns off, just goes dark. I only have the light on 8% and it's plugged in with AC power. I have to open the app and turn the light back on, or press the on switch on the unit. Sometimes it turns back off again right away, or it'll stay on for a bit first. I had the fan set to "auto" during this issue, so I switched it to "force" which seems to have fixed the issue for the moment. Have you seen or heard of this issue?
Not at all, i would join a Facebook user group. They will have the answers, and the admin is actually Aputure workers.
They will look after you
@@gaffergear Thanks!!!
I just wish I would have gotten the full feature in-app-purchase before they went with a subscription.
Any way you can do an update to this video? the iPad app is super robust and I would love to have a run-through like this for it
I don't have time to learn an app I don't use.
Having said that some of the Aputure Facebook user groups are awesome.
@@gaffergear fair enough! Thanks for the superb content. Best gear Chanel on the net.
great tutorial! anyone having same issues as me? I try to reset BT but it always says reset failed, whatever I do - tried switching off and on the light... I have android and location is enabled...
I have aputure nova 300 ..my issue is that while my light is controlling with arena console ..same time someone is trying to connect light with sidus link app and it ill connect and they fuck my show ..how ill I stop that ...
Hello, remark: the application "sidus link" not work in the last version, it's impossible to create an account and the application is unusable. No support. I return the product.
One of the head guys from Aputure would like to reach out to you and find out what went so wrong, and fix your negative experience. His name is Jimmy.
Hey Astro, I'm sorry to hear about your experience with our app. It's not often we hear that the Sidus Link isn't working, can you help me understand which device you've installed the app on? I'm also wondering if you've sent out the verification code to a working email address? In any case, please do reach out directly to me at jimmy.lim@aputure.com and I can further assist from there.
hello! first of all, thank you very much for your videos! they are very helpful :D
i wanted to ask you, in case you know, i'm trying to use picker fx with a video of a lightning bolt and i can't get it to play.
thanks a lot!
Ask on one of the Aputure Facebook forums would be your best bet
@@gaffergear thanks as always
So, what is the "first best" light control phone app you've came across? =)
I would say this, but even this has let me down. I've come to the conclusion that phone apps are ok for once off individual set ups, but if you are shooting for long periods of time and need to swap battery lights out,, or you need to come back to the same saved set up a few weeks later, I find apps to be a total let down.
This app for example the lights can't be addressed. So if you do a pick up shot weeks later and you have the same model lights, but not the exact individual light you had before., you are stuffed. Or if someone else has used your kit and done a Bluetooth reset, you are stuffed. With DMX you just put the address and profile into the light I have and off I go.
@@gaffergear thank you for the detailed reply and your always great, thorough videos! I am still curious about the other app though ;) -- As for wireless DMX do you prefer Exalux (watching the two-parter you did now)? Have you used Ratpak system?
Can’t figure out how to connect to the 120d ii. ...sigh...Thanks though for your video!
Somehow missed the first part of the video ...but the menu does not have the blue tooth option ...
@@Roz-Inspire-Video the 120D ii is before this system and his not got the link mesh. However aputure just released a Sidus bridge to integrate older lights. I would go to one of their user group Facebook pages, you will find heaps of info and view from people who have used it.
@@gaffergear thanks tons!
any opinion on the Lowel TotaLED? seems too good to be true for only 70W
I haven't seen one, very limited access to gear in Australia
Gaffer & Gear they’re claiming 750w equivalent for only 70w. does that make sense? yet to see any comparison reviews
Lots of reviews from users online, they all call the brightness at about 500w equivalent.
i cant get the light to connect to the app! i tried everything. please help
Are you on Android?
Any solution to connect the 120d mkII to the sidus app?
Asking Aputure now
They are working on a separate transmitter / receiver box to communicate to pre-existing Aputure fixtures.
@@gaffergear thank you, perhaps a release after NAB
None of my lights connect, very frustrating.
Get on one of the Aputure Facebook user groups, someone will be able to get you help.
I hate using phone apps, I couldn't get anything to connect the other day, then I realised I had rented the lights out and I needed to Bluetooth reset them.
@@gaffergear thanks, I emailed their support. If they can't fix it I'll just stick to Godox for now, their app works without a problem. Or use the lights manually. The B7 I might return since I can't do anything except turn it on and change the temp.
I've found this app to be a steaming pile of horseshit. I can follow any instruction along, get it set up to do what I want. But once I turn off the lights or the app it refuses to pair and work again unless I uninstall and reinstall the app and start the entire process over again. Not worth the time.