Gaffer & Gear 79 – Aputure Sidus Link app

Gaffer & Gear 79 – Aputure Sidus Link (app)
A review and run through of the (Android) Aputure Sidus Link App

Index
00:00 Intro
00:24 Reliability
00:50 Creating a scene (to add lights)
01:18 Bluetooth Reset
01:44 Adding fixtures
02:40 Identifying each light
02:52 Renaming a light
03:26 Individual light operation
03:33 300DmkII controls
04:05 Input selections (slider panel)
05:45 MC controls
06:01 CCT (White) Mode
06:29 Gels Menu
06:58 HIS (Colour Mode)
07:58 Colour picker
10:59 FX mode
12:10 Presets (saves individual light)
13:15 Grouping lights
14:11 Console page
14:45 Saving a Scene (Quickshots)
15:13 Individual adjustments from the console
16:00 All Fixtures & White Presets
16:37 Adding lights
17:02 Scene page (group of lights)
18:40 Not connecting work arounds

[NaturallyCapturedWeddings]

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.

[nextlevelcraig]

17:34 Thank you for this! It was driving me insane! I thought creating multiple scenes was going to take forever.

[rickymcc]

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.

[TemperedTones]

Thank you!
I was struggling to create multiple scenes and it was very frustrating. This was a perfect explanation.

[raymondlinares]

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.

[AllenWatts]

The scene/quickshot explanation absolutely saved my use of this app. Great real-world explanation, thank you.

[cobralyoner]

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!

[bassodifemzy]

You can teach.. I love people that can pass on knowledge. Blessings

[rezik]

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.

[EugeneMaynard]

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! 🙏🏾

[fabulosorichie]

The best tutorial for Sidus App I have found, thanks mate!

[BEYONDIMAGES-AI]

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....

[grantkiwi]

Just what I needed to get going with my new MC - thanks!

[vivianvaldi]

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.

[themarclevy]

Thanks for the great review! Super useful, as always.

[DrRussell]

Thank you so much for this. Really helpful and will save us so much time on set

[alacazaba]

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.

[ianmartin]

Thank you! Really helpful, Good detail, just what I needed to solve my issue with setup. Very grateful.

[bingbanghello]

Very helpful! Thank you very much! Nice video

[OldSchoolFilm]

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!