Atomos Ronin User manual

EDITION 1: JUNE 2013
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Atomos Ronin
User Manual
Website: www.atomos.com | Sales: [email protected] | Support: [email protected]

Warranty & Conditions .............................................................................1
Introduction ...............................................................................................2
1. What’s included..................................................................................3
2. What you also need ...........................................................................4
Spinning Disk Drives (HDD) ................................................................4
Solid State Drives (SSDs) ...................................................................4
Mechanical Vibration ..........................................................................4
Backing up and archiving ...................................................................4
HD-SDI Cables ...................................................................................5
Standard 1/4” Camcorder Mount ......................................................5
3. Mounting disks in the Master Caddy ..............................................6
4. Connecting and powering up...........................................................7
Batteries..............................................................................................7
Power ON/Power OFF........................................................................8
5. Ronin connections.............................................................................8
6. Other physical features.....................................................................9
Master Caddy / Screw Mounts / Modularity......................................9
7. Using the Ronin................................................................................10
The User Interface in detail...............................................................10
The Ronin Touchscreen ....................................................................10
The Home Screen.............................................................................10
Home Screen / Menu functions........................................................11
Screen Lock ......................................................................................12
Batteries Screen / Auto Switching/Manual Switching .....................13
Storage Capacity Indicator...............................................................13
Formatting HDD/SSD .......................................................................13
Unit Name .........................................................................................13
Audio In .............................................................................................14
Audio during playback......................................................................14
8. Monitoring and Recording..............................................................15
Connect to Input ...............................................................................15
Before recording / Choosing your recording format ........................15
SmartControl.................................................................................... 16
6 ways to start recording ................................................................. 16
Using the Ronin as a field monitor/electronic viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
SmartMonitor .................................................................................. 17
Zebra / Focus Peaking / False Colour / Blue only ......................... 17
SmartLog ........................................................................................ 18
Exporting .xml ................................................................................. 19
Organising material on disk ..............................................................20
Anti-shock technology......................................................................21
File Recovery ....................................................................................21
9. Timecode .........................................................................................22
10. Pulldown ...........................................................................................23
11. Playback & Playout..........................................................................24
exFAT / FAT 32 disks.........................................................................24
Play mode / Pause mode .................................................................25
Loop mode........................................................................................26
12. Connecting and Editing ..................................................................27
Connect to Input ...............................................................................27
NLE Support ....................................................................................27
exFAT compatibility ..........................................................................27
Transferring files ...............................................................................27
Importing / Import into Final Cut Pro................................................28
SmartLog with FCPX ........................................................................29
13. External Power Supply....................................................................30
14 . Using Connect Converters .............................................................30
15. Software Upgrades..........................................................................31
Updating ATOMOS (Firmware) .........................................................31
16. Technical Specifications .................................................................32
The Ronin is designed to a high standard but there are some things you
should be aware of to prolong the life of the unit and for your own safety.
Batteries and power supplies
The batteries supplied with the Ronin are designed to retain enough energy
to supply the Ronin for hours. You should avoid short-circuiting the battery
connections because this can cause a high current to flow which can damage
the cells and even pose a fire hazard. For example, you should not carry
batteries in a bag or pocket where they may contact other metal objects such
as coins.
Disconnect the power before cleaning the Ronin or its components.
Using the Ronin safely
Although the Ronin is very lightweight compared to all the devices it replaces,
it is still a solid object that could cause injury if misused.
• Always make sure that the Ronin is mounted securely and is unable to fall
onto anyone nearby.
• Always ensure that cable runs to the Ronin are clearly visible and do not
present a trip hazard.
• Do not place on uneven or unstable surfaces.
• Do not insert anything but Ronin Master Disk caddies in the Master Disk
slot on the front of the Ronin.
• Do not touch the Ronin’s screen with sharp, metallic or abrasive objects.
• The Ronin can become warm or hot with prolonged use. Do not place it in
contact with your lap or any part of your body where such warming could
cause discomfort or injury.
• Do not expose to strong electrical or magnetic elds.
• Do not expose to or use near liquids, rain or moisture.
• Do not dispose of the Ronin or its batteries in municipal waste and do not
incinerate it or its batteries, but follow local regulations for safe disposal
Care of disk drives
Spinning disks and SSDs are very sensitive to damage from static electricity.
Please observe all the usual precautions when handling them.
Please see the section Mechanical shock and vibration later in this manual for
information about how to handle and care for your disk drives.
SDI Cables
Please remember that SDI cables use locking connectors and will not simply
pull out if they are jerked or tripped over. They are therefore a significant trip
hazard, and also a hazard to your equipment, which may be damaged if the
cables are misused.
To keep things simple but clear, we’ve only adopted two
conventions in this manual:
A helpful tip, suggestion or something to note because it’s
not obvious at first
Monospaced text indicates a menu or touch action
Contents Safety Instructions
Menu
Contents
User Manual Conventions

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 1
Notice
Copyright © 2013 ATOMOS Global Pty Ltd (‘referred to as ATOMOS’).
All rights reserved. All information in this document is subject to
change without notice. No part of the document may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying or recording, without the express written
permission of ATOMOS. A reference to ATOMOS includes its related
entities, subsidiaries and parent company.
Trademarks
Ronin and ATOMOS are registered trademarks of ATOMOS, Apple,
the Apple logo, AppleShare, AppleTalk, FireWire, iPod, iPod Touch, Mac,
and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Final Cut Pro,
QuickTime and the QuickTime Logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
International Hardware Limited Warranty
ATOMOS warrants that:
• the main product, not including TFT/LCD, or any external accessories,
will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of
1 years from the date of purchase, the user may upgrade to a 3 year
warranty upon registering their product at www.atomos.com
• the TFT/LCD, batteries, battery charger, HDD/SSD docking station,
Master Caddy and Carry Case will be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.
This warranty is exclusively for the benefit of the original purchaser and is
not assignable or transferable.
If during the warranty period the product is shown to be defective
ATOMOS may at its option:
a) replace the goods or supply equivalent ones, b) repair the goods, c)
pay the cost of replacing the goods or of acquiring equivalent ones and d)
paying the cost of having the goods repaired;
The customer must notify ATOMOS of any defect in the goods in
writing prior to the expiry of the warranty periods set out above. The
customer will be solely responsible for returning the goods to ATOMOS
or its authorized distributor. Upon acceptance of a warranty claim by
ATOMOS, where ATOMOS repairs or replaces the goods, it will be
responsible for reasonable shipping costs incurred in sending the goods
to the Customer, provided that customer is located in a country in which
ATOMOS has an authorized distributor or repair centre or agent.
Warranty Exclusions
This warranty applies only to defects in workmanship and does not cover
defects caused by:
• Neglect;
• Improper or negligent acts or omissions;
• Unauthorised repairs or attempted repairs;
• Tampering with or modication of the goods;
• Connection to incompatible equipment or power sources;
• Exposure to water or weather;
• Exposure to magnetic elds or corrosive liquids or substances;
• Physical damage
EXCEPT AS STATED IN THIS WARRANTY, ATOMOS, IT’S VENDORS,
AGENTS, RESELLERS AND DISTRIBUTORS DISCLAIM IN THEIR
ENTIRETY ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
WITHOUT LIMITATION ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE REMEDIES OUTLINED IN
THIS WARRANTY ARE THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY A CUSTOMER HAS
ARISING FROM DEFECTIVE GOODS WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO THE
WARRANTY.
ATOMOS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE GOODS WILL OPERATE IN A
MANNER WHICH IS ERROR FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED. THE GOODS
ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE THE PRIMARY OR ONLY DATA STORAGE
DEVICE FOR DATA – CUSTOMERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR
BACK UP AND PROTECTION OF DATA.
Software License Agreement
IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. THIS IS A LICENSE
AGREEMENT.
This ATOMOS software, related documentation, any included sample
images and other files (the “Software”), is protected by copyright laws
and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property
laws and treaties. The Software is licensed, not sold.
This End User License Agreement (“EULA”) is a legal agreement between
you (either an individual or a single entity) and ATOMOS with regard to
the copyrighted Software provided with this EULA. Use of the Software
provided to you by ATOMOS in whatever form or media, will constitute
your acceptance of these terms, unless separate terms are provided
by the software supplier, in which case certain additional or different
terms may apply. If you do not agree with the terms of this EULA, do
not download, install copy or use the Software. By installing, copying or
otherwise using the Software, you agree to be bound to the terms of this
EULA. If you do not agree to the terms of this EULA, ATOMOS is unwilling
to license the Software to you.
1.Eligible licensees. This Software is available for license solely to
purchasers of the ATOMOS Ronin, who have purchased a unit
manufactured by ATOMOS Ronin and purchased through an ATOMOS
authorized reseller, with no right of duplication or further distribution,
licensing or sub-licensing.
2.License Grant. ATOMOS grants you a personal, non-transferable and
non-exclusive right to use the copy of the Software provided with this
EULA. You agree you will not copy the Software except as necessary
to use it with the ATOMOS Ronin. You agree that you may not copy
the written materials accompanying the Software. Modifying, reverse
engineering, translating, renting, copying, transferring or assigning
all or part of the Software or any rights granted hereunder, to any
other persons or reverse engineering the hardware on which the
Software runs, is strictly prohibited. The software is license, not sold.
You acknowledge that no title to intellectual property in the Software
is transferable to you. You further acknowledge that title and full
ownership rights to the Software will remain the exclusive property
of ATOMOS and/or its suppliers, and you will not acquire any rights
to the Software, except as expressly set forth above. All copies of
the software will contain the same proprietary notices as contained
in or on the Software. All title and copyrights in and to the Software
(including but not limited to any images, animations, video, audio, text
incorporated), the accompanying printed materials, and any copies of the
Software are owned by ATOMOS or its suppliers.
3.Reverse engineering. You agree that you will not attempt, and if you are
a corporation, you will use your best efforts to prevent your employees
and contractors from attempting to reverse compile, derive circuits,
modify, translate or disassemble the Software and/or the Atomos
Ronin in whole or in part. Any failure to comply with the above or any
other terms and conditions contained herein will result in the automatic
termination of this license and the reversion of the rights granted
hereunder by ATOMOS.
ATOMOS reserves the right to terminate this license without prejudice to
any additional recourse ATOMOS may have against you if you violate any
of its terms and conditions.
Registration + Warranty Upgrade
Register to upgrade your warranty FREE 1yr >3yr
www.atomos.com/support
Warranty & Conditions

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 2
Thank you for choosing the Atomos Ronin, your 10-bit HD-SDI
Recorder/Monitor/Deck. It is the perfect product for Recording,
Monitoring, Playing back and logging or pre-editing content on the
set or in the field. It’s the new portable media deck.
The Ronin portable Recorder/Player/Monitor is a smart solution for both
fixed-facility and live video production. Based on the award-winning
Samurai field recorder, the Ronin features touchscreen ease of use,
capture to Apple ProRes® or Avid DNxHD®1, professional monitoring
and edit review. Like the Samurai, it can operate on location with battery
or DC power, but it can also be used in a fixed facility, rack-mounted
environment using AC power.
In addition, the Ronin has balanced XLR input and output, along with a
front panel headphone jack able to monitor individual channels. It also
has an internal battery charging system for attached Atomos batteries
when connected to AC power.
For HDMI connectivity, simply attach an Atomos Connect H2S and/or
S2H converter. The Ronin’s compact half-rack size makes it suitable for
any video production environment.
Software updates for your Ronin will be issued regularly. Registering your
Ronin now will ensure you are kept abreast of any updates.
Software updates and information will also be available at:
www.atomos.com/Ronin
We hope you enjoy your Ronin!
Your Ronin comes with a standard 1 year warranty on all parts and
accessories. You can upgrade to a 3 year warranty on the main
Ronin unit alone (excluding TFT/LCD) by registering your Ronin online
at http://www.atomos.com/registration.xml. This will enable us to let
you know about updates to the product and other important information
surrounding your purchase.
Introduction
1Requires online activation

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 3
We try to provide you with as complete a package as possible, you don’t
have to add anything except 2.5” storage media (you can buy additional
packs of empty Master Disk Caddies from your Atomos Reseller) and
some cables to suit your set-up, like SDI BNC cables.
Here’s the complete list
• Ronin body (the Ronin itself, with touchscreen,
inputs and slot for Ronin disk caddies)
• 5 x empty Master Disk Caddies + screws for xing disks
• Master Caddy Docking Station with
a. USB 2 & 3 Cable (Under Ronin body)
b. Firewire®Cable (Under dock)
c. USB 2.0 power cable for extra USB power when required (Under dock)
• 2 x Atomos 7.4 V 2600mAh Batteries
• D-Tap Adaptor (cable sold separately)
• Ronin Quick Start Guide (not pictured)
Atomos does not sell storage and your package will not contain any
spinning disks or SSDs. You can buy these locally to keep running
costs as low as possible.
1. What’s included
Contents may differ from those shown here.

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 4
Spinning Disk Drives (HDD)
These are the raw storage medium for Ronin. You can use either
traditional “spinning” disks, or the new solid state ones. Choose 2 ½”
spinning drives if your Ronin is going to be attached to a tripod or if it is
not going to be subject to excessive vibration. For harsher conditions,
choose a solid state drive.
Which drives should you use?
There are so many drives available, and new models appear all the
time. We are not able to test all drives but here are some guidelines.
Speed and reliability are the main factors. Here are a few things to
bear in mind:
•Disk drive data rates tend to be given in megaBYTES per second, and
codec data rates are normally given in megaBITS per second. It’s very
easy to get confused. But there’s no need to be, because all you have
to do to convert megabits to megabytes is divide by 8. So if you’re
recording at 220 megaBITS per second, that’s going to result in 220/8
megaBYTES per second, which is 27.5 megaBYTES per second.
•To see what works for you, you may want to start working with
relatively fast drives 7200 RPM, and then try slower ones 5400 RPM.
This gives you a frame of reference for comparison. Just remember
that the higher the bitrate of the Apple ProRes® you’re using, the faster
the drive needs to be.
Atomos regularly test hard drives – please check this link before
purchasing drives: http://atomos.activehosted.com/kb/article/
what-drives-do-we-recommend
Solid State Drives (SSDs)
These are Flash memory devices that come in the same form-factor
as 2 ½” disk drives, and they are fully supported by the Ronin. See the
section below about when you should consider using SSDs. For a list of
approved drives, please refer to our website.
Mechanical Shock and Vibration
Hard disks are precision mechanical devices that need to be handled
carefully. You will be using the same type of drives that are normally used
in notebook computers, and you can use this as a guide to whether you
need to use mechanical drives or Solid State ones for any proposed
projects. If you think a particular usage scenario would be suitable for a
notebook computer, then it will probably be OK for a mechanical drive
inside a Ronin. If you think the drive inside your notebook might suffer
damage, then don’t use a mechanical drive.
We can’t give rigid guidelines because there are so many different kinds
of drives, each with different mechanical properties. You may even find
variations between drives of the same type.
What we have found is that mechanical drives are suitable for most
purposes that don’t involve harsh vibration or mechanical shocks. They
will be perfect for tripod-mounting, and also for the majority of hand-held
work. We would advise against hard-mounting them on moving vehicles
(but they would probably be OK if cushioned against the body of the
camera operator) and we would not advise using mechanical disks if
there is a likelihood that they might be dropped onto a hard surface.
Here are some things that you should bear in mind when using
spinning disks:
• Even though spinning drives can withstand substantial shocks when
they are not in use, they are more vulnerable when running. Harsh
treatment that may not actually damage the drive may interrupt
recordings at a much lower level of severity. We recommend that you
experiment with your drives by testing them in the conditions that you
normally work in.
• Spinning drives have a gyroscopic effect that you will feel faintly if you
rotate the Ronin up or down or from side to side. They are particularly
sensitive to this type of motion. If you do this too quickly while the drive
is spinning, you may get a small gap in your recording.
• Be very gentle when changing batteries if you are recording. Practise
this manoeuvre so that you are able to do it smoothly. It is always
better to do this in-between takes.
• Do not bang or jolt the Ronin while recording. Gentle and cushioned
movement may be OK.
• You will nd noticeable differences in the ability of drives to withstand
shock and to continue recording during vibration and movement. As
we receive reports of drive durability and reliability, we will post them
on www.atomos.com
• Your Ronin is able to detect when the drive is under stress and it will
recover from any break in a recording by waiting until the drive is ready
to continue, and then resuming from that point. If frames have been
dropped because of shock or vibration, a “Skippy” Kangaroo symbol
will appear on the home screen on the Ronin, just above the disk
capacity indicator. This means that you will not normally have to restart
the Ronin, even if a recording has been interrupted by mechanical
disruption to the disk drive. (see Recording and Monitoring: Atomos
Anti-shock Technology for more information)
Taking into account most usage scenarios, we think that mechanical
disks will be suitable in the majority of cases. Spinning disks are most
sensitive when they are rotating. It is obviously best to avoid dropping
them but many disks now have a “drop detector” that will lock the most
fragile mechanical parts in place and protect them from surprisingly hard
knocks. We recommend that if you want to experiment with this, you do
so with a drive that doesn’t contain the day’s shoot!
Backing up and archiving
Remember that no storage medium, including tape, optical disks,
spinning disks and flash memory, is completely immune from failure.
You should bear this in mind when deciding how to manage
your recorded content. At the very least, you should consider the
consequences for you and your business if your storage medium were
to suffer from a sudden failure, and you should back up your content
accordingly. Hard drives that you can use for archiving are becoming
increasingly affordable. You may find that it is completely feasible for
your to keep your master Ronin disks on a shelf (just like tapes!), and,
as a backup, store copies on large hard drives, RAID arrays or Network
Attached Storage (NAS).
2. What you also need

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 5
Mounting drives in the Master Caddy
This is simplicity itself. Just insert the disk into the caddy, and secure
with four screws. The caddy is light and the disk just needs to be held
securely. Don’t over-tighten the screws. There are no connections to
make because pushing the caddy into the Ronin or the Docking station
makes all the connections for you.
The Master Caddy can’t be inserted the wrong way round. Always make
sure that the disk connector faces the slot in the Ronin. You have to be
quite rm to push the Master Caddy into place, but don’t push too hard,
just in case something isn’t set up or aligned properly. There is very little
that can cause problems and the most likely thing is that the Master
Caddy isn’t properly ush with the drive inside. A quick visual check will
confirm this.
Spinning disks and SSDs are very sensitive to damage from static
electricity. Please observe all the usual precautions when handling them,
especially DO NOT EVER touch the exposed SATA connector as
static electricity may be harmful to your disk.
3. Mounting disks in the Master Caddy
1
2
Carefully assemble the
Master Caddy and disk
Ensure all 3 parts aligned
and insert 4 x screws (supplied)
Do not over-tighten screws or
alignment can not be guaranteed.
We suggest squeezing the corners
together near the screw you are
tightening for optimal fit.
Insert screw
Align all parts
Insert screw

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 6
Batteries
The Ronin is a battery powered device, and has a special feature to
ensure that you never have to interrupt a recording to change a battery.
Like all batteries, you will need to take care of them. Make sure that you
don’t short circuit the connections because this can result in very high
currents that can damage the cells and could pose a fire hazard.
Charge new batteries before using them. The Ronin internal charger can
charge two batteries simultaneously.
Before any type of disposal the battery should be discharged
completely. Tape the contacts with electrical tape and package so as to
prevent contacts accidentally coming together at any time. Incineration
must be performed by an approved and permitted waste treatment
facility that handles lithium ion batteries. If you are not sure if your
waste facility can handle lithium ion batteries, contact them and verify if
they are permitted or not.
Always use battery slot for the first battery. This is effectively your
primary battery and the Ronin will, if using batteries alone.
Battery slot No.2 is the secondary or back-up battery and is not marked.
Once the Ronin has been started from battery slot No. 1, it will operate
on battery slot No. 2 alone. No. 1 is only required for start up.
To insert the batteries, gently slide them down into the slot and lock
them into position. To remove a battery, push the latch to release it. Each
battery has its own latch, which is located to the right of batter No. 1 and
to the left of batter No. 2 as you look at the back of the Ronin. Pull the
latches towards the batteries to release them.
Ronin batteries and modular accessories (Connect Converters, etc) are
held in place very tightly because they are on the outside of the device
and there has to be no possibility whatsoever that they could work
loose, so you will have to be quite firm with the battery latches. We
suggest that you familiarise yourself with the force required to remove
the batteries and accessories so that you can do this quickly in the
field. Make sure that you hold the top and the bottom of the battery
or accessory module when sliding it off to avoid dropping it when it is
released from the main unit.
The Ronin introduces an Atomos technology called Battery Looping for
Continuous Power. When power is running low on one battery, the Ronin
will automatically switch to the second battery, you can remove one of
the batteries and replace it with a fully charged one. Ronin will continue
to operate as you do this. You can continue this process indefinitely.
The Ronin may be powered from NiMH & Li Ion 14.4V battery
systems. Battery adaptor required. If a 14.4V battery is connected
the unit will assume it is on AC power and the battery status page will
show the AC power plug icons.
Battery number 1
Slide down into
battery slot/s and
lock into position.
Push latch to
release battery
4. Connecting the Ronin and powering up

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 7
Turning ON power to the Ronin
The Atomos Ronin half-rack HD/SD-SDI deck can be powered in
multiple ways:
1. AC mains connection on rear panel
2. Battery operation on the rear panel
3. External DC voltage operation via an Atomos D-Tap Adaptor
The Ronin has an internal power supply that is powered by the AC
connection on the rear panel. This internal power supply is turned on
by toggling the switch next to the AC mains input on the rear panel
to the ‘1’ position. Turning on this internal power supply puts the unit
into standby mode and activates the battery charger. In this state any
batteries on the rear panel will begin charging. To activate the Ronin,
momentarily press the power button on the front panel. The power
indicator on the front panel button will turn green and the Ronin home
screen will display within a few seconds.
This switch and button arrangement allows for the internal power
supply to charge the batteries even when the Ronin is not in active use.
Battery level condition can only be checked when the Ronin is running.
To do this, go to the battery menu page and toggle the rear power
switch to the ‘0’ position. The front Power switch indicator will turn red
to show that the Ronin is operating off battery power. The battery page
will now show the voltage level of the attached batteries. To return to
AC mains power just ick the rear toggle switch back to the ‘1’ position
and the front power indicator will change back to green.
This unique operation, for a deck, is very useful in live event situations
if, for example, there is a mains failure, as the Ronin will automatically
switch over to battery operation. Ronin uses the same unique
Continuous Power technology as all Atomos recorder units.
Furthermore, the Ronin can operate from an external DC power supply
source with the use of the D-Tap Adapter. Just make sure the D-Tap
Adapter is in slot one of the battery plate.
The DC output connections on the rear panel of the Ronin are
reserved for use with future Atomos accessories.
4. Connecting the Ronin and powering up

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 8
HD SDI in: Your source video input to the Ronin is via HD-SDI.
HD SDI out: This is for connection to an external monitor or other
device with an HD SDI input. It carries a delay-free loop-through of the
incoming signal in record and standby mode, and the playout signal
when the Ronin is in playout mode.
LANC Remote: In addition to direct control through HD SDI, you have
the option of controlling the Ronin remotely using the LANC remote
control protocol. The Ronin has a LANC input and a LANC loop-through
connector to allow you to chain LANC-controllable devices together.
This feature is compatible with certain Sony/Canon cameras only. This
connection is also used for Serial commands control, which is still under
development.
Audio: The Ronin can record 12 channels of digital audio embedded in
the HD SDI signal. There is also a pair of XLR Balanced Line-in sockets
for recording audio in sync with incoming video. Depending on your set-
up, you may find that this gives you better results than the microphone
on the camera.
You can switch between Analogue Audio Line In and HD SDI as your
audio sources in the user interface, where you can also adjust the
analogue audio input level.
There is also a pair of XLR Balanced Line-out sockets with adjustable
level control. On the front of the Ronin is a 3.5mm Headphone Out
Socket, which has itís own independent level control and mute switch.
5. Ronin connections
XLR In
SDI In
LANC In
AUX DC Out
SDI Out
LANC Out
XLR Out
Power
Switch

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 9
Master Caddy Slot
On the left hand side of the unit (as you face the screen) is a slot
for Ronin Master Disk Caddies. To insert a caddy, gently push until
it clicks into position.
Formatting disks - see page 13
Screw Mounts
Release and remove Master Caddy
To eject it, use the latch on the right hand side of the Ronin
(as pictured)
The Master Caddy is hot-swappable, so
you can do this at any time - even while
the unit is turned on. But don’t do it while
recording or you will get a corrupted file
that may be unplayable.
Ronin Master Disk Caddies are held
in place firmly. Push the eject button
and the drive comes out, no need to
pull on the caddy.
Ronin Modularity
The Ronin was designed to be a exible and modular system. It doesn’t
need any drivers to connect to a computer, you have a choice of spinning
hard disk storage or solid state, and it will work with any battery system as
long as it connects to the Ronin’s NP-type slots, or via a DTap connector.
The Ronin’s battery slots are the key to it’s modularity. They provide secure
attachment and continuous power, through Atomos’ feed-through power
system.
The first of the modular add-ons to be announced by Atomos are the
Connect converters (pictured). More on this in Part 14.
6. Other physical features
The Ronin is highly portable, but also has mounting fixtures as well as rack-mounting capabilities.
The top of the Ronin unit incorporates a convenient handle for hand carrying. There are fold-down feet on the bottom of the unit that provide various
tilting combinations for use on a desk or as part of mobile production.
Further mounting versatility is provided by seven embedded 1/4inch/20 threads – five on the top panel and two on each side. This provides for custom
mounting situations as well as the ability to mount various accessories and fixtures to the Ronin.
Ronin can be easily rack-mounted into a standard 19-inch wide equipment rack using the ATOMRCK001 rack-mount adapter. The rack-mount adapter
provides a way to mount two Ronin units side by side in a standard equipment rack and only utilizes three RU of vertical rack-mount space. Please
refer to the installation guide provided with the rack-mount adapter.

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 10
Using the Ronin
The Ronin is controlled via an intuitive touchscreen interface. There are
large, obvious controls for Record, Play, Monitor, and Menu, as well as
the following information:
• Current input format and status
• Codec currently in use
• Remaining battery power
• Which of the two batteries is currently active
• Headphone/Line Out volume
• Audio Input Level meters
• Remaining Recording time on disk
• Timecode
• Record Trigger
• Unit name
Watch out for any items on the screen that are marked by a
small blue arrow. If you touch these items you will be taken
to other options depending on context. If you touch them
repeatedly, you will cycle through related options
A large blue arrow in the top right of the screen will
take you out of lower-level menus back to the main
control screen
The User Interface in detail
Even though the Ronin is an extremely sophisticated and technically
advanced device, we have taken a minimalist approach to the interface.
We’ve only included controls that you really need. This is important in
a device that has to be ready for use at all times and must therefore be
simple to operate while in use.
The Ronin Touchscreen
Ronin features a very high quality 800x480 pixel video touch screen.
Most of us are now familiar with the idea of touchscreens, but there is an
important difference between Ronin’s screen and those you might nd on
a smartphone.
Ronin’s screen is pressure and touch sensitive. It takes more than a
glancing brush of a finger to trigger the screen. For some applications,
(like dragging and dropping) this would be a disadvantage, but for the
Ronin it is an important feature, because if the screen was too sensitive,
it would be easy to accidentally trigger Ronin operations, potentially
interrupting a recording, for example.
With the Ronin screen, you have to firmly push the screen for an
instruction to register. This gives a very positive feel to the device and
condence that commands won’t be given in error.
Be definite and deliberate in your pressing on icons on the screen and
the Ronin will be very responsive. Remember this is not a capacitive
touch device like many Smart Phones; holding contact with the icon for a
millisecond will ensure accurate and rapid response.
The Home Screen
This is the screen you see whenever you are not in a function or sub-menu,
and it is the first screen that the Ronin boots into when you turn it on. All
functions are one touch away: simply touch the screen on any function to
be taken to that function’s screen.
There are four brightly coloured icons labelled Rec, Play, Mon
and Menu. In the lower centre of the screen is a timecode display with
Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames. Below this, on the lower
edge is the Unit Name: a customisable label that identifies media from
your when it is connected to a computer.
7. Using the Ronin
Video Input Format
and Pulldown Status
Recording Format
Apple ProRes
Rolling
Timcode
Record
Trigger
Timecode
Audio Input Level Meters/
Headphone Line Out Volume
Time
Remaining
Unit Name
Continuous Power
Battery Indicator

Home Screen and Menu Functions
Rec (Record)
This is the icon you touch to begin a recording. Touch it again to stop a
recording. While recording the Rec icon changes to a Stop icon. Once
your recording has started you have the option to touch the Mon icon to
view the signal you are recording.
STANDBY
RECORDING
The Rec icon is dimmed and disabled if there
is no valid video input OR if the disk is full. The
buttons is dimmed because you cannot record.
NO INPUT
Play
Touch this icon to play previously recorded clips. When you press the
green Play button you will be taken to the navigation screen.
STANDBY
NAVIGATION
Ronin uses a unit name, scene, shot and take convention
to name the clips. Select the clip you want to play by touching the file
name and this will start to playback.
The Play button will be dimmed and disabled if
there is no disk or the disk is not formatted.
See page 14 - Formatting disks
NO DISK
Mon (Monitor)
Pressing this icon connects the incoming video signal to the screen, so
that you can use the Ronin as a field monitor. More about monitoring in
the next section, Monitoring and Recording.
STANDBY
The Mon icon is dimmed and unselectable if there
is no valid video input.
NO INPUT
Menu
Pressing this takes you into a number of options which will
explained next.
STANDBY
MENU
7. Using the Ronin
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7. Using the Ronin
File Naming
Allows you to select the scene and shot number that will be
recorded next. To select press scene or shot at the top
and the number you wish to use from the list below (up to 999).
The number you choose will then be shown underneath the
word Scene or Shot in a larger font and will be underlined.
The take number is automatically increased with each take.
Date &Time
Allows you to adjust the date and time shown by the clock
and calendar in the Ronin. Touching the Date &Time
takes you into the Date and Time Screen. At the top of the
screen is the date and the time of day. The month, day
and year are selectable by touching them, at which point
a scrollable list of dates, months or years will show below,
depending on which option has been selected.
To enter a date, for example, begin by touching the month
at the top of the screen, and then select the required month
from the list below. Then touch the day, and then the year,
selecting the required value from the list below.
Setting the time is done in exactly the same way.
Date formats (i.e. dd-mm-yyyy or mm-dd-yyyy) are
selectable on the right of the screen. Just keep touching
the date format icon until it shows the format you
want to use.
Display Options / Screen Lock
Allows you to modify the brightness of the screen. You are
presented with a horizontal slider. Touch it anywhere on it’s
length to increase or decrease the brightness of the display
or you can tap the + and - buttons at each end.
SCREEN LOCK
A new feature for the Ronin is the ability to Lock the screen
so no changes can be made by mistakenly touching the
screen. To Lock the screen press the power button located
on the side of the Ronin once quickly.
You will see Locked will flash on the screen. Press again
to Unlock.
When you access the Display Icons you can choose to
disable your screen but only when the screen is locked. While
Locked, Display is > On/o
Ronin Info
Shows the software (rmware) version and unique device
ID (DID) of your Ronin device. This will be useful if you ever
have to speak to Atomos technical support or a support
agent from your reseller. You can also check on the Atomos
website to ensure you are running the latest firmware:
http://www.atomos.com/Ronin/firmware/
Power O
Turns the Ronin off. You need to press Power Off for four
seconds. Alternatively, you can press the physical On/
Off button on the right side of the Ronin for four seconds
to force shutdown. Atomos recommends using the
touchscreen Power O function .
Timecode
Takes you to the dedicated timecode configuration page.
Refer to Part 7 of this manual for more information.
Remember that pressing a large blue arrowhead will
always take you back to the previous menu you were in.
Smaller controls and indicators around the Home Screen
There are a number of smaller controls that double-up as indicators
around the Home Screen.
Input
At the top left of the screen is not actually a control but will change to
display information about the signal being input to the Ronin at the time.
If there is no input, it will say No Input. When a valid signal source is
connected, the display will change to (for example) 1080i50.
Video Compression Format
At the top middle of the screen shows which version of ProRes®you are
using. You can change between versions (LT, HQ and 422) by repeatedly
touching the indicator.’

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 2: November 2012 13
Battery Indicator
Shows whether you’ve got one or two batteries connected. If there is no
battery connected a number will not be displayed in the appropriate slot.
Touching the Battery Indicator takes you to the Batteries
screen where you can closely monitor the status of the Batteries.
When a battery is running low its icon will flash.
BATTERIES SCREEN
The Battery screen indicator is made up of two Battery icons, the active
battery is shown in orange and the level of each battery is shaded in 1/4
increments with a voltage level shown on top.
In the picture above we see Battery 1 is full and active and
Battery 2 is currently inactive and 1/4 depleted. If no battery
is present it will show an X in the picture and will be Black in
colour as pictured right.
Warning: If both of the batteries are fully depleted, the unit will
turn itself off. The Ronin will switch to the battery screen for the last
5 seconds of available power before shutting down, alerting you that
shutdown is about to occur.
If the Ronin is running off its AC connected supply, the battery
status will change to the icon shown in the right.
AUTO SWITCHING/MANUAL SWITCHING
The Ronin will automatically switch to a new battery when the current
battery is depleted or the AC supply fails (ie blackout). You may also
switch between batteries at any time by pressing on that battery icon.
The new active battery will then turn orange. You may need to use this if
you have for example 3 hours recording but only 2.5 hours of battery in
one battery, in which case you would change to a freshly charged one.
If the AC supply is connected the unit will automatically switch to this
power source allowing the batteries to recharge.
Storage Capacity Indicator
Located in the bottom right of the screen. When a disk is inserted, the
Storage Capacity Indicator will show the recording
capacity of the drive in hours minutes and seconds, based on the
currently selected video compression, which of course, will determine the
recording bitrate.
FORMATTING HDD/SSD
Touching the Storage Capacity Indicator on the home
screen will take you to the Media Information and Format screen. Media
Information indicates the drive you have present, in this case a Hitachi
500GB spinning disk.
Touching Format HDD/SSD will format the drive inside the Ronin.
A confirmation screen will give you the choice to continue or cancel the
process.
If you do not see your hard drive information, there may be a problem
with your connection. Try ejecting the drive and trying again.
Also check the drive compatibility list: http://atomos.activehosted.
com/kb/article/what-drives-do-we-recommend
The Ronin file system is exFAT. We recommend that you format each
disk with the Ronin and not your computer.
Unit Name
The unit name serves two main purposes:
• HDD Naming: Naming the unit names the drive if the drive is
formatted after the unit name has been set
• File Naming: File name is the current unit name as the start of the
recorded clip name; Ronin_S001_S002_T003
To access the unit name screen simply touch the blue arrow to the
right of the unit name. Creating your own unit name is simple. Pressing OK
will allocate the new unit name and return you to the menu screen.
7. Using the Ronin

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 2: November 2012 14
Audio
Located in the bottom left corner of the main screen you can see the area
for monitoring the audio levels, pressing here will allow you to access the
audio settings.
You can see 12 digital channels (via SDI input) and 2 analog audio
channels (via the XLR inputs). Each channel has a level meter assigned
to it. When there is active sound coming in you will see the level indicator
moving.
If the ‘R’ icon is highlighted red below the level meter these channels will
be recorded to disk (this is also indicated by the level meters background
changing to orange). If the headphone icon is highlighted this channel
pair will be output to both the headphones and the XLR outputs.
If recording analog audio via the XLR inputs the input gain can be
adjusted by pressing the + and - buttons to set a suitable level to match
the source. Since the analog input connections are line level, they cannot
be used with microphone level sources. Ronin does not supply +48 volts
phantom power for microphones. An adaptor is necessary to operate
with microphone level equipment.
Similarily, The analog output is also balanced line level XLR type. If you
wish to adjust the clipping point of the analog XLR outputs this can be
set by pressing on the Line Out Level indicator. The clipping level settings
are +15 dBu, +18 dBu, +22 dBu, and +24 dBu.
There is also a slider to control the headphone level. Press any point
along the line or slide your finger to the left or right to adjust. On the front
panel, there is also a mute button for the headphones along with a toggle
switch that allows you to select between mointoring the left/right or both
channels of each audio pair.
It is not possible to vary the gain if the signal input is from the SDI
connection because this is digital and is embedded in the signal.
You can usually adjust this from the camera, please see your camera
manual for operational details.
Audio During Playback Mode
When you enter into Playback mode on the Ronin it will only output
channels 1/2 on the headphones and XLR outputs, please bear this in
mind when you select the audio channels for recording. Also note, all
recorded audio channels will be present on the SDI output.
7. Using the Ronin

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 2: November 2012 15
Connect to input
As soon as you connect a supported input to the Ronin’s SDI input:
• Rec and Mon icons will go solid and colourful
• The input format will be shown in the top left corner
• Audio inputs will show levels in bottom left corner
READY-TO-RECORD
NO INPUT / NO DISK
NO INPUT / DISK PRESENT
INPUT PRESENT / NO DISK
Before recording
• Check there is a valid signal by looking at the main screen, ensuring it
looks like the ‘ready-to-record’ screen
• Check the input signal is set to what you would like:
- Progressive with 2:2 or 3:2 pulldown or
- Interlaced
• If you see No Input for any reason please check your camera
settings match a supported format for Ronin. See technical
specifications on page 33.
• Connect headphones and monitor the Audio channels to make sure
the sound levels are correct.
• Select the correct audio recording set from the audio menu.
• Connect any additional Analogue audio inputs and adjust gain
accordingly.
• Enter monitor mode to ensure the video is coming in as expected.
• Check you have the correct Scene & Shot number selected.
(see page 21 – Organising Material on disk)
• Check your drive is inserted and has been formatted
• Check your timecode settings are as you need
• Choose how you will start/stop your recording
• Check for clean input:
By touching the screen in Monitor mode, you can remove the
Atomos overlays to give you a clean screen. If any overlay graphics
remain, these will be coming from your camera. Please check the
settings on your camera to switch these off.
Activate pulldown removal if required
You can select the recording format by touching the top middle of the
touch screen where the format is indicated.
IMPORTANT: You need to match the format you are recording
internally on the camera with the format recorded on the Ronin.
If you are recording 24p internally on the camera you need to record
24p on the Ronin so the recordings match. To adjust the recording
format simply touch the format icon repeatedly and the Ronin will cycle
through the options available. The basic rule is match the format of
the internal recording on the camera (not the external output of the
camera). For more explanation on choosing the correct format on the
Ronin and the relationship to camera internal format and output format
refer to Section 10 – Pulldown.
8. Monitoring and Recording
The Ronin has a high-quality screen that adjusts to the scan frequency
of the incoming signal, for a smooth, accurate display.

SmartControl
SmartControl is a versatile set of functions used to control the starting
and stopping of recording by automatic or external means. This section
outlines the different methods to start and stop recording. More
advanced external control using the Ronin serial port (marked LANC)
allows control from other devices such as serial control ports, using
computer applications, or API code-generating products. Atomos has a
document guide in its KnowledgeBase on how to use industry-adopted
protocols and the serial port for external control.
Ronin Start and Stop record control can be triggered by the
following methods:
1. Home Page Touch Screen
2. Monitor Page
3. HD-SDI Rolling Timecode trigger
4. HD-SDI Camera trigger
5. Via LANC for Sony and Canon Cameras
6. Via LANC serial port
1. Home page Touch Screen
By pressing Rec (Record)
2. From the Monitor Page
By pressing Rec (Record)
3. HD-SDI Rolling Time Code Trigger record
OFF DISABLED ENABLED
If HD-SDI timecode is selected and the camera is in Record run mode,
the user has the choice to start and stop recording remotely from the
moving HD-SDI timecode. To enable this simply arm the TC icon (see
above). When enabled the camera and the Ronin will start and stop
record simultaneously.
NOTE: Rolling timecode trigger is for use when the camera is in REC
RUN timecode mode only. Auto SDI flag triggers should be used for
Free Run timecode. Please be that aware not all cameras have Start/
Stop flags for triggering record, especially older cameras. In such cases
rolling trigger in REC RUN will need to be used to trigger recording
automatically at the same time as the camera starts recording.
4. HD-SDI Camera trigger record
The HD-SDI Camera trigger is manufacturer-specific, you will need to
select the appropriate manufacturer for your camera. There is a flag
within the SDI signal that lets the Ronin know the start/stop record has
been pressed on the camera; in turn this will trigger the Ronin to start/
stop recording at the same time as the camera.
You can use this mode with either Free-Run or Record-Run timecode
To enable this set Timecode to HD-SDI then set the camera manufacture
in the timecode menu
If both the Camera Trigger and Rolling Timecode Trigger are enabled this
can create multiple files, please ensure only one HD-SDI trigger is used.
5. via LANC for Sony and Canon Cameras
6. via the LANC serial port
Controlled by a third party computer or controller. For system and OEM
integration, contact [email protected]
Once you are recording you will see:
• The Rec button has now changed to Stop on the main screen
• Play button has been disabled
• The Record icon has changed to a stop icon on the monitor screen
• REC is in the top right corner of the monitor screen
Your files will be recorded to your drive with the unitname, scene
and shot you have setup.
To stop, press the stop button on the Ronin monitor or Trigger.
8. Monitoring and Recording
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Using the Ronin as a field monitor and viewfinder
With its 5” high-resolution color TFT 800x480pixel screen, the Ronin
makes a great eld monitor. So good, in fact, that you don’t need
any separate monitoring equipment. You could even say that the
Ronin is a “Recording Monitor”.
SmartMonitor
SmartMonitor features Focus Peaking, Zebra Patterns, False Colour
and Blue Only Exposure that will help assist when setting up a shot.
To access these tools, go into Monitor and select the
Camcorder icon. A new set of icons will appear
On the right hand side are the icons for each SmartMonitor tool.
To enable the tools you simply press the icon for the tool you would
like, the border will change to white.
You can apply all filters to your monitor at the same time but set up
individually for your needs
Settings
On the bottom left side is the icon to amend the settings of the tools.
Current settings are for Focus Paking, Zebra and False Colour.
Zebra
Zebra lines show the parts of the image that are over exposed
relevant to the % level set. 95% is usually used for objects, windows
and surfaces. 75% is used for checking over exposure of human
faces this will indicate reflective or shiny areas on the face.
Focus Peaking
Focus peaking allows the user to ensure their recordings are always
in focus. The parts of the image in focus are indicated by the
selected colour.
The colour indicating the section of the image in focus can be
adjusted by pressing the +/- keys next to the coloured square
representing the current colour. The default colour is Red. The
following additional colours are available (White Square, Red Square,
Green, Blue, Yellow, Light Blue and Purple).
By default the Ronin uses red, but you can change the colour in the
settings and the threshold can be set to high, med or low.
8. Monitoring and Recording

Atomos Ronin – User Manual Edition 1: June 2013 18
False Colour
False Colour assigns different colors to areas of different exposure
in the image. Instead of just showing what parts of the image are
overexposed, it gives a more complete picture of what is going on in
the image by using a range of exposure values. Generally speaking,
overexposed elements will display as red, and underexposed
elements will display as blue.
The gradient between colour levels can be adjusted to have a
gradient or not. If gradient is not selected, the colour levels will
change instantly to the next colour level.
False Colour Scale:
To help you determine the exposure range with more accuracy,
please use the scale above:
You can apply all filters to your monitor at the same time but set up
individually for your needs
Blue for Exposure
Displays a black-and-white image that is based on the blue channel
of the input signal. Used to observe the noise content of a video
image and the judge the overall exposure quality.
SmartLog
SmartLog gives you the ability to tag your clips during recording (or
playback, more on this later).
By the pressing the Favourite and Reject icons you can
assign a “good clip” or “bad clip”. This information can then be
exported to non-linear editing system to speed up the edit process,
as you can easily see which parts of your recording you have marked
to keep or reject.
SmartLog currently only works with Apple FCP X.
How to use
To access the tags, enter the Monitor screen, then press the Flag
SmartLog: MONITOR MODE
You can now see your monitor in the background and the
Favourite and Reject icons
8. Monitoring and Recording