2006Video Assist and Video Accessories forum
Modifying ARCHOS video recorder base station to power professional camera sleds
20 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
Note (as of October 2026)Curt O. Schaller, the developer of Artemis and Trinity, has no longer been with ARRI since the end of 2025. To our knowledge, ARRI currently has no dedicated team and no official contact persons for its stabilizer systems. In our view, the future of this line is uncertain. If you are buying new, get written confirmation from ARRI beforehand on how long service and spare parts are guaranteed. Have used rigs checked by the manufacturer before you buy.
What the thread found
- A voltage converter can be added to an ARCHOS base station cable to step down 12V sled power to the 5V required by ARCHOS recorders, allowing direct connection to professional sleds
- The original ARCHOS base plug can be desoldered from its cradle by cutting individual connections, though this permanently disables the base station and its remote control
- The playback aspect ratio issue on some ARCHOS models can be corrected through the on-screen menu by selecting Original Picture instead of Maximized Image to preserve the recorded format
- A commercial modification service offered this cable assembly with custom connectors for approximately 110 USD plus the cost of connectors
Depends on
- This modification was documented in 2006 for the ARCHOS 400 model series and may not apply to other models or later versions
- Soldering skills are required to safely modify the base station without damaging the device
- The modification permanently destroys the base station functionality
- A used ARCHOS unit on the secondary market could cost roughly equivalent to the modification plus connector expenses
- The voltage converter approach using cell phone charger components was mentioned as an alternative but not fully tested in this discussion
Gear in this thread
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