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Both the Inertia Wheels MAX and Inertia Wheels Brushless have the same central control console, same inputs and outputs, and can run the same firmware files.
All remote heads and output options are supported by both versions.
All software features which are entirely digital are supported by both versions.
The primary difference between the two are the motors inside the hand wheels, and how you can use the motor to enhance operating.
The Inertia Wheels MAX utilize a brand new type of motor: PCB Stator. This motor has no cogging and was designed with a higher peak current in mind, together this enables higher mass settings, more aggressive operating, and fewer motor slips. The MAX motors can authentically feel like a fully loaded mechanical geared head—which provides an unrivaled smooth operating experience.
The Inertia Wheels Brushless utilize a conventional brushless gimbal motor. This motor design is extremely effective at lower mass that are similar in nature to conventional stainless or brass wheels. At higher mass settings, the motors should be operated with finesse and are capable of assisting operators at smoother shots than conventional stainless or brass wheels. However, aggressive operating at higher mass settings can surpass the motor's ability to generate torque, leading to a motor slip.
[$] Motor slips can be easily avoided by training your muscle memory.
Within the Inertia Wheels' menu some menu items may be different depending on the motors.
In MAX wheels, the electric motors can be disabled by enabling the Motors > Disable Physics. This is only possible because the MAX motors have no cogging.
[i] Some other motor-specific features may be released in the future which are only compatible with the MAX motors. These features are reliant upon the new motor technology.
Not all Inertia Wheels have the exact same circuit board. During the chip shortage in 2021/2022, we had to make changes in order to keep the supply chain running. Various components may differ. Due to this, not all wheels can run earlier versions of the firmware and hardware replacement service costs may differ. Regardless of different components though, all wheels can run the latest versions of firmware.
Serial numbers > 11000 have the newest generation board with high current motor drivers. While serial numbers < 11000 have the original board. The release of the higher current boards was designed originally for MAX, but released earlier in some Brushless wheels due to the chip shortage. All new wheels, MAX or Brushless have this higher current board. But only MAX motors can take advantage of the higher current capability.
Some units, particularly units with serial numbers less than 10200-10299 or 10500-10614 may have trouble updating firmware with some newer computers. If you experience issues upgrading firmware, you can contact support using the chat bubble on NODO website or emailing heather@nodo.film. A hardware solution exists where replacing a component on the circuit board can restore firmware update capabilities. This service is not under warranty.