Updating Firmware/SD Card Issue

[DB Hansen]

Hello,

I have an HVX200P that I'd like to use a new E Series card with and understand I need to update the firmware (currently 2.02). Problem is, my camera is not seeing the SD card I put into the SD slot in order to format it (so that I can then download the firmware and update). It's a 2GB SD card. I notice the manual says the camera can read up to 1GB cards. Is this what's at issue here? Anyone else used a 2GB card successfully?

Is there anyway to update the firmware with a computer connection (i.e. USB)?

thanks,
Dave

[DB Hansen]

Well, nope. Size of the card has nothing to do with it. Just tried a 1GB card and it's the same. The format option stays grayed out. Even tried formatting through the main menu but it says there is no card in the slot. No light blinking on the SD slot.

I've owned the camera for 4 years and this is the first time I've even tried to use the SD card slot. Am I SOL?

Dave

[Barry_Green]

You have to use the SD slot to update the firmware. Try another card, make sure it's "SD" and not "SDHC", and format it using the card functions menu. It's possible your slot is bad, but I'd try another card before coming to that conclusion...

[DB Hansen]

Must be a bad slot. Tried two brand new standard SD cards (not SDHC).

That really sucks. Brand new 32GB P2 card completely useless to me.

[mdslammer]

I updated my HPX-170 Software yesterday with Barry's help. It was really pretty
simple.
I used the P2 Status Logger to verify I downloaded the latest version from
PASS: https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/pass_e/

I have a 2Gb "Patriot" SD card which I purchased from Sam's club (pretty cheap).
I dwnld. the latest software to my PC and followed the install directions.
https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/ep2main/soft/hpx170/hpx170verup_e.pdf

The whole process took approximately 10 minutes or so.

Try a different SD card. It's possible that the 32Gb card maybe too large. Try a smaller one and see what happens.

Good luck.

Mark Dalzell
Las Vegas, NV

[DB Hansen]

P2 Status Logger is a pile of dung. It caused kernel panics on two different macs. When's the last time you actually had a kernel panic (if you're on a mac)? That's crapola.

Nope. This is Murphy's Law, straight up. I need to shoot tomorrow. Looks like it's back to MiniDV.

[DB Hansen]

May be old news at this point, for anyone who even cares, but I had Panasonic service the camera. Turns out it the "flex cable latch" was "unlocked". Whatever that means. Sounds like I bought it that way.

Anyway, back up and flying with new firmware upgrade. New P2 card works perfectly.

cheers.

[rista]

There are 2 different documents for updating firmware and that's what confuses me.
First is the one that mdslammer posted the link for (your second link), and the other document is
P2 Status Logger manual PDF.
Logger manual suggests that download starts while HPX170 is connected via USB cable
(but where is the SD card in that moment- in camera or in a Mac, connected via some card reader..?).
The link (Software (Firmware) update Procedure) even says that we don't need the P2 Logger at all
(in case there was no internet connection...) and never mentions connecting camera via USB.
If losing power is posing a risk during firmware update, then probably equal risk is losing internet connection?

Barry, there is not much in either manual or in your book about this. Can we please clarify this procedure?
mdslammer, thank you for posting your procedure, but I'm still not sure how to do it,
as you've said, you needed Barry's help.

Mio