Firmware Upgrade available for CitiDISK HD users

Richard@ProCon

Richard@ProCon

Member
An updated 8/31/2006 release of the CitiDISK HD firmware and uploader is now available. It is not yet posted on the Shining Technology website so please email me at rkurtzer@vcom-mm.net (include your CitiDISK HD serial number) and I'll send it out. This firmware release fixes the following bug:

"2. In FW1256HD-120(120G) version, each recording may take up to 15 minutes only, and the unit will automatically stop to avoid "skip frame". However, you can re-start next recording for another 15 minutes and so on. Reason being so is because of buffer memory is not big enough and FAT32 structure need to update the important file system data every 2 minutes 16 seconds while writing video data to disk is paused. In 100G version, you might get about 20 minutes in each recording though due to Hitach 100G is faster than 120G hdd."
 
WARNING - Citidisk updater DO NOT USE AT THIS TIME!

WARNING - Citidisk updater DO NOT USE AT THIS TIME!

I know ther is a ruel against double posting, but due to the "dangerous" nature
of this topic to working HVX users I am risking this "double post" - sorry - Michael

Hello everyone

(And Richard from Procom)

It "appears" as if the Citidisk "utility Config" software has destroyed my friend's internal hardrive partition "on his valuable laptop" as he was helping me update the Citidisk HD 120.

(Matt, Michael's tech typing here)

The firmware update completed without incident. Then following the directions verbatim, the Shining Utility Suite v7.7 was installed and run. The Drive Setup utility was run, but would not finish without an error saying, "Error. The drive letter has changed..." Then the utility was re-run and couldn't find any eligible drives.

So, the computer was rebooted, and the Shining Drive Setup utility was run again with the same results. So using the Disk Management in Windows XP, the partition on the DV Disk was removed. The Shining utility was then run again.

After the procedure was started and I verified that the unpartitioned drive was selected, I started the partition/format process. Unfortunately, the PC blue screened. At this point, the computer will not boot, the system volume is not recognized, and I can only assume that the Shining software somehow deleted the boot partition of the C: drive. So my question now is, "Who makes the best partition restoration software out there?" Could it be.........Shining Tech?

Richard @ Procon, you are "welcome" to chime in here and help out.

Living on the edge is one thing.

I would, at this time, reccomend to everyone that you DO NOT ATTEMPT to update the Citidisk products with this updater/configuration utility.

The software (best case scenario) has cost a dear friend of mine hours of his valuable time; Matt of course, has a back up of his computer data, but I am not a happy person.

Proceed at your own peril. Everyone else, beware.

Michael Schoenfeld
 
Follow-up

Follow-up

I just got off the phone from Richard @ Procon.

He has relayed this issue to Shining Tech, so they are aware of this issue.

All the Best,

Michael Schoenfeld

View my newest portfolio offerings at:

www.michaelschoenfeld.com
 
TwistedLincoln said:
Is this a bug-fix only firmware, or will it allow for recording to MXF files instead of quicktime?
Click to expand...

This is a bug-fix only firmware update.

To respond to Michael's concerns:

I'll be getting to the bottom of any software issues with Shining Tech. If you bought a CitiDISK HD from me or from any one of my dealers and you dont want to try to do the firmware upgrade yourself you can call or email me to arrange to send it in so that I can do the firmware install for you at no charge.
 
Michael's concerns

Michael's concerns

My main concern is that the Shining utility software rendered my dear friend's Windows XP laptop unuseable. he makes his living doing Music software IT with this laptop. That is my "concern".

Call me back if you want to Richard and I'll give you Matt's cell number.

I am no longer concerned about the viability of the Citidisk HD 120 and the HVX200.

All the Best,

Michael Schoenfeld

View my newest portfolio offerings at:

www.michaelschoenfeld.com
 
Michael,

First off, let me say that it is very regrettable that the contents of the laptop hard drive were damaged, and I know you hate having gotten your friend involved in this mess.

Next, the problem needs to be taken up with Shining, not ProCon. I applaud Richard for wanting to help out, but he's just a middleman and not responsible for bugs in Shining's software. There is little if anything that he will be able to do over the phone to get the drive recovered.

Last, I hope your friend has a backup of his laptop. Anyone who makes a living with the help of a computer and doesn't make backups to cover their rear in the event of hardware failure, theft, human error, fire or whatever, is negligent and just asking for trouble.

I know those are harsh words and I don't want to come across as self-righteous, but he really does have an obligation to make backups of the things that are crucial to running his business. For those who don't make regular backups, this might be a valuable lesson.
 
Thanks for your concern,

Thanks for your concern,

Thoff,,
Thank you for your concern about my friend's data (he happens to also do digital tech work for me when I shoot w/ my HVX's).

Concerning whom I should take the problem up with? Richard asked me to address him and Procon directly, so no, I don't belive I should call Ford motor Co. in Dearborn MI. if my New car has a problem - I call the dealer, which in this case is Promedia in Memphis TNN. Dave Pickett at Promedia is a class act - I never have had a worry buying from him - and he "takes care of me" - that's what the people you buy stuff from do for their money.

The "Worldwide Distributor" of Shining Tech's products is ProCon in Hackensack, NJ. They are "it" in my book, and they came around these parts looking for people to buy their stuff, from their dealers. If their stuff has Issues, I do not need to speak a foreign language - they are "it", and I know Richard probably agrees.

Matt does indeed have a backup of his data, and will be fine (as do I for all my computer's data sets). Every week it's my religion.

Lastly there is nothing harsh about your words: If one decides to play on the "cutting edge" of this stuff they should have a lot of "band-aids". Matt and I are not new to this - I make a fine living with cameras and have done so for 25 years, and Matt has made his living with music and computers just as long.

The way the internet has fundamentally changed business transactions in my opinion, is a Company like Shining Tech/ProCon comes around here looking for customers - those potential customers are a "community" by their very definition, and as such, they "talk often" to each other - when a widget or a piece of technology is presented to us, unlike the "good old days" - ugh!) when a problem could go undiscovered forever, we "get back together often" and talk..........therein lies the double edged sword for purveyors of stuff.

If it's good "stuff", everyone knows quickly; if it has "issues" everyone knows that too - if the poster has some "agenda", that come to the surface equally fast and eveyone gets that quickly too. Not much stays hidden for very long. That has become a very powerful, and I think unprecedented, communications tool in the history of humanity. I'll shut up now.


All the Best,

Michael Schoenfeld

View my newest portfolio offerings at:

www.michaelschoenfeld.com
 
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