How To Update Firmware HVX200

My presumption is that if this firmware update were an essential update, we would have heard about it from Panasonic. It seems to be a minor tweak reflecting some specifics that some users might have encountered. In the absence of a "must have" statement from Panasonic and with the lack of a prior version of firmware to revert, I honestly think it best to leave well enough alone. As my wife tells me, it's just a guy thing to want to tinker.

Ned Soltz
 
http://www.coax.tv/

Interesting perspectives of the direction Panasonic is going. Seems HDV will be soon forgotten.

On the subject of intraframe MPEG2 typical of our HVX200's, what is the future for us? Any possibility of firmware upgrades that will take us to AVC or JPEG2000? Will the HVX200 and its current encoding methods soon be obsolete as well?
John
 
HVX isn't "intraframe" MPEG-2, it's intraframe but not MPEG-2. As far as its current encoding methods, consider that Panasonic's just released (and is releasing) at least four 2/3" shoulder-mount cameras, all of which use the same DVCPRO-HD codec that the HVX uses.

I don't expect that we'll see AVC-Intra in the HVX, but DVCPRO-HD should be around for years. If all the new cameras were AVC-only, I might think it'd be a point of concern, but they're all natively DVCPRO-HD and the only way to get at the AVC is via an option board.
 
I think Panasonic saw the writing on the wall for HDV long before it hit the market and hence chose NOT to adopt it. As such their sales of DVCPro HD P2 cameras may have suffered slightly to the other manufacturers that were providing "HD" in a mini dv tape based format, but in the long run I think most people would prefer the workflow of a non-tape based format. It is quicker and easier and I think will eventually become cheaper when you factor in all the variables, especially that time = money in the world of production and post.
You only have to look at the history of technology in the last ten years to see how far it has come in the realm of data storage. In '97 I paid about $2300 for a 9 GB hard drive that was the size of a house brick. Today I can buy an 8 GB P2 card for less than half that (with no moving parts), that is the size of a packet of gum.
What will it be like in another ten years?
 
Panasonic really takes advantage of his tapeless experience.

I think that if the price of the optional AVC intra board is reasonable, then Panasonic will have one of the best cards in the broadcast world.

Continuity with DVCProHD, and the power of full 1920X1080 sampling with the AVC Intra. The perfect "bridge".

The only point i disagree with Barry is that i "think" (hope) we will see a AVC-Intra HVX.
...maybe not next year, but in a near future.


but what do i really know about it anyway...just a thought...

They would have a full product line compatible with AVC-Intra.

...would be brilliant, no doubt in my mind.
 
I went ahead and did the upgrade over the weekend. As the instructions indicated, the process took about 10 minutes.

To be honest, I can't really tell the difference between the two versions. I haven't had a chance to do much testing, however.

The main reason I had upgraded, was that I had hoped the new firmware would fix my "cannot access target" problem when offloading to a firewire drive. Alas, it did not. I am as confused as ever...
 
I upgraded also, just for the hell of it.

Went from a 1.x version to a 2.x version.

All is well so far. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top