A case of bad luck, or a shotty camera??

Transmission2

Transmission2

Active member
Last weekend I purchased the JVC HD-100. I brought it home and turned it on to do a little testing. The camera wouldn't turn on. I took it into the place that i bought it and he confirmed that it had issues with its power supply internally. That sucked so he gave me another one and I took it home to do more testing. As soon as I put a tape in I knew there was something wrong. The tape mechanism was screaming loud and even the crap mic that comes with the camera was picking it up. Certainly not a normal amount of buzz from the camera. Two of my friends who aren't technically inclined noticed how loud it was. After that, I digitized a few shots and while I was checking them out on my monitor I noticed that there were two dead pixels on the screen! So it goes, the second brand new camera I brought home had two major flaws. I brought the second camera back and the guy confirmed that the tape mechanism shouldn't be that loud. We hooked up an HD monitor to see the dead pixels and he informed me that this was a common problem. (Im not too thrilled about this.) He went on to say that the camera has a self diagnostic function that goes through and scans the entire frame and fixes these 'dead' pixels.

So after we determined that the second camera he got me was a dud, he opened up a third brand new one and we hooked it up to the monitor. Smack dab in the middle of the screen was another dead pixel!!! That's three cameras in a row that had major issues. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Is the dead pixel thing a common problem that gets regularly fixed in-camera? Should I still buy this camera? I feel like Im losing confidence in the HD-100 through this turn of events. I really want to love this camera but it keeps breaking my heart!!

what do you guys think?
 
The only JVC I ever owned was a hmm, can't remember the name, but it never gave me any issues. In fact I still use it as a deck.

I feel for you regarding the 3 in a row. What did u end up doing? Are you stuck on the JVC or are you open to other cameras? The Canon A1 has been providing to be an awesome cam for around 3500.
 
Hot pixels in HD100 were reported as soon as the cams hit the market, but three units in a row with all those problems? That's weird. Hot pixels should not appear at 0dB gain at all.

Are you buying it from authorized dealer?

If there is no very important reason why you need manual lens, consider Canon XH-A1 as Coffee mentioned. It's awesome cam.
 
I did buy the camera from an authorized dealer and I think they're as shocked as I am. I chose this camera mostly for its ergonomics. I prefer to shoot with shoulder mounted cameras and I love the way it's laid out. It truly looks and feels like a ENG camera and that's rare thing in this price range.

I should get another camera today, they're fixing the hot pixel thing on the third camera that we looked at. I hope it works!
 
HD100 is a beauty, not surprised to hear you like its ergonomics.

I worked with bigger ENG JVC cam some time ago and it suffered from similar hot pixel problem, but that was temperature related. In cooler places it was not visible.

I hope third unit works perfect for you. Good Luck.
 
Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the HD100. Happily, I can report only good results with mine which I have owned for over a year.

In my experience, JVC stands behind their product and will offer quick, reliable service. Local vendors, on the other hand, are noteworthy by their apathy and indifference. Check your records to determine if the serial numbers for your cameras were sequential. If they are, you might want to use another vendor with a different production run.

In an earlier post you mentioned some log and capture problems. I use JVCs little portable machine for playback (can't remember the model number). Log and capture failed to initiate about every other time I tried to use it. Then I found a little tab in the FCP view menu that said "Refresh A/V Devices." That did the trick. In addition, I found that I seldom had any problems if I booted FCP while the playback device was playing.

I'll be happy to send you pix of my summary data if you still need it.
 
Hot pixels or dead pixels are very common in all CCds and can be caused by outside interference (radiation.) It is not surprising that all three cameras you tested at your dealer had hot pixels, since they probably were all shipped from Toronto to Vancouver at the same time. The hot pixels were probably triggered by either x-ray scanning at the airport, or a Northern flight path.
The good news is that all pro CCD cameras (including Nikon digital SLR) come with pixel masking programs.
It is very easy to mask the pixels in the JVC HD100. The process takes about 20 seconds to complete, and then you should have no further problems until you fly north of the 49th again!
The process has been publicly posted by JVC engineers on dvinfo, so I'll repeat it here.

It is important that the camera is warmed up for at least 15 minutes, that you are in 720P24 mode, shutter is OFF, gain is on 0db, and you only do the procedure when necessary. There is a limited memory inside the camera that keeps track of the mapped pixels - it will eventually fill up if you execute the procedure too many times.

Step 1: Press and hold the "Focus Assist" button (the one beside "peaking" knob) and the "Menu" button together for at least 5 seconds. The ADVANCED MENU will appear.

Step 2: Enter CAMERA1 menu

Step 3: Scroll down to PIXEL COMPEN and EXECUTE. The camera will close the iris and scan the CCDs for the bad pixels and "clone" them. In a few seconds it will tell you to shut down.

That's it.
 
So after three different cameras, all with their own problems, I got my original camera back after its power supply was fixed. I brought it home and have been trying to digitize some of my test footage. After numerous attempts of trying to get final cut to recognize my firewire device - nothing works. I was certain to not hook or unhook the firewire while the camera was on, so I know I didn't fry the port. I also tried this software called HDVxDV to see if it recognizes the camera, and it doesn't. Am I missing something???

I have to leave this friday to shoot a documentary. Do I have the worst luck in the world???
 
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Sounds like it dude. Sorry to hear that. But maybe FCP doesn't recognize the camera is because it's set to internal SD downconversion. I don't have the HD100 but on the FX1 my NLE will not recognize the camera in the HD preset if SD downconversion is turned on. Maybe it's a similar situation.
 
Transmission2 said:
I was certain to not hook or unhook the firewire while the camera was on, so I know I didn't fry the port.
Click to expand...
That's not the only way to fry the port.

attachment.php


More info here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=64873
 
I am quite certain that I didn't fry the firewire port because this is the camera that i sent back to get the power supply fixed. When I first got it I wasn't able to turn the camera on, let alone digitize anything. I hooked this camera up twice to my computer, and both times I did not insert the firewire cable while the camera is on. Either it was shipped brand new with a faulty firewire drive or it got fried when I hooked it up to my computer while the computer was on. It's totally ridiculous, IMHO, to have to shut down both computer and camera before plugging in the firewire. With that flaw alone I don't want this camera. For this kind of money, the equipment can't be that fragile - it just doesn't make sense.

So now Im left really unsure of what to do. I leave Friday to shoot this documentary and my camera is being looked at for the second time. I have totally lost faith in the HD100 because the amount of problems I've had to deal with.

Should I send it back and switch cameras? Problem is I don't like any of the other ones as much. The only one I would maybe consider is one of the Canon's, either the A1 or the G1. But it's kinda late in the game to be making these decisions.

How many other people have had trouble with the HD100? If I've had this many problems before the documentary starts, then what I will I do when I leave the country to work on my project?

Sorry for my rant...just needed to let off a little steam.
 
Hd-100

Hd-100

Transmission2 said:
Last weekend I purchased the JVC HD-100. I brought it home and turned it on to do a little testing. The camera wouldn't turn on. I took it into the place that i bought it and he confirmed that it had issues with its power supply internally. That sucked so he gave me another one and I took it home to do more testing. As soon as I put a tape in I knew there was something wrong. The tape mechanism was screaming loud and even the crap mic that comes with the camera was picking it up. Certainly not a normal amount of buzz from the camera. Two of my friends who aren't technically inclined noticed how loud it was. After that, I digitized a few shots and while I was checking them out on my monitor I noticed that there were two dead pixels on the screen! So it goes, the second brand new camera I brought home had two major flaws. I brought the second camera back and the guy confirmed that the tape mechanism shouldn't be that loud. We hooked up an HD monitor to see the dead pixels and he informed me that this was a common problem. (Im not too thrilled about this.) He went on to say that the camera has a self diagnostic function that goes through and scans the entire frame and fixes these 'dead' pixels.

So after we determined that the second camera he got me was a dud, he opened up a third brand new one and we hooked it up to the monitor. Smack dab in the middle of the screen was another dead pixel!!! That's three cameras in a row that had major issues. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Is the dead pixel thing a common problem that gets regularly fixed in-camera? Should I still buy this camera? I feel like Im losing confidence in the HD-100 through this turn of events. I really want to love this camera but it keeps breaking my heart!!

what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
I own this camera and love it, guess I got lucky however, I've had a few pixs issues but everytime it has fixed it own blister's if you will. I want to add that if you are recording in HDV and trying to upstream to your internal HD your not getting your full up load speed, trying to put a bowling ball through a staw is tuff. I suggest purchasing a third party card, KONA LH is AWESOME and get an external HD at least starting with a 2TB in size. By using the 800 Firewire {not provided}you will be getting about 80mgb per sec and FCP supports that and it'll love you for it, split the hard drive for back up and your'll be safe. I also am using the PRO HD BR-HD50 Recorder/Player which saves and preserves your heads and hours of use from your camera, FCP allows you to operate this remotely from your key board. You can really fly with this deck. I wish you luck. Once your learn your camera, you be glad, your move will go not unnoticed from your work.

Kevin
 
Transmission2 said:
Last weekend I purchased the JVC HD-100. I brought it home and turned it on to do a little testing. The camera wouldn't turn on. I took it into the place that i bought it and he confirmed that it had issues with its power supply internally. That sucked so he gave me another one and I took it home to do more testing. As soon as I put a tape in I knew there was something wrong. The tape mechanism was screaming loud and even the crap mic that comes with the camera was picking it up. Certainly not a normal amount of buzz from the camera. Two of my friends who aren't technically inclined noticed how loud it was. After that, I digitized a few shots and while I was checking them out on my monitor I noticed that there were two dead pixels on the screen! So it goes, the second brand new camera I brought home had two major flaws. I brought the second camera back and the guy confirmed that the tape mechanism shouldn't be that loud. We hooked up an HD monitor to see the dead pixels and he informed me that this was a common problem. (Im not too thrilled about this.) He went on to say that the camera has a self diagnostic function that goes through and scans the entire frame and fixes these 'dead' pixels.

So after we determined that the second camera he got me was a dud, he opened up a third brand new one and we hooked it up to the monitor. Smack dab in the middle of the screen was another dead pixel!!! That's three cameras in a row that had major issues. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Is the dead pixel thing a common problem that gets regularly fixed in-camera? Should I still buy this camera? I feel like Im losing confidence in the HD-100 through this turn of events. I really want to love this camera but it keeps breaking my heart!!

what do you guys think?
Click to expand...


Was this store in Brooklyn by any chance? :grin:
 
I think your a bit brave going to shoot this job just a few days of getting a new camera all the while asking for help. Be careful this camera is not at falt what happens as the end result. I have shoot a lot of footage that showed hotspots/pixels in the LCD and never showed on the disk. From on vidographer to another please be very familier with your camera, people will talk about your...will you know. I don't know you however I do wish you the very best of luck and never stiop asking questions here.
 
Hey Transmission2, what store did you buy your HD-100 from? i work around vancouver as well and the company i work with was looking into those JVC's. I don't want to be screwed by purchasing a bunch of HD-100's that are rife with problems.

thx!
 
Wow this is scary to hear! I'm sorry! These cameras are not chump change like the JVC HD10 I picked up on a whim to see how good/bad HDV was. I was 90% going to order a HD110 this weekend.. You have me rethinking more for a Canon A1 and shoot 1080i and convert to 24p or save my pennies for another 6 months for a Pansonic HVX200 and P2 store with a couple 8 gig chips.

Please check back in and report how things worked out.

alex
 
pixelator said:
Wow this is scary to hear! I'm sorry! These cameras are not chump change like the JVC HD10 I picked up on a whim to see how good/bad HDV was. I was 90% going to order a HD110 this weekend.. You have me rethinking more for a Canon A1 and shoot 1080i and convert to 24p or save my pennies for another 6 months for a Pansonic HVX200 and P2 store with a couple 8 gig chips.

Please check back in and report how things worked out.

alex
Click to expand...

If you're worried and are buying from a shop, maybe you can test it in the shop first. Most people don't have problems you the poster here.
 
dashwood said:
Hot pixels or dead pixels are very common in all CCds and can be caused by outside interference (radiation.) It is not surprising that all three cameras you tested at your dealer had hot pixels, since they probably were all shipped from Toronto to Vancouver at the same time. The hot pixels were probably triggered by either x-ray scanning at the airport, or a Northern flight path.
The good news is that all pro CCD cameras (including Nikon digital SLR) come with pixel masking programs.
It is very easy to mask the pixels in the JVC HD100. The process takes about 20 seconds to complete, and then you should have no further problems until you fly north of the 49th again!
The process has been publicly posted by JVC engineers on dvinfo, so I'll repeat it here.

It is important that the camera is warmed up for at least 15 minutes, that you are in 720P24 mode, shutter is OFF, gain is on 0db, and you only do the procedure when necessary. There is a limited memory inside the camera that keeps track of the mapped pixels - it will eventually fill up if you execute the procedure too many times.

Step 1: Press and hold the "Focus Assist" button (the one beside "peaking" knob) and the "Menu" button together for at least 5 seconds. The ADVANCED MENU will appear.

Step 2: Enter CAMERA1 menu

Step 3: Scroll down to PIXEL COMPEN and EXECUTE. The camera will close the iris and scan the CCDs for the bad pixels and "clone" them. In a few seconds it will tell you to shut down.

That's it.
Click to expand...

thanks for the step by step instructions! I got my HD110 the other day.. two very hot pixels and 3 other faint ones.... worked for 30 minutes outside.. came in, did the 3 steps.. and done.. by the way.. to anyone reading the steps, give it a minute after you turn it off before it will turn back on again. There was about a minute or so that it wouldn't respond to coming back on.... but after that all was normal, and no hot pixels.
 
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