EX1/3 firmware upgrade for SDHC adapters available

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deti

Member
Sony just released a firmware upgrade for the EX1/3 series yesterday. The upgrade can be done by everyone using a Windows or MacOS X computer and the USB cable supplied with the camera. There is a very good PDF manual included that explains all necessary steps in simple words and pictures. It is required to switch off and on again the camera a couple of times and after about 20 minutes your camera should be up to date.

The new firmware allows to record onto almost every SDHC card without any glitches!
The upgrade can be downloaded from:

http://www.sony.nl/biz/view/ShowCon...1237477930789&parentFlexibleHub=1205831217039

Deti
 
Great find! Available March 8th. I note it allows the SxS-1 cards too. I wonder if it will bring the SDHC class 10 cards up to 60fps like the EX1R?
 
Here it works with normal Class 6 Transcend 16GB card up to 60FPS in overcranking mode.

Deti
 
Can you over/undercrank on the SDHC cards once you install the upgrade?

I haven't done any prior upgrades since buying me cam over a year ago. Does this upgrade incorporate prior changes or do I have to go get the others?
 
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I'm getting to the informational page with no actual download link; how do you know it's available from March 8th?
 
deti said:
Here it works with normal Class 6 Transcend 16GB card up to 60FPS in overcranking mode.

Deti
Click to expand...

Are you sure?
Someone did overcrank tests?
In the web page says:

RESTRICTIONS
- Slow Motion recording by the Slow & Quick Motion recording function cannot be made with a Media Adaptor.
 
I am definitely able to record at 60 FPS in 720P25 mode and 30FPS in 1080P25 mode using a normal Transcend 16GB SDHC Class6 card. Hope that helps.

Further I tried a 16GB no name card and a SDHC card reader from eBay that previously never worked properly and I could record in normal speed without the well known 'Media Error'. Overcranking with this card worked in 720P25 mode up to 35FPS.

Well done, Sony!

Deti
 
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The version available here for the Ex3 is 1.10, released on Friday 5th March 2010.

Is this the very latest version or is there another one of the 8th March?
 
I am running the 1.10 too. It seems to be the latest version.

In the meantime I found out that another Transcend 16GB card only allows 52FPS@720p25 for infinite recording, but it takes about 5 minutes before recording stops at 60FPS.

Deti
 
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On the Sony Europe (NL) website it says
XDCAM EX firmware upgrade available 08/03/2010

Which is in the European date format for March 8, 2010. It also says that this is for version 1.20, which is not yet available. So unless you somehow have a beta copy (I doubt it from a Japanese company) you can't test anything yet.

You have to register to see the following info:

NEW FEATURES

Usable media
- SxS-1-series memory card added
- 'Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX' added (with the optional MEAD-MS01 Media Adaptor).
- SDHC card added (with the optional MEAD-SD01 Media Adaptor).

Menu
- Version information available on the OTHERS menu.

RESTRICTIONS
- For restoration of media recorded with this unit, be sure to use this unit. Media recorded with a device other than this unit or with another unit of different version (even of the same model) may not be restored using this unit.
- High-speed playback may not be properly achieved with a Media Adaptor.
- Slow Motion recording by the Slow & Quick Motion recording function cannot be made with a Media Adaptor.

The Restrictions are somewhat confusing. However, they may just be cautioning regarding slow SDHC cards, because it says "may not be properly achieved" with a Media adapter.
 
I must be hallucinating... in the registration form that is encoutered before the download link, every other country in the world EXCEPT the US is on the list. It's like an alternate universe where the US does not exist. WTF??

Anyway, I found, "Other" as a nation option, so I chose that and finished the form, submitted and got back "A technical problem occurred, please try again later. "

Anyone actually suceed in registering with Sony?
 
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Update: Recording on an external hard disk works properly up to 60FPS in overcranking at 720p24 mode.

Deti
 
basspig said:
I must be hallucinating... in the registration form that is encoutered before the download link, every other country in the world EXCEPT the US is on the list. It's like an alternate universe where the US does not exist. WTF??

Anyway, I found, "Other" as a nation option, so I chose that and finished the form, submitted and got back "A technical problem occurred, please try again later. "

Anyone actually suceed in registering with Sony?
Click to expand...

It is a EUROPEAN Sony website. Note that it is registered in the Netherlands, and it takes you to a UK domain web page for the registration and download. Canada isn't listed, either, and no other countries in North or South America or Asia or Oceania. I'm sure that all the regional companies are rather protective about poaching others' customers. My EX1 is registered with Sony at the US website.

UPDATE: It appears that the US operation is trying to make it into a "profit center" and telling us that we must send our cameras in to be updated "at a nominal fee". Perhaps that is why it doesn't appear to be "available" in the Americas (or Asia?)

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-...-solutions-pmwex1featureenhancement0908.shtml
 
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Richard Crowley said:
UPDATE: It appears that the US operation is trying to make it into a "profit center" and telling us that we must send our cameras in to be updated "at a nominal fee". Perhaps that is why it doesn't appear to be "available" in the Americas (or Asia?)

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-...-solutions-pmwex1featureenhancement0908.shtml
Click to expand...

That is an old update announcement referring to 32 GB SxS card and the PHU-60K. I don't believe they are referring to the current upcoming version of 1.20 for the PMW-EX1
 
Well that would be awfully unfair to treat customers differently because of where they live. I didn't realize that was not the real Sony web site. Sure looked like the 'official' Sony site to me..
Anyway, there's nothing in this update that is urgently important to me, certainly nothing I'd be willing to pay $300 for plus $1000 in lost business for the 3 day absense.
 
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