FS-4 Settings with DVX??

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kmcgrath

Well-known member
I just took delivery of the FS-4. I have my dvx set for external recording, and the FX-4 set to "tapeless" recording. When I try to record to the FS-4 by pushing the record button on the dvx, sometimes it works fine, othertimes it records for a few tens of seconds, then stops on its own, and other times the recording to the FS-4 does not start at all. The FS-4 user manual is not extremely helpful, and I am wondering if anyone out there is aware of any listings of settings for both the dvx and FS-4 that might eliminate some of these odd things I am observing??
 
Don't know if this helps, but I had problems getting a similar HD, the Nnovia Quickcapture, to work consistently with the camera set to "ext." The only way I can be sure I'm going to get a response from the camera's record button is if I have it set to "both" and have a tape in the camera.

I emailed Jan and she thought it was a problem with the drive, but Nnovia sent me a new one and it reacted the same way.

Can any FS or Nnovia owner confirm they've been able to use "ext" reliably for tapeless recording?
 
DvRack will do the same thing with a tape in the cam and set to both. I think it is a DVX thing.

3 products same symptoms.

Sucks you are having that problem with the FS-4 cause I want to buy one but, I figure I will let the others sort out the bugs and problems and buy it after a few updates come out.
 
The whole reason I bought the FS-4 is to avoid using the heads on my dvx. It is beginning to sound like this is not the case. Can anyone else out there shed any light on this? I may just return the FS-4 if I cant go tapeless with my dvx.
 
I empathize. Me, too. I think you'll find that solid info on this problem is difficult or impossible to find. Please post if you do get reliable answers.
 
Same here. I have been holding off on the purchase of the FS-4 to see what problems (if any) would surface. Looks like some have. I guess I'm going to sit it out for a while. Hope you find a solution.
 
Now that the FS4 is showing the same problem as the Nnovia, and they're both designed to work tapeless, I have to suspect it's a problem with the DVX's communication through Firewire. However, good luck finding anyone at Panasonic to enlighten you!

If you know someone with another prosumer cam, you could try it and see what happens with your drive.

Rush: Can you chime in? You rent DVXs and Nnovia drives. Any customers using the "ext" setting successfully?
 
Well, I must say I am quite discouraged with the operation of the fs-4. I don't know whether it is the fs-4 or dvx, but I do know that the fs-4 was advertised to work with the dvx. So......I got an RMA and sent my FS-4 back to B and H for a full refund today.
 
I think it's a dvx problem. Hopefully someone will fix this. I thought by now they would have. I wanted to go tapeless too. Read the following:

Next is setting up the Camera, and this is where things get a little confusing. You see, Panasonic has decided to use its own proprietary trigger for external devices (much like it did with the LANC port) So You cannot use the drive as an external only drive triggered from the record button on the DVX, you need to either set the camera to "Both" in the DV control menu, so when you hit record it goes to tape and to the Quickstream, or you need to use the Quickstream by in standby mode, where you just press the record button on the Quickstream when you want to record. It would be nice to be able to set the DVX100 to EXT and not need to load a tape, and MCE has requested from panasonic the switch signal so they could make it do so, but for now you will need to pick both or use Quickstream's record button.

This is from the following link: http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/quickstreamDV/index.htm

a 3rd product that does not work. I e-mailed MC quickstream and they never responded. Pretty lame. We need to get on Panasonic and get this fixed. or get them to share their secrets with the co's that make these tapeless devices.
 
Wadro, do you know what function Panasonic had in mind when they created the "ext" setting? Trigger some hypothetical, proprietary drive that only works with their camera?
 
NO, i believe pana set it up so you can use an outboard TAPE deck or other prosumer camera... basically as a backup and not totaly as the main drive. i dont even think they had any HDs in mind. and it seems the company that makes this fs-4 didnt do mjch research on the pana port since several people from different parts of the country are experiencing the same issue...
 
You can either blame FS, Nnovia, and MCE, all of whom make drives that don't work with the DVX. They all could have done more research, then made a decision to develop special DVX-only drives, switchable firmware-based configurations, or nothing for DVX.

Or you can blame Panasonic for not following standard FW protocols. (Imagine the diff in iPod's market share if it had a special FW/USB implementation that only worked with Macs.)

Either way, with none of the companies offering prominent warnings about attempting a tapeless DVX solution, we end-users are screwed. And with the much-hyped, long-awaited FS-4 now on sale, the ranks of the disappointed will grow dramatically.
 
Thanks Wadro. It really is unfortunate that this has happened, but I also put some of the responsibility for this on Videonics. They have claimed in their advertisements that their device works with the dvx100. Apparently, the FS-4 only works partially with the dvx, and as far as tapeless function, it does not work at all. If I had know this, I would never have forked over $750.00 to BandH, and would have avoided this whole issued. But yes, Panasonic needs to get on the ball and resolve the ext control issue as well.
 
I would think that under the "implied warranty of merchantability" anyone who wants to return their drive could do so, assuming there was no warning about the DVX.
 
I called BandH yesterday and explained the problem. They told me to send it back and I would get a refund. I will post here if I run into any problems on this.
 
I don't feel it's right to post a PM publicly, but I will summarize Jan's message to me: she feels it's the drive makers' fault that their drives don't work with the camera, and notes that Panny is willing to share its proprietary specs.

I guess the other way to look at it is, if you want tapeless, consider getting a different brand of camera. The drive makers could probably tell you which cameras are known to work correctly.
 
OK, but when Videonics says that the FS-4 works with the dvx, I interpret that to mean that I can go tapeless with their product. I suspect Videonics knew about this issue. If so, they should never make the claim that the FS-4 is compatible with the dvx...
 
So....let me get this straight. The FS-4 was hailed as the end all be all of tapless recording. Now that it has been delivered it is nothing more than a Quickstream Clone that doesn't half-ass work like it is advertised? I'd like to see some official reviews on the product. But the initial things I'm hearing on the forums is that it's just like all the other junk tapeless products that have been released. Someone please provide a little more info about this. If in fact this is true, I would most definately under all circumstances wait for the HDX because I really and truely want a 100% tapeless environment. One more thing, what about DV Rack? Does it have the same problem as the external HD's? I would still consider using this with the DVX, but only if it actually worked!! ~reservoir~
 
Thanx kmcgrath.....must have overlooked that!! So in order to get any of these products to work correctly, you have to use them with a Tape in the DVX? Yea or nay? I don't have a camera because I'm trying to research what will be the best option for me. Like I said I want to go tapeless or semi-tapless (Just use the tape in the DVX as a Master Backup) and I'm hearing about SOOOOO many problems with all the current tapless products. But I'd be willing to use the tapes if necessary but I would still rely on the DV rack / Firestore as my MASTER copy. Thanks in advance for additional input!! ~reservoir~
 
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