Need immediate help re Firestore & HVX

E

eclaire

Active member
Got my hands on a loaner HVX 200 and FS 100 for the weekend. The dealer is (of course) closed until Monday and he doesn't know anything about the camera anyway (he's mainly a Sony guy). I would have much preferred P2 cards for the trial, but he didn't have any so this is my one and only way to test the camera before purchase.

I've read the salient manual passages numerous times but I CAN'T get the darn combo to record. The steps I've followed are these:

First, for the HVX:

- via RECORDING SETUP from main menu, set REC FORMAT P2 to 1080i/60i (stupid firestore manual just says to select an HD recording format in the quick start guide and diagrams but somewhat contradicts this online by requiring that recording format be set to either 720P/60P or 1080i/60i. I had initially set it to 1080i/30P!)

- via HVX menu 9, OTHER FUNCTIONS, set 1394 Control to "BOTH" and 1394 CMD SEL to "REC_P" (also tried the latter setting on "STOP")

For the FS 100:

- set CONTROL menu to TAPELESS

- set DV FORMATS to P2

- set HDD MODE to DVCPROHD REC

Hitting record via the main side switch on the camera or the top handle switch produces absolutely NOTHING. I can get the FS to look like it's recording if I change the control menu to LOCAL and then hit the REC button on the FS twice. I get a blinking red/record pause led on the Firestore after one hit and a steady red record led after two hits.

Problem is, even after this, I'm unable to see any MXF files on the FS when I plug it into the computer and change the HDD mode to DD DRIVE. The computer recognizes it as a storage device and displays its folder structure, which includes folders numbered 0 through 9, a folder with a bunch of numbers identifying it, but which is EMPTY, a log folder, and 4 other files. The drive size and available space in Windows explorer are identical, 93.1 GB, even after "recording" several minutes via the local control route.

What is wrong? I have a red "P2" icon with a line through it blinlking constantly in the camera LCD, obviously warning that no P2 card is installed, yet the online instructions for the FS indicate you don't have to have a P2 installed to record to the FS.

Can someone please help me figure this out while I still have some time to shoot some demo material this weekend? Any help MUCH appreciated.
 
Barry, thanks so much for the quick reply.

I did consult BOTH the quickstart guide and the longer manual instructions AND the online FAQ/Troubleshooting. That's where I discovered the discrepancy between the quickstart guide, which tells you to just set the HVX to any 1080 or 720 HD recording mode, and the online FAQ, which specifically limit the camera record modes that will work to 1080i/60i and 720P/30P.

Then there's this directly from the online FAQ:

*******

Do I need a P2 card in the camera to work with the FS-100?

The FS-100 will record DVCProHD with or without the camera having a P2 card inserted.

*******

Somehow, this is where I'm not convinced because of the red blinking "no P2" icon in the HVX display. It's analagous to a "no tape" warning icon, which similarly will not allow you to engage the record function.

Still stuck and cursing more by the minute.
 
You do not need a P2 card in the machine to use the Firestore.

You need to setup the camera and firestore according to the quickstart. if it doesn't work then something is probably set wrong in your timecode options. change those settings- you should be able to get it to work without a problem. just make sure you are set exactly like the quickstart says and then work from there.
 
Well, I'm officially at wit's end. I have read, reread, and reread the quick start, have followed the instructions numerous times to the T, and still cannot get any indication of recording even though both camera and FS power up, display normal menus, and seem in ever other aspect "normal". I've tried a different firewire cable than the brand new one that came with the unit. NOTHING. Not the slightest indication that the two units are communicating with or aware of each other.

I've also tried numerous times to record manually from the local controls on the FS, both with and without changing the mode on the FS from tapeless to local. Though this SEEMS to produce recording, complete with a solid red status led and "REC" indicator on the FS lcd indicating recording in progress, the counter never moves and no P2 files ever wind up on the drive.

I'm so frustrated.
 
Just did a test and here are my settings, which worked.

Cam set up 1080/60i, external FW control
1394 CMD SEL to "REC_P"

FS-100
Control Tapeless
HDD Mode DVCProHD
DV Formats P2
Functions FA Tapeless
Control Tapeless

Worked with no p2 card and recorded uneventfully.

Did an Organize P2 and imported using p2Log.
 
David S., thanks very much for your input.

Even though your "external" FW control setting is expressly contradicted by the manual/pre start guide (which calls for a setting of "both"), I tried it with much hope. Unfortunately that was a no go for me also. Changing the FA function button from default "sync" to "tapeless", which is never mentioned in the manual or guide, made no difference for me either.

Because this is proving so problematic, I'm not going to take anything for granted. Should I see the tally light come on on the camera (assuming tally on is selected in the HVX menu options) when I hit record? Shouldn't the status led on the FS glow solid red while recording is in progress? Shouldn't the counter start moving on the FS while the unit is recording?

And where in the directory structure of the FS should I see successfully recorded files after running the "organize P2) utility and mounting the FS to the computer? What file extension should the recorded clips have, mxf? P2?
 
When recording my HVX200 status light is a red circle. When it stops it is a red pause double bar.

I did the same test in v.3 with QT PN from a 720/24p over 60 source and it work just fine.

Don't know what to tell you
 
Right -- when you set up the 1394 control to EXT, you'll see a "1394" display in the upper left of your viewfinder. When press record on the HVX it'll append a red circle after it, when you pause then that circle becomes a double-vertical bar. If you're not seeing that happening, you're not controlling the external recording mechanism.

Under the painfully-too-obvious-to-mention section, please quadruple-check that you're not in 720pN mode.
 
at this point eclair i would say it's beneficial for you to just post your settings menu to menu on the firestore and hvx. it would be easy for me or anyone else to double check through their menus and confirm the differences. we're all just guessing here because this shouldn't be that difficult to get working. it must be something obvious like what barry is trying to come up with.
 
I greatly appreciate everyone's prompt help on this. Another reason I love this forum.

Yacktclubav, I am going to take your suggestion. Is there an easy way to export the menu settings on both camera and firestore to a text or other file of some kind or do I need to go through each setting on the 9 HVX menus, etc, and manually type the information?

(And Barry, yes, I'm absolutely positive I'm not in any of the "native" modes.)
 
no export function that i know of. i think the only way is to just go through and write it downd. but yes do a reformat and reset first, follow the quickstart guide from there, and if you can't get it then post your settings.
 
Okay, I did a new format on the FS, reset all of the scene files AND non-scene file menu settings on the HVX. Followed the quick start instructions for setting changes to the FS and HVX and made a couple of other minor setting changes to each unit (e.g., HVX component output set to 480i because my studio monitor is a Sony SD 480i monitor).

Before making any attempt at recording, I mounted the FS to my computer and did a screen cap of the directory structure, found here (since I apparently am not a high-enough ranking user to post attachments at DVX User).

At the time of testing, the complete menu settings for each piece of equipment were as follows:

FS-100

RECORD
-NORMAL

HDD MODE
-DVCPROHD REC

DV FORMATS
-P2

SETUP
(appropriate date and time set)
V 2.0.3
-LCDLIGHT ON

FUNCTIONS
-FA TAPELESS (also tried with default “FA SYNC” setting)
-FB DISP
-FC LOCK

UTILITIES
(n/a, although I did format the entire unit twice during this saga)

REELS
-NONE
(FS literature never mentions having to change this setting, but when I tried, I could not select any option other than “NONE”, no RO O, R1 1, etc.)

PLAY
-PLAY CLIP

PLAY FROM
-TRACK LIST

CONTROL
-TAPELESS



HVX-200
(I'm including every setting in every menu, even though most SHOULD be irrelevant)

1. SCENE FILE (SCENE F6:CINE D)
OPERATION TYPE FILM CAM
FRAME RATE 60 FRAME
SYNCHRO SCAN 180.0d
DETAIL LEVEL 0
V DETAIL LEVEL 0
DETAIL CORING 0
CHROMA LEVEL 0
CHROMA PHASE 0
COLOR TEMP 0
MASTER PED -1
A. IRIS LEVEL -3
NEWS GAMMA OFF
GAMMA CINELIKE D
KNEE AUTO
MATRIX CINE-LIKE
SKIN TONE DETAIL OFF
V DETAIL FREQUENCY THIN
NAME EDIT ----
SAVE/INIT ----

2. CAMERA SETUP
ASPECT CONV NORMAL
SETUPP2 7.5%A
SETUP (tape icon) 0%

3. SW MODE
MID GAIN 6db
HIGH GAIN 12db
ATW OFF
HANDLE ZOOM L/OFF/H
IRIS DIAL DOWN OPEN
USER1 WHITEFADE
USER2 BACKLIGHT
USER3 INDEX/MEMO


4. AUTO SW
A. IRIS ON
AGC 6db
ATW ON
AF ON

5. RECORDING SETUP
REC FORMATP2 1080i/60I (also tried 720P/30P)
480I REC MODE DVCPRO50
REC FUNCTION NORMAL
ONE SHOT TIME 1F
INTERVAL TIME 2F
PREREC MODE OFF
MIC ALC ON
MIC GAIN1 -50db
MIC GAIN2 -50db
25M REC CH SEL 2CH
TC MODE DF
TCG REC RUN
TC PRESET ----
UB MODE FRM. RATE
UB PRESET ----

6. AV IN/OUT SETUP
CMPNT OUT SEL 480I
HP MODE RECORDING

7. DISPLAY SETUP
ZEBRA DETECT1 80%
ZEBRA DECTECT2 100%
MARKER ON
SAFTEY ZONE 90%
VIDEO OUT OSD OFF
DATE/TIME OFF
LEVEL METER ON
ZOOM FOCUS NUMBER
CARD/TAPE*BATT ON
OTHER DISPLAY PARTIAL
LCD BACKLIGHT NORMAL
LCD SET ----
BVF SET ----
SELF SHOOT MIRROR
EVF MODE AUTO
DISPLAY ASPECT AUTO
EVF COLOR ON

8. CARD FUNCTIONS
SCENE FILE ----
USER FILE ----
SD CARD FORMAT ----

9. OTHER FUNCTIONS
REMOTE VCR1
1394 CONTROL BOTH
1394 CMD SEL REC_P
PC MODE 1394DEVICE
REC LAMP BOTH
ACCESS LED ON
BEEP SOUND OFF
CLOCK SET ----
TIME ZONE 0:00
POWER SAVE OFF
USER FILE ----

Hitting the record switch on the HVX caused no change in the displays or status of either the camera or the FS. Also no change in the directory structure of the FS itself.

Without making any change to any setting on either unit, I then engaged record on the FS from the local controls (hitting "REC" twice). Just as before, the status led went to solid red as if recording were taking place, yet no counters changed, no sound occurred to indicate the whirring of the hard drive.

After letting it run like this for a couple of minutes, I then performed a "Organize P2" on the FS, disconnected it from the camera, changed the HDD setting to "DD DRIVE", and connected it to the computer via the proper F/W port.

This time there were changes to the directory structure, partly evident here. Notice the addition of a folder called "20070428-181023-01" under the root, which matches info in a newly added file (log.txt) found in the log folder after the attempted local recording.

Most telling, perhaps, is this content from that log.txt file:

*****

Start of Log
============


Creating file /mnt/VOL01/20070428-181023-01/20070428-181024w01.mxf; File type = MXF P2
Stop occurred before any frames written to disk


*******

So the FS tried to create an mxf p2 file when the local recording control was engaged, but it never captured any frames. Put together with the fact that there was no response at all from either camera or FS when I tried 1394-controlled recording, is that there's something wrong with the firewire I/O on either the FS or the camera. They are not communicating with each other, and this despite having used the brand new included cable with the earlier tests and another, known-working cable on this one.

Does anyone else agree this is a defective equipment issue?
 
Okay, another pathetic stab at pointing out the ridiculously obvious... there are of course two ports on the FS-100, one for connecting to the camera and the other for connecting to the computer. You plugged the camera cable into one port, and disconnected that cable and plugged the computer cable in the other port, yes?

I have no doubt you've taken all these steps; it's just that as a computer programmer I've encountered many situations where the most complex issue was solved by remedying the silliest mistake, so I'm just trying to throw anything into the mix here that might help...
 
Try recording off the FS-100 rather then pressing the REC on the camera.. I haven't had a chance to read over all the posts but this works for me. Hit REC on FS-100 twice and it should start to record. Hope this helps?
 
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