Richard@ProCon
Member
I have good news for all CitiDISK HD users. We just got the latest firmware release today and it includes some great new features and fixes. Here's the short list of features and fixes:
New features:
1. New Firmware Uploader v1.81 allows user to select Matrox Axio, Canopus Edius4 in AVI, Quicktime for Final Cut or RawDV.
2. Add in support for HVX200/PAL and HVX20E.
3. Re-enable "DV Control" by camera function provided a not-full-P2 card inserted.
Problem fixed:
1. While in recording, REC light went on but not being able to turn it off. fixed.
That's the general idea. Any CitiDISK HD user who wants the upgrade should email me at rkurtzer@vcom-mm.net and I'll send it right over.
For those who are interested, here are the complete release notes. They're a good read even if you want to leave your firmware alone for now because they include some instructions and tips:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 3, 2006 -- Release 3
Files:
1. FW1256HD(HVX200)-oxfw911-11022006+rom+rom2R3Release2.ZIP: Total zip.
2. FW1256HD(HVX200)-oxfw911-11022006+rom+rom2R3Release2.bin: Binary file.
3. FirmwareUploaderv181.zip:
CitiDISK HD Firmware Uploader v1.81, MUST un-install the previous version and install this one.
4. Updating CitiDISK DV-HDV-HD Firmware v181HDonly.pdf: How to use the firmware uploader v1.81?
5. CitiDISK HD FW1256HD(HVX200) Release Note.txt: Release note
-- New Features:
1. New Firmware Uploader v1.81 allows user to select Matrox Axio, Canopus Edius4 in AVI, Quicktime for Final Cut
or RawDV.
--- AVI file format selection including standard AVI2, Matrox Axio and Canopus Edius4
The Matrox Axio user must have Axio hardware and software plug-in installed for Adobe Premiere 2.0( 1.5 won't work ).
The standard AVI2 uses standard dv codec for DV25 but Axio codec for DV50 & DV100.
The Canopus Edius user must have Edius4 and USB Dongle from Canopus if it is selected.
Captured video clips are able to play by Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 provided above necessary codec plug-in
installed.
Project setting for Axio and Edius4 user must select 1080i/60i/30p or 720p/30p for DVCProHD and select 480/30p
DVCPro 50, DVCPro to avoid rendering each clip even the recording format is set at 24p or 24pA due to the Firewire
has only one standard and that is either DV100 for DVCProHD, DV50 for DVCPro 50 and DV25 for DVCPro.
--- MOV file format selection for Final Cut Pro & Canopus Edius4 & Avid DV XPress Pro
Project setting for FCP user must select 1080i/60i/30p or 720p/30p for DVCProHD and select 480/30p
DVCPro 50, DVCPro even the recording format is set at 24p or 24pA due to the Firewire has only one standard and that's
either DV100 for DVCProHD, DV50 for DVCPro 50 and DV25 for DVCPro.
--- Why 720p/30p and 1080/60i/30p??
If user is shooting in film camera mode by 720p/12 frames/second rate, the HVX200 camera actually inserts
extra frames making up to 60 frames per second to meet DV100 specification. Since the CitiDISK HD always
reports 2-frame-per-chunk in 720p and 1 frame-per-chunk in 1080 mode, and 720p screen resolution is
half of 1080, so, both 1080 & 720 both end up 30 frames/second in NTSC and 25 frames/second.
--- Are CineForm-AVI & Raylight-AVI codec supported?
No. Both are intermediate codec not in standard DV-AVI form.
2. Add in support for HVX200/PAL and HVX20E.
3. Re-enable "DV Control" by camera function provided a not-full-P2 card inserted.
-- Problem fixed:
1. While in recording, REC light went on but not being able to turn it off. fixed.
-- Known issues:
1. "P2-MXF" -- P2 card like folder structure and MXF file format supported are not included in this release
2. "QPLAY" & "PLAYALL" -- both functions are disabled for DVCProHD, but DVCPro50 and DVCPro are OK.
The "QPLAY" & "PLAYALL" choose for DV not DVCPro to playback, so, user must select DV mode even the video was
shot as DVCPro.
3. Lab. test shows the 100G & 120G can record as long as you like in RawDV/DVCProHD recording, however, the 120G model
seems not able to keep up the incoming data rate and automatically turns off the recording preventing the "skip-frame"
in MOV & AVI modes. But the 100G works much better. Engineers are working on this issue now, will release it once
it is available.
-- Technical tips:
1. How to activate DV Control function on HVX200?
Turn on HVX200, press "Menu" button, choose "Other function", set "1394 CMD Selection" to "BOTH".
The CitiDISK HD automatically receive the commands from HVX200 to start and stop the RECording; however, a non-full
P2 card or non-full tape is required to start/stop the DV Contorl function. If P2 card is full during the recording,
user must manually press the REC( RED light ) button to turn off the recording.
2. Connect & disconnect --
Always connect the FireWire cable to Camera( or computer ) and the CitiDISK HD first while the CitiDISK HD
in power OFF. Power on the camera( or computer ) first, and turn on the POWER( GREEN, close to the power socket ).
Alwayas power off the CitiDISK HD first, then, disconnect from the camera/computer.
Slide the black safety swith toward the power socket position before operating the CitiDISK HD unit, and slide it
away from power socket while not-in-use.
3. On-line Recording -- There are three objects in FAT32 file system required for the CitiDISK HD to online shoot video.
They are "Movie" folder and "Media" folder in "Movie" folder and a "Project" text file in the "Movie" folder.
If either one three objects missing, the GREEN & RED lights will blink and you cannot shoot video.
How to put back those three objects:
a. In PC/XP:
Download the "Shining Utility Suite" v77r510.zip" from "www.shining.com" "Driver & Update" page
or install it from the CD included in the package, Install it first.
Connect the CitiDISK HD to PC/XP system and power it on. Wait till GREEN light be solid.
Start the "Shining Utility Suite" program, choose "Hard Drive Setup", select "DV Disk", the program will
show each operating hard disk in the system, choose the one has the size close to the CitiDISK HD,
click on "Create DVDisk" to start the operation.
Once the process is done,
Exit and "Safe remove" the CitiDISK HD from the system.
Note: Details of how to use the Utility can be found in CD and "Driver & Update" page.
File name is "Utility Manual v20.pdf".
b. In MacX:
Connect the CitiDISK HD to PC/XP system and power it on.
Invoke the "Disk Utility" in "MacX", "Application", "Utilities" folder.
Choose the one says "xxx GBytes Shining....", click on "Erase" and choose "MS-DOS file system" in VolumeFormat,
then, click on "Erase"( bottom right ) to start the process.
Once the process is completed you would need to create above three objects manually.
First open the CitiDISK HD just re-formatted, go to top bar find "File", select "New Folder", name it as "Movie",
open the "Movie" folder, and go through the same process to create another new folder name it as "Media".
Finally, invoke the "TextEdit" in "Application" folder, and click on "File", "Save As" this 0-byte file,
name it as "Project" in "rtf" file type in "Movie" folder.
4. After recording and ready for next recording --
It is suggested do a "file sytsem" integrity check every time you bring up the CitiDISK HD to PC/XP.
Go to "MyComputer", click on right mouse button on the CitiDISK HD, click "Property", "Tool",
"Check Now", and check "Automatically fix file system error" and "Start" the process.
Copy all of the recorded/selected clips in "Media" folder into other drive before editing.
DO NOT drag the folder since they are needed for next recording.
DO NOT drag the unwanted clips into trash and empty the files from it. Use "QuickErase" function described
in the "QuickUsageGuide" to keep the CitiDISK HD from fragmentation.
5. Offline coping -- copying the P2 card contents to the CitiDISK HD.
Turn on HVX200, press "Menu" button, choose "Other function", set "PC Mode" to "1394 Host".
Connect the CitiDISK HD and power it ON. Wait till GREEN light solid. Press-n-Hold the black button beside
the "MCR" more than 3 seconds. Press "Menu", P2 card content thumbnail shows up, press the center button
to select "Format" function to start formatting the CitiDISK HD and copy P2 card's contents to the CitiDISK HD
later. Power off the CitiDISK HD and connect it back to computer, you should see all of the P2 card's content
copied.
Note: HVX200 will re-format the CitiDISK HD as its Linux file system, user must re-format the CitiDISK HD back to
FAT32 file system with three objects described in "Online Recording" section.
6. Battery care -- Slide the black main switch OFF while not in use.
7. DO NOT purposely jar, bump, shake the CitiDISK HD while in recording.
New features:
1. New Firmware Uploader v1.81 allows user to select Matrox Axio, Canopus Edius4 in AVI, Quicktime for Final Cut or RawDV.
2. Add in support for HVX200/PAL and HVX20E.
3. Re-enable "DV Control" by camera function provided a not-full-P2 card inserted.
Problem fixed:
1. While in recording, REC light went on but not being able to turn it off. fixed.
That's the general idea. Any CitiDISK HD user who wants the upgrade should email me at rkurtzer@vcom-mm.net and I'll send it right over.
For those who are interested, here are the complete release notes. They're a good read even if you want to leave your firmware alone for now because they include some instructions and tips:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 3, 2006 -- Release 3
Files:
1. FW1256HD(HVX200)-oxfw911-11022006+rom+rom2R3Release2.ZIP: Total zip.
2. FW1256HD(HVX200)-oxfw911-11022006+rom+rom2R3Release2.bin: Binary file.
3. FirmwareUploaderv181.zip:
CitiDISK HD Firmware Uploader v1.81, MUST un-install the previous version and install this one.
4. Updating CitiDISK DV-HDV-HD Firmware v181HDonly.pdf: How to use the firmware uploader v1.81?
5. CitiDISK HD FW1256HD(HVX200) Release Note.txt: Release note
-- New Features:
1. New Firmware Uploader v1.81 allows user to select Matrox Axio, Canopus Edius4 in AVI, Quicktime for Final Cut
or RawDV.
--- AVI file format selection including standard AVI2, Matrox Axio and Canopus Edius4
The Matrox Axio user must have Axio hardware and software plug-in installed for Adobe Premiere 2.0( 1.5 won't work ).
The standard AVI2 uses standard dv codec for DV25 but Axio codec for DV50 & DV100.
The Canopus Edius user must have Edius4 and USB Dongle from Canopus if it is selected.
Captured video clips are able to play by Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 provided above necessary codec plug-in
installed.
Project setting for Axio and Edius4 user must select 1080i/60i/30p or 720p/30p for DVCProHD and select 480/30p
DVCPro 50, DVCPro to avoid rendering each clip even the recording format is set at 24p or 24pA due to the Firewire
has only one standard and that is either DV100 for DVCProHD, DV50 for DVCPro 50 and DV25 for DVCPro.
--- MOV file format selection for Final Cut Pro & Canopus Edius4 & Avid DV XPress Pro
Project setting for FCP user must select 1080i/60i/30p or 720p/30p for DVCProHD and select 480/30p
DVCPro 50, DVCPro even the recording format is set at 24p or 24pA due to the Firewire has only one standard and that's
either DV100 for DVCProHD, DV50 for DVCPro 50 and DV25 for DVCPro.
--- Why 720p/30p and 1080/60i/30p??
If user is shooting in film camera mode by 720p/12 frames/second rate, the HVX200 camera actually inserts
extra frames making up to 60 frames per second to meet DV100 specification. Since the CitiDISK HD always
reports 2-frame-per-chunk in 720p and 1 frame-per-chunk in 1080 mode, and 720p screen resolution is
half of 1080, so, both 1080 & 720 both end up 30 frames/second in NTSC and 25 frames/second.
--- Are CineForm-AVI & Raylight-AVI codec supported?
No. Both are intermediate codec not in standard DV-AVI form.
2. Add in support for HVX200/PAL and HVX20E.
3. Re-enable "DV Control" by camera function provided a not-full-P2 card inserted.
-- Problem fixed:
1. While in recording, REC light went on but not being able to turn it off. fixed.
-- Known issues:
1. "P2-MXF" -- P2 card like folder structure and MXF file format supported are not included in this release
2. "QPLAY" & "PLAYALL" -- both functions are disabled for DVCProHD, but DVCPro50 and DVCPro are OK.
The "QPLAY" & "PLAYALL" choose for DV not DVCPro to playback, so, user must select DV mode even the video was
shot as DVCPro.
3. Lab. test shows the 100G & 120G can record as long as you like in RawDV/DVCProHD recording, however, the 120G model
seems not able to keep up the incoming data rate and automatically turns off the recording preventing the "skip-frame"
in MOV & AVI modes. But the 100G works much better. Engineers are working on this issue now, will release it once
it is available.
-- Technical tips:
1. How to activate DV Control function on HVX200?
Turn on HVX200, press "Menu" button, choose "Other function", set "1394 CMD Selection" to "BOTH".
The CitiDISK HD automatically receive the commands from HVX200 to start and stop the RECording; however, a non-full
P2 card or non-full tape is required to start/stop the DV Contorl function. If P2 card is full during the recording,
user must manually press the REC( RED light ) button to turn off the recording.
2. Connect & disconnect --
Always connect the FireWire cable to Camera( or computer ) and the CitiDISK HD first while the CitiDISK HD
in power OFF. Power on the camera( or computer ) first, and turn on the POWER( GREEN, close to the power socket ).
Alwayas power off the CitiDISK HD first, then, disconnect from the camera/computer.
Slide the black safety swith toward the power socket position before operating the CitiDISK HD unit, and slide it
away from power socket while not-in-use.
3. On-line Recording -- There are three objects in FAT32 file system required for the CitiDISK HD to online shoot video.
They are "Movie" folder and "Media" folder in "Movie" folder and a "Project" text file in the "Movie" folder.
If either one three objects missing, the GREEN & RED lights will blink and you cannot shoot video.
How to put back those three objects:
a. In PC/XP:
Download the "Shining Utility Suite" v77r510.zip" from "www.shining.com" "Driver & Update" page
or install it from the CD included in the package, Install it first.
Connect the CitiDISK HD to PC/XP system and power it on. Wait till GREEN light be solid.
Start the "Shining Utility Suite" program, choose "Hard Drive Setup", select "DV Disk", the program will
show each operating hard disk in the system, choose the one has the size close to the CitiDISK HD,
click on "Create DVDisk" to start the operation.
Once the process is done,
Exit and "Safe remove" the CitiDISK HD from the system.
Note: Details of how to use the Utility can be found in CD and "Driver & Update" page.
File name is "Utility Manual v20.pdf".
b. In MacX:
Connect the CitiDISK HD to PC/XP system and power it on.
Invoke the "Disk Utility" in "MacX", "Application", "Utilities" folder.
Choose the one says "xxx GBytes Shining....", click on "Erase" and choose "MS-DOS file system" in VolumeFormat,
then, click on "Erase"( bottom right ) to start the process.
Once the process is completed you would need to create above three objects manually.
First open the CitiDISK HD just re-formatted, go to top bar find "File", select "New Folder", name it as "Movie",
open the "Movie" folder, and go through the same process to create another new folder name it as "Media".
Finally, invoke the "TextEdit" in "Application" folder, and click on "File", "Save As" this 0-byte file,
name it as "Project" in "rtf" file type in "Movie" folder.
4. After recording and ready for next recording --
It is suggested do a "file sytsem" integrity check every time you bring up the CitiDISK HD to PC/XP.
Go to "MyComputer", click on right mouse button on the CitiDISK HD, click "Property", "Tool",
"Check Now", and check "Automatically fix file system error" and "Start" the process.
Copy all of the recorded/selected clips in "Media" folder into other drive before editing.
DO NOT drag the folder since they are needed for next recording.
DO NOT drag the unwanted clips into trash and empty the files from it. Use "QuickErase" function described
in the "QuickUsageGuide" to keep the CitiDISK HD from fragmentation.
5. Offline coping -- copying the P2 card contents to the CitiDISK HD.
Turn on HVX200, press "Menu" button, choose "Other function", set "PC Mode" to "1394 Host".
Connect the CitiDISK HD and power it ON. Wait till GREEN light solid. Press-n-Hold the black button beside
the "MCR" more than 3 seconds. Press "Menu", P2 card content thumbnail shows up, press the center button
to select "Format" function to start formatting the CitiDISK HD and copy P2 card's contents to the CitiDISK HD
later. Power off the CitiDISK HD and connect it back to computer, you should see all of the P2 card's content
copied.
Note: HVX200 will re-format the CitiDISK HD as its Linux file system, user must re-format the CitiDISK HD back to
FAT32 file system with three objects described in "Online Recording" section.
6. Battery care -- Slide the black main switch OFF while not in use.
7. DO NOT purposely jar, bump, shake the CitiDISK HD while in recording.