Updating HMC150 Firmware on 64bit system

Stevo H

Stevo H

Member
So I picked up a couple of class 10 SDHC cards for a shoot this week. I've got firmware version 1.19 on my HMC150 right now, and the camera will recognize the cards, (I was planning on shooting with the 13mbps or whatever it was setting) but I would feel more comfortable using a camera that fully supports the recording medium.

The problem is that I don't have a 32bit Windows system to update the camera. I'm running a 64bit Windows 7 system, and my question is, if I can get around the "64bit Windows is not supported", is it safe to go ahead a update the firmware? I'm downloading XP mode right now, which I'm not even sure will work, but has anyone had any experience with this?
 
Sorry to hi jack but I just ordered a 150 and class 10 32gig cards. Are you saying the camera might not work with them?

I might have to update camera firmware?
 
I've got two Class 10 16gig cards. They both work fine, but you're limited to the two lowest bitrates for recording. It's like the camera recognizes them as class 2 cards or something. I've got firmware version 1.19.

I think I'll try updating the firmware with the Microsoft XP mode. Hopefully I don't brick my camera.
 
@videohog..

I don't think you have to worry. I got my HMC151e last summer and it was at the latest firmware. I use Class10 32Gb cards perfectly fine.
 
I am awaiting delivery on Friday of my HMC whith which I have purchased 4 Panasonic Gold class 10 cards. I too use Windows 7 64bit on all my computers and am very concerned about the camera's compatibility with the cards and how I will update the firmware if it is infact necessary to do so. A camera purchased more recently may already be compatible with class10! I'll let you know what happens...
 
Stevo H said:
So I picked up a couple of class 10 SDHC cards for a shoot this week. I've got firmware version 1.19 on my HMC150 right now, and the camera will recognize the cards, (I was planning on shooting with the 13mbps or whatever it was setting) but I would feel more comfortable using a camera that fully supports the recording medium.

The problem is that I don't have a 32bit Windows system to update the camera. I'm running a 64bit Windows 7 system, and my question is, if I can get around the "64bit Windows is not supported", is it safe to go ahead a update the firmware? I'm downloading XP mode right now, which I'm not even sure will work, but has anyone had any experience with this?
Click to expand...

I read through the instructions and release notes - where does it say this is for 32bit only?
 
"This update is to improve efficiency of camera recoder,
there is no change to function or specification."

This is all there is of info on the latest firmware.
As for the 32 bit Windows requirement, it is not easy to understand. At the same time Panasonic is in the very technology front with 3D cameras, they also live in the past regarding such a small app as a firmaware utility. Lots of users, especially those who own such a camera, will have the latest and fastest computers, assumed they edit themselves.
And in case of Windows, those computers run 64 bit Vista or Windows 7.
 
ingvarai said:
This is all there is of info on the latest firmware.
As for the 32 bit Windows requirement, it is not easy to understand. At the same time Panasonic is in the very technology front with 3D cameras, they also live in the past regarding such a small app as a firmaware utility. Lots of users, especially those who own such a camera, will have the latest and fastest computers, assumed they edit themselves.
And in case of Windows, those computers run 64 bit Vista or Windows 7.
Click to expand...

Not only that, when I went researching for my new laptop 8 months ago, nearly all of them had at least 4g of RAM and therefore were running 64 bit operating systems. If I want to update my firmware, I have to pull out my 4 yr old laptop to do it. A minor inconvenience for me, but many probably no longer have access to a 32 bit OS.
 
ingvarai said:
"This update is to improve efficiency of camera recoder,
there is no change to function or specification."
Click to expand...

I suspect that "camera recoder" is actually the "camera encoder", which might be bonus spillover from development of the AF100 camera.

Pure speculation on my part, but maybe new development was put in to the AF100 AVCHD encoding engine ( which looks to be very very good), so perhaps Panasonic is providing these AVCHD improvements to the HMC-150 too.

BTW, I used my cheapo Win XP netbook to update the firmware of my HMC150. Updated without a hitch.
 
I have this problem as well. All my own PCs run Windows 7 64-bit - so I use my sons old XP machine for updating firmware.
I agree with Ingvarai #11 - Panasonic really could use a web and software makeover. Their webpage is so not-user-friendly - and their software looks and acts like something made 20 years ago....
They seems to have missed the great web 2.0 revolution as well - no community to biuild up compassion and ownership from their customers. We have to do all that ourselves in a forum like this instead. No offense - I really appreciate this forum - but Panasonic would gain a lot from developing a better and more userfriendly approach in communicating with and to their users/customers.

Cheers
:)
 
Panasonic's PASS is arguably the worst customer support site in the world...I mean...argh...my temperature rises just thinking about it.
 
No access to 32 bit either. There is a switch in Windows to run in an emulated mode. I 'll give it a try.
 
I had to use my 2008 netbook to update. Anyone else might want to install winxp on a dual boot. Seems odd panny has not btohered with an x64 updater though.
 
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