linux updates on HVX200

[Bill Magac]

At the DV Expo in New York, I asked Jan, the Panasonic rep, the same question. She said no due to the cost of flash memory. I told Jan I have a $700 Nikon D70 still camera that has flash memory and have installed two firmware upgrades to date.

I agree with you not having the capability to do firmware upgrades is a serious flaw in video cameras.

BillM

[Mike Schrengohst]

I have a D70, where can I get the updates?
Thanks

[Toke]

[BillM] “She said no due to the cost of flash memory.”

Yep, cost of couple megabytes of flash might rise the expenses of manufacturing something like one dollar per unit…

[Jan Crittenden livingston]

We are not talking flash memory, we are talking about firmware chips, and those do cost more. Sorry.

Best,

Jan

Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, AG-DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems

[Bill Magac]

Jan,

Does the HVX200 use eproms (electrically programmable read only memory) or proms (programmable read only memory)? Proms are not re-programmable. Re-programming eproms in-camera may be difficult. If major upgrades or bug fixes are made to the firmware, Panasonic should offer a factory upgrade option to HVX200 owners, rather than forcing them to buy a newer model of the camera. The HVX200 is a first generation camera. There are bound to be problems and subsequent fixes.

Mike,
Nikon camera firmware updates are available at “https://www.nikonpro.com/tech_updates.php.”
Scroll to the bottom of the page for D70 updates.

Enjoy,
BillM

[Jan Crittenden livingston]

[BillM] “Does the HVX200 use eproms (electrically programmable read only memory) or proms (programmable read only memory)? Proms are not re-programmable. Re-programming eproms in-camera may be difficult. If major upgrades or bug fixes are made to the firmware, Panasonic should offer a factory upgrade option to HVX200 owners, rather than forcing them to buy a newer model of the camera. The HVX200 is a first generation camera. There are bound to be problems and subsequent fixes.”

Hi Bill,

They are PROMs. Just as there was no path for an upgrade on the DVX100, because the upgrade was a new chipset and DSP, I do not expect anything that would be a bug fix on this camera. We didn’t have a bug fix on the DVX, I don’t forsee one here either. And no, I don’t believe that there are bound to be problems and subsequent fixes. There may be in a year or two another camera, but this camera would not likely to be upgraded to it.

Best,

Jan

Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, AG-DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems

[Toke]

Jan, can you tell me how much these “firmware chips” cost? And how much more they would cost if they were reprogrammable?
I’ve been updating motherboards and cd/dvd-burners etc. bioses and firmwares for a decade. And those do cost less than $100.
What you are saying is that reprogrammable eeproms are too expensive in $6k camera!

On the other hand, if the reason for not-updateble firmware is that you have to make firmware perfect at the start, that is a pretty good reason.
Otherwise it might turn out to be a situation where we are now with computers/cell phones/dtv-receivers, where every second feature will work “in the next update”.

[Jan Crittenden livingston]

toke lahti:Jan, can you tell me how much these “firmware chips” cost? And how much more they would cost if they were reprogrammable? I’ve been updating motherboards and cd/dvd-burners etc. bioses and firmwares for a decade. And those do cost less than $100.

From what I understand they are expensive and to set up the camera so that it can upgrade software in the field is expensive, this is not a trivial thing. The SPX800 does it and look at its price. It doesn’t even begin to be in the same ball park when we talk about computers and motherboards, it is not the same thing.

>What you are saying is that reprogrammable eeproms are too expensive in $6k camera!

Yep that is exactly what I am saying, it is too expensive.

>On the other hand, if the reason for not-updateble firmware is that you have to make firmware perfect at the start, that is a pretty good reason.Otherwise it might turn out to be a situation where we are now with computers/cell phones/dtv-receivers, where every second feature will work “in the next update”.”

[Toke]

[Jan Crittenden Livingston] “From what I understand they are expensive and to set up the camera so that it can upgrade software in the field is expensive, this is not a trivial thing. The SPX800 does it and look at its price.”

Ok, if your knowledge of used chip types and their prices relys on a logic: “camera is so expensive, that the chips must be too”, maybe you should ask somebody more technical in Panny’s department.

Usually nowadays the real expense is to write that code into those chips, not the chips itself.

[Jan Crittenden livingston]

[toke lahti] “Ok, if your knowledge of used chip types and their prices relys on a logic: “camera is so expensive, that the chips must be too”, maybe you should ask somebody more technical in Panny’s department.

Usually nowadays the real expense is to write that code into those chips, not the chips itself.”

If your logic is that because the computer chips may be cheap then it should be cheap, maybe you should go into camera engineering. 😉 When I said the engieers told me that it was expensive, you say that it is not true. When I say that it is difficult and expensive, you say it is not true. Well I think you should go into camera engineering and see for yourself. And all of these folks that I am talking to are vastly more technical that I hope to be.

Best regards,

Jan

Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, AG-DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems