Matt Sturns
Forum Replies Created
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This drive does not work. Tested multiple units on multiple cameras EX1 / EX3. Many other users report the exact same problem. I read that the USB connection Sony uses cannot sustain the data rates for this camera. Avoid this unit like the plague. Don’t get PHU-60K’d Get some KxS cards instead and save a TON of money. Unfortunately Sony did not test this unit before shipping and once again uses their loyal customers for R&D.
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I hate to say this but I am glad to hear your PHU-60K unit does not work (glad to hear you got your footage though:). This was my 3rd unit, and although better (it actually recorded for more than 5 minutes) it still has MAJOR issues. Took it out again recorded for about 100 minutes or so then BLAM!!! the dreaded ‘Restore Media’ prompt. Luckily, my footage was all there (WHEW!!!) but obviously these drives are not dependable. Thanks to much response, it appears USB2 it nowhere near ideal for these types of applications…
I guess Sony forgot to do their homework. Once again used their loyal customer base as guinea pigs (Hey sure beats expensive R&D!)
Thanks again for your info…Was starting to worry it was my camera…
Now to trade in for some ridiculosly overpriced SxS cards (or was this their plan all along?)
Death by SxS – Matty S
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Dear All,
Per users requests I am updating my saga on the PHU-60K Hard Drive for the EX3. I returned 2 non-working units and exchanged 1. I just got my replacement from B&H (they were out of stock, took me 2 weeks to get a replacement. I have had the EX3 for over a month now and have been unable to use professionally, but that’s another story). Upon receiving the unit I immediately tested it on my EX3. I recorded out the whole drive twice in 1080P with no Problems. I had a smaller shoot today so feeling pretty confident I received bad drives the last time, I decided to take the EX3 + hard drive. As luck would have it after recording about 5 minutes or so, I got the same ‘Media Needs to be Restored’ message. Luckily this time around when I restored the media it did not erase the clips I already had recorded. I switched the camera to 720P mode as I thought maybe it was the the 1080P that was overloading the hard drive. This seemed (again I have no clue if it was this or what) but I was able to record for another 100 minutes or so. Near the end of recording I got one more ‘Restore Media’ pop-up. I transferred the media to my laptop with no problems and restored media. Again it restored the hard drive without erasing the clips, something the last hard drive did not do. Upon completion all of my clips were there with no problems. Also as a side note I was able to overcrank at 60fps on the hard drive, (shot in 720P mode did not try 1080P) something it is not supposed to be able to do. The overcranking did not cause the ‘Restore Media’ prompt and all media seems to be present with no problems.
I am at a loss. I have had my EX3 for almost a month now and have been unable to use it. I desperately would like this hard drive thing to work as it is much cheaper than buying the equivalent SxS cards (the main reason in buying this unit). Is anyone else having these problems with this drive on the EX3. Am I doing something wrong? I would love to keep this unit, but the restore media prompts are scaring the PHU-60K out of me…
I am posting this as an update to DVI users as requested. I have a big job tomorrow that I will try the setup one last time (obviously I will have my main camera as backup) and post my results. Any advice / other stories about this unit are greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening.
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Dear Mike,
Thanks for the info. Some updates on the PHU-60. The firmware numbers for the EX1 and the EX3 are different. The PHU-60 should work out of the box with this unit. Somehow I supposedly got 2 bad units from B&H. I returned these units and of course they are out of stock so I do not know when I will be receiving my replacements. I am hoping the 2 new units will just work because we have alot of work on hold and the clients are foaming at the mouth….
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Apparently another string of incorrect and downright misleading and untruthful information provided by Sony. I purchased 2 EX3’s on August 23 and neither have the new firmware 1.1. I called the day before purchasing (August 22) and was told and promised it would have the new firmware installed. Both came with 1.02 installed. I was also told the PHU-60 hard drive would work out of the box with the EX3, incorrect info again as apparently you need the 1.1 firmware upgrade for this feature to work…
PLEASE SONY GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!!! At least tell us truthful information even if it is not what the customer wants to hear. This untruthful information has been causing our business MUCH time and money and MANY unhappy clients. And ABSOLUTELY NO HELP from Sony. THANKS SONY, for caring about your customers!!! -
sorry typo. I purchased 2 EX3’s and was told they would have the latest firmware 1.1 installed. They did not, they had firmware 1.02. Also I was told the PHU-60 would work out of the box with the EX3, apparently this is also not true as they do not, it appears your firmware needs to be 1.1 for the drives to work. Where does the madness end? Please Sony get your act together!!!
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Dear Juan,
I was told by a Sony Rep that if I purchased an EX3 after the 2nd week in August it would be upgraded to firmware 1.1. I bought an EX2 from B&H on August 23 and I got firmware 1.02. I purchased 2 cameras w/ the PHU-60 hard drive and neither one works. Does the firmware need to be 1.1 for the hard drives to work? Also I was told by Sony that the EX3’s would work out of the box with the PHU-60. My EX3 does not work out of the box with the PHU-60 and does not have the firmware upgrade I was told it would. What is going on? Does anyone at Sony have any truth in what they tell their customers? We cannot work on heresay, we have a business to run!!!!
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I use only Sony batteries and had problems with 2 drives. I did not know there were other batteries on the market. I tried with the smaller Sony battery and the bigger battery both fully charged. Same problems. Just sent back 2 units for replacement hopefully the new ones work. I was told by Sony any EX3 bought after the second week in August would have new firmware upgrade to 1.1. I bought mine on August 23, and the firmware is 1.02. Drats. Sony has been absolutely no help. Their customer service is a joke. Does anyone know if I need to upgrade the firmware for the PHU-60 hard drive to work correctly? Any help is greatly appreciated.
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Dear Olof,
Thanks for the update. I guess you got lucky. I unfortunately did not. 2 bad units so far and an associate of mine got a bad unit also. Maybe their just sending the bad ones to New England:(
Sorry for the anti-Sony rant, they have just cost me alot of money in the past couple of months and have been absolutely no help. Of course we have to pay for shipping and the wait and the loss of business.
I am returning the 2 units I have and HOPEFULLY will get a good one.
Thanks
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Eli, thanks for the notes… I am guessing Sony has released another product in BETA mode again. You would have thought they would have learned after the botched EX1 release(s) (I was one of the many very unlucky, what a long horrible ride it’s been).
We sent another EX3 with another PHU-60 (different EX3 and PHU-60) out this weekend same problem. I also took out our original PHU and it too had the same problems. I tried restoring media as it says to do, as well as reformatting the drive. Same problems. It records for anywhere between 2 and 20 minutes then fails. I tired this a couple of times on both devices / cameras. Still no luck. PHU-ey.
I talked to an associate of mine who has the same setup and he is having the same problems. I really wish Sony would test their products before releasing to the public. It seems as if they use their paying customers (and die-hard fans) as BETA testers.
If anyone knows if there is a fix please help!! Unfortunately I did not buy enough cards (nor do I really want to at these price$) for our 2 EX3’s as I thought the Hard Drive would be sufficient. It definitely would if it worked as advertised (or worked at all).
Now I am guessing I need to send in my camera to pay for some other firmware upgrade to wait a couple of weeks to loose work to have a $1K piece of their equipment work with their camera. WOW what a business their running…
SONY GET WITH IT!!!