I need an advise regarding a firmware upgrade of my Sony XDCAM-HD PDW-F335L.

My camera and firmware details:
Model: Sony PDW-F335L
Serial No: 10435
AT: 1.00
Package: 1.76

Currently available firmware according to this address https://servicesplus.us.sony.biz/sony-software-model-PDWF335.aspx is:-
Package: 1.98 (According to Broadcast Products Technical Bulletin 20-2009-109),
Package: 1.96 is also available through that site, but the upgrade procedure described in the Broadcast Products Technical Bulletin 20-2009-028 states that
"Firmware can be upgraded directly to V1.96 ONLY from V1.93 or V1.95. If firmware is earlier than V1.93, upgrade to V1.95 first as described in the following technical bulletins:
PDW-F335/F355 20-2008-206
PDW-F335/F355 20-2008-209"

As my current Firmware package is V1.76, I can't upgrade to the current V1.96 or V1.98 (According to Technical Bulletin 20-2009-028). I have searched a lot for the V1.95 but its missing from the Sony site and already have been replaced by the V1.96 before my necessity reaches priority, bad luck for me.

After following the upgrade precaution I am confused and looking for the answer of the following questions:

1. What is the proper AT and PKG version required for my current firmware to be upgraded to the latest firmware V1.98?
2. Where/How can I get the proper/intermediate AT and PKG firmware to do the rest of the upgrade?
3. Do I realy need the so called MOUNTED C.BOARD, MS-69A board or Special Jig to upgrade from my current firmware version?
4. Will I have to use the older version of Memory Stick 128 MB for the upgrade job or can I use the currently available Memory Stick Pro Duo 2 GB card?


I am waiting for someone to give me some hope.

The upgrade from 1.76 required a trip to a Sony or a Sony tech because the firmware update requires a "jig" or small circuit board to be temporarily hooked up to the camera to do the upgrade. It only takes a few minutes but it's a big pain because you have to deal with shipping or transport.

The upgrade from 1.76 required a trip to a Sony or a Sony tech because the firmware update requires a "jig" or small circuit board to be temporarily hooked up to the camera to do the upgrade. It only takes a few minutes but it's a big pain because you have to deal with shipping or transport.

Thats a real bad news for me.
Is there any other possibility to do it by myself or its really a rocket science?
Thanks Allen.

Rick,

Isn't it possible for Malik to install all the firmwares one after from 1.93 till 1.96? I have a document that says you can update from PKG 1.76 AT 1.00 to PKG 1.93 AT 1.10

I have a document that says you can update from PKG 1.76 AT 1.00 to PKG 1.93 AT 1.10
Ivan, would you please consider to give me a copy of the document for further review?
Thanks for your co-operation.

Ivan is correct. Version 1.62 needed the jig. My error. In that case you have to work your way up through the versions as Ivan says. It's time consuming but you can't jump from 1.73 to 1.98. Sorry.

Also, if I recall correctly, the mod which needs the jig is only necessary when wanting to upgrade the memory stick slot capability to support Memory Stick Duo and higher capacity Memory Sticks. This is not really a necessity, as long as your memory stick can store the firmware and a few scene files, that is all you need on those cameras. So, a 8MB Memory Stick is still plenty.

Here is an early discussion on that topic I found in the archives:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdcam-hd-cinealta/115885-new-firmware-memory-stick.html

Thierry.

Malik,

Send me your e-mail adress and I will give you that Sony document you asked for.

Malik,

Send me your e-mail adress and I will give you that Sony document you asked for.
Ivan I have sent you my email address, thanks in advance.

Also, if I recall correctly, the mod which needs the jig is only necessary when wanting to upgrade the memory stick slot capability to support Memory Stick Duo and higher capacity Memory Sticks. This is not really a necessity, as long as your memory stick can store the firmware and a few scene files, that is all you need on those cameras. So, a 8MB Memory Stick is still plenty.

Here is an early discussion on that topic I found in the archives:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdcam-hd-cinealta/115885-new-firmware-memory-stick.html

Thierry, you are right that higher capacity memory stick is not really a necessity.
But the problem is, those lower capacity Memory Sticks are missing from my local market. The minimum I can get from the market is >= 1GB Memory Stick Duo.
Also thanks for your URL.

Malik

Those low-capacity memory sticks can be easily found on eBay for a few dollars. You may also want to look around camera shops in your country, those 4MB and 8MB memory sticks were typically provided with Sony's first generation of digital cameras.

Thierry.

Also, if I recall correctly, the mod which needs the jig is only necessary when wanting to upgrade the memory stick slot capability to support Memory Stick Duo and higher capacity Memory Sticks. This is not really a necessity, as long as your memory stick can store the firmware and a few scene files, that is all you need on those cameras. So, a 8MB Memory Stick is still plenty.

Here is an early discussion on that topic I found in the archives:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdcam-hd-cinealta/115885-new-firmware-memory-stick.html

Thierry.

Absolutely correct, Thierry. That's the route I took because I really didn't see a need for the larger stick capacity. There were two different version numbers of one part of the upgrade (can't remember exactly which). One was if you used the special jig, the other was without.

-gb-

My fellow dvinfo experts, thanks to all of you for your discussive contribution into my firmware upgrade attempt and also to the dvinfo network for this nice meeting place. Special thanks to Ivan for his specific instruction.

Currently I am running the following firmware,
AT: 1.20
Package: 1.98

Problem solved, thanks to all.

Malik Yusuf