nanoFlash Intermittent Video and Firmware 1.5.249

[Mike Schell]

We just posted new nanoFlash public beta firmware, version 1.5.249, available for download at: http://69.15.88.17/downloads/nanoFla...sh_1.5.249.zip

The new firmware is intended to specifically address numerous issues, including:

1) Intermittent Video Source - we added an auto-correction routine to fix SDI bit-errors, which caused the nanoFlash to unlock and report an intermittent source.

2) Fixed an occasional power-up problem when returning from Stand-By mode.

3) Fixed an LTC timecode issue with 1080p24. The fix should improve LTC for all video formats, especially on long cable runs.

4) Turned off "Read Only" status on all recorded files (this will become an option in a future release).

5) Fixed audio/video sync on Playback which was previously off by 2 frames.

6) Added screen tally option which displays a red bar on the monitor screen during recording.

Best Regards-

[Mark Job]

Hi Mike:
Great news for Nano users. This looks like a *significant fixer update. Can you gives us an ETA on the next firmware update for the XDR ?

[Piotr Wozniacki]

So it looks like those monitoring via HDMI-out will not take advantage of the recording activity bar (E to E connection is required).

Is it only temporary, or is sending this indicator to HDMI-out impossible?

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Mark

I will check today. However, it is my understanding that we have created releases for the Flash XDR and nanoFlash simultaneously.

We just need to complete the testing for the Flash XDR version, as I understand it.

[Mark Job]

Hi Dan:
OK. Thanks for the update on this information :-) I will look forward to the next firmware release.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

I will check this morning.

Have you tried it? I have checked the manual and it refers to SDI without mentioning HDMI.

[Andrew Stone]

First off, kudos to the CD team on this update. The menu organization is great. Your tweaks to the menu structure over time as you have added features still make setup straight forward for the user and keeps people in a procedural frame of mind covering off the bases as they go through the menu items.

- - - -

Knowing that I am in a minority of regular posters here that use the SDI out, I wanted to try the new firmware and do a test shoot trying out the tally bar. I did but I could not get it to show on the screen.

Activated E to E, unit triggered by camera's timecode. I will mention anyway... turned off power saving mode, tried both 1080 and 720 modes at a bitrate of 180 longGOP. In these instances, could not get the tally bar to show up at the bottom of the monitor.

The signal is going through a Decimator HD to SD downconverter. I can see the whole HD image on the SD monitor, as confirmed by my on camera HD display.

How many pixels high is the tally bar?

I'll be doing some shooting today so I will try other configurations in an attempt to get it up on the screen.

-Andrew

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Andrew,

I will set up my monitor right now and perform a test.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Piotr,

I will check this morning.

Have you tried it? I have checked the manual and it refers to SDI without mentioning HDMI.

Dear Dan,

I haven't checked yet, but in the Release Notes, I read:

- Added Screen Tally option (Video->Screen Tally), which places a red bar on the output to
indicate unit is recording. Video->E to E must be turned on for Screen Tally to work correctly.

Now, E to E only works with SDI to SDI out, right?

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Friends,

To the best of our knowledge, the Tally Bar Indicator, as output to the monitor, is not working in this Public Beta, 1.5.249.

We had this working, so we are checking it out with our engineers now.

I was not able to make it work on my setup, nor was Mike, in the lab, this morning.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

It's OK Dan - we'll wait; you're great anyways, guys!

However, please address my question:

- in the light of the above statement from Release Notes, is it at all supposed to work with HDMI-out as well?

Piotr

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

I do not have an answer yet.

I first tried to get it to work with SDI, but it does not seem to be working.

I am now setting up an HDMI monitor for a test.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Andrew,

Thank you very much for the kind words.

The Tally Bar, when working, is clearly visible in the monitor. Our engineers think we must have broken the code as we prepared the final release.

Some monitors "overscan" or "underscan". I checked it out with my Sony LMD-2450WHD monitor, using all of the scan options, and I could not see the record bar. Thus, I am confident, at this time, that it is not working in this Public Beta, 1.5.249.

We go through a very formal testing process before we put out each release. We probably did not add this new menu option to our test procedure.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

I have tested the Record Indictor feature with an HDMI monitor.

I did not see the red bar.

Of course, this does not mean much since I do not see it on the HD-SDI monitor either.

[Ernie Santella]

I couldn't get the tally to work either. I tried everything. Glad it wasn't just me.