Flash XDR Next Firmware Release?

[Mark Job]

Hi Dan:
When's the next firmware release for the Flash XDR ? We're currently @ 1.5.55.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Mark,

I do not have a good estimate, but my best guess is next week.

We have been testing the release and found some problems that we need to fix.

I will attempt to learn more tomorrow.

Your 1.5.55 is the same as the current nanoFlash production version 1.5.126.

[Mike Schell]

Hi Mark-
We have not forgotten our Flash XDR users. We're debugging a number of issues on the nanoFlash now, but almost ever improvement will port directly over to the Flash XDR. We'll try to get an XDR update out as soon as the new nano beta is released.

Best-

[Mark Job]

Hi Mike:
OK. Thank you for the acknowledgement. I am glad to learn you haven't forgotten us XDR users. I look forward with anticipation to the new release :-)

[Mark Job]

Hi Mike:
Perhaps now that you have released a successful firmware update for the Nano, we XDR users will be receiving out firmware update ?

[Mike Schell]

Originally Posted by Mark Job

Hi Mike:
Perhaps now that you have released a successful firmware update for the Nano, we XDR users will be receiving out firmware update ?

Hi Mark-
Yes, this should be finished shortly. We are continuing to test the nanoFlash code first. The test list is unbelievable long, especially when you consider all the video formats, bit-rates, CODECs, file formats, record modes (over/under-crank, time-lapse, pull-down removal), inputs (SDI, HDMI, analog audio), A/V sync, timecode sync, time-code sources, trigger sources (embedded, remote, etc), and so on and so forth.

Best-

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Mike Schell

Hi Mark-
Yes, this should be finished shortly. We are continuing to test the nanoFlash code first. The test list is unbelievable long, especially when you consider all the video formats, bit-rates, CODECs, file formats, record modes (over/under-crank, time-lapse, pull-down removal), inputs (SDI, HDMI, analog audio), A/V sync, timecode sync, time-code sources, trigger sources (embedded, remote, etc), and so on and so forth.

Best-

...Hi Mike:
Our Recorder will only do 3 things very well we hope. Record uncompressed, record compressed, and do time lapse. You folks are light years ahead of my little project. My recorder is half the size of a Nano btw, but now some other company has a little Mp4 recorder - but it cost $10,000.00 !!

[Mike Schell]

Originally Posted by Mark Job

...Hi Mike:
Our Recorder will only do 3 things very well we hope. Record uncompressed, record compressed, and do time lapse. You folks are light years ahead of my little project. My recorder is half the size of a Nano btw, but now some other company has a little Mp4 recorder - but it cost $10,000.00 !!

Hi Mark-
Half the size of the nanoFlash...I am impressed! It took me many months to cram everything inside the nanoFlash box.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Mike Schell

Hi Mark-
Half the size of the nanoFlash...I am impressed! It took me many months to cram everything inside the nanoFlash box.

Hi Mike: I think you would be even more impressed if it actually worked ! So would we ;-)

[Aaron Newsome]

Are there any reports on the latest XDR firmware? The forums have been kind of quiet for XDR firmware updates. I'm still running a very old firmware and I'm curious if the new update is successful.

Awaiting comments....

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Aaron,

We hope to have a Flash XDR firmware release next week.

You may wonder why there have been more nanoFlash releases than Flash XDR releases.

We have to striving to achieve "Rock Solid" reliability.

In order to get what may be the last of our reliability problems (time will tell), we were using literally hundreds of nanoFlashes to test our firmware.

We had quite a few nanoFlashes in our labs running tests, and we had around 50 nanoFlashes at a time running tests while the nanoFlashes were being heat cycled.

These 50 nanoFlashes would be replaced by another set of 50. Every single error was analyzed, then if it was related to a hardware timing issue, we kept working on the firmware until even these marginal units would work with our firmware.

What is not obvious, is that we do not have 70 or so Flash XDR's in stock to perform these exhaustive tests. Thus we were using nanoFlashes.

As soon as we finish the firmware testing on the Flash XDR's, we will release the new firmware.

We firmly believe that this exhaustive testing, attempting to find every problem, no matter how elusive, has paid off.

We have not had any reports of "Interrmittent Source" or "File Corruption" or any similar problems.

We are aware of some tweaks that we need to do concerning timecode, but these do not affect the reliability of the unit.

To be perfectly clear: If you have a nanoFlash, we wish for you to upgrade to 1.6.29.

[Aaron Newsome]

Hi Dan. I'm very encourage to hear the exhaustive testing that is happening with the CD boxes. I'll standby and wait for a rock solid release of new XDR firmware.

[Mark Job]

Hi Dan:
Yes indeed, it has been awhile since we XDR users have had a new firmware upgrade. I'm sorry, but I don't understand how testing on Nano Flashes will insure "rock solid" firmware upgrades running on another product (Flash XDR) ? I understand the software is similar between both models, however, my greatest concerns do not reside in the addition of new features, (Although new features are welcomed and appreciated) rather, in bug fixes and malfunction corrections. I'm not sure sure I understand how you can test for those by using a different model of recorder, since some malfunctions could be model specific.
Or are you saying the software running on the Nano Flash is not simular, but *Identical* to the software running on the Flash XDR. (??)

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Mark,

The code base for the nanoFlash and the Flash XDR are one, in fact they are identical.

The difference lies in the physical hardware differences between the two units, so we use conditional statements in the code to select the particular sections of code which must be different between the two devices.

[Mark Job]

Hi Dan:
OK. Understood. Since we're dealing with *Identical code,* then the CD QC tests using Nano Flashes should work well. It wasn't clear to me that the code shared between the two different SSDR's was identical.