Error on new CF with new Nanoflash

[Jeff Willis]

Hello, my first post with a new Nano , new cards(Sandisk Extreme) and a pristine EX1. I am sound recordist by trade but seem to be pulled into running a second unit camera. I have started testing the Nano and cards and I have got an error message at the begggining on one of the cards from Win 7 when trying to import.

InitialIy , I set the camera to TC trigger mode and left it running over two cards. The phone started ringing........

After quite some time I came back to the camera which has stopped recording , took out the cards and you know the rest. I took the offending card out of the PC , re - formatted it, squirted a minute of footage on it and it transfered OK .

Ok, one would not normally leave a camera but I would like to know what caused the error. Sudden time code cessation ? Incidentally, Win7 explorer offered the Skip error option which I tried . The transfer started again but Win Explorer reckoned the import time would be over 24 hours.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Jeff,

Welcome to DVInfo.net!

Did you format your CompactFlash card in the nanoFlash prior to starting to record?

Formatting the card before recording is most important.


What Bit Rate did you use? This is in Video|Bit-Rate.


If you record at 35 Mbps, your footage will be 4:2:0.

If you record at 50 Mbps or above your footage will be 4:2:2, which of course is better quality, but requires a more sophisticated software program to play the footage.

What program are you using to play the footage?



Since you are using a PC, the Sony XDCam View, Version 2.30 is an excellent program to play your footage.

Here is the link to the Sony XDCam Microsite:

Sony | Micro Site XDCAM

For viewing the nanoFlash’s MXF files on PC’s,
I highly recommend the Sony XDCam Viewer Version 2.30

Under Product Firmware and Setup Utilities:

Click on Legacy XDCam Applications

Download the Sony XDCam Viewer, Version 2.30

Install the software.


Of course there are other Non-Linear Editors to edit your footage.


Tips: After you transfer your footage to a PC or a Mac, reformat the card in the nanoFlash before recording more footage.

Mac's and Window's Vista and 7 write files back to the CompactFlash card which interfere with the nanoFlash's ability to record properly.

Also, formatting on a PC does not automatically format the card in the correct format for the nanoFlash.
Just to be perfectly clear, always format your CompactFlash cards in your nanoFlash.

If you send me a Private Message, click on my name to the left of this post, and I will email you all of my phone numbers.

We try hard to provide 24/7 support.

[Jeff Willis]

Dear Jeff,

Welcome to DVInfo.net!

Thank you.

Did you format your CompactFlash card in the nanoFlash prior to starting to record?

1/ Yes.
Formatting the card before recording is most important.


What Bit Rate did you use? This is in Video|Bit-Rate.

2/ I tested the full 180 Long Gop to see if my Quad running CS5 would handle it


If you record at 35 Mbps, your footage will be 4:2:0.

If you record at 50 Mbps or above your footage will be 4:2:2, which of course is better quality, but requires a more sophisticated software program to play the footage.

What program are you using to play the footage?

3/ On previous tests I have run it on CS5


Since you are using a PC, the Sony XDCam View, Version 2.30 is an excellent program to play your footage.

4 / Ok , I will upgrade soon.

Here is the link to the Sony XDCam Microsite:

Sony | Micro Site XDCAM

For viewing the nanoFlash’s MXF files on PC’s,
I highly recommend the Sony XDCam Viewer Version 2.30

Under Product Firmware and Setup Utilities:

Click on Legacy XDCam Applications

Download the Sony XDCam Viewer, Version 2.30

Install the software.


Of course there are other Non-Linear Editors to edit your footage.


Tips: After you transfer your footage to a PC or a Mac, reformat the card in the nanoFlash before recording more footage.

Mac's and Window's Vista and 7 write files back to the CompactFlash card which interfere with the nanoFlash's ability to record properly.

5/ Ok will do.

Also, formatting on a PC does not automatically format the card in the correct format for the nanoFlash.
Just to be perfectly clear, always format your CompactFlash cards in your nanoFlash.

If you send me a Private Message, click on my name to the left of this post, and I will email you all of my phone numbers.

Thanks for that, will do.


I have tried this process again . First CF , no problem. The second card using Win Explorer has come up with an error pointing an IO problem ( In out , if I remember) I have ticked the Windows skip box and it has completed with no more error messages. Incidenatally. I have swapped the CF cards around.. .so the cards are not at fault ,

6/
First,
I need to upgarde my Sony Browser and see if the same footage will go over error free, The only problem I have here is that clients turn up with Laptops wanting just a straight transfer.

I am using the CF USB reader that came with the new Nano. I am going to try this ingest using a different USB input on the back of the PC.



We try hard to provide 24/7 support.
__________________
Dan Keaton
Augusta Georgia
Dan Keaton is online now Report Post Reply

[Jeff Willis]

Ok , got it.

I have done three tests on my PC tower and one on a I Mac - all fine.

A faulty surface mounted USB port - gathering dust probably. I groan.

Sorry about that.

Jeff

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Jeff,

No problem at all.

We are here to help.

DVInfo.net is wonderful place to get help on a wide variety of gear.

Of course, we provide individualize support, 24/7.

Please send me a Private Message and I will send you my phone numbers and email address.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Jeff, nice to have you here on this Forum.

Dan is right that formatting card in the nanoFlash decreases probability of corruption issues, but the fact is that in certain situations, you just cannot avoid formatting on the PC. For example, when shooting a very long time event and taking advantage of hot-swapping cards - you will offload the full card, and in order to continue recording to it when the other one gets full, you must empty it and format on the PC.

With good quality CF cards, this can work without problems. Also, I can recommend a free utility that allows formatting to FAT32 with 32k cluster size, even under Vista or Windows 7; it's called GuiFormat and you can Google it out.

Piotr

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Friends,

We do more than just format the CompactFlash cards when you format it in the nanoFlash.

After testing the card to help ensure that it is compatible, we build a special file that helps us speed up operations. This file is not built when you format a card in the PC, and during Hot Swapping, we do not currently build this file on the fly.

At this time, if you are wanting to use Hot Swapping, we expect you to have enough cards for the length of your shoot, and have them pre-formatted in the nanoFlash.

If your shoot is important, please do not format the cards in a PC or Mac, then start recording on them in the nanoFlash. They must be formatted in the nanoFlash.

Yes, there may be some specialized circumstances where this might work, but it would depend on the speed of the card, and the bit-rate of your recording. We strongly advise against this practice.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

With good quality CF cards, this can work without problems.

That's why I said the above, Dan :)

And of course - when the long-time recording is finished, and the nanoFlash can be used for formatting - after offloading clips I always format my cards in it before the next use....

Piotr

[Jeff Willis]

Thank you for the welcome Piotr (and you Dan).

I have not formatted the cards on a PC but would have been tempted to for the long shoots.
Hmmm, the bottom line is I can't afford to to take any chances here.

Trying to think of an event where we would need to run all day without stopping - nothing is coming into mind so I will worry about the expense if an offer comes in.

Is there any porblem mixing and matching Nanoflash pre formatted CF cards - a Sandisk Extreme 32Gb in one slot and a Delkin 32Gb UDMA 450x in the other - would the continous/seamless A/B slot recording be affected here ? I don't suppose I will ever go above 100 Mbs recording speed. .

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Jeff,

There is no problem mixing cards, provided you use a Bit-Rate for the slowest speed card.

Your Delkin 450x card is rated for 220 Mbps in the nanoFlash.

So, just use 220 Mbps or less if you use both cards.