Fs-4 hd and Sony FX1 problem.

Bruce S. Yarock · June 24th, 2006, 01:56 PM

Arnaldo,
My FS 4 has yet to work well for a complete gig. If I do anything with the XL2 (change tape, standby, power down, etc.), the FS4 will not work again without going through the RITUAL. The ritual is 1-power down both 2- unplug and re plug the fire cable, then 3- power up XL2, 4- Cross your fingers and say a prayer.
And at two weddings, it failed to capture sections, even though the led looked like it was recording.....

Betsy,
The firewire repair on my ONE WEEK OLD fx1, cost me $511 plus freight!!!. Sony wouldn't cover it because I bought it NEW from a guy off ebay, not a "Sony Authorized Dealer".
Bruce S. Yarock

Brian Carrell · June 26th, 2006, 09:32 AM

I'm on my 2nd FS-4, this one upgraded to HD. I use this on my XL2 and FX1. I was told when I got my 2nd FS-4, by my dealer, to plug in camera then FS-4, and to boot the camera first, and the FS-4 secondly, and to power down the FS-4 first, then the camera. So I've been doing this for about 5 months on my XL2 and now about 3 months on my FX1 and XL2. No problems at all this time around. (a couple times the FS-4 didn't respond to camera record, so I had to initiate the startup sequence over again)

Bruce, The longest I have attempted to capture was 80min on the XL2 and about 60min on the FX1. Those went fine, but I haven't shot any more than that at one time.

Bruce S. Yarock · June 27th, 2006, 03:40 AM

Brian,
When I spoke to the support at Videonics, they told me to power up the FS4 first. That works until you want to shut down the XL2. I haven't tried a long shoot with the FX1, but I'll test it out at home.
The problem is that the FS4 somehow loses sink, or communication, with the XL2 when you deviate from jsut shooting. it's really frustrating because the last thing I want to do at a long wedding shoot is constantly babysit a hard drive.
Bruce S. Yarock

Matt McEwen · June 27th, 2006, 09:22 AM

Most times, simply unplugging and re-plugging the FireWire cable will solve the issue. For some FS-4, does loose sync with the Canon camcorders from time to time.

Matt-

Bruce S. Yarock · June 27th, 2006, 09:25 AM

Matt,.
It makes it hard to do a wedding when you have to worry about your fs4 the whole time. Btw, is the fs4 more stable on manual than synchro-slave?
Thanks
Bruce S. Yarock

Brian Carrell · June 27th, 2006, 11:30 AM

Bruce,

Yes, well, now that you mention it, and thinking carefully about it, everytime I've used the FS-4, even on the longer shoots, It's mostly recording straight through with only a couple of brief pauses, the cams never went long enough to go into standby, and I've never tried shutting the cam down, or in standby, or changing the tape, or even going into the menu. So I don't know how my unit would respond in a similar situation as you've experienced.

June 24th, 2006, 01:56 PM	#16
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	Arnaldo, My FS 4 has yet to work well for a complete gig. If I do anything with the XL2 (change tape, standby, power down, etc.), the FS4 will not work again without going through the RITUAL. The ritual is 1-power down both 2- unplug and re plug the fire cable, then 3- power up XL2, 4- Cross your fingers and say a prayer. And at two weddings, it failed to capture sections, even though the led looked like it was recording..... Betsy, The firewire repair on my ONE WEEK OLD fx1, cost me $511 plus freight!!!. Sony wouldn't cover it because I bought it NEW from a guy off ebay, not a "Sony Authorized Dealer". Bruce S. Yarock

June 26th, 2006, 09:32 AM	#17
Brian Carrell Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Santa Cruz, CA, Seattle, WA, and abroad.... Posts: 65	I'm on my 2nd FS-4, this one upgraded to HD. I use this on my XL2 and FX1. I was told when I got my 2nd FS-4, by my dealer, to plug in camera then FS-4, and to boot the camera first, and the FS-4 secondly, and to power down the FS-4 first, then the camera. So I've been doing this for about 5 months on my XL2 and now about 3 months on my FX1 and XL2. No problems at all this time around. (a couple times the FS-4 didn't respond to camera record, so I had to initiate the startup sequence over again) Bruce, The longest I have attempted to capture was 80min on the XL2 and about 60min on the FX1. Those went fine, but I haven't shot any more than that at one time.

June 27th, 2006, 03:40 AM	#18
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	Brian, When I spoke to the support at Videonics, they told me to power up the FS4 first. That works until you want to shut down the XL2. I haven't tried a long shoot with the FX1, but I'll test it out at home. The problem is that the FS4 somehow loses sink, or communication, with the XL2 when you deviate from jsut shooting. it's really frustrating because the last thing I want to do at a long wedding shoot is constantly babysit a hard drive. Bruce S. Yarock

June 27th, 2006, 09:22 AM	#19
Matt McEwen Focus Enhancements Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Campbell, CA. Posts: 508	Most times, simply unplugging and re-plugging the FireWire cable will solve the issue. For some FS-4, does loose sync with the Canon camcorders from time to time. Matt-

June 27th, 2006, 09:25 AM	#20
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	Matt,. It makes it hard to do a wedding when you have to worry about your fs4 the whole time. Btw, is the fs4 more stable on manual than synchro-slave? Thanks Bruce S. Yarock

June 27th, 2006, 11:30 AM	#21
Brian Carrell Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Santa Cruz, CA, Seattle, WA, and abroad.... Posts: 65	Bruce, Yes, well, now that you mention it, and thinking carefully about it, everytime I've used the FS-4, even on the longer shoots, It's mostly recording straight through with only a couple of brief pauses, the cams never went long enough to go into standby, and I've never tried shutting the cam down, or in standby, or changing the tape, or even going into the menu. So I don't know how my unit would respond in a similar situation as you've experienced.