Camera crash during firmware update! at DVinfo.net

Scott Harper · October 15th, 2007, 04:22 PM

OOOOPS! I accidently powered off my camera while doing a firmware update and now my camera won't turn on properly. What a moron I am! Anyway, can anyone out there let me know if there is a trick to reseting the camera(GY-HD100)back to factory settings so I can try this again or does it have to go into JVC now?

Scott Jaco · October 16th, 2007, 02:11 AM

There was another guy a while back that powered down the camera before the update took. He had to send it to JVC to get it fixed.

You must wait about 6 minutes and for the audio LED's to blink unisen at 1 sec intervals to know the update is complete. Pull out the SD card and the camera reboots itself.

Lesson learned, don't update the firmware unless you need to. If you are not having the FCP split clip problem during capture, don't update the camera. It's too risky.

Richard Jolly · October 16th, 2007, 05:09 AM

When an HD201 sequence would not play back (see separate post on HD201 today), JVC in London recommended updating two of the firmware modules, which I duly did successfully and with great care, reading the instructions all through before starting. What was not in them and what I stupidly omitted to do was remove the tape first. At some point during the process the tape door opened, sadly without unthreading first, so the faulty recording was also physically damaged. Luckily it was sitting in the fault area so no more was lost - but spooling by hand is such a bore.

Paul Jefferies · October 16th, 2007, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Jolly

...reading the instructions all through before starting. What was not in them and what I stupidly omitted to do was remove the tape first.

When I got an email upgrade last week, the JVC UK guy told me specifically not to leave a tape in the machine. Maybe its as a result of hearing about problems like the one you had, so at least they're updating their instructions when they find out about a potential problem

Scott Harper · October 16th, 2007, 08:31 AM

Just talked to JVC and they told me that there is a good chance that I have to toss the camera. Can you believe it! Who would have thought that a simple thing like this would smoke the entire camera. Boy, what an expensive lesson learned. Anyone out there who is thinking of updating firmware on their own better make sure you follow the instructions to the T, not like the moron who's now out 6k.

Robert Yarosh · October 16th, 2007, 01:26 PM

JVC can usually recover a camera that has corrupted firmware, but you will have to send it to them to get it done, and there might be charges involved. I would guess someone at JVC has a twisted sense of humor if they told you you'll have to trash your camera, and meant it. Didn't you hear the laughing in the background?

Jim Andrada · October 16th, 2007, 03:08 PM

Wow! I can't believe that you could toast a camera by messing up a firmware update. Even having to send it to JVC for repair sounds unbelieveble.

We make tape libraries for computers, not cameras, but I can assure you that we spend days if not weeks trying every way we can to screw up a firmware upgrade and if we succeed, nothing ships until it gets fixed. There is no excuse in this day and age for any type of product whatsoever to need any more than a power on reset regardless of how hard the user tries to screw up a firmware update. This is about the most fundamental concept there is.

Scott Harper · October 16th, 2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

There is no excuse in this day and age for any type of product whatsoever to need any more than a power on reset regardless of how hard the user tries to screw up a firmware update. This is about the most fundamental concept there is.

True dat, baby! It makes absolutely no sense. Can you imagine having to throw out your computer because you screwed up your software download!

Scott Harper · October 16th, 2007, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Yarosh

JVC can usually recover a camera that has corrupted firmware, but you will have to send it to them to get it done, and there might be charges involved. I would guess someone at JVC has a twisted sense of humor if they told you you'll have to trash your camera, and meant it. Didn't you hear the laughing in the background?

Trust me Robert, there's no laughing going on here. He's the head tech there and he said he's already seen it happen a few times before and the only possitive sign in my case, if there is one, is that my tape door still opens- which, he says, shows some sign that the CPU is still talking to the camera. But he still reiterated "Don't get your hopes up."

Jim Andrada · October 16th, 2007, 09:06 PM

It's equally inconceivable that they couldn't just replace the CPU - after all, they have to install a CPU when they build the camera. It doesn't mysteriously grow in there like the human brain - it's a part that someone installs.

Even if the user doesn't power down during a firmware update there's always the possibility that power (battery or AC) could fail during an update. Not covering this possibility is defective engineering, pure and simple.

Scott Harper · October 16th, 2007, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

Even if the user doesn't power down during a firmware update there's always the possibility that power (battery or AC) could fail during an update. Not covering this possibility is defective engineering, pure and simple.

Couldn't agree more, Jim. If I'm going down on this one with my own dime, it's kickin' and screamin' the whole way!

Scott Jaco · October 16th, 2007, 11:00 PM

I had no idea you could actually permanently damage the HD100 in this fashion.
I guess I'm really lucky my upgrade went OK. Still, I should have used a battery instead of the AC adapter in case of a power failure.

If it's this dangerous, JVC should not be allowing consumers to do their own upgrades. This is completely insane!

I remember flashing the BIOS on my desktop computer with a new version but it didn't take for some reason. I was able to go to another computer, download the old version, put it on a floppy boot disk and re-flash the bios, thus saving me from buying a new motherboard.

It's just software. Granted, it may require a tech to get into the guts of the camera to do it, there is just no excuse for JVC to tell you that you've just made a 5K paperweight!

Do you have equipment insurance for your gear? I would suggest using it.

Steven Thomas · October 17th, 2007, 06:34 AM

First of all, this is almost to hard to believe!
I think I would of started laughing at the tech.
This is the most rediculous thing i've ever heard.

Why can't he reset to put the system into a ready state for download?
If it will not do this via software, everything I ever worked on was able to via dipswitch or jumping connections.

OK, if he can't manage that simple task, how about replacing the component PCB at fault?
I'm sorry but I work with this type of stuff for a living.....but junk the whole camera.....oh please............

October 15th, 2007, 04:22 PM	#1
Scott Harper Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 119	Camera crash during firmware update! OOOOPS! I accidently powered off my camera while doing a firmware update and now my camera won't turn on properly. What a moron I am! Anyway, can anyone out there let me know if there is a trick to reseting the camera(GY-HD100)back to factory settings so I can try this again or does it have to go into JVC now?

October 16th, 2007, 05:09 AM	#3
Richard Jolly New Boot Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ballymena, NI Posts: 6	WARNING Tape chewed during update When an HD201 sequence would not play back (see separate post on HD201 today), JVC in London recommended updating two of the firmware modules, which I duly did successfully and with great care, reading the instructions all through before starting. What was not in them and what I stupidly omitted to do was remove the tape first. At some point during the process the tape door opened, sadly without unthreading first, so the faulty recording was also physically damaged. Luckily it was sitting in the fault area so no more was lost - but spooling by hand is such a bore.

October 16th, 2007, 01:26 PM	#6
Robert Yarosh New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 7	I can't believe it JVC can usually recover a camera that has corrupted firmware, but you will have to send it to them to get it done, and there might be charges involved. I would guess someone at JVC has a twisted sense of humor if they told you you'll have to trash your camera, and meant it. Didn't you hear the laughing in the background?

October 16th, 2007, 02:11 AM	#2
Scott Jaco Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 471	There was another guy a while back that powered down the camera before the update took. He had to send it to JVC to get it fixed. You must wait about 6 minutes and for the audio LED's to blink unisen at 1 sec intervals to know the update is complete. Pull out the SD card and the camera reboots itself. Lesson learned, don't update the firmware unless you need to. If you are not having the FCP split clip problem during capture, don't update the camera. It's too risky.

October 16th, 2007, 08:31 AM	#5
Scott Harper Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 119	Just talked to JVC and they told me that there is a good chance that I have to toss the camera. Can you believe it! Who would have thought that a simple thing like this would smoke the entire camera. Boy, what an expensive lesson learned. Anyone out there who is thinking of updating firmware on their own better make sure you follow the instructions to the T, not like the moron who's now out 6k.

October 16th, 2007, 03:08 PM	#7
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Wow! I can't believe that you could toast a camera by messing up a firmware update. Even having to send it to JVC for repair sounds unbelieveble. We make tape libraries for computers, not cameras, but I can assure you that we spend days if not weeks trying every way we can to screw up a firmware upgrade and if we succeed, nothing ships until it gets fixed. There is no excuse in this day and age for any type of product whatsoever to need any more than a power on reset regardless of how hard the user tries to screw up a firmware update. This is about the most fundamental concept there is.

October 16th, 2007, 09:06 PM	#10
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	It's equally inconceivable that they couldn't just replace the CPU - after all, they have to install a CPU when they build the camera. It doesn't mysteriously grow in there like the human brain - it's a part that someone installs. Even if the user doesn't power down during a firmware update there's always the possibility that power (battery or AC) could fail during an update. Not covering this possibility is defective engineering, pure and simple.

October 16th, 2007, 11:00 PM	#12
Scott Jaco Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 471	I had no idea you could actually permanently damage the HD100 in this fashion. I guess I'm really lucky my upgrade went OK. Still, I should have used a battery instead of the AC adapter in case of a power failure. If it's this dangerous, JVC should not be allowing consumers to do their own upgrades. This is completely insane! I remember flashing the BIOS on my desktop computer with a new version but it didn't take for some reason. I was able to go to another computer, download the old version, put it on a floppy boot disk and re-flash the bios, thus saving me from buying a new motherboard. It's just software. Granted, it may require a tech to get into the guts of the camera to do it, there is just no excuse for JVC to tell you that you've just made a 5K paperweight! Do you have equipment insurance for your gear? I would suggest using it.

October 17th, 2007, 06:34 AM	#13
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	First of all, this is almost to hard to believe! I think I would of started laughing at the tech. This is the most rediculous thing i've ever heard. Why can't he reset to put the system into a ready state for download? If it will not do this via software, everything I ever worked on was able to via dipswitch or jumping connections. OK, if he can't manage that simple task, how about replacing the component PCB at fault? I'm sorry but I work with this type of stuff for a living.....but junk the whole camera.....oh please............