F70: No embedded audio on HD-SDI input?

Thierry Humeau · March 8th, 2009, 04:45 PM

Guys.... try updating the firmware first. There were some HD-SDI timing issues that prevented certain hardware to see HD-SDI embedded audio until the firmware reached the 1.93 version. Firmware upgrades are free, easy to download and to install. And the good thing is that they only improved things, there is no downside in upgrading the firmware, it's all good.

Thierry.

Andy Mees · March 8th, 2009, 07:43 PM

Ben, thanks mate, it definitely seems to be an MXO 1 thing. I've now tested with multiple HDSDI embedded audio sources including a bulk standard signal generator, a second F70, a variety of other decks and an MXO2. All provide an embedded audio signal that can be recognised by the F70. Only the MXO 1 fails the test.

Thierry thanks for the sage advice. I'll test the F70 today with the newer firmware versions and see if thats a combo that plays nicely with the MXO.

Regards
Andy

Andy Mees · March 8th, 2009, 11:56 PM

Ack ... very frustrating!

I've now upgraded one of the F70's to v1.93 but it didn't make any difference. Still no embedded audio signal recognised from the HD SDI output of the MXO. Same result with an F75. Nada.

Fed the exact same signal from the MXO into a HDW-M2000 HDCAM deck (and indeed every other deck or device in our ingest rack) and the embedded audio is recognised without issue.

So is it the MXO output or the F70/F75 input? Both seem to work just fine apart but definitely don't work together. The issue has now been passed to Sony (HK) so will see if they can shed any light.

If anyone out there has or has access to both an MXO and a PDW HD1500 deck then I'd love to know if you have any joy with that combination ... would like to ascertain whether this is a universal incompatibility between the MXO and any XDCAM HD device or specific to the F7x series.

Cheers all
Andy

Andy Mees · March 9th, 2009, 04:53 AM

Thierry
Again thanks for your advice on the recent firmware upgrades applicability to HDSDI audio issues. Although version 1.93 didn't help with the ongoing issue I'm having with the MXO's output/F70's input it does however fix a different issue I've been having with the F70's non standard HDSDI embedded audio output. Prior to the upgrade, embedded HDSDI audio from the F70 could not be captured into our EDIUS via its HDBX1000 hardware (bizarrely the box could accurately monitor the audio but would refuse to capture it). The workaround was to patch the F70's HDSDI audio output into an HDCAM deck and then take the passthrough from that deck which seemed to standardize the signal, after which it could be captured into the EDIUS just fine. Now with the 1.93 firmware the direct HDSDI audio output from the F70 is working great with the EDIUS HDBX1000 box. A frustrating day on the input side but with at least a little unexpected bonus on the output side.
Again thanks ... upgrading to 1.96 tonight to see where that takes things.
Best
Andy

Thierry Humeau · March 9th, 2009, 09:30 AM

Andy,

I am glad you are at least getting some improvement out of the firmware upgrade. In the case of AVID hardware not working with HD-SDI, Sony said at the time that there was something in the AVID hardware HD-SDI audio timing that was non-standard thus preventing the deck from seeing it. Both companies eventually worked this probrem out with a combination of firmware and software patches. I suspect you may be experiencing a similar case with the MXO hardware.

Thierry.

March 8th, 2009, 04:45 PM	#16
Thierry Humeau Telecam Films Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Washington DC Posts: 723	Guys.... try updating the firmware first. There were some HD-SDI timing issues that prevented certain hardware to see HD-SDI embedded audio until the firmware reached the 1.93 version. Firmware upgrades are free, easy to download and to install. And the good thing is that they only improved things, there is no downside in upgrading the firmware, it's all good. Thierry. __________________ Thierry Humeau, DoP Télécam Films www.telecamfilms.com

March 8th, 2009, 11:56 PM	#18
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Specific MXO / F7x incompatibility? Ack ... very frustrating! I've now upgraded one of the F70's to v1.93 but it didn't make any difference. Still no embedded audio signal recognised from the HD SDI output of the MXO. Same result with an F75. Nada. Fed the exact same signal from the MXO into a HDW-M2000 HDCAM deck (and indeed every other deck or device in our ingest rack) and the embedded audio is recognised without issue. So is it the MXO output or the F70/F75 input? Both seem to work just fine apart but definitely don't work together. The issue has now been passed to Sony (HK) so will see if they can shed any light. If anyone out there has or has access to both an MXO and a PDW HD1500 deck then I'd love to know if you have any joy with that combination ... would like to ascertain whether this is a universal incompatibility between the MXO and any XDCAM HD device or specific to the F7x series. Cheers all Andy

March 9th, 2009, 09:30 AM	#20
Thierry Humeau Telecam Films Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Washington DC Posts: 723	Andy, I am glad you are at least getting some improvement out of the firmware upgrade. In the case of AVID hardware not working with HD-SDI, Sony said at the time that there was something in the AVID hardware HD-SDI audio timing that was non-standard thus preventing the deck from seeing it. Both companies eventually worked this probrem out with a combination of firmware and software patches. I suspect you may be experiencing a similar case with the MXO hardware. Thierry. __________________ Thierry Humeau, DoP Télécam Films www.telecamfilms.com

March 8th, 2009, 07:43 PM	#17
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Ben, thanks mate, it definitely seems to be an MXO 1 thing. I've now tested with multiple HDSDI embedded audio sources including a bulk standard signal generator, a second F70, a variety of other decks and an MXO2. All provide an embedded audio signal that can be recognised by the F70. Only the MXO 1 fails the test. Thierry thanks for the sage advice. I'll test the F70 today with the newer firmware versions and see if thats a combo that plays nicely with the MXO. Regards Andy

March 9th, 2009, 04:53 AM	#19
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Thierry Again thanks for your advice on the recent firmware upgrades applicability to HDSDI audio issues. Although version 1.93 didn't help with the ongoing issue I'm having with the MXO's output/F70's input it does however fix a different issue I've been having with the F70's non standard HDSDI embedded audio output. Prior to the upgrade, embedded HDSDI audio from the F70 could not be captured into our EDIUS via its HDBX1000 hardware (bizarrely the box could accurately monitor the audio but would refuse to capture it). The workaround was to patch the F70's HDSDI audio output into an HDCAM deck and then take the passthrough from that deck which seemed to standardize the signal, after which it could be captured into the EDIUS just fine. Now with the 1.93 firmware the direct HDSDI audio output from the F70 is working great with the EDIUS HDBX1000 box. A frustrating day on the input side but with at least a little unexpected bonus on the output side. Again thanks ... upgrading to 1.96 tonight to see where that takes things. Best Andy