Buffer overrun error at DVinfo.net

Randy Johnson · July 12th, 2014, 08:07 PM

Anyone get this little gem? I got it 3 times in the past month. Twice tonight. I didnt start getting it until I started using the FMU 128 I have 2 theory's 1. the camera requires more bandwidth when doing a dual record or 2. These are new cards rated at 40 mps but they may not be keeping up. The good news is it hasnt hurt me yet as im recording I get a buffer overrun error then a screen that says revocering video all I lose is the the clip I was currently shooting which as of yet hasnt been important. I think I may back off my quality from 1080p to 1080i the lower data rate should give it some headroom.

Peter Rush · July 13th, 2014, 05:22 AM

Hi Randy - I also use the FMU128 and dual record to Transcend class 10 SD cards - I've never had this issue in over 50 wedding shoots or so (average 120GB/shoot at 1080p). If you are shooting non-repeatable events, an error that includes 'recovering video' would scare the pants off me. Sounds like it might be a fault?

Randy Johnson · July 13th, 2014, 06:47 AM

I wonder if theres a speed test for SD cards?

Chris Harding · July 13th, 2014, 06:57 AM

I really do like the Transcend cards too! Never had an issue but I had 4 Sandisk Class 10's (2 were 45mbps and 2 were 90 mbps) and they also started to play up. I now use them on my two Nikon D90's and they seem to be fine but I wouldn't use those again on my Sony cameras!

What brand cards are you using Randy??

Randy Johnson · July 13th, 2014, 01:08 PM

I use sandisk ultra plus 40 mps but after some research someone else had a similar issue and it turned out the be the fmu-128, kinda makes sense.

Chris Harding · July 13th, 2014, 07:48 PM

That's a little scary! A SSD drive should be 100% reliable ..I assume you will send it back to the supplier. Gosh an SSD should never experience a buffer overflow as it writes data at lightning speed.

As Pete says he has done 50 weddings on his FMU so that must be a faulty unit I guess??

Chris

Randy Johnson · July 13th, 2014, 07:56 PM

Its hard to return if im not sure its the issue, I think I need to call Sony first.

Chris Harding · July 14th, 2014, 12:04 AM

Hi Randy

Keep us informed about the issue please?? You might want to try just one thing?? Find an older say, Class 4 card and put the camera into 180 50P mode so it's running at the highest bitrate and see if you get the buffer error. It's hard to know if the card or FMU is causing the error but if the error doesn't say "Buffer Overflow in FMU" but only "Buffer Overflow" it still could be that the card cannot keep up with the data the camera is sending it so the buffer fills up .... I would certainly first put a "slow card" into the camera and see if the error is more frequent ...a class 4 with the FMU and the camera in PS mode should in theory overflow the write buffer and bring out the error and in theory the FMU should be way, way faster to write than a class 10 card would be.

Chris

Randy Johnson · July 14th, 2014, 09:35 PM

Chris,
If it is the FMU I dont think its a case of "spec" as it is with "failure" it may just have a issue.

Chris Harding · July 15th, 2014, 12:32 AM

Hi Randy

In dual mode the camera feeds the FMU and the card via two hardware buffers .. sorta like a storage tank for each so the card/FMU can write the data while more data is coming in and the buffers store it so the writing device is not overwhelmed with data. Hence the name "buffer"

I would very much doubt whether the FMU couldn't keep up with the data stream, even at 28 mbps BUT a card that's slower than rated could easily choke and I have had first hand experience with the Sandisk Ultimate 16GB cards giving me weird issues but Transcend doesn't. That's why I use the Sandisk in my Nikons only now.

I bet if you put a Class 4 card in the camera you would get an overflow but an SSD like the FMU writes data way too fast to be bogged down.

Chris

Randy Johnson · July 15th, 2014, 04:44 PM

Well im not so sure about that, one test I ran when I first got it was I totally filled a card on a job and I wanted to see what it would do. When the card filled the recording stopped until I removed the card then the FMU continued.

Randy Johnson · July 19th, 2014, 08:26 PM

Happend again tonight twice after an hour or so of shooting. The second time the camera locked up til I did a cold restart. I am almost sure its the FMU after the second failure (they both happend right after each other) I pulled the FMU and the rest of the night went fine.

Chris Harding · July 19th, 2014, 09:10 PM

Hi Randy

If it occurs only with the FMU installed and never with just a card only I think you have discovered a faulty FMU ... I would send it back for replacement now. Peter has never had an issue so it seems you have a faulty unit ..it's under warranty so tell them about the error and get them to replace it. At that price you deserve a brand new one.

That is a scary scenario and you certain would expect the card to maybe fail and certainly not the FMU!!

Chris

Randy Johnson · August 1st, 2014, 07:12 PM

ok I got my new FMU today I am going to try it tomorrow but I was thinking. How can I tell which firmware version I have? I thought I had the latest but the camera says 1.0 and could that have something to do with it?

Chris Harding · August 2nd, 2014, 05:22 AM

Cool ... I don't think the firmware will make any difference ..send a PM to Peter Rush and see if he has updated his firmware and if it affects the FMU ?? I doubt it though!!

Let us know how it works and if your problem goes away??

July 12th, 2014, 08:07 PM	#1
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Buffer overrun error Anyone get this little gem? I got it 3 times in the past month. Twice tonight. I didnt start getting it until I started using the FMU 128 I have 2 theory's 1. the camera requires more bandwidth when doing a dual record or 2. These are new cards rated at 40 mps but they may not be keeping up. The good news is it hasnt hurt me yet as im recording I get a buffer overrun error then a screen that says revocering video all I lose is the the clip I was currently shooting which as of yet hasnt been important. I think I may back off my quality from 1080p to 1080i the lower data rate should give it some headroom.

July 13th, 2014, 05:22 AM	#2
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Buffer overrun error Hi Randy - I also use the FMU128 and dual record to Transcend class 10 SD cards - I've never had this issue in over 50 wedding shoots or so (average 120GB/shoot at 1080p). If you are shooting non-repeatable events, an error that includes 'recovering video' would scare the pants off me. Sounds like it might be a fault?

July 13th, 2014, 06:47 AM	#3
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error I wonder if theres a speed test for SD cards?

July 13th, 2014, 06:57 AM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Buffer overrun error I really do like the Transcend cards too! Never had an issue but I had 4 Sandisk Class 10's (2 were 45mbps and 2 were 90 mbps) and they also started to play up. I now use them on my two Nikon D90's and they seem to be fine but I wouldn't use those again on my Sony cameras! What brand cards are you using Randy??

July 13th, 2014, 01:08 PM	#5
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error I use sandisk ultra plus 40 mps but after some research someone else had a similar issue and it turned out the be the fmu-128, kinda makes sense.

July 13th, 2014, 07:48 PM	#6
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Buffer overrun error That's a little scary! A SSD drive should be 100% reliable ..I assume you will send it back to the supplier. Gosh an SSD should never experience a buffer overflow as it writes data at lightning speed. As Pete says he has done 50 weddings on his FMU so that must be a faulty unit I guess?? Chris

July 13th, 2014, 07:56 PM	#7
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error Its hard to return if im not sure its the issue, I think I need to call Sony first.

July 14th, 2014, 12:04 AM	#8
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Buffer overrun error Hi Randy Keep us informed about the issue please?? You might want to try just one thing?? Find an older say, Class 4 card and put the camera into 180 50P mode so it's running at the highest bitrate and see if you get the buffer error. It's hard to know if the card or FMU is causing the error but if the error doesn't say "Buffer Overflow in FMU" but only "Buffer Overflow" it still could be that the card cannot keep up with the data the camera is sending it so the buffer fills up .... I would certainly first put a "slow card" into the camera and see if the error is more frequent ...a class 4 with the FMU and the camera in PS mode should in theory overflow the write buffer and bring out the error and in theory the FMU should be way, way faster to write than a class 10 card would be. Chris

July 14th, 2014, 09:35 PM	#9
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error Chris, If it is the FMU I dont think its a case of "spec" as it is with "failure" it may just have a issue.

July 15th, 2014, 12:32 AM	#10
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Buffer overrun error Hi Randy In dual mode the camera feeds the FMU and the card via two hardware buffers .. sorta like a storage tank for each so the card/FMU can write the data while more data is coming in and the buffers store it so the writing device is not overwhelmed with data. Hence the name "buffer" I would very much doubt whether the FMU couldn't keep up with the data stream, even at 28 mbps BUT a card that's slower than rated could easily choke and I have had first hand experience with the Sandisk Ultimate 16GB cards giving me weird issues but Transcend doesn't. That's why I use the Sandisk in my Nikons only now. I bet if you put a Class 4 card in the camera you would get an overflow but an SSD like the FMU writes data way too fast to be bogged down. Chris

July 15th, 2014, 04:44 PM	#11
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error Well im not so sure about that, one test I ran when I first got it was I totally filled a card on a job and I wanted to see what it would do. When the card filled the recording stopped until I removed the card then the FMU continued.

July 19th, 2014, 08:26 PM	#12
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error Happend again tonight twice after an hour or so of shooting. The second time the camera locked up til I did a cold restart. I am almost sure its the FMU after the second failure (they both happend right after each other) I pulled the FMU and the rest of the night went fine.

July 19th, 2014, 09:10 PM	#13
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Buffer overrun error Hi Randy If it occurs only with the FMU installed and never with just a card only I think you have discovered a faulty FMU ... I would send it back for replacement now. Peter has never had an issue so it seems you have a faulty unit ..it's under warranty so tell them about the error and get them to replace it. At that price you deserve a brand new one. That is a scary scenario and you certain would expect the card to maybe fail and certainly not the FMU!! Chris

August 1st, 2014, 07:12 PM	#14
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	Re: Buffer overrun error ok I got my new FMU today I am going to try it tomorrow but I was thinking. How can I tell which firmware version I have? I thought I had the latest but the camera says 1.0 and could that have something to do with it?

August 2nd, 2014, 05:22 AM	#15
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Buffer overrun error Cool ... I don't think the firmware will make any difference ..send a PM to Peter Rush and see if he has updated his firmware and if it affects the FMU ?? I doubt it though!! Let us know how it works and if your problem goes away??