does SONY do custom mods to its cameras ? at DVinfo.net

John Jay · May 24th, 2003, 06:30 PM

same question over on chanel 2

does SONY do custom mods to its cameras ?

Im thinking more electronic/digital over physical

Ken Tanaka · May 24th, 2003, 09:11 PM

It probably depends. How many hundred cameras are you planning to buy?

There was a rumor that modifications to the audio of the VX2000 were made for a large BBC purchase a while back. Regardless, though, I doubt that any manufacturer would find it worthwhile to modify chip-level programming for any single customer. It's just too expensive.

Why did you ask such a question?

John Jay · May 25th, 2003, 08:09 AM

Thanks Ken

I guess the answer is maybe nada

I just want some tweaks doing that I see are possible from reading the service manuals

Wayne Orr · May 25th, 2003, 01:51 PM

Sony won't do it, but you might find a technician who knows what he's doing with a RME95 (I think) which is the instrument they attach to the camera to do the modifications you are talking about.

This is what the Sony techs used when the fiddled with the camera set-ups when David Lynch shot a Playstation commercial with the PD150.

Boyd Ostroff · May 25th, 2003, 02:16 PM

Take a look at this page on bealecorner http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/rm95.html for info on the RM-95. Sony's website lists it for $78 (go to http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/service/homepage.htm and enter part number J6082053B), not a bad deal if you need this functionality. Has anybody played with one of these?

Using the regular remote on Sony TV's you can punch in the following key sequence [PWR OFF], [DISP], [5], [VOL+], [PWR ON] to get into service mode where lots of parameters can be adjusted (warning this can screw up your TV if you're not careful!). I wonder if such a "magic cookie" exists on the regular wireless camcorder remotes?

Rob Lohman · May 26th, 2003, 07:11 AM

The BBC has indeed modified their VX2000's for better sound.
There is a shop in the UK that you can contact to have your own
VX2000 modified as well

More info on this thread and this thread.

John Jay · May 26th, 2003, 11:44 AM

W, B & R thanks

For sure the RM95 is an essential if you own a sony cam, Ive had a RM95 for about 6 years, however this is a case where in addition to the right tools you have to have inside information on the best codes as well as checksum data and the service manuals are geared for factory setting rather than tweaking

Someone made a RM95 for next to nothing to get hex dump and changes to cam memory. Even one with a panic button in case things go wrong like a cam lock-up !

The NVRAM (page 0D) has been pretty well explored

see these links

http://www.uwasa.fi/~f76998/video/dv/codes/

http://lea.hamradio.si/~s51kq/DV-IN.HTM

however the area im interested in is pages 0F & 0E where all the juicy stuff is like colour matrix, exposure gain, back focus adjustment, etc, which is the tweak area that D Lynch probably used.

May 24th, 2003, 06:30 PM	#1
John Jay Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: US & THEM Posts: 827	does SONY do custom mods to its cameras ? same question over on chanel 2 does SONY do custom mods to its cameras ? Im thinking more electronic/digital over physical __________________ John Jay Beware *PLUGGER-BYTES*

May 24th, 2003, 09:11 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	It probably depends. How many hundred cameras are you planning to buy? There was a rumor that modifications to the audio of the VX2000 were made for a large BBC purchase a while back. Regardless, though, I doubt that any manufacturer would find it worthwhile to modify chip-level programming for any single customer. It's just too expensive. Why did you ask such a question? __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 25th, 2003, 08:09 AM	#3
John Jay Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: US & THEM Posts: 827	Thanks Ken I guess the answer is maybe nada I just want some tweaks doing that I see are possible from reading the service manuals __________________ John Jay Beware *PLUGGER-BYTES*

May 25th, 2003, 01:51 PM	#4
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	Sony won't do it, but you might find a technician who knows what he's doing with a RME95 (I think) which is the instrument they attach to the camera to do the modifications you are talking about. This is what the Sony techs used when the fiddled with the camera set-ups when David Lynch shot a Playstation commercial with the PD150. __________________ Wayne If it was easy, they'd get a relative to do it.

May 26th, 2003, 07:11 AM	#6
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	The BBC has indeed modified their VX2000's for better sound. There is a shop in the UK that you can contact to have your own VX2000 modified as well More info on this thread and this thread. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 25th, 2003, 02:16 PM	#5
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Take a look at this page on bealecorner http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/rm95.html for info on the RM-95. Sony's website lists it for $78 (go to http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/service/homepage.htm and enter part number J6082053B), not a bad deal if you need this functionality. Has anybody played with one of these? Using the regular remote on Sony TV's you can punch in the following key sequence [PWR OFF], [DISP], [5], [VOL+], [PWR ON] to get into service mode where lots of parameters can be adjusted (warning this can screw up your TV if you're not careful!). I wonder if such a "magic cookie" exists on the regular wireless camcorder remotes?

May 26th, 2003, 11:44 AM	#7
John Jay Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: US & THEM Posts: 827	W, B & R thanks For sure the RM95 is an essential if you own a sony cam, Ive had a RM95 for about 6 years, however this is a case where in addition to the right tools you have to have inside information on the best codes as well as checksum data and the service manuals are geared for factory setting rather than tweaking Someone made a RM95 for next to nothing to get hex dump and changes to cam memory. Even one with a panic button in case things go wrong like a cam lock-up ! The NVRAM (page 0D) has been pretty well explored see these links http://www.uwasa.fi/~f76998/video/dv/codes/ http://lea.hamradio.si/~s51kq/DV-IN.HTM however the area im interested in is pages 0F & 0E where all the juicy stuff is like colour matrix, exposure gain, back focus adjustment, etc, which is the tweak area that D Lynch probably used. __________________ John Jay Beware *PLUGGER-BYTES*