Pre-record Caches will be available as a firmware update ?

[Chris Paporakis]

That is what I heard more than a year ago when reviews came about this camera, and was one of the main reasons I bought it.

Any one know wether there is any strength to this rumour, OR was it just some hot air marketing to sell more cameras.

[Joe Yaggi]

Chris,

Did you buy an EX1?

Joe

Originally Posted by Chris Paporakis

That is what I heard more than a year ago when reviews came about this camera, and was one of the main reasons I bought it.

Any one know wether there is any strength to this rumour, OR was it just some hot air marketing to sell more cameras.

[Chris Paporakis]

Hi Joe,

Finally bit the bullet, AWESOME CAMERA.

BUT an even more awe inspiring forum, another main reason I got the camera, finding out about those SDHC cards was the clincher for me.. Thanks everyone.

Now I just got to get this beast underwater BUT housings are ridiculously expensive :-(

What about you, did you go Z7 or EX3 ?

[Joe Yaggi]

Hi Chris,

I got the Z7 some months ago figuring my guys will need DVCAM and HDV for a few years yet to come. I'm seriously considering an EX3 now but wondering whether I shouldn't save further and get an XDCAM HD 422... Big bucks but I reckon I could probably get it back in a year or so....

Originally Posted by Chris Paporakis

Hi Joe,

Finally bit the bullet, AWESOME CAMERA.

BUT an even more awe inspiring forum, another main reason I got the camera, finding out about those SDHC cards was the clincher for me.. Thanks everyone.

Now I just got to get this beast underwater BUT housings are ridiculously expensive :-(

What about you, did you go Z7 or EX3 ?

[Joe Yaggi]

Really like to hear more about the camera though. We should get together for a beer at some point.

[Chris Paporakis]

Big step up, but it looks good.

How you finding the Z7 ?

[Chris Paporakis]

Any time your down in the big smoke, give us a bell and we'll do some Bintangs, likewise when I'm up the hill

[Joe Yaggi]

Sounds great. D and I hoping to take a bit of an xmas break. I need to chill a bit! Z7's fine. The CMOS chips need some getting used too. I understand that they allow us to achieve HD levels of image but I do think I prefer CCD. I like the look but it's a different feel, maybe just need to get used to it. Working outdoors all the time, you have to be on top of your zebras. I had to re-shoot something in Sulawesi a couple weeks back because I didn't trust the zebras and they were right!

Originally Posted by Chris Paporakis

Any time your down in the big smoke, give us a bell and we'll do some Bintangs, likewise when I'm up the hill

[Alister Chapman]

Last I heard was that the EX's will not get cache record. The XDCAM HD disc based cameras have to have a large memory buffer to deal with knocks and bumps and this buffer is used for cache record. Te EX's don't have this buffer.

The work around I use is to assign the last clip delete function to one of the buttons. I then simply let the camera roll for a minute or so. If nothing happens just use last clip delete.

[Craig Seeman]

If you look in the file metadata there's a clear reference to cache set to off. Some have speculated that the real reason Sony doesn't want the user to do the firmware upgrade is a concern that the firmware itself might be hacked to include features. At the very least you'd think they'd allow local authorized dealers do the upgrade.

I wonder if maybe it hasn't been implemented (CLEARLY they were thinking about it, so the camera should NOT be inherently incapable of it) is they found a serious potential technical/service issue. Maybe just speculation but they might have been concerned of a quick heat build up if left running for some period. One doesn't know if they were thinking of it running purely in memory or some "virtual" space on the SxS card.

Maybe this is "area 51" stuff but it does make one wonder.

[Nick Wilson]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

If you look in the file metadata there's a clear reference to cache set to off.

I have no inside information, but I am guessing that the XML schema is the same for all XDCAM projects and has a fair amount of future-proofing. XDCAM HD has cache recording (at least on the horizon) so the schema caters for it. Cache recording is clearly a possibility for future EX products, so I don't think we can read too much into it being mentioned in the metadata.

It would not surprise me to find reference to media spanning in XDCAM HD files.

Nick

[Chris Paporakis]

What a shame, was hoping to find out it may be coming in Version 12 update.

Alistair your suggestion about last clip delete a very good one, thanks.

[Nick Wilson]

Originally Posted by Chris Paporakis

Alistair your suggestion about last clip delete a very good one, thanks.

You presumably know that in the media viewer on the camera you can split a clip? Leave the camera running, then once whatever you are waiting for has happened, split the clip just before and delete the earlier part. Make sure you check where the second clip starts and that you delete the right clip - there is no undelete!