Firmware 2.0 now available

[Jay West]

"Is there a mac update available or is it only available on a a crappy pc :)"

Well, its actually available for good PCs as well as crappy ones.

Whether and when a Mac update will be available is probably something Juan Martinez (Sony employee) should comment on.

When I downloaded the upgrade, the download came only as a "zip" file and the "pdf" instructions were expressly limited to systems running Win XP, Win Vista, and Win 7. It's been a couple of years since I've done any work on a Mac and I simply cannot recall if OS X allows you to run zip and "exe" files. I suggest you try calling Sony at the toll-free tech support number listed for the upgrade, 1-800-883-6817, and ask when (or where) you can find an upgrade that you can run from a Mac..

Should you upgrade? Look at the serial number on the bottom plate of your NX5. If you have a serial number between 110001 and 111585, Sony recommends the upgrade.

That you have not had a buffer overflow error is possibly good news or possibly no news. The buffer-overflow issue only seems to occur if you are recording 1080iFX in parallel to the SD cards and FMU. Also. some users have reported a an FMU crash/glitch after something like 30 hours of camera use and when recording only to the FMU. So far as I know, nobody has had a crash/glitch when using only the SD cards and nobody has reported a problem like this when using an AX2000 (the SD card-only version of the camera.) I've got about 60 hours use on my NX5 now, but only about 20 hours on the FMU. (The FMUs were backordered for a long time and I've only had mine for a couple of weeks.) That I did not see the buffer overflow problem might or might not be significant. Now that I've installed the upgraded firmware, I won't have any useful information on whether I would (or would not) have escaped the buffer overflow.

[Joe Goldsberry]

I tried opening the update on a mac, it didn't work. Luckily my wife has a pc for work and I was able to do the update. Shot a wedding last night with no problems at all.

Joe

[Ron Evans]

Originally Posted by Ivan George

Is there a mac update available or is it only available on a a crappy pc :)

I have the same sort of response as Jay. I am a PC user and have no problems with any of my PC's. Since most current Mac's are Intel PC's in an expensive box with restricted hardware running Mac software. The choice is really one of software. Choose the software that you want and then the hardware to run it. IF you want to use FCP then it has to be a MAC. IF you like the MAC hardware then just run Windows on it for the programs that are Windows only. For me the choice is greater on the PC, I can make my own with the components I want in the box of my choosing. ( for a lot less money).
Enough of the PC/MAC issue. I too upgraded my NX5U and it is now running just fine with two shows since Thursday with no problems. Upgrade was easy and as described in the instruction.

Ron Evans

[Steve Kass]

You can upgrade on an intel base mac through boot camp. You will have to install the Windows operating system of your choice and then at start up boot into windows or use software that will allow you to boot into windows from a mac platform.

I did upgrade my NX5u. One big downer thou the auto focus is real slow. My sr-11 auto focus is a lot faster. Will sony be able to make the auto focus on the NX5u any faster or sharper?

[Ron Evans]

An interesting observation. My NX5U autofocus is also slow and not as repeatable as my SR11 and XR500 though after the firmware upgrade it is a lot better though still not as good. Side by side in autofocus the XR500 is a lot sharper in focus. Manually focusing with the expanded focus will get the NX5U sharp but just pressing the autofocus will not do it. I will send mine back in to Sony after the next few weeks of shows finish. I really wish that the NX5U had the spot autofocus of the consumer cameras. It has the touch screen just doesn't have the rest of the features.

Ron Evans

[Allan Phan]

I shot a wedding with my two NX5U for a wedding this past Saturday after the firmware update and did not encounter any issue at all. I had my flash card as SD and my FMU128 as HD, both recorded simultaneously.

[Jeff Bradt]

Originally Posted by Allan Phan

I shot a wedding with my two NX5U for a wedding this past Saturday after the firmware update and did not encounter any issue at all. I had my flash card as SD and my FMU128 as HD, both recorded simultaneously.

That's great news Allan. Based on the experiences people had before the firmware upgrade, most people would go for hours and hours between failures. So hopefully, the cumulative experience of you, me and everyone else is the data we need to be sure the fix worked.

In my mind, I won't feel comfortable for at least a few weeks of many upgraded cams running. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

[Ivan George]

Originally Posted by Jay West

"Is there a mac update available or is it only available on a a crappy pc :)"

Well, its actually available for good PCs as well as crappy ones.

Whether and when a Mac update will be available is probably something Juan Martinez (Sony employee) should comment on.

When I downloaded the upgrade, the download came only as a "zip" file and the "pdf" instructions were expressly limited to systems running Win XP, Win Vista, and Win 7. It's been a couple of years since I've done any work on a Mac and I simply cannot recall if OS X allows you to run zip and "exe" files. I suggest you try calling Sony at the toll-free tech support number listed for the upgrade, 1-800-883-6817, and ask when (or where) you can find an upgrade that you can run from a Mac..

Should you upgrade? Look at the serial number on the bottom plate of your NX5. If you have a serial number between 110001 and 111585, Sony recommends the upgrade.

That you have not had a buffer overflow error is possibly good news or possibly no news. The buffer-overflow issue only seems to occur if you are recording 1080iFX in parallel to the SD cards and FMU. Also. some users have reported a an FMU crash/glitch after something like 30 hours of camera use and when recording only to the FMU. So far as I know, nobody has had a crash/glitch when using only the SD cards and nobody has reported a problem like this when using an AX2000 (the SD card-only version of the camera.) I've got about 60 hours use on my NX5 now, but only about 20 hours on the FMU. (The FMUs were backordered for a long time and I've only had mine for a couple of weeks.) That I did not see the buffer overflow problem might or might not be significant. Now that I've installed the upgraded firmware, I won't have any useful information on whether I would (or would not) have escaped the buffer overflow.

Thanks for the reply Jay!

[Francis Lee]

1 - How about making the link & instructions to the 2.0 upgrade a sticky so it is easy to find on the forum?

2 - I just got my cam yesterday... how can I tell if it has the upgrade &/or what ver it has?

3 - Has the upgrade done it? Fixed the buffer overflow issue or what ever it was?

thanks for any help.

[Cristian Adrian Olariu]

Good idea about the sticky note.
If you want to see the firmware number you have to read the instructions of the firmware upgrade. At some point the program will check the version of your camcorder's firmware.
I've upgraded the firmware but I don't have the FMU, I wait too for the others to share the results.

[Christopher Kou]

I just update my firmware and will be doing some testing tomorrow when I meet with a bride at the church to take location and lighting notes. I'll record a bunch and see if I get any buffer overrun problems. Hopefully not.

[Ainol Haslizan]

I am from Asia, Malaysia
I have the demo unit of nxcam serial number 000000. My nxcam is NX5P. My nxcam is the early unit of nxcam..

Should i update the firmware?

[Cristian Adrian Olariu]

Definitely you have to do it, but only if it is supported by your camcorder. You should send an e-mail to Support Center and ask them if you can update the firmware.

[Jose Bucaro]

Based on the information on Sony's website if your serial number is higher than 111585 you do not need to upgrade the firmware. Units with serial numbers higher than 111585 are not affected.

Has anyone upgrade it with a higher serial number?
If they did, are there any issues?

Thanks

[Jay West]

I believe that NX5 cams with serial numbers above 111585 already have the 2.0 software and that is why they do not require the upgrade.