I just got a 16gb P2 card in the mail for my P2 Store (AJ-PCS060), and the Pansonic updates have been confusing, in terms of being able to use the 16gb with the new firmware update.

I am using a MacBookPro, I have the USB cable...

Any tips or direct links? I read somewhere to download the P2 Store first...? Is that right?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Cheers,
Justin Connor

Do I need an update for the HVX 200 Camera itself for use with the 16gb card?

Depending on when you brought your P2Store and your HVX200 camera, you may be able to use it with 16GB P2Card without updating the firmware. If yours is purchased before June this year, you will have to update the firmware of BOTH the P2Store and HVX200 camera. Check your firmware and see what version it is - anything less than version 2 - you have to update.

It is really very easy to update the firmware ... I have no problems at all. Just follow the instructions on Panny's website.

Justin,

Serial numbers starting with "E7" on the HVX200 going forward already have the updated firmware; if your HVX200 has a serial previous to that you'll need to update the firmware.

All P2 devices (with exception to the HPX500) will need the firmware updated in order to use the 16GB & 32GB cards. The P2 Store requires using a USB cable connected to a PC in order to update it's firmware.

Instructions for each P2 device and it's firmware are on the Panny site.

Robert,

I think Justin's problem stems from the fact he is using a Mac - not a PC. All of Panny's instructions are for PC - and some of them are PC specific only. Not so easy for a layperson to translate the PC only instructions for use on a MAC.

I update my HVX202 (PAL version) via a SD card. I have used a Mac before too - and if you stick a removable media in, the Mac OS adds lots of hidden folders in. It might confuse the camera's firmware updater if the SD card does not contain ONLY the folders that it wants to see.

Yeah that's the problem I'm having -- no instruction for a Mac on Panny's site.

They sent me the 16 gb card recently so i wanted to update my P2Store, and it's not making sense...I've downloaded what I need from them, but the Mac doesn't even have the application(s) to run them because I think the files are for PC.

Now I realize I have to update my HVX as well...?

Arrrgh.

Living in Los Angeles, I may just take a trip over to the Panny repair place and beg them. I want to get the P2 Store up and running with the new card, and this seems especially complicated....probably because there's no release notes on Mac ;)

Anyone on Mac (10.4.10 OS - Mac BookPro) who's having similar issues?

Thanks for your help guys.

J

Justin, it's actually really simple. Just read the instructions.

I personally just copy the firmware to a small SD card and install it from that.

Gene...

The problem is trying to upgrade a P2 Store with a Mac. Not the HVX.

P2StoreManager, when used with a MacBook Pro, doesn't "see" the P2 Store. And there's no available documentation from Panasonic or elsewhere as to how this can be done.

If anyone has the instructions on how to upgrade the firmwre of a P2 Store using a Mac or MacBook Pro, could they please post it here? Preferably the actual instructions, and not a URL that leads to another link, etc.

Thank you in advance!

Hi all,

I agreed with Dean. I have played with the Mac OS - and there is NO way to update the P2 Store with the Mac (a few weeks ago). All the programs and instructions Panny provides only work on the PC.

I am not sure if the following software might help in updating the P2 Store with a Mac - since I no longer have a Mac - I can't test it out.

https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/sales_o/p2/cms/index.html

This version does have both a PC and a Mac software. Dean and Justin could download the Mac version and check that out? Thanks.

Justin,

Your best option will be to take both your camera and P2 Store to Panny's service centre and ask them to upgrade the firmware for you.

TS

That's what I just read on the Panny website.

So, basically, I have a new 16gb card, and I can't update the firmware for my P2 Store on my MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo, 10.4.10 until the Autumn in order to be able to use it?

Is that right?!?

Anyone else have any help in this regard......basically anyone who's using a Mac, has a 16gb card and has found a way to use it in conjunction with the P2 Store with a Mac Book Pro 10.4.10, like me?

Curious...thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Justin

Justin,

The easiest thing to do for now is to "borrow" the use of any PC and at least get the update completed on the P2 Store. I don't own a Store so I don't track it's usability but that would seem to be a "get it down now" simple option.

Justin,

I agree with Robert. Use a PC / Windows and upgrade your P2Store - why wait for the Mac software to be ready - when you can do it now ...?

Similiar problem. I can't seem to copy the new firmware to a freshly formatted SD card from my camera. I've tried in OS X 10.4.10 and on Windows XP SP2 with P2 Store software installed. It won't let me access the SD card to drop files on. The SD cards show up fine in Windows whenever I want to drop the firmware update on it I get " The Disk is Right Protected " Any ideas? I'm using a MacPro with Windows and Mac OS X.

Jeff,

I suspect it might MacOS interference. Can you try that on a pure PC (desktop / notebook) using a SD card reader/writer? Actually, you don't need P2Store software to perform the upgrade of firmware this way - but, no harm installing it as well.

Things to check -
a) Did you accidentally engage the write tab on the SD card?
b) Is your SD card reader/writer faulty? Contacts no good? Try using another SD card to test.
c) I found you don't have to format it on the camera. You can do that under Windows as well. Try it - use FAT format.
d) Very important - make sure you copy the ENTIRE path given in Panny's ZIP folder into the SD card. If you just drill down to the firmware itself - the camera will complaint.

Thanks, going to get a new SD card to try and see if that helps. Since you mentioned formatting the card in Windows, I really want to try that before driving across town. The other 3 SD cards I have were formatted by the camera and are locked out from being formatted by the computer for some reason. Tabs unlocked. If that doesn't help looks like I'll be making a Sunday trip to the office to try a true PC.

The $20 Fix. After going through the motions for a couple hours the noted clues given by TingSern Wong. A final solution has been worked out. For non-PC owners, Intel Mac Users. Do as follows and you will be successful in updating your firmware.

First DO NOT format SD card in Camera. Format via the computer in "FAT" file format. Or in my case, all my SD cards were locked out. So I went out and bought a $20 Generic SD card kit with card reader. Didn't even format it, just used its default format.

Donwloaded the firmware update with correct directories. Unzipped and placed the "PRIVATE" folder and all other folders within on new SD card.

Placed in the HVX200 and went into MCR mode, Operation, Update. Reads files just fine, takes a few minutes for the update to complete.

Note this was done on a Mac Pro Quad 2.66 Intel OS 10.4.10

Thanks to all, just downloaded some new scene files in attempts to get some varicam characteristics. I'll be putting them on my new card.

Enjoy,

I never heard of Windows not being able to format a disk drive other than using a h/w lock - like the SD tab. It might give you some warnings - but, if you force it, it will format. It sounds like you might have one of these problems -

a) faulty SD card reader/writer
b) faulty SD card itself
c) faulty USB slot
d) bug in Windows? - most unlikely
e) You got locked out - no Administrator rights?

I am so glad you got this off your chest ... perhaps you might want to upgrade your P2 Store (if any) using Windows then? As it stands today, there is no way to upgrade the firmware of the P2 Store using a Mac.

Now that you mention faulty SD Card Reader the other one I have might only be 1.1 USB versus 2.0 - wondering if that had something to do with it. As of right now I have 5 gigs of SD cards that are still locked out. Logged in as Admin. Maybe I'll try reformatting them in the camera since I have the new firmware and see if that's the bug. Otherwise my camera is happy and ready to go.

Thanks again,

Jeff,

I tried to simulate your problem here - format a SD card (Sandisk 1GB) in my HVX202 (PAL version), remove the SD card from camera, put that SD card into my media reader, connected to my PC - and I can still reformat that SD card. In short, I can't see where your problem lie. USB1.1 and USB2.0 only affects the speed of the data transfer - not the format. I have doubts it will affect that formatting at all - only you might have to wait much longer to format it under USB1.1 than it would have under USB2.0.

Try enabling "Quick Format" instead of letting Windows verify the entire SD card?

TS