... and pretty much forgot to tell anyone about it, I suspect. :-)

See here: Software Downloads - Sony ANZ Professional And Broadcast FTP (http://www.saus.com.au/downloads#B89mSjr)

It was a pleasant surprise to find this when I was merely searching for the v1.12 update which fixes the vertical chromatic aberration issue. The newer firmware was issued on Monday. I have no idea what the additional improvements are.

After applying the firmware update, I checked in the OTHERS --> System --> Format menu and there is still no XAVC option as far as I can see.

Yea, I was hopeful.

Andrew

I was thinking of upgrading my PMW-300s firmware this last week (it's still on the original) but I've more or less decided to wait until the XAVC update is available (especially since I've had no noticeable chromatic aberration issues with my unit at all).

Unless Sony tell us why they are doing these "little tweaks" I'd rather stick with a proven firmware than update it, especially since I'll need to use the 300 on a big job starting next week.

My EX3 (sold at the beginning of this year) was actually still running the "launch firmware" - and proved to be a totally rock solid camera!

If it ain't broke and all that...but when XAVC becomes available, then I can see a good reason to consider that (assuming Sony are not going to do anything silly like charging big money for it). But hopefully it will be free...

I really wish sony would be more forthcoming with info on this xavc release. Its not just you 300 owner ops that are holding their breath.

All I was told at BVE in London back in late Feb was "mid-summer"...

... and pretty much forgot to tell anyone about it, I suspect. :-)

See here: Software Downloads - Sony ANZ Professional And Broadcast FTP (http://www.saus.com.au/downloads#B89mSjr)

It was a pleasant surprise to find this when I was merely searching for the v1.12 update which fixes the vertical chromatic aberration issue. The newer firmware was issued on Monday. I have no idea what the additional improvements are.

After applying the firmware update, I checked in the OTHERS --> System --> Format menu and there is still no XAVC option as far as I can see.

Yea, I was hopeful.

Andrew

I was thinking of upgrading my PMW-300s firmware this last week (it's still on the original) but I've more or less decided to wait until the XAVC update is available (especially since I've had no noticeable chromatic aberration issues with my unit at all).

Unless Sony tell us why they are doing these "little tweaks" I'd rather stick with a proven firmware than update it, especially since I'll need to use the 300 on a big job starting next week.

My EX3 (sold at the beginning of this year) was actually still running the "launch firmware" - and proved to be a totally rock solid camera!

If it ain't broke and all that...but when XAVC becomes available, then I can see a good reason to consider that (assuming Sony are not going to do anything silly like charging big money for it). But hopefully it will be free...

Really! Have you guys even downloaded and looked into the release note? Obviously not, let me post it here:

Major functions updated with V1.2
Video Formats
PMW-300K1/K2 is compatible with the format of XAVC intra- frame (XAVC-I).
• “exFAT” is added for the selectable items of “F.Sys.” in “System” of the OTHERS menu.
• “XAVC-I” is added for the selectable items of “Format” in “System” of the OTHERS menu in exFAT Mode.

Sorry Andy for my previous typing, I am not at home but San Francisco now, doing some visiting and business but was a bit of pissed off. It is good for me to know about it too, but I have to wait till next monday to get back and do it, which could be another reason for my over-eagerness.

Well that is good news! Pity it was pointed out so rudely...but I am still delighted to learn that. Been a very busy week.

But bottom line, one would have thought Sony would have made a bit of a song and dance about this much anticipated release...

Edit: OK, no problem Meng. These things happen. Thanks for giving us the correct information and the apology/re-edit of your post.

Oh, we have to read documentation? :-P

I managed to miss the release notes PDF file as I grabbed .bin file from the unzipped files. I have some exploring to do.

Andrew

One critical test is if the SDXC adapter (MEAD-SD02) can be used in XAVC-I mode. Also, are all other formats available during exFAT mode? If so, this would mean you can theoretically record HD422 to SDXC cards now. We won't know until a test.

I'm assuming you cannot select XAVC unless it's in exFAT mode, but I may be wrong.

Formatted a 64GB SxS1 card to Fat32 mode in the camera. XAVC format options then become available (but not in the UDF mode).

And the recording capacity of the card is now down to one hour.

Shot a very short test file in 25p and Media Player Classic's properties function gives the following results:

General
Format : MXF
Format profile : OP-1a
Format settings : Closed / Complete
File size : 243 MiB
Duration : 16s 400ms
Overall bit rate : 124 Mbps
Encoded date : 2014-05-24 12:35:29.000
Writing application : Sony Mem 2.00
Writing library : Sony Mem 2.00

Video
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High 4:2:2@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format_Settings_Wrapping : Frame
Duration : 16s 400ms
Bit rate : 114 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : Component
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:2
Bit depth : 10 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 2.193
Stream size : 225 MiB (93%)
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio #1
ID : 3
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format_Settings_Wrapping : Frame (AES)
Duration : 16s 400ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel count : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 2.25 MiB (1%)

(other audio streams not included in this posting ... but you get the idea)

No idea about how it would work with the adapter as I don't have one. My guess would be that Sony would want to software lock this to the SxS cards only because of their reliability. Don't need to risk the possibility of wildcard 3rd party issues messing with the reputation of your future-of-the-industry codec platform.

Andrew

I did the upgrade

All I see in the Sony US page is v1.12.

Sony Australia is much more advanced. Download from: Software Downloads - Sony ANZ Professional And Broadcast FTP (http://www.saus.com.au/downloads#B89mSjr)

XAVC is waiting for you. :-)

Andrew

Of course with the Oz-based firmware, all your images will be upside down, it coming from Down Under and all...

Too bad you can't use MPEG HD422 on exFAT. Looks like you still need to be in UDF (which is not SDHC or SDXC compatible) to use 50mbps. Looks like the Intra options will not have 1080/60p or 50p. (Also, where's 24p? is that in NTSC?)

If the long GOP options lack 1080/60p, then it won't be worth it for me to get a 300.

Does FCP7 support XAVC ?

Jack, I don't believe the camera itself supports 1080/60p or 50p.

Andrew

If the long GOP options lack 1080/60p, then it won't be worth it for me to get a 300.

I read somewhere, and I think it was re-quoted on this forum by someone, that a Sony spokesman had stated that the PMW-300 chips were incapable of outputting 50/60p at 1080.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Alright, my EX1R has at least another year of non-obsolescence. When the PXW-X280 comes out though, (with 1/2'' 1080p60 capable chips) that's when I move on.

Hmm,

So it looks like the new version for the 400 is out down under as well but we can't get it from the sony us website. Can any of the long time ops here tell me if it is the same software or if I should avoid touching builds released to other countries.

Geoff

Hmm,

So it looks like the new version for the 400 is out down under as well but we can't get it from the sony us website. Can any of the long time ops here tell me if it is the same software or if I should avoid touching builds released to other countries.

Geoff

Yes, I'm very interested in this information.

You really should proceed with extreme caution here. Installing firmware from 'down under' will probably require you to rotate your shot footage 180° in post, prior to editing.

Andrew :-D

I'd heard in the past that the delay in firmware showing up on the US website is usually caused by the US tech guys giving it an extra QC/test cycle before posting it.
So it's probably not an issue -- unless there's a problem with it. So it depends whether you think the extra test time is worth waiting for...

In all seriousness, I think the real testing would happen before Sony in Japan issues a new firmware. The one version of a model comes out of their factories, and the firmware upgrades would apply wherever you are in the world.

Not that I am too worried, being a PMW-300 owner on the latest firmware that delivers XAVC functionality as a free upgrade.

Andrew

If Sony fails to release a perfect firmware upon its release, it would be a millions of bucks of loss. So I wouldn't be surprised, and would almost be delighted if I find such a thing, then I would be happy to short sell some Sony stocks at some point, grabbing some money into pocket while being able to vent my anger at any of their uncooperative staff for bricking my machine. isn't it good? :p

The other problem I could think about, is that the largest XQD-S card is only 64G, 2 slots only makes a 2-hour recording in total. I searched online but did not find any of larger ones. Will any manufacturers launch any of those later?

Yes, this would give support to the notion of larger card capacities. You can get 128GB SxS cards, but it's triple the price ... which is probably why nobody in Australia stocks them.

Much better to have two of the 64GB cards as you can hot swap between recording slots, and have an assistant shunt the data from one card as you are recording on the other.

Andrew

Do SXS pro + cards work with Pmw-300

I can't imagine why they wouldn't. They are practically the same card, but with higher read and write speed capacities, as well as a better guarantee on the read/write cycle lifespan of the card.

Andrew

Just checking prior to loading v1.20 in my new PMW-300 tomorrow that there are no bugs anyone has found? Running smooth in XAVC?

I've been shooting on XDCAM 50Mbit only since the upgrade (not having the need for XAVC yet). Humming along beautifully as far as I can tell.

Andrew

I was shooting today in around 100 degree weather and I got my first high temp warning, camera recorded fine but boy did it get hot.

Was this in XAVC mode?

Mine has got noticeably warm after all day use recently (which also - very briefly - involved filming inside huge walk-in industrial ovens in a factory!), judging by the warm air coming out of the top vent cover. But that was in 50Mbps mode.

Never seen a high temp warning though - at least not yet - but then it rarely gets hot in England! (nicely warm at the moment though).

Just updated my firmware to v1.20. Takes some time for it to go through phase 1 and 2.

Sun's out so off to shoot some test clips about town to see that everything is still how I want it - I seem to remember that sometimes a new camera firmware can wipe any user settings/tweaks (like when I recently upgraded my C100) - but so far I think this one has not.

I doubt I'll try shooting XAVC just yet (as my current main editor CS6 does not support it - but I may be moving to CC and FCPX in a couple of months when I plan to get a new Mac Pro).

BTW mods. There seems to be no less than 3 threads on PMW-300 firmware in various sub-sections within this part of the forum. Maybe some consolidation is needed?

Thanks Andy that is good news.

XAVC is great I have been using it on the F55 since last Nov.

Be careful with PP CC and a new Mac Pro if the OS is still 10.9.3. This is a major bug that crashes PP CC often and locks the machine up. But in a few months I sure hope that is solved. Ah, the bleeding edge.

Thanks for the tips Paul.

For those that don't know, after this firmware update you have THREE options in the Menu>Others>System settings:

UDF
exFAT
FAT

XAVC option is available in the exFAT area (after a reboot, once selected). It will also then ask you to reformat any SxS-1, SxS-Pro etc. cards in the camera - if they were formatted in one of the other options of course.

Good point showing where it is Andy,

I tell you once you try XAVC you will not go back. Really nice to edit and the 10 bit is worth it.

I can't remember if I put my test file in to CS6 Premiere Pro or not. It definitely plays back on my computer, though.

Andrew

No it was in 50 mbps mode, and yeah we were in Las Vegas which was very hot yesterday.





Was this in XAVC mode?

Mine has got noticeably warm after all day use recently (which also - very briefly - involved filming inside huge walk-in industrial ovens in a factory!), judging by the warm air coming out of the top vent cover. But that was in 50Mbps mode.

Never seen a high temp warning though - at least not yet - but then it rarely gets hot in England! (nicely warm at the moment though).

Thanks for the updated info Brent. Let's hope you don't see that warning too often!

Andrew, everything I've read tells me XAVC is not natively supported in CS6 (although some 3rd party pug-ins might support it) but XAVC is supported in CC.

Sodding Adobe!

Just recorded an XAVC file and placed it in to Premiere CS6 ... lovely shade of green.

So ... it doesn't work in this version. Drat.

Andrew

Is there a PDF that goes with this in English for directions? Just want to double check?

Yes, it's within the compressed file set that you download and unzip.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew I missed it thinking English was not there. I really have to stop working on three computers at one time.

Easy update thanks for the help.

1/2" Canon KH10ex3.6 lens just arrived will be a nice match for the PMW-300

The update is now on the Sony US site. I downloaded the file, but haven't installed it yet.

So...
I downloaded the zip file.
Now what?

Glen,

In the zip file is an english pdf that gives all the directions needed to do the update.