My 1 month old HD100 was used today on its first paying job recording two 60 min tapes in SD. After an hour I noticed a a white pixel showing just right of centre on the LCD screen. Thinking this was on the LCD I thought I can't be bothered to send it back just for that.

When I got back to base and played the footage on the BVM monitor there it was again, Aaghhhh! And thats with the gain on low!! Has anyone else had this? Are these CCDs prone to this so early in their life?

Out comes my trusty DSR500 from retirement!

Tim

Tim, I'm seriously considering this camera after reading the DV magazine review and a review by Rodney Charters. Do you have an "A" camera or a previous version? I'm wondering if the hot pixel issue is a problem with the "A" camera as well.
It seems they've addressed the SSE, however?

You'll need to use the pixel mask routine. I've had to do it once and haven't done it again since...

Tim, I'm seriously considering this camera after reading the DV magazine review and a review by Rodney Charters. Do you have an "A" camera or a previous version? I'm wondering if the hot pixel issue is a problem with the "A" camera as well.
It seems they've addressed the SSE, however?


It doesn't matter what firmware you have.

It's to bad it happened during a shoot, but it takes less than 3 minutes to cure.

Tim, I'm seriously considering this camera after reading the DV magazine review and a review by Rodney Charters. Do you have an "A" camera or a previous version? I'm wondering if the hot pixel issue is a problem with the "A" camera as well.
It seems they've addressed the SSE, however?

It's a problem that's not unique to the JVC.

Eric,
Mine is the "E" model, don't think there are any "A" units as such in Europe. The US/Jap version came out first so I think the problems were sorted by the time the Euro model came out.

I know dead pixels can happen in any CCD cam, but not this early surely? I can't find any reference to Pixel Mask in the manual, or am I looking in the wrong place? The only mention in the manual of “white dots” says to move the camera somewhere cooler. Fat lot of help that is!!

Is it in the service menu, and if so how do you get to it? Will it resurrect a dead pixel or I suppose as the name suggests just disguise it with content from surrounding pixels?

Another thing I noticed on the BVM playback, I maybe I am just being very picky, but I notice on lighter parts of the picture there is very faint evidence of a grid pattern. I have only noticed this on DV recordings so far which is another reason I have wondered about the CCDs. If I playback footage form another camera the affect isn’t there. The BVM is connected via component to the DVCAM deck. Any ideas?

Cheers
Tim

The HD 100 I tested a couple of weeks ago was an "A" model. It had the little "A" sticker on the Ser. No. plate.

Apparently our tests got delayed because JVC in Germany were doing quality control checks on the brand new demo camera. I assume they're doing this with all the European cameras.

Tim,
You can shoot me an email at: proaudio4@cox.net
I will give you the needed information.
We are not allowed to post this type of info here.
Also, please bare in mind you have to take full responsibility
for accessing the service menu.

Having said that, it's as easy as selecting the option and executing....
very simple. You can leave your lens cap on, but the process automatically closes the aperture for you.

I'm not sure how JVC is actually implementing this feature. I can only imagine it's interpolated from the nearby pixels.

The HD 100 I tested a couple of weeks ago was an "A" model. It had the little "A" sticker on the Ser. No. plate.

Apparently our tests got delayed because JVC in Germany were doing quality control checks on the brand new demo camera. I assume they're doing this with all the European cameras.


Notice any SSE on the "A" model, Brian. I'm on the verge of buying the HVX but I'd like to get feedback from anyone using the "A" camera. I'm really on the fence with this one. Incidentally, Tim, sorry for the thread jack.

Notice any SSE on the "A" model, Brian. I'm on the verge of buying the HVX but I'd like to get feedback from anyone using the "A" camera. I'm really on the fence with this one. Incidentally, Tim, sorry for the thread jack.

Have you shot both cameras? If you're so frightened of SSE that you'll toss yourself off a pier if you ever get it in any situation then I'd say go for an HVX because you'll never get it.

In my case, I'd toss myself off a pier if I came back with a bunch of out of focus stuff. That's why I'm selling my HVX (feel free to make an offer, I bought it at EVS) and bought a HD-100. It's a MUCH easier camera for me to shoot. I like the picture quality, the shoulder mount and the fact that I can keep moving objects in focus using the the viewfinder or LCD. IMPOSSIBLE (for me) on the HVX. If you cruise the "other forum" which no longer discusses anything but Panasonic and Red you'll see an AWFUL lot of talk regarding the extra $1200+ you're about to spend on a portable external monitor to check focus. Now start adding P2 cards, a P2 Store, and/or a laptop and you're going to realize what I realized. You aren't shooting an HVX without a crew and the image is arguably not as good as the HD-100 in many/most circumstances.

But the focus thing is what drove me friggin' right off the edge of the pier finally.

I'm wondering if the hot pixel issue is a problem with the "A" camera as well.
It seems they've addressed the SSE, however?

There is no hot pixel issue. This is something that can occur on any camera. Just be glad JVC included a routine (as with all professional cameras) to quickly mask the pixel.

BTW, dead pixels on CCDs are usually caused by gamma rays. This typically happens when shipped on an airplane, especially when flight paths are near the North Pole.
I sent one of my cameras out on a job a few months ago. It flew to Australia, then to Hong Kong, then back to Canada. When I got it back it had one more dead pixel so I had to run the pixel compensation routine. No biggie.

Notice any SSE on the "A" model, Brian. I'm on the verge of buying the HVX but I'd like to get feedback from anyone using the "A" camera. I'm really on the fence with this one. Incidentally, Tim, sorry for the thread jack.

Eric,

We had a hiccup with the test, the camera died on the last day and the tape was still inside the camera. It's gone back to JVC and we haven't got it back yet.

It was a new camera, so I'm taking it as: if something goes wrong, chances are it'll be in the first 12 hours of use. I've told the producer if he's going to buy one of the HDV type cameras run a burn in at least a couple of weeks before the shoot. I've had this problem with a couple of Minolta meters, blew in the first day or so, had the part replaced and been in use for 10 years without a problem. Also, I haven't heard large numbers complaining online, so it doesn't seem to be that common.

Looking at a SD monitor I didn't see any SSE, even at + 18db, but I'm planning to get some frame grabs to have a better look (when I get the tape back). However, I think it's something that seems to vary from camera to camera. Looking at the HD 100 review mentioned in another thread, running a SSE test at + 18 db against defocused green seems to be the way to check your camera.

Other than the hiccup, I really liked the camera. Although, if we go for it, I'd push for the Fujinon wide angle. Tim's tests are really useful, since we couldn't test either the W/A or the 2/3" adapter.

Eric,
Just to put on record, despite the dead pixel issue in the first few hours of use, so far I have seen no SSE and in every other respect this is a very good camera which I am very happy with. I agonised over the choice of a "budget" HD camera and after much research and looking at the specs of the Sony, JVC and Pana, I opted for the HD100 and don't regret it.

Despite the many advantages of the detachable lens and 720p over 1080i etc, it was only a 100 quid more than the Sony which after all is based on a high end domestic camera. My cameraman friends all opted for the Sony and tried to make me do the same, but they now only use theirs where they would have used their PD150/170s previously. I wanted to get away form the small DV look and when converted down to SD the pics on the JVC look very good. The colour is not quite as rich but otherwise compares very well with Digibeta. The Sony has a more advanced conversion engine and a useful feature to enlarge the LCD image to assist focus but otherwise the JVC is more of a cameraman’s cam. It seems after Sony has dominated broadcast and pro video for so long that JVC have done their homework to break that monopoly.

Just be mindful of a few who consider 720p as inferior to 1080i based purely on the number of lines. As all who have looked into this more deeply will know, this is not the case, but that’s another thread!

Cheers
Tim

Awesome. Thanks for the input everyone. It will help me in making my final decision.

As those who have gone before have said correctly, the dead pixel fix is not irreversible and not endemic to JVC. It's fixable and once done, you have an awesome unit. We're shooting 6 of them and putting them through rough paces most people will never approach with no problem. It's a hit or miss deal. Fix it, be done with it and, like like the man said, "Don't worry; Be happy"!

Eric,

. I wanted to get away form the small DV look and when converted down to SD the pics on the JVC look very good. The colour is not quite as rich but otherwise compares very well with Digibeta.

Cheers
Tim

what method/software are you using to convert to SD?

Hi Brian,

Quite basic really, play HD out of the JVC through the component connectors in SD and record in on a Sony DSR45 to DVCAM. I can edit the HD using Canopus Edius 3.6 and use it to convert HD to SD as well. The Sony as I understand will allow you to playout HD recordings in SD through the firwire unlike the JVC.

Cheers
Tim

I wanted to get away form the small DV look and when converted down to SD the pics on the JVC look very good. The colour is not quite as rich but otherwise compares very well with Digibeta

-----------------------------------------------------

...play HD out of the JVC through the component connectors in SD and record in on a Sony DSR45 to DVCAM.

Tim,

That is where you are losing some of your ability to keep the color looking like digibeta. DVCAM is the same 4:1:1 color space and 5:1 compression as mini-dv. If you could get a HD capture card that downconverts to an SD codec such as DVCPRO50, you might not be able to discern the difference without very close examination.

-gb-

Greg,

I see what you mean though I am using PAL so it's 4:2:0 as compared to Digibeta/DVCPRO50/D9 4:2:2. But then again HDV is also 4:2:0 (in Europe as is DVD/DVB etc) and this is why I said apart from the richness in colour the look of HDV (the JVC anyway) downconverted to SD is close to Digibeta. Surely, if the HDV codec is 4:2:0 then an expensive capture card will show very little difference?

HDV is also much more compressed than DV/DVCAM, I can't remember the excact figure but I think it's something like 14:1 compared to Beta SX which also uses MPEG II which is 9:1 at 18Mbs. This is far more than DVCAM at 5.1 at 25 Mbs so I won't loose due to the DVCAM compression ratio, although it could add artifacts due to re-encoding.

Cheers
Tim

Hi everyone!

Im new to the forums although I've been silent particpant for a while. I just recieved my HD100 am already in love with it. NO SSE WHATSOEVER. But, there is a nice white dead/stuck pixel in the lower left side of the image. Its on the flip out monitor and shows up after I dump the footage on to my mac. It shows up even at 0 gain. I am working on a shoot this week, so if anyone could shoot me an email at variable_101@hotmail.com and send instructions for the "service menu fix" I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks, and I am glad to be here; the people here are great!

Yup, much to my horror I discovered a dead CCD pixel on my new HD100.. thankfully I saw this post and feel a little more relieved. I've emailed Steven Thomas for the info. Thanks.

Just to report back concerning my dead pixel issue. The service menu fixed it, although I had to do it twice because the first time cured the original dead pixel but a new curiously appeared!

However, last week a colleague and I did some HD tests on a beach with clear sunny skies, comparing the HD100 with the Z1. I was playing around with the manual iris setting on the lens. I shot 30 secs or so with the iris just open. The CCDs were by now were quite warm. When I got back and played the footage back downconverted to SD on a grade one monitor through component, I saw a very faint SSE. I have read on this forum before that this may well still be evident under certain conditions so I put it down to that and not unduly worried, just yet! But I would be interested to know if JVC UK/Europe have a similar policy of upgrading like JVS US has done for this same SSE issue.

Tim

Just a few notes..
The JVC upgrade does not fix the SSE issue, you must send it in to JVC to get calibrated.

Also, before you map pixels out, you need to let your camera warm up. I left mine on for about 40 minutes before mapping.

thanks for the email with the instructions! I shot quite a bit today and have not noticed the dead pixel in any of the footage- yet. Im using a different scene file- Tim Dashwoods CineWide, so im not certain if this has an impact at all or not. All I have to say is that I am LOVING what is coming out.

Right, Steven. The update to revision A does not have any effect on what people call SSE. New manufacturing techniques have taken care of that. If it is detected, we would like to take care of that for any US owner.

By the way, if anyone does send in a camera to have SSE addressed, be sure to indicate exactly the camera settings under which you saw it. Such as frame rate, gain settings, iris setting, and any coloration if noiticed. It matters.

It looks like all who need the pixel blemish proceedure on this thread have it. If any one needs it, I am at kfreed@jvc.com

And yes the camera should be warm. The blemish must be a certain brightness (really electronic level) for the software to detect it. And blemishes do get brighter as the camera warms. Put a blanket over it and let it warm up. We do not recommend placing the camera in a microwave oven however. That would be a bad thing.

Thanks, Ken... I'm sure that JVC doesn't recommend slow-roasting an HD100 over an open fire, as Andy Young did in Madagascar (just because it worked for him, doesn't mean it'll work for everybody -- but if you're going to do it I'd suggest charcoal over propane any day).

We do not recommend placing the camera in a microwave oven however. That would be a bad thing.

Somehow I feel this would void the warranty :)

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie to the forum, but so far its been a great source of info. I found this thread related to the dead pixel problem. I just received my HD100 and within 20 minutes of use, I got a white hot pixel in the upper right corner of the screen. If anyone can get me instructions on how to fix that via the service menu, I would appreciate it. craig@alwaysbetterproductions.com Thanks very much.

- Craig

Right after I posted that last message, Ken Freed sent me the instructions. Thanks.

- Craig

Hi Everyone,
Pictures do not do justice to this beautiful looking camera.

I just received my HD101E and within few minutes of use, I got a white hot pixel in the down-left corner of the screen. If anyone can get me instructions on how to fix that via the service menu, I would appreciate it.
Thank you very much.

Johnnie