nanoFlash and FS100 Questions

Didier Perrichon · February 18th, 2013, 04:12 AM

Over 18000 views about "nanoFlash and FS100."
And finally, an unfulfilled promise.

I wonder if C D has not committed a strategic mistake ...

Didier

Jack Zhang · February 18th, 2013, 11:46 AM

I know an FPGA expert and if he can create from scratch an open source firmware for the nanoFlash with that built in, I believe that'll make people happy.

All he needs to know is a complete teardown of the nanoFlash so he can program for that specific processor.

Joerg Eberhardt · February 19th, 2013, 09:16 AM

Since 2 years no update. Over 9 month at the startside they say "Firmware Update Coming Soon",
but nothing happens.

Is this a sign that convergent is insolvent?

I'm losing confidence in this company.

Jack Zhang · February 19th, 2013, 02:31 PM

Well, by making an alternative open source firmware, the community can solve the problem and just let Convergent's focus on the new Gemini line be.

No one has posted a teardown of the nanoFlash yet, so once that is up, a skilled FPGA programmer may be able to make an open source made from scratch firmware that can incorporate HDMI TC and more.

Al Yeung · February 19th, 2013, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

Well, by making an alternative open source firmware, the community can solve the problem and just let Convergent's focus on the new Gemini line be.

No one has posted a teardown of the nanoFlash yet, so once that is up, a skilled FPGA programmer may be able to make an open source made from scratch firmware that can incorporate HDMI TC and more.

Jack, can you elaborate on what a "teardown" is? Would this programmer need to disassemble an actual nanoFlash?

On a related note: does anyone know if the 3.5mm LANC port on the FS100 hand grip could be modified into a remote trigger for the nanoFlash?

Jack Zhang · February 20th, 2013, 06:43 AM

Yes, by teardown, he would need to see photos of all the boards and chips inside the Nanoflash and know the specific FPGA CPU model so that he could program for it.

I would totally offer mine to him, but if anyone can take detailed photos of every board and chip inside the nanoFlash, that means mine doesn't need to be sacrificed. Not descriptive text, photos please.

Christopher Young · February 20th, 2013, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Perrichon

Over 18000 views about "nanoFlash and FS100."
And finally, an unfulfilled promise.

I wonder if C D has not committed a strategic mistake ...

Didier

I have been in touch with CD direct just to ask them why so much silence on the Nano and to let them know that this chain of posts was going on, of which they appear to have been unaware. They have got back to me and said:

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention."

They also went on to say:

"I can assure you that we have our NanoFlash users best intentions in mind..."

They also said more but requested non-disclosure to which I agreed. Suffice to say that from the indications I was given in the reply I am happy to be a Nano user and have been convinced there are good things to come for Nano users in the near future. So continue to watch this space is the best thing to do I would suggest.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Simon Wood · February 21st, 2013, 12:48 AM

Chris,

Would you be able to ask them if they are planning to look into the 5DMk3 when the new firmware is released (allowing uncompressed signal from the HDMI out) in April?

Christopher Young · February 22nd, 2013, 12:41 AM

Simon ~

As I said I can't say much as I don't know anything other than they have Nano plans for the near future. I don't think they would shoot me if I was to indicate that they are aiming for something at NAB which is coming up April 8 thru 11. I think they will post fairly shortly at DVinfo do keep your eyes peeled I guess is the best advice I can give.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Jack Zhang · February 28th, 2013, 02:23 PM

Well, we all look forward (closely) to their promised new NanoFlash firmware push coming soon according to Dan.

(BTW, my friend just finished a teardown of the Nanoflash. Here's a code: rGDKqSge1ik)

Andrew Stone · February 28th, 2013, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

I don't know anything other than they have Nano plans for the near future. I don't think they would shoot me if I was to indicate that they are aiming for something at NAB which is coming up April 8 thru 11.

Chris, this is great news. There are so many great things about the nanoFlash as an external recorder. The Convergent Design team have shown over time they are resourceful, customer driven and loyal to their existing user base.

Looking forward to whatever announcement they have and plan to stop by their booth at NAB.

Joerg Eberhardt · June 14th, 2013, 09:37 AM

Was that with the nanoFlash? The announcement of an update has been removed from the website.
This is not a good sign for Convergent.

Ron Little · June 26th, 2013, 07:21 AM

Any word on the update?

Jack Zhang · October 29th, 2014, 01:47 PM

Well, look what we have here...

There's a reason I'm bumping this thread because they've finally figured out HDMI timecode... on the Odyssey, not the NanoFlash.

Quote:

HDMI RECORD TRIGGER
Start / stop Odssey7 or Odyssey7Q on cameras supporting a trigger pulse over HDMI
(Sony: FS700, a7S, etc.; Canon: C100, 1DC, 5D mk3, etc.)

HDMI TIMECODE SUPPORT
Feed timecode to Odyssey7 or Odyssey7Q on cameras supporting timecode over HDMI (Sony: FS700, FS100, a7S, etc.; Canon: C100, 1DC, 5D mk3, etc.)

Since the Nanoflash is now discontinued, don't expect this fix to carry over to the Nanoflash. It took 3 years to address this issue and it was not within the lifetime of the Nanoflash.

For Odyssey users: Can you test if video black (16/255) can be recorded over the HDMI? If not, they have not fixed the HDMI black level kill switch issue.

Dan Keaton · October 29th, 2014, 03:58 PM

Dear Jack,

When the nanoFlash was designed, we used the most popular "top of the line" HDMI receiver.

At that time, there was no HDMI Timecode, nor HDMI trigger, and none was possible due to hardware restrictions.

Then, later, a new breed of HDMI Transmitter and Receiver Chips were developed.

These transmitted the normal HDMI signals in one main channel, then "out of band" they transmitted some extra, very low bandwidth signals, which allowed for timecode and HDMI Triggering to be added to the overall data transmitted.

When Sony stated developing and offering these features, they told us that we may or may not be able to actual receive the HDMI Timecode and HDMI Trigger Commands. They thought that we would be able to, but said that it was possible that we may not actual see this auxiliary, "Out of Band" data.

We were not able to work on this immediately due to other pressing projects.

Much later, when we did start working on it, we found that we, due to the HDMI receiver chip, were not able to see these signals.

Thus, the nanoFlash cannot receive timecode over HDMI, nor be triggered over HDMI.

We designed in new HDMI receiver chips into our later designs, such as the Odyssey7Q and Odyssey7.

I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

February 18th, 2013, 04:12 AM	#46
Didier Perrichon New Boot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Rennes France Posts: 16	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Over 18000 views about "nanoFlash and FS100." And finally, an unfulfilled promise. I wonder if C D has not committed a strategic mistake ... Didier

February 18th, 2013, 11:46 AM	#47
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions I know an FPGA expert and if he can create from scratch an open source firmware for the nanoFlash with that built in, I believe that'll make people happy. All he needs to know is a complete teardown of the nanoFlash so he can program for that specific processor.

February 19th, 2013, 09:16 AM	#48
Joerg Eberhardt Tourist Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oldenburg Posts: 3	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Since 2 years no update. Over 9 month at the startside they say "Firmware Update Coming Soon", but nothing happens. Is this a sign that convergent is insolvent? I'm losing confidence in this company.

February 19th, 2013, 02:31 PM	#49
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Well, by making an alternative open source firmware, the community can solve the problem and just let Convergent's focus on the new Gemini line be. No one has posted a teardown of the nanoFlash yet, so once that is up, a skilled FPGA programmer may be able to make an open source made from scratch firmware that can incorporate HDMI TC and more.

February 20th, 2013, 06:43 AM	#51
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Yes, by teardown, he would need to see photos of all the boards and chips inside the Nanoflash and know the specific FPGA CPU model so that he could program for it. I would totally offer mine to him, but if anyone can take detailed photos of every board and chip inside the nanoFlash, that means mine doesn't need to be sacrificed. Not descriptive text, photos please.

February 21st, 2013, 12:48 AM	#53
Simon Wood Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Entebbe Uganda Posts: 768	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Chris, Would you be able to ask them if they are planning to look into the 5DMk3 when the new firmware is released (allowing uncompressed signal from the HDMI out) in April? __________________ http://vimeo.com/channels/guerrillafilms

February 22nd, 2013, 12:41 AM	#54
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,528	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Simon ~ As I said I can't say much as I don't know anything other than they have Nano plans for the near future. I don't think they would shoot me if I was to indicate that they are aiming for something at NAB which is coming up April 8 thru 11. I think they will post fairly shortly at DVinfo do keep your eyes peeled I guess is the best advice I can give. Chris Young CYV Productions Sydney

February 28th, 2013, 02:23 PM	#55
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Well, we all look forward (closely) to their promised new NanoFlash firmware push coming soon according to Dan. (BTW, my friend just finished a teardown of the Nanoflash. Here's a code: rGDKqSge1ik)

June 14th, 2013, 09:37 AM	#57
Joerg Eberhardt Tourist Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oldenburg Posts: 3	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Was that with the nanoFlash? The announcement of an update has been removed from the website. This is not a good sign for Convergent.

June 26th, 2013, 07:21 AM	#58
Ron Little Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pensacola Fl. Posts: 627	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Any word on the update?

October 29th, 2014, 03:58 PM	#60
Dan Keaton Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 5,421	Re: nanoFlash and FS100 Questions Dear Jack, When the nanoFlash was designed, we used the most popular "top of the line" HDMI receiver. At that time, there was no HDMI Timecode, nor HDMI trigger, and none was possible due to hardware restrictions. Then, later, a new breed of HDMI Transmitter and Receiver Chips were developed. These transmitted the normal HDMI signals in one main channel, then "out of band" they transmitted some extra, very low bandwidth signals, which allowed for timecode and HDMI Triggering to be added to the overall data transmitted. When Sony stated developing and offering these features, they told us that we may or may not be able to actual receive the HDMI Timecode and HDMI Trigger Commands. They thought that we would be able to, but said that it was possible that we may not actual see this auxiliary, "Out of Band" data. We were not able to work on this immediately due to other pressing projects. Much later, when we did start working on it, we found that we, due to the HDMI receiver chip, were not able to see these signals. Thus, the nanoFlash cannot receive timecode over HDMI, nor be triggered over HDMI. We designed in new HDMI receiver chips into our later designs, such as the Odyssey7Q and Odyssey7. I hope this helps. Respectfully, __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia