JVC HD Series dead pixels?!....
 

Anybody else have this problem and what has JVC done about it? It's kinda nuts...

http://www.theworksfilms.com/dp

Jamon this is a trait of the hd cameras I'm afraid and I don't know why. Fortunately (which is rather excellent) the hd cams have an in built dead pixel fixer that's very accessible. We pretty much run the pixel comp facility before every shoot with this camera.

Stick your camera in HD24p and let it re-boot

Press User 3 and Focus assist together then at the same time press and hold the status button for longer than a second. (so you are pressing 3 buttons at the same time here).

This will enter the relevant service menu and from here you will see Pixel Comp in the list. Scroll down and hit execute. The camera will (should) repair all of the dead pixels within about 15 seconds then ask you to power the camera off then on again.

Hey presto!

I'd love to know why these cameras in particular suffer so much from dead pixels. I've never come across it to this extent in any other unit.

There have been some recent threads explaining how to deal with dead pixels in post. I'd suggest you look at those to help you mend you footage.

Stuart

hey i had to leave the camera on for 2 hrs, then had to do it 6 times till i got them to go,

rob.

Beware though, you can only do it a certain number of times before the camera won't allow any more maskings.

john

Stuart thanks a million! I was definitely about to call JVC and rant! I sent my camera in for service before and they sent it back the same way (I told them about the dead pixels)

Yeah out of all the footage i've seen, from various cameras i've never seen dead pix with any other manufacture. 2 other people I know have GY-HDs one is a late version 100 another a 110 and all of us have that issue. One other thing, I have a Letus HD 100 I haven't been able to get in it and clean it like I would like to u think somethin in there could be giving me what i think are some of those dead pix?

Thanks again i'll post how it went, I just performed 1 pass so we'll see.

BTW what software is there to repair what I have in the footage I already have? I know how to do it in After Effects but it's tedious as hell!

It worked... 1 try for me it didn't take long either. Thanks again Stuart for me and JVC!

John,

With the JVC hd pixel comp facility you can correct up to 127 errors with composite video levels of 50mV or more. There is no limit to the number of errors on any single line within your 127. However, the maximum consecutive errors are 4 and results may end up being worse than single correction so watch out.

Jamon I'm glad it got it sorted for you! As this camera does drops pixels rather too often I'd advise checking before every shoot....as I do now!

Ok, total newbie question, but I'm using a 200ub. How do I tell if I have dead pixels?

A dead pixel will show up as a white spot on a monitor and MAY not be large enough to show up on the viewfinder or LCD screen. It may look like a spot on the lens...

Each of my 2 HD200UB's has exhibited the "defect" within two months of new and each has successfully masked it upon activation of the procedure.

Hmm. So aiming the camera on a dark object would be a way to see it?

I have to say, the companies previous camera's were Sony's and they never seemed to need tweaking like this. The S270u we bought seems bullet proof in comparison. I do like the JVC a lot though, and the images are SPECTACULAR, I just get really nervous with everything that seems to go wrong with it.

Yeah, I'd be lying if I said the handful of issues don't bother me but MAN I love this camera.

I noticed my dead pixels in low light with the iris wide open with a dark background. All my previous camera experiences were Sony (M3, 507, 537, D30/35/50 dockables, DSR 300, 450, BetaSX one piece, VX1000, PD150/170 and Z1U) and I haven't ever seen a "mask dead pixel" subroutine before but I've heard that it IS a common defect with imagers. I just don't know how everyone else keeps us from seeing it.

Just remember: the subroutine requires that the camera be placed in 720P24 mode first. ONLY in 24 mode does the option become available.

Thank you Shaun. This is a bit like owning a fancy performance car. They are great when they work, but often prone to little issues.

Hmm. Why couldn't they just get it right the first time...:)

Jason look at the link in the thread to see what dead pixels look like. Stuart I will check before i shoot.

hold on, so this means you can only correct the dead pixels no more than 127 times?

That may not be true.

A JVC Service tech told me over the phone it could be done several
100 times. Way more than anyone would need over the life of the camera.