Downloadable Firmware Upgrade for BR-HD50U
 

JVC has announced that a firmware update for the BR-HD50U is available that provides 3 important enhancements:

• Optimization for the recently announced Final Cut Pro upgrade 5.1.2 (adds native 24p and 25p support with FCP)
  
• Adds 60p/50p record and playback capability (records encoded signals via 1394)
  
• Ability to clone tapes when recording from GY-HD100U/110U/250U or another BR-HD50. The time code from the source tape will now match the cloned tape.

Please proceed to this website for instructions.

http://pro.jvc.com/pro/attributes/HD...ade/index.html

The firmware upgrade download is free of charge. If you elect to have JVC install the upgrade for you, a nominal fee will be charged.

Thank you Carl. I made this a sticky.

For those planning to do this firmware update themselves, please print out and follow the instructions exactly. The flash animated guide is a good thing to watch before you actually perform the upgrade.
Remember to unplug the DC power from the deck BEFORE you insert the SD card.

Also, you will require a SD Card reader/writer to transfer the firmware file to a SD card.

BR50 upgrade
 

I am wondering if the same upgrade must be used for the BR50 (PAL) Model??
Anybody that can advise?

Thanks Panos

Good question. I've always assumed that the "U" and "E" models of the BR-HD50 were the same internally because of the ability to switch from PAL to NTSC. However, you should call JVC Europe and check before attempting to use this firmware on an "E" model.

Here's the BR-HD50 website on the UK site. http://www.jvcpro.co.uk/item/index_html?item=BR-HD50E

Keep in mind that JVC U.S. only just posted this download a few hours ago and it is already the end of the business day in Europe.

This is all very positive but where is the firmware file download?

Go here: http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/s...&itempath=null

Click on the link "Upgrade your BR-HD50U for 24p compatibility with FCP 5.1.2"

Click "Continue," enter your serial # & contact information, click continue again and you will be presented with a download link.

Thank you. The procedure taxed my comprehension skills.

Thank you so much JVC. Whoever made this user installable upgrade possible. Kudos to you. The thought of having to once again send in 3 units via Fedex was a little annoying. Most of us can handle the upgrade ourselves. and , well, if we fry our machines PROM , we can always send them to Carl to make all better.

Just kidding.

Dave Beaty

Upgrades worked like a charm and now we are running 1.0.6 firmware.

Once, I forgot to put the VTR switch into HDV mode. The update menu won't come up unless it's in HDV mode.

Capture went fine in FCPro 5.1.2. I wish I could use the BR-HD50's RS-422 port for machine control while capturing Firewire HDV. But I could not get that to work.

Dave Beaty

I wonder why?

I just wanted to add my .02 - the firmware upgrade fixed all the problems I'd been having with the BR-50 since upgrading to FCP 5.1.2. Before the upgrade, any digitized clips were being sub-divided into numerous clips as if there were timecode breaks.

Furthermore, video refresh is much closer to real-time on downconverted signals going into the AJA LHe card than ever before. For the first time, I've noticed NO hiccups on batch jobs, and I'm overjoyed to have native HDV 720p24 support through the deck, too.

Thanks to JVC for providing the means and support to upgrade my own deck!

How about mastering back to tape? Have you tried that? As I mentioned on another thread, I am having a hell of a time trying to get the finished project back to tape. On every attempt, there is at least one hiccup. Using the camera is much better but even that gives me a hard time. It could be the combo Avid/JVC.

Hence a question; (no point of going to another editor right now, the project is done and sitting on the Avid) - so, I have exported an m2t file and I am wondering if there is a program available for a Mac that would allow me to take that m2t and bring it back to tape clean. Or is the file just a 'shell' that doesn't really hold the media? The project is about 7 minutes long and the m2t is approx. 1.2 GB, while an uncompressed QT (1280x720) is some 42 GB.

Thanks.

Same problem before
 

Jiri, I had the same problem with Avid and BR50, I never tried the camera. It was the very beginning of the format and I made a big noise to JVC about it and they end up with an upgrade (In a month or so) that solved the problem permanently.
I cannot check for that upgrade any more as I re-upgrated the spooler after the famous "A" version, I am also a PAL user.
I think if you contact JVC they will have a remedy as they did have in my case.
I never had this problem again, it works well. So call them complain send them a tape with the problem (That is what they asked me to do).
Panos

DVHSCap or LumiereHD will output a m2t file as a stream to firewire. Your file sizes make sense because the mpeg2 stream is only 19.2 mega "bits" per second, and uncompressed 1280x720 is somewhere in the range of 100 mega "bytes" per second. A huge difference.

Thank you Carl!

I agree with Dave Beaty, JVC allowing us to do our own firmware updates is more than just a little appreciated.


I have a couple additional questions if you don't mind:

- Can this be installed over any existing firmware? I purchased the deck less than 3 weeks after release, and it has not been updated since, so I'm guessing it's an early firmware. I didn't see an obvious answer on the JVC site (not obvious to me anyway), only "Affected Models and Serial Numbers".

- Is this all that I need to bring the deck current in place of existing firmware updates that JVC would have done, had I the time to send the deck in? Or does this only address FCP users?

- Any chance we could see something like this for the HD100U? I'm also guilty of not sending it in for the "A" updates, we need it here more.


Thanks again Carl!

The deck can only have one firmware loaded, so yes, this will suffice to replace any previous version, I would think. I know I had 104 before the upgrade, and it leapfrogged 105 just fine.

JVC claims that this firmware upgrade assists with the following:
* Compatibility with Final Cut Pro and other non-linear video editing
equipment.
* Time Code duplicate feature in HDV mode.
* Batch capturing.
* Time Code reading at edit points.

So, I would think it will positively affect users of "other non-linear video editing equipment" beyond FCP users.

I can't take much credit for this - I'm only the bearer of good news in this case. The real people to thank are our engineers and product managers, who are working overtime to make the product as good as possible.

As I understand it, installing this firmware update will bring your deck up to the latest version. You can only have one version loaded at a time.

Regarding the camera: First, you really need to send it in for the "A" upgrade. Besides several enhancements in features and NLE interface, there may be upgrades that need to be done that affect the overall reliability of the camera. The "A" upgrade involves both firmware and hardware, thus, it must be sent to service to get it done.

Secondly, the next upgrade (for FCP 24p operation optimization) is being worked on. It is not known yet if this will be user-installable or not. The cameras are much more complex than the decks; there are very sensitive calibration settings that must be preserved through the upgrade process. If our engineers can devise a safe way to let owners do it, then they will do so.

Regards, Carl

Most excellent Carl, thank you. I shall hold my breadth until we are able to do so with the HD100 as well, (no worries, blue is a good color on me). ;)

I need this camera and deck most every week, and that will get worse near the end of the year.

Please contact me via email.

Peace!!

Daniel,

Please e-mail me at carlh@jvc.com

Thanks, Carl

Carl:
Is there an ETA on the upgrade for HD 100?

Not yet. I will post an announcement when the information is available.

Regards, Carl

Firmware installation problem
 

I've just tried to install the firmware upgrade and it's been over an hour and the screen still says "Updating". I have a strong feeling it isn't. I realize my old firmware has been erased in the process, so I don't know what to do. I don't want to interrupt the process, but I'm not sure there's a process at this point to interrupt. I followed all the instructions (download the update, transfer to a SD, put in the back of the deck, etc.). What should I do? I'm praying I haven't knocked my deck out of commission.

Thanks.

As the instructions say "In the event that assistance is required please call 1-800-JVC-JVC5" 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern time , Monday thru Friday

I called them and was put in contact w/ people who no longer service JVC. They didn't know who to recommend so I called the company I bought the deck from (Talamas in Mass.) and they helped me out. It turns out I have an older version (0102). My original machine ate tapes and they replaced it with an older one, apparently. We're guessing that my problem may be that my deck is older and doesn't respond to the firmware update (their version was 0105). It didn't erase my original firmware afterall, so it may have done nothing at all which is a good thing. I'm not going to do anything until someone tells me what I should do. I went through the identical steps as the guy at Talamas so it has to be something else. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Bill, did you speak to Dwayne or Lorenzo at JVC? If you did not speak to one of these two guys, please call back and ask for them.

I never got beyond the recording. I didn't realize it was possible to talk to a real person. I'll try on Monday. Is it the same number as on the web site, the general customer service number?

Is it possible that my problem is that I have a Mac. The download comes in as a zip file and has to go through Stuffit Expander. It shows up as br-hd50.up2 which is what they said, but maybe it got corrupted. I have no idea.

Of course it is possible to talk to a real person. When you hear the recording, select option 7. Make sure to call to from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern time, Monday thru Friday.

The number is 1-800-582-5825. This is shown in the instructions, and at the top of this forum.

Regards, Carl

I got through to the JVC guy (I'll remember the option 7 part) and he was very helpful - and patient! The firmware update went flawlessly once we figured out the problem. I had more than one file unzipped from the original file and it had put in a an extra number which made it unrecognizeable to the deck (I guess). Once I removed the extra number, no problem.

Thanks for your help.

Firmware 1.0.6 Confirmation & FCP 5.1.1 HDV Recognition
 

Hi Carl,

My serial no is XXX840 and I wanted to confirm that my Firmware for the BR-HD50 shipped from the factory with the new level 1.0.6 installed. How can I do this?

Also, I've yet to install FCP 5.1.2. My deck works great using IEEE1394 connected directly to my Mac_Dual 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5 for Standard Def/DV tape read and write in FCP 5.1.1. I'm also able to have FCP recognize it in DV setting as a throughput for PlayBack viewing/editing.

THE CHALLENGE, I've recorded HD 720/30P shots on my HD100U serial XXX32393. Then on the BR-HD50 Deck (with power off) switched the IEEE1394 to HDV and REMOTE but FCP 5.1.1 does NOT see the deck except as a "Capture Now" option and the video playback throughput does NOT work.

What can I do to fix this?

Like others, compliments to the JVC team for the excellent online Tutorial on how to load the firmware for those that need it. Also great job on working with Apple for the 5.1.2 changes.

Thanks for lending an ear,

Sam

Hi Sam,

To check you firmware version on the BR-HD50, please follow step #9 on the instructions that are posted on our website:

http://pro.jvc.com/pro/attributes/HD...6_upgrade.html

Mave sure that you have a composite video monitor connected to the composite out of the deck so that you can read the prompts.

Regarding your deck control problem in HDV: First, make sure you try the "Easy Set-up" for HDV 720p30 in FCP. If you have, and it still does not work, try a different 6 pin cable. If that does not help, then if you can, try the deck on a different Mac.

There are two firewire circuits in the deck: One for DV and one for HDV. There have been some instances of the HDV circuit being blown by customers who use PC's that have voltage on the firewire, including Macs. This can be caused a number of ways, such as failure to power down the deck and Mac before plugging or unplugging the 6 pin cable, or flipping the DV/HDV switch with the Mac and deck turned on, or attempting to plug in the firewire cable backwards, even just a little bit. Most times, when I have encountered a customer who's deck or camera works with a NLE on DV but not on HDV, it was the blown HDV firewire circuit. If this is the case, our service department can take care of that for you. Call tech support at 1-800-582-5825, M-F, 9 AM to 5 PM EST. Also, go to this web page to download a "Factory Service Request" form: http://pro.jvc.com/prof/support/fscform.pdf

Regards, Carl

I finally decided to update to do the procedure and had this curious problem.

I can't get the Mac to write to the card. It formatted successfully in the HD-100, it mounts on the desktop but that's it. I'm using a Canon printer as the SD card reader/writer since that's the only SD port I have. I suspect that the printer is preventing any adjustment to the card but it allows me to write to CF cards.

The card is formatted as "MS-DOS File System (FAT 16)".

FCP & BR-HD50 Firewire HD Recognition
 

Hi Carl,

Appreciated your quick response. My local rep forwarned me in advance about the firewire/power/switching sensativity issues with both deck and HD100U so I've complied.

With FCP 5.1.2 installed I've have successfully captured and edited using the HDV (capture preset), HDV - 720p30 (Sequence preset), and HDV Firewire (Devise Control Preset) ALL LOCATED IN THE Audio/Video Settings Preferences. The Bad News is I do not have any HDV Playback Options in the A/V Devices tab located in this same menu set. The GOOD NEWS is I can select HDV 1280 x 720 30p (Different Output for Edit to Tape/Print to Video) and this allows me to EXPORT the HD videos to tape. SO THE FIREWIRE HD IS WORKING SUCCESSFULLY, BUT...........

I believe that FCP does not support HD realtime playback through Firewire with the HD100 camera and/or BR-HD50 deck. Could you confirm that, and if true what alternatives are there for external monitor viewing of HD realtime playback in FCP while editing for color, composition, ect. ?

Your involvement in these forums is great support,

Sam

I am not a FCP expert, but I believe if you want realtime monitoring of HDV on FCP, you will need some sort of additional hardware, like maybe the AJA Kona or BlackMagic card. If you have only a base FCP system with firewire I/O only, I think that the timeline has to be compiled into a single MPEG stream before you can view it. Perhaps some of the FCP experts out there can confirm this.

Regards, Carl

Give it a try on a PC that has a built-in SD card slot.

Regards, Carl

a PC sd card reader will work.

Thats how I get different scene files into the sd card on my HD100.

Bought a SanDisk USB card reader/writer. That worked. The Canon printer must have some issue with Mac writing to SD cards.

The update was successful.

Upgrade link NG
 

The link for the firmware upgarde doesn't work anymore. Can anyobe send me a new link or the file.

Much appreciated

Jacques

Jacques,

I had the same problem a week or so ago. Search the JVC website for "downloads". On the page that comes up, the link is in the 6th paragraph down.

The actual link is:
http://pro.jvc.com/pro/attributes/HD...ade/index.html

Hope this helps.

Gary

I repaired the link at the top.