This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Hello everyone.
May be the thread sounds somehow weird but here is the problem:
I've bought my FS100 just 3 months ago and had shot only 5 or 6 projects with this camera so far. Everything was good until:

...yesterday i was shooting some stand ups using Sennheiser radio clip microphone. When the camera was in standby mode everything was ok, but once I've hit REC BUTTON it started to produce some really disturbing sounds. For the first time I noticed weird "digital" sound coming out of my headphones. First of all I thought it was something wrong with the mic, but later on I discovered that this "digital" sound was syncronized with small red diode flashed near SD card compartment. I do really have no clue why this happens. I pulled all wires out and left both XLR inputs empty, but when I hit REC and diode starts flashing "the sound of SD card recording process" comes back again. What bothers me the most is that "the sound" is RECORDED on to SD card. This is the major problem. Maybe SD card? I used SDHC Class 10 Silicon Power cards. I had no troubles with those.

I've attached a small piece of interview as an example.

Anyone can help please?

Regards,
Alex

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

This problem has been pretty well described and narrowed down. It seems to happen when self-powered mics or devices that don't need phantom power are plugged into the FS100 audio, I experienced it a little, and some people it's dramatic. You can add to the information by seeing if the same happens when plugging in a XLR Phantom powered microphone and reporting back.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Please report it to Sony, maybe they will acknowledge something is wrong and look for a cure on their own.. When I reported it to them, they said they had heard nothing of this problem, they said just send it in for a check. A user on the Sony NX5U forum here also reported the same problem.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Thank you very much for your prompt answers

This happens even if there is nothing connected to XLR inputs. You just hear recording process in headphones. It is not about mics at all. I beleive this is power or bad contacts problem. I've taken another SD card today (Transcend), and this freaky sound dissapeared.

A friend of mine just bought his own FS100 yeaterday and I've managed to check his camera out. Guess what - it works without any problems with the same mic and without it too. No beeps or any noise during recording, even with the card that worked wrong with my camera.

I've contacted Sony representatives already, they advise to use Memory Stick cards, but what's the point?

Rgards,
Alex

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Don't have the FS100 yet but very interested. You mean phantom power is always ON to its XLRs?

If you CAN switch it off do so, never ever plug a mic into a live 48volt feed, just inviting trouble.

And ALWAYS turn it off before disconnecting a 48volt mic.

Alexander, for a fix try a reset on your FS100.

Cheers.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

I'm going to Kiev tomorrow to check the camera with Sony service people. They told me that they had no clue what could it be. They say it might be bad contacts or something like that. Maybe by changing SD card recording unit in the camera would help they say. This is the first case in Ukraine they say, so as usual, I am very lucky guy... I have alredy had issues with my HVR-S270. There was something wrong with mpeg2 HDV board. They said it was factory defect and it happening again......

Alex

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

I had no luck in Kiev.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

I get the noise through the headphones, but not on the SD card. Strange.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Resetting the camera gave no results, but the strange thing is that the noise left by using another SD card.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Is the noise synconized with recording indicator near SD card compartment?

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Yes, and exactly as you describe. In fact, the scenario in which you describe noticing it during an interview, and then jumping out of my skin was very similar. I played it back immediately thereafter, and couldn't hear it. Wrote it off as peculiar, and moved on.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

So, what is this then? Bad SD card? What?

Did it happen with an SD card or with FMU? I do not have a chance to try it with FMU due to lack of one.

Gentlemen, please let me know if this happens with FMU too.

Thanks
Alex

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

For me, the beeps are on channel 2, only when using mics with self contained batteries, and the noise is much greater with the FMU installed (there may be beeps when the FMU is not installed, but so faint that it doesn't matter) I have heard at times two differently pitched tones, one faint when the SD card is written to (regardless of brand of SD) and a much louder noise when the FMU is written to.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

Galen,

What should I do then if these beeps are there even without any mics connceted to it? This issue appeared only a few weeks ago. Everything was in order before, even with all mics and cards i'm having troubles now.

I don't get it...it's all like greek to me...

Hopefully the new firmware coming out in March as they say, would correct this issue if not, I would be very dissapointed as the camera needs some revision. IMHO there is a problem in sound board if FMU is affected too.

Re: This is something "new". SD card records buffer transferring sound
 

I'm thinking, but for one thing, you need to slide the upper switch to LINE if you have no mic attached to that channel.