firmware... at DVinfo.net

Dustin Waits · December 21st, 2003, 09:17 PM

Sorry for my ignorance but what exactly is it?

Dustin Waits · December 21st, 2003, 10:00 PM

Oh yea... Sorry if this was a bad place to post this. This is just where I was browsing when I read about firmware.

Frank Granovski · December 21st, 2003, 10:12 PM

It's like the CMOS in your computer.

Dustin Waits · December 22nd, 2003, 08:09 AM

oh. I dont even know what that is. :0]

Chris Long · December 22nd, 2003, 08:42 AM

I think it can be thought of like this, Dustin: firmware is the set of basic software instructions that are permanently installed in your camera, that make it behave as the manufacturer wants it to. It's just a small amount of computer code.

Sometimes the firmware is set to actually limit the capabilities of a given camera, so that it fits in a certain niche in the market, so that it won't compete with another prduct in the maker's line, or for other reasons I'm not smart enough to explain. Hope that helps a little. Others can maybe elaborate...

Dustin Waits · December 22nd, 2003, 09:37 AM

Oh okay. I getcha. Thanks.

Ignacio Rodriguez · December 22nd, 2003, 09:30 PM

Good explanation Chris. I guess the most interesting aspect about firmware is that sometimes it be modified. It has been mentioned that the TRV950's firmware can be 'upgraded' to the PDX10's, so as to inherit the latter's enhanced 16:9. I have also read (don't ask me for the link because I lost it) that some Sony cams can be switched over to another system (PAL, NTSC). Presumably there could be some cool function that is not enabled by the firmeare that is shipped with the camera...

I have this dream for example about changing the PDX10's useless Fade button so as to do something more interesting like auto exposing when in manual mode.

Wish somebody out there would reverse engineer the firmware and let us do such things. It's frustrating that Sony won't let the user at least program a few buttons, etc.

Chris Long · December 22nd, 2003, 09:45 PM

Funny you mention the Fade button--until you did, I had forgotten it was even there. I've never used it; in fact, I've never even tested it!

As far as things that are user accessible, on my wish list is this: I wish that the PDX-10 had about 5 user presets, instead of 1. It would be nice--a friend has a Panasonic DVX100 which has a number of them...

Ignacio Rodriguez · December 22nd, 2003, 10:05 PM

> As far as things that are user accessible, on my wish list is this:
> I wish that the PDX-10 had about 5 user presets, instead of 1.
> It would be nice--a friend has a Panasonic DVX100 which has
> a number of them...

Oh Yesss. Great cam. The DVX100A has even more programmability. Of course it's about twice as expensive as the PDX10 and has no real 16:9. If that panny had 16:9 I would have found the extra money to buy it. There is review of the new version at dv.com by Adam Wilt.

Dustin Waits · December 22nd, 2003, 10:17 PM

<<<-- I guess the most interesting aspect about firmware is that sometimes it be modified. It has been mentioned that the TRV950's firmware can be 'upgraded' to the PDX10's -->>>

How do you do that? Do you have to send your camera back to sony for it to be done?

You guys are a great help! This is an awesome board! I have to start coming in here more often.

Boyd Ostroff · December 23rd, 2003, 12:39 PM

Dustin, if you do a search or just browse back around 2 months in this forum, you will find a thread where someone discusses hacking the TRV-950 firmware. It's somewhat involved, and personally I think it's not such a good idea, unless you consider your camera expendable. Doing this would certainly void your warranty and very possibly make your camera inoperable. I seriously doubt that this is something that Sony would do for you! That's why they sell the PDX-10...

Dustin Waits · December 23rd, 2003, 01:10 PM

Oh okay. Yea sounds like playing with fire...

Chris Long · December 23rd, 2003, 01:23 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Ignacio Rodriguez
Oh Yesss. Great cam. The DVX100... -->>>

It is a nice camera--but it's funny, my friend is a little dissatisfied with it, and swears that the PDX-10 (which he used before getting the DVX100) has a better picture. Just goes to show you that there are all kinds of opinions out there, and that much of what we talk about is subjective...

Shawn Mielke · December 23rd, 2003, 02:27 PM

Whoa, Chris, keep your voice down with such heresy, lest the neighboring tribe firebomb our quaint little cove! ;-]

Chris Long · December 23rd, 2003, 09:06 PM

They're a smug bunch, aren't they? lol

You have me rocking with laughter, Shawn--thanks!

December 21st, 2003, 09:17 PM	#1
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	firmware... Sorry for my ignorance but what exactly is it?

December 22nd, 2003, 09:30 PM	#7
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	Good explanation Chris. I guess the most interesting aspect about firmware is that sometimes it be modified. It has been mentioned that the TRV950's firmware can be 'upgraded' to the PDX10's, so as to inherit the latter's enhanced 16:9. I have also read (don't ask me for the link because I lost it) that some Sony cams can be switched over to another system (PAL, NTSC). Presumably there could be some cool function that is not enabled by the firmeare that is shipped with the camera... I have this dream for example about changing the PDX10's useless Fade button so as to do something more interesting like auto exposing when in manual mode. Wish somebody out there would reverse engineer the firmware and let us do such things. It's frustrating that Sony won't let the user at least program a few buttons, etc. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

December 22nd, 2003, 10:05 PM	#9
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	> As far as things that are user accessible, on my wish list is this: > I wish that the PDX-10 had about 5 user presets, instead of 1. > It would be nice--a friend has a Panasonic DVX100 which has > a number of them... Oh Yesss. Great cam. The DVX100A has even more programmability. Of course it's about twice as expensive as the PDX10 and has no real 16:9. If that panny had 16:9 I would have found the extra money to buy it. There is review of the new version at dv.com by Adam Wilt. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

December 23rd, 2003, 02:27 PM	#14
Shawn Mielke Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Santa Rosa, California Posts: 745	Whoa, Chris, keep your voice down with such heresy, lest the neighboring tribe firebomb our quaint little cove! ;-] __________________ Breakthrough In Grey Room

December 21st, 2003, 10:00 PM	#2
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	Oh yea... Sorry if this was a bad place to post this. This is just where I was browsing when I read about firmware.

December 21st, 2003, 10:12 PM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	It's like the CMOS in your computer.

December 22nd, 2003, 08:09 AM	#4
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	oh. I dont even know what that is. :0]

December 22nd, 2003, 08:42 AM	#5
Chris Long Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Middletown, Maryland USA Posts: 177	I think it can be thought of like this, Dustin: firmware is the set of basic software instructions that are permanently installed in your camera, that make it behave as the manufacturer wants it to. It's just a small amount of computer code. Sometimes the firmware is set to actually limit the capabilities of a given camera, so that it fits in a certain niche in the market, so that it won't compete with another prduct in the maker's line, or for other reasons I'm not smart enough to explain. Hope that helps a little. Others can maybe elaborate...

December 22nd, 2003, 09:37 AM	#6
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	Oh okay. I getcha. Thanks.

December 22nd, 2003, 09:45 PM	#8
Chris Long Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Middletown, Maryland USA Posts: 177	Funny you mention the Fade button--until you did, I had forgotten it was even there. I've never used it; in fact, I've never even tested it! As far as things that are user accessible, on my wish list is this: I wish that the PDX-10 had about 5 user presets, instead of 1. It would be nice--a friend has a Panasonic DVX100 which has a number of them...

December 22nd, 2003, 10:17 PM	#10
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	<<<-- I guess the most interesting aspect about firmware is that sometimes it be modified. It has been mentioned that the TRV950's firmware can be 'upgraded' to the PDX10's -->>> How do you do that? Do you have to send your camera back to sony for it to be done? You guys are a great help! This is an awesome board! I have to start coming in here more often.

December 23rd, 2003, 12:39 PM	#11
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Dustin, if you do a search or just browse back around 2 months in this forum, you will find a thread where someone discusses hacking the TRV-950 firmware. It's somewhat involved, and personally I think it's not such a good idea, unless you consider your camera expendable. Doing this would certainly void your warranty and very possibly make your camera inoperable. I seriously doubt that this is something that Sony would do for you! That's why they sell the PDX-10...

December 23rd, 2003, 01:10 PM	#12
Dustin Waits Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ft. Myers Beach, Fl Posts: 243	Oh okay. Yea sounds like playing with fire...

December 23rd, 2003, 01:23 PM	#13
Chris Long Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Middletown, Maryland USA Posts: 177	<<<-- Originally posted by Ignacio Rodriguez Oh Yesss. Great cam. The DVX100... -->>> It is a nice camera--but it's funny, my friend is a little dissatisfied with it, and *swears* that the PDX-10 (which he used before getting the DVX100) has a better picture. Just goes to show you that there are all kinds of opinions out there, and that much of what we talk about is subjective...

December 23rd, 2003, 09:06 PM	#15
Chris Long Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Middletown, Maryland USA Posts: 177	They're a smug bunch, aren't they? lol You have me rocking with laughter, Shawn--thanks!