Sanyo xacti hd2000 firmware update

[frejk]

Hi
i just got myself the sanyo hd2000 and i really like it, i got the .7x sanyo wide angle to it,
it shoots 60fps progressive at a data rate of 24Mbs,

my hope is that someone rewrites the software to this one so it gets a 24P mode with the maximum data rate 24Mbs.
that little change would make this little beauty be able to compete with the semi pro camcorders one level up from this one.

Its still going to be H264= artifacts, but it would produce images with higher quality and hopefully more color depth.
i find that the camera makes a better job coding the images if i use faster shutter speed, and building a steadycam, or attaching the camera to something heavy will reduce the camera shake significantly, camera shake= motion blur= wierd blocking artifacts in the h264 codec.

I dont know if sanyo is interested in anything else than ntsc 59.94 Hertz. but i hope that you that are reading this is a employee at sanyo, or a programmer that wanna make this happen.

cheers
.fredrik

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[mparnigoni]

Hi Frejk,

I own the same model since the end of August: so far I can tell I very do like color management (vivid and "glossy"), even if it's sometimes choppy and slow as far as light management (but with one CCD, I can't expect to be better than that), and the affordable optics you can get (which works pretty well for their price).

What is nonsense imho, is the switch button just where the thumb hold the grip (I already had a couple of annoying, unwanted, shut-off of the camera), the jacks position for Mics etc. (again, ergonomically sick), and the zoom control, which I would have probably tried to build differently.

In general though, for the price and the output you get, I'm pretty happy: I'll take into consideration now to have some proper steady system.

As far as format, codec, etc. I completely agree with you: my "dream" would be of an open firmware camera, where you can load any codec you desire.

H.264 is in the end a delivery codec, very powerful and light, but of no use for editing (I'm looking now for a batch process so to normalize mp4 in output and have them in a format FCP do "like").

Anyway, it's interesting your pov, but I fear too we'd always get the NTSC issue when speaking about those products...

Regars,

M.

[jagabo]

I've seen samples of the newer model's (FH1) 1080p60 output and was impressed. It does have 1080p24 but they left out the obvious 720p60.

[frejk]

i dunno if its possible, but people are doing this with gaming consoles,
extrating the firmware rewriting it and reinstall, im shure there is hackers out there that could do this.

as for your problem with the codec: they recently released a updated version of the cam (VPC-HD2000A and VPC-FH1A) that got i-frame codec which has a limit of resolution at 960x540 30p because Inter frame codecs uses more Mbs.
the I-frame codec shouldnt make any problems when editing.

and probably its the exact same hardware, so pleeease Sanyo, allow us to download and install firmware from your website

if could change anything for future models i would add a F-mount or such for use of 35mm lenses, (with manual exposure and focus) a full sized 35mm chip. and as long as the cmos chip has problems with rolling shutter, stick to the ccd chip. and ofcourse maximum use of the cameras bandwidth on all formats, and framerates. and if they could up the bandwidth significantly , a mode to shoot .dpx file sequences, but then the would need to raid0 some sdhc cards

cheerio
.f

[jagabo]

At least the Xacti's GOP size is small -- about 30 frames. So editing is much less painful than 300 frame GOP h.264.

[frejk]

that sounds awesome with a 24p mode, to bad that i already got my hd2000
i wonder if they used full bandwith (24Mbs) or if the 24p mode is 12Mbs?

[raverscout]

that sounds awesome with a 24p mode, to bad that i already got my hd2000
i wonder if they used full bandwith (24Mbs) or if the 24p mode is 12Mbs?

Sanyo! I'm very annoyed I cant do firmare upgrades! end of, lack of 24p modes. lack of Open Source! somebody hack away now please for god sake, I bought mine the 1st month of release,sometimes its slow to focus on certain things, you have to play with the focus settings from spot to multi focus, sport mode, half press focus, etc. Its not bad but you have to experiment with every setting, further more the detailed instuctons are ona disc PDF somewhere around here which dosnt help I will have to print this out when the new printer arrives printer khama depending.

Whats the best way to capture other than drag dropping? Usng the docking station and the USB lead attached to a decent laptop and say Cyberlink Power Director 7 with latest updates and 4gb ram be enough to cature at 1080p 1920 25-30fps? So far Ive been dragging droppin the MP4s over to Powerdirector but wonder about the 30fps to 25fps it has to convert it to as it sometimes appears jerky on renders in places. Maybe I should try Sony Vegas 8? I have been given some good pointers with some nice hardware by Haupage PVR with composite in capturing to 1080p, dunno if they will link via USB?. What is best Composite or S-Video Captures?? Wouldnt it be wonderful with Open Source Firmware / Software please Sanyo make it so!
I could play DIVX MP3 FLAC WAV files! and Record at 25fps!! 1080px1920 you know really usefull stuff you need when creating videos at least Nokia and Google Android is Open Source they get it, Ive shot and made Fully Edited Video for Youtube with Music on just a 1st Generation Nokia N95-1 with 8GB MicroSDcard! its had 31 firmware upgrades! thats what I call support! maybe its in developement with Sanyo, even Sony had to buckle to the power of the Mp3 movement, so should Sanyo to firmware, well Im still happy with my HD2000 camera its great but it would really whip Sony with Open Source firmware and make us feel a bit better knowing its upgradeable. How can we find out about future firmware releases? will we have to send our cams back to Sanyo? I may sell mine now..
all this time and I see no support from Sanyo.
Dream would be to record HDMI signals into the Docking station directly to the device at same quality!, but that would be breaking all sorts of HDMI laws.. oh well. cut off my creative hands why dont you :/

[edDV]

I don't see any 24p support on their spec page http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_hd2000/spec.html

24p would take camera stabilization anyway. You can't shoot acceptable 24p with a pistol grip.

The 1080i and 1080p bit rates are low for h.264. 1280x720/30 at 9Mb/s is also low. As Jagabo said, this thing cries out for a 1280x720p/59.94 mode at full 24 Mb/s bitrate. That would work better for hand held.

[jagabo]

I don't see any 24p support on their spec page http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_hd2000/spec.html

If you're referring to my post, I was talking about the newer model (FH1) having 24p. Guess I should have been clearer.

[raverscout]

I don't see any 24p support on their spec page http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_hd2000/spec.html

If you're referring to my post, I was talking about the newer model (FH1) having 24p. Guess I should have been clearer.

Thanks to both of you for heads up and links!

[frejk]

[quote="raverscout"]

I don't see any 24p support on their spec page http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_hd2000/spec.html

If you're referring to my post, I was talking about the newer model (FH1) having 24p. Guess I should have been clearer.

Cant find any documentation about 24p, all i can find is 60fps Progressive and Interlaced, 30fps progressive. and the fun but not so useful (because of the resolution) 240 and 600 progressive

http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_fh1/spec.html

.f

[jagabo]

Cant find any documentation about 24p, all i can find is 60fps Progressive and Interlaced, 30fps progressive. and the fun but not so useful (because of the resolution) 240 and 600 progressive

http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_fh1/spec.html

I thought I read somewhere that it supported 24p but you're right, the web site doesn't say so.

[raverscout]

I think my Sanyo Xacti HD2000 focus is faulty, and a possible Focus FW bug! I had a right nightmare today out on the hillside with my HD2000 and a new Tripod to test out (yes I have some out takes!) my problem is focusing on "Clouds, Planes, birds and random objects, the town below the hill the sea front sea view and sun and cloud base, even when focus and locked with a tripod it looses its focus then regains it, repeats this over n over, as soon as I zoom into a subject it blurs up and dosnt correct itself its really annoying, and then sometimes for a brief moment it will work fine, you have to wait for the very slow CMOS to catch up and if you zoom in to much when its out of focus it wont correct itself by using the autofocus. FOCUSING SETTINGS: I've tried 9pt-Multi Focus the other one, Spot Focus, Centered, all of them, it was very frustrating day out, Any tips here, I guess I should send it back to Camera Box for checkup.maybe a firmware update if they exist. This has really put me out I will have to get another Camera as a back up while this one gets checked.
SETTINGS: Well let me tell you I tried everything! Landscape with a Cloud apeture setting seemed logical right? nope same problem, I'd zoom into a solid cloud base and while zooming would look ok then it would just fuzz out, I had better results with cheaper camers! The following are known Menu Software Bugs.
BUGS! Camera Stills Anti-Shake forgets it's been set.
[WD]- Wide Display on Stills Forgets its been set.
Keeps jumping back to [MF] manual focus after being just set.
It cant view pictures / stills on my Sony Bravia screen? HDMI linked, I think its out of range of its aspect ratio although I have got stills in 16:9.
AUTO setting apeture, Lanscape , Sport, etc was still slow or non existent focusing.

Oh and when I got home after restling with my radio and camera settings I conneted it to the base unit and turned it on and it said "SD CARD ERROR" FORMAT? OMG! NO! So I took it out booted up my laptop and the new 16GB Trancend (Class6) formatted using Panasonic SD Formatter which is top notch, and used the adapter and it read the files Phew!! copeid the lot over just in case, pushed it back in the HD2000 and it worked in to the TV in HDMI.

The tripod was the worst! Hama £13.50 will try adding more washers to it, when panning it would tighten and loosen itself. Cheap n nasty Lesson learned! i'll get a decent one £100+ any suggestions??. Carryable n Sturdy with super smooth pan and tilt. cheers all!

Checkout A video I posted the latest upload at http://www.youtube.com/brightonchemtrails the last bit is from a Nokia N95 . I will try to provide better examples of the problems.

[jagabo]

It's very common for cameras to have trouble focusing on fuzzy things like clouds. They need sharp edges to focus. They also have difficulty when there's insufficient lighting. Use manual focus in those situations.

[frejk]

i like the lock focus function that you can set a shortcut to the jog, i use that one all the time.

[raverscout]

i like the lock focus function that you can set a shortcut to the jog, i use that one all the time.

Ok thanks both I'll try it out. Manual Focus works with a bit of practice on the distance set to 8 symble on its side, AF Lock on shorcuts works too with a bit of practice thanks!. Do you get those bugs where it forgets its settings? like when setting [WD] Wide Display Mode it reverts back to OFF, Camera Stabalize for Stills setting often switches back to Photo Stabalize off. Noise Reduction [NR] also forget its been set ON as well and revverts too OFF. :/

Would like to know what shortcuts you have setup. Clicking the shortcut and clciking again switches it off.

many thanks for your patience with my learning curve.

[jagabo]

On some cameras there is a semi automatic mode where you press the shutter half way to auto focus, then all the way to lock the focus and start recording.

[georgeanton]

I successfully shot good footage using the Xacti HD2000 with the 40.5mm to 43mm step-up ring on a Letus mini ( http://www.letusdirect.com/cart/letus35-mini.html ). I have an OM Olympus adapter and a bunch of lenses, but I mostly used the 50mm, 134mm and 24mm as are faster lenses. Very happy with the camera, but today I have a problem with the mic input. I thought the one of the cable is damaged but they are not ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/133646-REG/Comprehensive_XLRJ_MPS_18INST_EXF_Ste...specifications ). I'm using a Azden 2X ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/204722-REG/Azden_SGM_2X_SGM_2X_Omni_Supercardioi....html#features ) boom mic self powered.
Battery good, cables good, so I guess the connection jack in the camera broke. Anybody had problems with the audio input?

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also made a "mattebox" (lens shade to fight the glare) of black cardboard and velcro:


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[edDV]

... Very happy with the camera, but today I have a problem with the mic input. I thought the one of the cable is damaged but they are not ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/133646-REG/Comprehensive_XLRJ_MPS_18INST_EXF_Ste...specifications ). I'm using a Azden 2X ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/204722-REG/Azden_SGM_2X_SGM_2X_Omni_Supercardioi....html#features ) boom mic self powered.
Battery good, cables good, so I guess the connection jack in the camera broke. Anybody had problems with the audio input?

That mic is low impedance (600 ohm) low level and the camera mic input is high impedance high level.

You need a matching transformer to match impedance and boost the mic level.
http://store.shure.com/store/shure/en_US/pd/productID.104215400

[georgeanton]

Very interesting. I will buy that. I wonder why it worked before and now is not working. Could've the microphone burn the microphone port in the camera because I used the wrong adapter?

[pcowman]

The firmware image and installation instructions can be found at the german sanyo site:

http://www.sanyo.de/products/digital_imaging/software_iframe_hd2000.asp?lg=S

This is firmware version 1.2,
- it fixes some issues (http://vimeo.com/groups/sanyo/forumthread:9325)
- it does not have the iframe format (960x540) support found on the HD2000A.
- it does not add any other video format/size support
- it does add some menu languages (Dutch, Greek etc.)

I don't think Sanyo will add 24p support, it's just not important enough for a consumer cam.

Looking at the firmware file and the update proces, i think it will be very hard to mod the firmware yourself.
As far as i unserstand there is no way to restore the firmware in case the modified version contains an error, because the firmware update proces is part of the firmware itself. Testing the mods will be tedious and require a lot of HD2000's left dead after each firmware error....

Also the camera does not seem to support framerates other than ntsc or multiples (30, 60, 60i, 240, 600) So i doubt it will be possible to change the framerate to anything else due to hardware limitations.

I live in Europe, i experimented some framerate conversions (MPEG Streamclip, AviSynth etc.) i'm making some progress in getting my HD2000 footage to either 24p Film and 25p PAL. When i reached a satisfactory workflow i will post it on this forum.