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Those clever Korean’s at NextoDI have released a new firmware update for the NVS2500 backup device. The new firmware adds a few new features including the ability to write directly to a Blu-Ray disc without the need for a PC. So if you have a compatible USB BluRay drive you can now backup your footage for long term archive straight from the NVS2500. Not only that but you can also use the NVS2500 to preview the files you have burnt to the BluRay drive. Other new features recently added to the NVS2500 include the preview of backed up Canon DSLR video clips and Canon 50Mb/s clips.

The NVS2500 revolutionised my file based workflow. It made it so much easier to manage my footage in the field and has now become an indispensable piece of kit. At a recent multi-camera airshow shoot the NextoDI box became a central backup point for all the file based cameras. As each crew returned to the production offices they would simply pop their media (SxS, CF and SD cards) into the NVS2500 and make a quick verified backup. This meant that at the end of the 4 day shoot we had a single drive with all the media from the main cameras and mini-cams in one place ready to be plugged into the edit system via eSata. We also used the NVS2500 to dump everything to an external backup drive for added security. This was so much easier than trying to manage all the different cards and formats using a PC.

For more details on the firmware update, click here. For more on the NVS2500 Click here.

Sony recently released version 1.63 of their XDCAM HD firmware. It adds many improvements and a number of small bug fixes as well as making some of the new WiFi options available. My favorite new feature is the ability to display your clip numbers in the viewfinder. Why it’s taken so long to implement this I don’t know, but finally it’s here. This update also allows you to add the Sony WiFi adapter so you can monitor and log material via a smart phone. More details can be found here on the Sony US web site.

Sony have just released a whole raft of software updates and firmware updates for the XDCAM HD range.

PDW-U1 : Firmware Package V2.45 + U1 Utility + VFAM V2.3.0 (Windows + Mac)

NEW FEATURES & IMPROVEMENTS:

1.) This version has been improved to add greater stability when writing to the Professional Disc using an unstable USB connection.

2.) The operating systems which are supported has been expanded to include the following:

Apple
- Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later
- Mac OS X 10.6.2 (32-bit version) or later.

Windows
- Windows XP Professional, Service Pack 3 or later
- Windows Vista Business 32-bit and 64-bit versions, Service Pack 2 or later
- Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit and 64-bit versions, Service Pack 2 or later
- Windows 7 Professional 32-bit and 64-bit versions
- Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit and 64-bit versions
http://support.sonybiz.net/software/…G&model=PDW-U1

PDZ-1 : Proxy Browser V2.70 + FAM Driver V2.30
NEW FEATURES & IMPROVEMENTS:

1.) Support for Live Logging of HD422 products including Wi-Fi.
2.) Support for Microsoft Windows Vista 64bit.
3.) Support for Microsoft Windows 7 32bit and 64bit.
4.) FAM Driver V2.30.
(a) Support for Voice-over recorded Disc.
Note: In PDZ-1, reference, playback and editing of Voice-over material is not possible.
(b) Support for Microsoft Windows 7 32bit and 64bit.
(c) Integration of installer for 32bit and 64bit.
http://support.sonybiz.net/software/…GH&model=PDZ-1

PDZK-P1 : XDCAM Transfer Package V2.12.0 + FAM Driver V2.3 (Mac)
NEW FEATURES & IMPROVEMENTS:

(1) Support for Mac OS X 10.6 of Professional Disc material.
(2) Support for XDCAM HD422 series V1.6.
(3) Support for Mac FAM Driver V2.3:
(a) Support for Mac OS X 10.6 (32 bit and 64 bit).
(b) Support for Voice-over recorded Disc.
Note: In PDZK-P1 (XDCAM Transfer), the use and reference of Voice-over material is not possible.
http://support.sonybiz.net/software/…&model=PDZK-P1

XDCAM Windows FAM Driver v2.3
This FAM Drivers allows computers to interact with XDCAM Camcorders and Deck. FAM Driver v2.3 now has been updated to include support for 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows 7.

In total, the Windows FAM Driver v2.3 now supports the following Microsoft Operating Systems:

- 32-bit versions of Windows XP
- 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista
- 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7
http://support.sonybiz.net/software/…model=PDW-1500

PDZK-LT1 : XDCAM EX Log and Transfer Plug-in V1.1.0 (Mac)
The Log and Transfer plug-in software utility for XDCAM EX allows any resolution of current XDCAM EX file to be easily imported into Apple’s Final Cut Pro using its standard Log and Transfer interface.
Note: Sony recommends to that customer use XDCAM Transfer Software (PDZK-P1)
http://support.sonybiz.net/software/…model=PDZK-LT1

Convergent design have released a new Beta of their soon to be released firmware update for the NanoFlash. This will add a whole bunch of new tools including the ability to overcrank. It also fixes a few bugs. Please see the release notes and updated user manual, included in the download for full details.  http://69.15.88.17/downloads/nanoFlash/nanoFlash_1.5.126.zip

Don’t forget to drop in and meet me and the guys from CD at NAB. We’ll be on booth C11731 which is in the Central Hall close to the Sony Booth.

Sony have just released the firmware required to use the new 32Gb SxS-1 cards, the Memory Stick  and SD Card adapters. This firmware also adds the ability to have much longer clip titles (46 Characters!) on the PMW-350 and EX1R. You can do the update yourself, you don’t have to send the camera back to Sony (hooray) to do the update. CLICK HERE to go to the firmware on the Sony UK site. Initial reports indicate that the update improves the performance of 3rd party SD card adapters and is straight forward to install. There are also indications that original EX3′s boot up a bit faster. At the moment the EX1 update appears to be missing from the download page, but I have been assured this will be rectified in the next 24 hours.

Convergent Design has just released a Beta version of firmware that will allow the NanoFlash to overcrank (for Slo-Mo) and record up to 8 channels of audio. There is a whole host of other new features as well such as loop recording, 80Mb/s data rate, 1440×1080 recording etc. See the CD website for full details.

NextoDI have just released a new firmware package for their excellent NVS2500 backup device. The new firmware speeds up transfers from Compact Flash, SD cards and Memory sticks. It was fast before, but now CF cards get transferred at 30MB/s, twice as fast as before. SxS verification is now 5x, yes that’s five times faster than before and there is a new backup and verify one step function. Support has been added for NanoFlash file playback as well as playback of AVC-I 50 files. But the biggest (in my opinion) change is the addition of the ability to write data from the internal hard drive to CF, SD and Memory Sticks. This means that you can now backup an SxS card and then make copies of that backup to cheap SD cards to give to your clients. Very slick!

NextoDi have some nice products. I’ve loved my NVS2500 from day one and now it just got even better, I love free upgrades!!

A new version of the NanoFlash firmware is due out today. This is a significant update and includes many new features as well as some bug fixes. The new features include:

1. Time Lapse Recording: I-Frame only mode, 1 frame/HH:MM:SS
2. E to E Direct, provide 1080psf output during record and zero delay through the nanoFlash
3. Loop Play option: All/None; None option plays through all files on the card and then stops, very useful for dubbing to tape.
4. Record Ready indicator added to LCD menu
5. Option to leave LCD backlight on constantly
6. 2X Fast-Forward for QT/MXF files (by holding down the Play button for 5 seconds).
7. Option to hit record button (while recording) to create a new file
8. Expanded PreRecord buffer to 7 seconds (for bit-rates of 100Mbps and lower)
9. Added check for slow CF cards (buffer overflow). Error message will be displayed and the recording will restart at next lower bit-rate.
10. Added check for A/V sync errors. If detected and not in record mode, nanoFlash will automatically restart to correct problem.
11. Added SD support for HDMI recording.

http://www.convergent-design.com/

Convergent Design have released a firmware update for the NanoFlash that adds the ability to record .mpg and m2v files that are ready for direct burning to DVD or BluRay. This gives the users of HDMI or SDI equiped cameras the ability to very quickly create content on discs that will play in domestic players. By recording .mpg files there is no need to do any rendering or processing prior to authoring the DVD or BluRay disc. For simple clip trimming you could use a free tool such as Mpeg StreamClip to trim the mpeg files. One application could be to record the main material in the camera and then to feed the NanoFlash with video with embedded timecode, thus creating viewing copies of the footage very quickly and easily.

I have been playing with a sony demo camera that has version 1.5 firmware. According to the Sony guys the firmware is ready for release and should be available very soon. However they are holding off the release as if you instal it, it is possible to create discs that cannot be read by a U1 with the current firmware. New U1 firmware is coming very soon that will sort this out, but Sony are worried that if they release the 1.5 camera firmware it may cause issues for some users that currently don’t exist.

The problem is with the new ability to create mixed format discs, mixing 720P and 1080 on the same disc is possible with version 1.5. There is an option to disable mixed format discs in the camera menu and it might be wise to use this to prevent making discs that can’t be read by the U1 until that firmware comes out.

My favorite feature is the ability to write proxies to USB memory sticks, or other USB flash memory such as SD cards with a USB adapter. You can write the files as you shoot or simply transfer all the proxies from the disc in one hit. You can also write individual proxy clips. A dummy XDCAM HD disc gets created on the memory stick with all the correct files so that AVID and Vegas can work with the proxies. There will be a series of documents coming from Sony describing how to make the most of this workflow with Avid, Vegas, FCP etc very soon. This will be excellent for handing off to clients for preview and logging without handing over the full HD rushes. The proxies take little space

Another great feature is ALAC. Automatic Lens Aberration Correction. I have not been able to test this as my lens doesn’t have the required handshaking between it and the camera, but with the right lens you should be able to virtually eliminate CA.

A further new feature is continuous clip record which gives you a single clip on a disc instead of lots of individual clips.