"Lock up" when powering up?

[fast_ian]

Hi,

Just returned from a two day event wherein the PDR worked flawlessly on the first day. However, at the beginning of day two I powered it up (dedicated 12v power, no batteries BTW) and it got to the "Audio / Video / CF Card" screen and locked up - No "meter" in the audio, no "video ready", no "CF card capacity" display. It wouldn't power down - The only solution was to pull the power. I did this 3 or 4 times with no change.

I still had "updater.bin" on the CF card, so reflashed it with no change. I tried pulling the CF card and/or the video input and/or the LANC controller with no change. Reflashed it again and this time it came up on the second or third attempt. [Incidentally, in this "locked up" state the LANC led had both green and red illuminated at the same time.]

Furthermore, I just got home and tried to power it up. It again locks up as described above. Any ideas?

Cheers,
Ian

[RandyChase]

Yes. But we need you to send it in so we can fix it. Please fill out an RMA form so we can track it. Use RMA 1475

[fast_ian]

OK, Will do.

I also seem to remember there was an upgrade that allowed two independant audio channels to be recorded in the units that appeared about a month (?) after I got mine. - Could this upgrade be done at the same time? Cost? [Having said that, the internal mic did a great job this past weekend of course.....]

Thanks,
Ian

[fast_ian]

- Could this upgrade be done at the same time? Cost?

Come on guys! - I want to get this done..... I also emailed this same Q to you a few days back, but haven't heard anything :(

Thanks!

[RandallNoll]

Ian,

Kelly will reply to your email. We can definitely do the upgrade. Price will depend on when your unit was built.

Thanks.

[fast_ian]

Hi Randall,

OK - Mail just received from Kelly. Thanks.

Hopefully she can decode the build date from the serial #.

Cheers,
Ian
PS - I'm now logged in, but am not "showing up" as logged in...... No little green "dot". No big deal, just had to share given my "complaining" in the other thread :)

[fast_ian]

Hopefully she can decode the build date from the serial #.

I guess she did, and it seems mine must have been built in the previous millenium given the price of the upgrade :(

Fortunately, as I said in the OP, the internal mic did a fine job so I'll hold off on this.

Thanks anyway,
cheers,
Ian

[RandallNoll]

Ian,

In attempt to find a cheaper solution, there is another alternative. The external mic port is a 2-channel (L/R) port. You could use this to run two separate channels externally, such as a single channel mic and a single channel driver comm device.

Hope this helps!

[fast_ian]

The external mic port is a 2-channel (L/R) port. You could use this to run two separate channels externally...

Hi Randall,

I didn't know that - thanks! I may very well give that a try once I get the unit returned.

The recording will upload with two separate audio tracks that can be muted and/or mixed correct?

Cheers,
Ian

[RandallNoll]

The recording will upload with two separate audio tracks that can be muted and/or mixed correct?


Looks like it. I'm looking at the "Highest Quality" sample from the Videos section of our site in Sony Vegas and it has two separate tracks that I can adjust independently.

Thanks.

[fast_ian]

Hi,

To "close the loop" on this, the unit was just returned to me (after a gentle "prod") with the (in)famous "no fault found". I just powered it up from a 12v wall wart and it does indeed appear to be functioning correctly...... At least with nothing plugged in (CF card, Lan-C and camera) - I'll plug all that stuff in later and see if anything changes.

Another of life's great mysteries.

Cheers,
Ian

[fast_ian]

Hmmm.... so, it's laying on my kitchen table, powered from the wall wart. Every time I walk by, I either turn it on or off (!) - It still locks up about every 5th time I boot it.

There's still nothing "attached" to it so I'm a little concerned (The previously mentioned "Murphy's law" virtually ensures that it'll lock up "on the grid" of course!)

Now, this could be my imagination, but sometimes the initial scrolling "Chasecam" message that appears prior to the F/W rev screen *seems* to get about halfway and then starts again (Almost as if it's decided to reboot?) - If this happens it *might* lock up (I thought I could "predict" a lock up based on this, but it doesn't do it everytime unfortunately). OTOH, if it scrolls "as expected" it hasn't ever locked up.....

Frustrating.....