7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

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kenpaulrosenthal

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7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostFri Aug 19, 2022 8:39 pm

I just updated my 6K Pro to v7.9.1.

Before updating the firmware, I exported my presets to the internal CFast and SD cards. However after the firmware update, the camera is not allowing me to re-import them.

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Mark A

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostFri Sep 02, 2022 9:26 pm

At my first recording session after installing the firmware the audio and video tracks were recorded out of sync. The audio came before the video. That's never happened to me before. The problem showed itself in Davinci Resolve and the separate Blackmagic Raw viewer app.

I also used a Tentacle Sync timecode clock to jam sync the camera before connecting audio via XLR. The camera showed an Ext timecode sync but it failed to write that to file. I was not able to sync the recording with my other cameras that did recorded the timecode and audio properly.

Until I figure out how to fix this or revert to earlier firmware I'll have to leave the 6k Pro at home. Has anyone else encountered this problem?
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Jack Fairley

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostSat Sep 03, 2022 3:31 am

Can you post a clip? Audio desync is usually because the HFR switch was pressed by accident.
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Mark A

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostSat Sep 03, 2022 3:58 am

Thanks. I must have done that accidently and didn't notice.
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Mark A

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostSat Sep 03, 2022 11:33 pm

Since my previous post I turned off "off speed recording" that I had accidently set while swiping in haste. I still have the timecode problem and wonder if anyone can suggest a solution.

I recently updated to Resolve 18 and Camera 7.9.1 firmware. I ran a number of tests today and was not able to get my 6K Pro to sync clips with a Sony AX700 using Tentacle sync E generators. The Tentacle devices sync all 3 of my Sony cameras perfectly. The 6k Pro is the outlier.

I had occasional problems syncing the 6K Pro in the past but was able to get reliable results if I plugged in the Tentacle sync before the XLR audio inputs. Since I updated to Resolve 18 and camera firmware 7.9.1, I can't get it to work at all.

Here are the test details (verbose). Both cameras are set to record at 29.97 fps with drop frame tuned off. The 6k Pro is set to record Braw onto a T5 using constant bitrate and 8:1 compression. I have the camera set to stop recording if it can't write the frames. It's never stopped at 8:1.

When I plugged the Tentacle into the 3.5 mm jack of the 6k Pro, the Ext icon appeared and the clock reset to roughly the same time that was displayed on the Tentacle Bluetooth app. I hit the record button on both cameras with opposite hands at roughly the same time.

After a few minutes I loaded both clips into the Resolve Media page. I selected the Sony clip and chose "Update Timecode From Audio Track". I could see the TC Start field change to match the start time of the Braw file recorded by the 6k Pro. Then I tried to sync them on the Cut page. No luck.

I did another test with both cameras and recorded the LTC code from the Tentacle onto the Ch 1 (left) track of the 6k Pro just like I do with the Sony cameras. On the Media page I selected both clips and chose "Update Timecode From Audio Track". No luck with that either.

The Sony cameras are easy to sync in Resolve. That leads me to believe that the problem lies with the Braw file and the way Resolve is reading it. I would really like Blackmagic to look into this. The camera is much less useful if it can't be used in a multi-camera shoot.

I'll post this to the regular forum in a couple of places and see if someone has a solution that I've overlooked. If that doesn't work I'll file a bug report. Thanks for the help on my previous problem.
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Robert Niessner

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostSun Sep 04, 2022 6:03 am

That’s strange. I’ve never encountered a problem syncing multiple cameras of different kinds in my Multicam shoots, including a PCC4K on firmware 7.9.1

Can you check if your tentacles are set to the correct fps? In your case 29.97.
And are you 100% sure about the framerate in your Sony AX700?
A quick search in the Sony online user manual showed me it is displaying 30 fps, but records in 29.97
in 24p it seems to force NDF, otherwise you can set NDF or DF.

Can you double check your Problem isn’t related to drop frame vs. non-drop frame TC?

You might also find this general read about Timecode useful:
https://blog.frame.io/2017/07/17/timeco ... ame-rates/
Saying "Thx for help!" is not a crime.
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Robert Niessner
LAUFBILDkommission
Graz / Austria
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Blackmagic Camera Blog (German):
http://laufbildkommission.wordpress.com

Read the blog in English via Google Translate:
http://tinyurl.com/pjf6a3m
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Mark A

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostSun Sep 04, 2022 2:45 pm

All the tentacles were synced to 29.97 non-drop. Drop frame was turned off on the Sony camcorders. I can see the frame rate in the metadata on the Media page of Resolve and all the clips were recorded at 29.97.

Perhaps your BM4K doesn't have the same problem as my 6K Pro. I have a friend with the original 6K and he doesn't have any sync problems. My 6K Pro used to sync but now it doesn't.
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Mark A

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostMon Sep 05, 2022 5:14 pm

Factory Rest is my friend. I turned off the camera, took out the battery and plugged in AC adapter. After I powered up I did a factory reset from the Setup menu and reset all my parameters to the values I had used before. I ran another short test with two Tentacle Sync devices on different cameras. This time it worked!
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Robert Niessner

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Re: 7.9.1 Firmware Problems for 6K PRO

PostMon Sep 05, 2022 9:29 pm

Mark, that’s great. Thanks for the follow up.
Saying "Thx for help!" is not a crime.
--------------------------------
Robert Niessner
LAUFBILDkommission
Graz / Austria
--------------------------------
Blackmagic Camera Blog (German):
http://laufbildkommission.wordpress.com

Read the blog in English via Google Translate:
http://tinyurl.com/pjf6a3m

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