Pyxis hot swap power. Is this a bug?

I've noticed that when my camera has either the UrsaCine EVF or the Pyxis monitor attached, it cannot do the power hot swap from AC power to battery. It cycles down and powers back up when I remove AC power and it switches to battery and vice-versa. When the monitor or the EVF is not attached it switches uninterrupted from battery to AC as expected. Anyone else noticing this?

Interesting find Andre. Anyone else here who can replicate this issue? I am still waiting to receive my Pyxis but was hoping to use it the same way: hot-swapping v-mounts with an internal BP-U in place, while running the monitor of the USB-C. I'm wondering if the issue might be due to the auto power-on feature of the monitor and EVF interfering with the hot-swap function somehow?

[Kristian Lam]

It shouldn't be happening so I'll be interested to know if you're using the power supply we've included? Or are you going v-lock -> dtap -> 2-pin lemo-style connector into camera etc.

What brand of battery is being used?

I did theses differents tests.

1) without monitor and without recording, with the official ac power. No cycle down and power backup
2) with monitor and without recording, with the official ac power. No cycle down and power backup
3) with monitor and with recording, with the official ac power. No cycle down and power backup
4) with monitor and with recording, with the d-tap power from a neewer battery. No cycle down and power backup

Each time I switch power I can see the power icon swapping from AC to Volt so the camera switch from battery to AC and vice-versa.
I did the tests with an official sony BatteryBP-U35 and with a Baxxtar BM-U60 with same result.
I did the tests with a Pyxis with L mount, an ef adaptor and a lens Canon 24-70 f4. Firmware is 9.2.1
All seems ok for me. Ask me if you want an other test with a particular configuration

I’ve never tried recording while power swapping as I don’t think I’d ever risk that.
1. I’ve tried official ac power and BPU battery without monitor and it doesn’t cycle.
2. I’ve tried official ac power and BPU battery with monitor and power cuts out when AC is removed.
3. I’ve tried mid49 power distribution plate with gold mount core nano using the two pin Lemo without monitor and the power doesn’t cut out.
4. I’ve tried mid49 power plate with gold mount core nano and monitor and power cuts off.
5. Original AC power and Ursa Cine EvF and power cuts out.
Ryan at Mid49 has tested the same setup as mine and his was failing as well. All with latest firmware. He even sent me a replacement power distribution plate and the results were the same. His engineer also tested it with a regulated bench power supply and that had the same effect. I’ve sent this info on to BM support and hopefully they will have some answers soon. Thanks all!

A

[Kristian Lam]

And you are running the latest PYXIS software right?

1. I’ve tried official ac power and BPU battery without monitor and it doesn’t cycle.
...

This is strange than your result are different of mine. I have the latest firmware too.

I’ve never tried recording while power swapping as I don’t think I’d ever risk that.

The idea behind of this action is to keep up the camera on longer recording without interruption.
Like if you have smaller battery, and swaps between mount and plate with battery in the xlr in, I often do that where I can’t have wall power to have enough energy for my ursa.


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

And you are running the latest PYXIS software right?

I’m on 9.2.1. Unless there is a later version.

1. I’ve tried official ac power and BPU battery without monitor and it doesn’t cycle.
...

This is strange than your result are different of mine. I have the latest firmware too.

It is very strange. I wonder if it has something to do with you being in Europe? Maybe different power? Ryan from Mid49 was having the same issue with his camera using the same battery as mine. He says” It seems like the PYXIS either does not have sufficient capacitors to facilitate a change between sources when an accessory is attached, or it does not have a PPC and instead is using a microprocessor to read the voltage, which is many times slower.“

I have found that it’s not a 100% fail rate. In testing I can replicate the problem 7 times out of 10. I just wish I could have the confidence that it worked all the time.

Very strange indeed. Any pattern to when you are replicating the issue? Brighter monitor, camera recording, lower internal and/or external battery?

Very strange indeed. Any pattern to when you are replicating the issue? Brighter monitor, camera recording, lower internal and/or external battery?

Ambient Temps vary from 50-75F.
I've reset the camera to factory defaults.
Monitors and Viewfinder are at default settings. The Viewfinder has a proximity sensor that darkens the display if eye isn't near. Monitor is usually on as is the camera side monitor. I've used multiple batteries, in various states of charge from full to about 50%. I've actually tried recording while swapping and it has worked a number of times but on a few times it didn't and obviously stopped the record. I've used BPU30 and BPU98 batteries and multiple versions of each. Ive tried different outlets in my house as well. I'm stumped.

So this is only happening when you are switching between AC power and BP-U batteries? Or also when switching between V-Mounts (power through the 2-pin lemo) and BP-Us?

So this is only happening when you are switching between AC power and BP-U batteries? Or also when switching between V-Mounts (power through the 2-pin lemo) and BP-Us?

Happens with Gold Mount battery plate(Mid49 DB9 through Lemo) and with AC adaptor(through Lemo) when something is drawing power from the front USB port (evf or Pyxis monitor)

I don’t get this power cut off bug between bp-u and ac power with my pyxis and pyxis monitor. I’m on the latest firmware on both body and monitor.

I also just tested it... BP-U Battery takes over nicely during recording, when my self-built LiFePo Battery block stops powering the 12V over LEMO.
regards
Mike

I also just tested it... BP-U Battery takes over nicely during recording, when my self-built LiFePo Battery block stops powering the 12V over LEMO.
regards
Mike

Can you try removing your Homemade battery while the camera is powered on and running from the LiFePo? For instance if it still has like 30% power? My problem is that I'm using the onboard BPU Battery and the backup power for the camera when its on. I monitor the power of my Goldmount battery and when it gets low, I swap it for a fully charged one. That's when the camera shuts off. I havent tried letting it just die. But I will try that. Maybe thats the issue, I need to let the camera decide to switch to the BPU by itself?

Hi, that works fine... my battery switches off, BPU powers the recording, whilst a new lifepo is attached... it's taking over then...

Hi, that works fine... my battery switches off, BPU powers the recording, whilst a new lifepo is attached... it's taking over then...

Is your lipo attached via the two pin Lemo? Meaning when you switch out that batter are you disconnecting the two pin and attaching another battery via 2 pin? Or is the Lipo batter attached to some sort of Vmount or gold mount plate with a 2 pin lemo?

self-soldered cable from XT60 to the two-pin limo...
when battery dies, I unplug XT60 and put the new battery in place. Connect to XT60 and it takes over..
simple and works.

self-soldered cable from XT60 to the two-pin limo...
when battery dies, I unplug XT60 and put the new battery in place. Connect to XT60 and it takes over..
simple and works.

So what happens if you disconnect the XT60 while leaving it plugged into the camera?

the bpu takes over and still records.. what exactly are you looking for?

Andre did you ever manage to get to the bottom of this? Was this a specific issue with the Mid49 plate?

Andre did you ever manage to get to the bottom of this? Was this a specific issue with the Mid49 plate?

No I never heard back from BlackMagic. The Mid49 plate works if I disconnect the Lemo first then swap the gold mount battery. But if I disconnect the battery first the plate doesn’t switch over to the BPU without cycling the camera first. It’s odd. It doesn’t happen every time 100% but it fails enough times to make it unnerving.

I know the Mid49 has power surge protection built in. Does it maybe have something to do with that? Like when you disconnect the battery from the plate, maybe in an attempt to protect any over-current it actually cuts the current too low, causing the camera to switch off before switching to the internal battery?

So odd. Will definitely try to replicate this with my Nitze battery plate whenever my Pyxis gets here.

EDIT: Nevermind I just read that you encountered this issue also without the Mid49 plate when just using the AC power supply. Strange that your contact at Mid49 was able to replicate the issue but no one else on the forum has so far.

EDIT: Nevermind I just read that you encountered this issue also without the Mid49 plate when just using the AC power supply. Strange that your contact at Mid49 was able to replicate the issue but no one else on the forum has so far.

Yeah it is weird. I pointedly asked BM support if there might be something wrong with my camera and it’s been crickets.