Firmware Black Screen, Glitches, and Errors

[zakariabenkabouche]

Hi everyone,

I’m having some serious issues with my RED camera, and I’ve tried everything I can think of. Hoping someone here might have run into something similar. Here’s what’s going on:

1. Firmware Problems – The only firmware that allows the camera to turn on and display an image is version 6.0.46 from February 2, 2016 (the oldest one available on RED’s site, if someone has an older one, I'll love to try it). Any newer version results in a black screen, but the camera is actually powered on. I can tell it’s on because the RED side handle still displays information, and I can even adjust settings like aperture, but there’s no video signal at all. Also, when I try to update firmware via the in-camera menu, it gives me an error saying "no firmware found", even though the file is correctly placed on the media. The only way to update is by booting with the firmware in the drive.
2. Glitching & Initialization Errors – When using the oldest firmware, the camera boots, but most of the time, I get an "Initialization Error – Please shut down the camera" message. Sometimes this happens repeatedly, forcing me to turn it off and on multiple times. Then, randomly, the error disappears, and I can access the menu. When this happens, I might see the left-side glitch (a random delay between the left and right side of the image), but not always.
   
3. Recording Issues – If I do manage to get past the initialization error and start recording, it only lasts four seconds before stopping with a "Data Integrity Error", forcing me to shut down the camera. If I try to record in HDRX mode, the entire image goes crazy, glitching, completely unusable.
   
   
4. Power Supply Check – I’m using a power supply plugged into the wall, delivering a stable 16V, so power instability shouldn't be the issue. I also tested with other power supplies, and the same problems persisted.
5. Hardware Investigation – I completely disassembled the camera, checked and reseated all connectors, and saw no visible damage (no burns, no loose components). I also replaced the thermal paste just in case. I’ve tested different REDMAGs, modules, SDI, HDMI, and even performed multiple hard resets—same results every time.

At this point, I’m kinda convinced it’s a hardware issue, but I have no idea if it’s the sensor, the motherboard, or something else.
Has anyone dealt with something similar? Any suggestions before I start replacing parts?

Also, since this is an old DSMC1 model and RED no longer services these cameras, I’m wondering what my best options are if this is a pure hardware issue. I’m not a pro at camera repairs—just someone with some technical knowledge—so I don’t want to mess it up if it requires precision work. Given that parts are hard to find, does anyone know where I could source them affordably? Or if I need to send it for repair, how much would it cost? I'm based in Paris, France, but I’m open to traveling within Europe or even the US if necessary.

I really don’t want this camera to collect dust forever.. it’s an amazing piece of gear, and the longer I wait, the harder it will be to find parts.

One last thing—I managed to export a log file from the camera, which should contain all the details about what’s going wrong. These logs were originally meant for RED’s client service, and as far as I know, they might be encrypted or formatted in a way that only RED can read. Does anyone know if independent repair shops or technicians can decode and analyze these logs? And if not, do you think RED would still provide any insight if I send it to them, even though they no longer service these older DSMC1 cameras?

Thanks in advance!