PAID FIRMWARE UPGRADE FOR FOR LARGER CF CARDS ?

[Stelios Kokotos]

Just putting my thoughts out there regarding the possibility of getting some momentum for a firmware upgrade for the RED MX which would allow RED MX users to use the newer generation, high speed and larger capacity CF cards available on the market.

I know I would be happy to pay for such an upgrade as the 16GB CF restriction is very limiting and would prefer to pay for a firmware upgrade than move entirely to SSD media. If RED did not provide any RED branded larger capacity CF media then they could write a basic utility that could test existing media for reliability and speed.

Just an idea...

 

[Troy Bakewell]

Great idea!

 

[Stelios Kokotos]

Thanks! Let's hope RED likes it as well!... ;-)

 

[L. Langer]

Just putting my thoughts out there regarding the possibility of getting some momentum for a firmware upgrade for the RED MX which would allow RED MX users to use the newer generation, high speed and larger capacity CF cards available on the market.

I know I would be happy to pay for such an upgrade as the 16GB CF restriction is very limiting and would prefer to pay for a firmware upgrade than move entirely to SSD media. If RED did not provide any RED branded larger capacity CF media then they could write a basic utility that could test existing media for reliability and speed.

Just an idea...

Given the age of the RED CF-SATA interface, it (most likely) shouldn't work well with the current high-end CF cards approved for other DC products because it's interface/controller does not have the latest CF revision, which is required for the current CF cards you want to use to be properly utilized. RED moved to their SSD media in 2010 when CF was getting an upgrade because the SSD media design was more viable for high-speed/high-capacity options in the long-run and CF - at that time - was being superseded by several other proposed formats, including new versions from the CF Association. As no clear successor to CF ever came about and CF was a hit/miss media format for their recording requirements, they never bothered to release an upgraded CF module with the latest CF revision. As many of you screaming for more CF options are working in countries where counterfeit/low-grade CF cards are all over the place, you would only be opening up a door to a lot of problems, especially if use of those cards damaged the camera, making it impossible for you to fix. I know you don't want to hear it, but upgrading to the SSD module is the best and only option for you, if you are unwilling to upgrade the camera to a more recent body.

 

[Troy Bakewell]

Langer is making a lot of sense here.

1.8 redmags are rock solid and can be found second hand pretty cheap these day too.

 

[Stelios Kokotos]

Ok, that's interesting....Will definitely read up on the latest CF spec.

I was not aware that inserting a new CF card into an older CF drive could damage the camera...Aren't CF cards backward compatible? There is a lot of audio and DSLR gear out there that is older than 5 years that people still use. Will the new cards also damage this gear?

 

[Freya]

screaming for more CF options are working in countries where counterfeit/low-grade CF cards are all over the place, you would only be opening up a door to a lot of problems, especially if use of those cards damaged the camera, making it impossible for you to fix.

Yikes! You jumped the shark a bit there!

Freya

 

[L. Langer]

Ok, that's interesting....Will definitely read up on the latest CF spec.

I was not aware that inserting a new CF card into an older CF drive could damage the camera...Aren't CF cards backward compatible? There is a lot of audio and DSLR gear out there that is older than 5 years that people still use. Will the new cards also damage this gear?

You need to re-read my post. There is likely an issue of controller incompatibility between the newer card designs and the RED Module as well as the internal SATA controller inside the RED ONE and the looming spectre of counterfeit/low-grade CF cards damaging your RED ONE or RED CF Module and causing you problems on set. Newer high-capacity CF cards have specific controller features that allow high-speed data transfers, which are not likely found in the older RED CF Module and likely aren't compatible with the RED ONE internal SATA controller either and the switch to SSDs was done at the same time that those features, including high-capacity addressing were introduced into CF. I've read countless posts on this forum from people like you who want to go out and buy a pile of (insert name of cheap/shitty memory card brand here) that advertises high-performance and shove it into their camera and some others who are crazy enough to think that the street markets are selling legit flash memory products. The ONLY acceptable option for continued use of the RED ONE is to upgrade to the SSD module, which allows for higher capacity media.

 

[L. Langer]

Yikes! You jumped the shark a bit there!

Freya

How so? It's a known fact that many countries in Europe and Asia are filled with cheap/counterfeit flash memory products and most of the RED ONE owners who haven't migrated to SSDs are working in those markets.

 

[Stelios Kokotos]

I've read countless posts on this forum from people like you who want to go out and buy a pile of (insert name of cheap/shitty memory card brand here) that advertises high-performance and shove it into their camera and some others who are crazy enough to think that the street markets are selling legit flash memory products. The ONLY acceptable option for continued use of the RED ONE is to upgrade to the SSD module, which allows for higher capacity media.

Huh? People like me? lol. I am based in Melbourne Australia, I purchase cards from reputable retailers and not street markets, and would not use third party cards unless deemed safe by a RED rep. We have 3 RED cameras, 2 of these use SSD drives. For the camera that has a CF drive we have 5x RED 16GB CF cards and 2x 8GB Lexar cards. We also have 2x 320GB RED drives. I'm not looking to buy a 'pile of cheap/shitty memory'. The main reason I asked about the media is that I need the CF drive camera to be as light as possible and find the present 16GB CF cards or the cost of buying an SSD drive plus additional SSD media prohibitive given our budget and the weak state of the Australian dollar relative to the US. I understand that you may be frustrated with old posts but I asked politely. If the SSD path is the only practical path, then I have no problem with that path. BTW, thank you again for the heads up regarding the CF tech.

 

[Brian Merlen]

Red originally didn't open up to third parties cuz the specs are total bs on the consumer media. Maybe some are okay now cuz they are faster but the interface in your old camera isn't and red wasted a lot of time like black magic trying to find what third party stuff worked media wise. They took the blame for shitty media repeatedly and then went proprietary. So anyway guys like me buying mini mags have plenty of ssd mags to sell and the prices are collapsing rapidly. This is your best bet, get the module asap if you can. I have three mags I won't trade cuz I'm not the original buyer on file. By the time I sell they will be almost worthless in a few months but a good asset for you to have and the market will be saturated with sellers

 

[Stelios Kokotos]

Thanks Brian, that makes good sense! I will definitely be in the market for additional SSD media when it becomes more affordable to us!

 

[Brent J. Craig]

...Yet somehow the new Alexas use off-the-shelf, readily-available C-Fast media without any problem at all.