The Official Panasonic HDC-HS/SD/TM700 Owners thread - Page 53

Just be sure to have plenty of light when you take still pics with a GoPro. It's a great camera but it really needs a LOT of light.

I have a TM700 and wish to install it on my bike handlebars with a RAM mount to video some rides. I was thinking of just getting a GoPro2 HD but thought I should at least try out the TM700. The GOPro has a 170 degree viewing angle. Does anyone know if this can be duplicated on a TM700 with a wide angle lens? I do have a .5x Raynox but have no idea how this compares?

You will need a vibration dampening mount for your TM700. The OIS will not compensate for that level of vibration. I had a GoPro it was a great little cam for outdoors on a bright sunny day. If you get the right mount you can easily mount the TM700.
Don't skimp and buy a cheap mount or your camera will get destroyed. Even the GoPro's fall off their mounts which is how mine was destroyed.

Where would I find a quality vibration dampening camcorder mount? I googled a bit and found little that was specific to camcorders.

Bill

I would not subject the TM700's OIS to such harsh vibrations. I would rather get a cheap camera with EIS.

It's actually a 3 wheel tadpole trike with full suspension for road use only but you may be right, I should just get a GoPro?

I have a RAM mount which is really good but not damped. I have a ICE trike with full suspension that I plan on mounting it on, but maybe I should just get a GoPro?

Well a GoPro is designed for that sort of usage but you said you wanted to use your TM700.
The GoPro can handle the vibrations but be sure the mount is secure before you take off and you can even secure it more.
GoPro makes a great camera but their mounts are not the best.

Thanks for the tips. I have not been using my TM700 much at all so thought I would use it on my trike, but I would hate to ruin it so maybe a GoPro would be a better choice. I do have good RAM mounts for either choice. I plan on overlaying the video with GPS and DashWare.

You should be fine but no matter how good the cam is, if it falls off, it's not going to be pretty. That's why movie companies buy GoPro's by the case and use their own mounts instead of GoPro's.

Yes, RAM mounts are some of the best, they are used professionally on race cars, motorcycles, planes, trains, etc... Pretty much bullet proof. Not lite though.

Title says it. What's the camcorder's audio sample rate? 19200? 44800?

From Mediainfo: 384Kbps, 48KHz, 16 bit, 6 Channels, AC-3

Hi,

I have an European HDC-TM700. The problem for me with this camcorder is that it does 50p instead of 60p. 50p works fine on my television but for use on computers and other portable devices 60/30p makes more sense. I'm quite sure that this can be fixed by replacing the EEPROM contents from my European TM700 with that of a USA TM700.

I've figured out how to go into the service mode menu of the camcorder as well as how to access an additional 'FACTORY MENU'.

It seems that the firmware might do both 50p and 60p since when going into a 'physical button and sensor check' menu it shows an on-screen 60p button being pressed when pushing the physical 50p button on the camera itself.

Inside the 'FACT(ORY) MENU' it's possible to view, write, watch, update, dump EEPROM contents, RAM etc contents.

My question is the following. Would somebody from the USA with a HDC-TM700 (not the SD or HS model) be willing to dump his/her EEPROM contents for me so that I can possibly convert my European TM700 into a USA one with 60p mode ?

If terms like firmware/EEPROM etc sounds like some alien language to you, please do not reply since in theory it is possible to 'brick' your camera when you do not know what you are doing.

If you are willing to help please PM me for the details.

P.S. having access to the RAM/EEPROM could in theory allow access to features that might have been disabled on this camcorder to diversify it from more expensive pro camcorders at the time of it's release... So I wonder why this hasn't been explored more (nothing to find on Google).

Thanks

I truly wish this was something that hackers, such as Vitaly Kisilev, would do. Sadly, the TM700 isn't as big a seller as the GH2, which he's hacked brilliantly.

Hi guys,
New to this forum thing, need some help.
Have my HS700 for over a year now, love it very much. Last weekend while videoing my son's basketball game, it came up with error message "error occurred. Please turn unit off, then turn on again".

I turned the unit off and on and I can 'playback' but when I turned to motion picture mode, it won't let me zoom or do anything, after 1 min, the same error message came up. I tried switch it to using the sd card but that didnt help. same error.

I then went back to playback mode and deleted the videos. even went as far as reformatted it. format went well but same error again when videoing.

I went looking for answers and purchased the service manual to seek more help. Tried to go into service mode as stated in the manual (zoom/IA/Menu keys for 3 secs) but that didnt work either.

so now I am seeking help from you experts. failing this I will send it to pana service centre which will definitely cost me a few hundred bucks. My wife will not be too happy with it I am sure.

thanks guys

Try calling Panasonic support first which is free and see if they have a quick fix for you. From the sound of it, it sounds like it's overheating.

Thanks Steve. They need to have a look at it which is A$77 then they will tell me what's the problem and whether I want to go ahead with the fix , which will definitely cost more(parts and labour).

cheers

That's crazy money. They can diagnose if it is a known problem on the phone. I guess once it's out of warranty that's the end of their helpfulness.
I have had 2 canon cameras both dropped at different times and Canon charged a flat fee to fix them and both worked like new and I still have one of them the other I gave to my wife's family to use.
They love it.
Cost to fix these things usually has a flat rate at least Canon does. The retractable lens on my SD400 was literally bentand it was fixed as good as new. Yours might be cheaper to fix. It can take up to 6 weeks to get the camera back tho.

They will get back to me on the 11th(being Easter holidays and all), hope the damage isnt that great. The guy didnt think it was a big one since I can still playback. so fingers cross.

I should consider Canon next time. the XA10 looks nice.

thanks man.

Sure thing although unless you need the XLR inputs the HF G10 is a better deal price wise.

Anyone got a link to the Service Manual for a HS700, I'm thinking of swaping the HDD out for an SSD but I've found no discussion on the Web of such a thing so far.

I have the HDC-TM700 and after looking at some awful footage (jittering pan with O.I.S) look like i need to upgrade the firmware,
anyone has the firmware already? and how can I access the hidden service menu?
Thanks a lot..

I have noticed that HD writer V 4.0 is so much better than the older 2.1 version
and work great with ths HDC-TM700..

I wish there was a way to get it as an upgrade. My version 2.6 is limiting. Panasonic seems to not want to let that happen. Perhaps the reason is that Panasonic sees the software part of the total product and wants customers to buy new cameras just to get the additional features from the new software.

Bill

It is interesting that Sony upgrades its "free" camera and camcorder software - which is one package - continuously (some did not like the upgrades) and it works with their older cameras too. Some features of the Sony software are only added depending on the camera (3D for 3D cameras, etc.). Panasonic seems to provide different software with different cameras and you are stuck.

Like me. The first upgrade went well and added some 1080p60/AVCHD 2.0 support. The second, to Play Memories did not go well. I would have liked the new features, but after installation, it said none of my existing files were compatible. It would not even load a snapshot. I know it should have worked, but it didn't. Maybe I'll try again.

Bill

I would try again. I upgraded on three computers and had no problems reading any photo or video files - even the ones from Panasonic camcorders and older Sony cameras/camcorders. You just tell the software (by clicking) which folders to look at.

(By "some" I meant you!)

I figured as much!

Please, can you tell me - does HD writer reencodes 1080\50p video when it copies it to external SD card connected to PC? Or it simply creates AVCHD directories and copies m2ts to SD?