Request for help, NEX 5N Video Option AVCHD 50i/50p is its MAX?

[DigitalSmoke]

My NEX5N's video options max out at AVCHD 50i/50p, but as far as i know it should be able to do 60i/60p!
I called service support who said the cause could be a to slow memory card.

Now i have tried 4 differend memorycards, 3 different speeds SD cards, and a Memorystick Pro Duo, the AVCHD 60i/60p option still isn't anyware to be found.

Does anybody know what the problem might be?

[Blencogo · Accepted solution]

Hi DigitalSmoke

When I look at the specifications of the NEX-5N, it gives the maximum recording rate as 50p.

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/dsb-nex-5/nex-5nd#pageType=TechnicalSpecs

These are the specifications for the European model - the US model specifications show the maximum recording rate as 60p.

Looks like 24/30/60p is only available on US models which are designed for 60Hz (NTSC) playback but EU 50Hz (PAL) models can only handle 25/50p.

Personally I feel that the lack of the native 24p is more of an issue.

[Jason_H]

As mentioned in a previous reply, the European models only go to 50i/50p as opposed to the 60i/60p like that the releases in other countries. I find this to be mistake by Sony, given the type of processing and conversion software   avail;able WORLDWIDE. Besides, what if we don't really care to watch them via our televisions. By the way, my TV is 60-120 MHz.

I find it even more disturbing that someone in service and support would have given you a bogus explanation such as a slow memory card. I swear, Does Sony have any qualified and knowledgeable people working for them in Europe? I could write a 10 page horrors story regarding my experience with the Sony Support and their "authorized service center" here in Athens, Greece. Absolutely horrid and ill-educated.

Message was edited by: Jason_H

Message was edited by: Jason_H

[DarkUltra]

I agree. My phone, my TV and my computer monitor are 60hz, 60hz and 120hz respectively so anything recorded at 50p creates judder.

Maybe the eu version of NEX models can be flashed with US version?

[Mick2011]

There's some misunderstanding about frame rates, refresh rates and mains power ratings here. They're completely different things and while they are all measured in Hertz, they have little or no relation to one another as regards playback.

The Hz rating on monitors and TVs refers to the screen refresh rate and has nothing to do with mains power. A high refresh rate will smooth anomalies experienced with upsampled frame rates, but these anomalies are not genrally due to regional variations.

Television broadcast in Europe (and, incidentally, most of South America, Asia, Australasia, Africa and the far East) is PAL, which requires TVs to have a specific framerate and resolution.

This means video-capable recording devices (including cameras) intended for the European market are always configured for PAL playback. The video standard for this is 25p. The US uses NTSC, with a different broadcast resolution and framerate, and differently-configured recording hardware; cameras therefore shoot 24p by default.

There's some debate as to which is 'best' but a lot of judder problems occur with poorly-executed de-interlacing from both 50i and 60i (interlaced), not due to original native (progressive) framerates. There's nothing inherently wrong with either format and normally there's no need to shoot 24p in Europe; certainly nothing worth bricking your NEX (and voiding its warranty) by flashing it with the wrong firmware.

I hope that explains things. Wikipedia is good for this sort of thing if you need to know more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_rate#Digital_video_and_television

Cheers

Mick