Video Devices PIX-E5 Firmware Update Adds 6G-SDI, Slomo & Anamorphic

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by Sebastian Wöber December 8^th, 2015

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Video Devices just released firmware update v1.10 for their PIX-E5 and PIX-E5H recorders with several key features that dramatically enhance their capabilities.

If you follow our magazine you’ve probably seen our PIX-E5 Review back in August. At that time the recorder offered great functionality and stability with its release firmware. Some firmware updates later the PIX-E5 and PIX-E5H recorders saw some improvements that further enhance their usability.

The new PIX-E5 firmware enables up to 120fps at 1080p resolution via hdmi which means that now the PIX-E5 and PIX-E5H recorders can capture slow motion from the Sony a7S (Note: The a7S outputs 720p at that framerate) or Sony a7S II. (Update: Apparently that Sony feature has not been enabled yet, although it was announced with the release of the cameras)

Another feature they added is 6G-SDI which lets you record high data rates via a single SDI cable. This is used for 4K and RAW recording that currently only the Blackmagic URSA and URSA Mini cameras support.

Last but not least with the new PIX-E5 firmware v1.10 they now implemented 4:3 anamorphic desqueeze which is a nice feature for those using anamorphic lenses on cameras like the Panasonic GH4.

With those new features and the other small changes through firmware updates in the last months this makes the Video Devices PIX-E5 and PIX-E5H recorders even more competitive when it comes to choosing the right device for your project. On that topic you also might want to check out our PIX-E5 vs. Atomos Shogun comparison article.

Of course there are some more new features. But for those of you just looking for the download link for PIX-E5 firmware v1.10 go to videodevices.com/support/.

All new features at a glance:

• Added 6G-SDI to support 4K recording over a single SDI cable for cameras with 6G-SDI output, such as Blackmagic URSA. Supports up to 30 fps.
• Added new 3:2 pulldown removal option for input to file conversion.
• Added high frame rate (HFR) recording up to 1080p120 over HDMI, which is ideal for slow motion format.
• Added support for external timecode via the 3.5 mm line inputs and via HDMI. Timecode from the line inputs may also be striped to an audio track.
• Added 4:3 anamorphic desqueeze for the LCD and outputs, ideal for cameras such as the Panasonic GH4.
• Added the ability to enable or disable LUTs on SDI output.
• Enhanced playback capabilities to include frame-by-frame jog, shuttle (from 1/8x to 32x), plus fast forward and rewind at 2x and 16x speeds.
• Added ability to select next or previous recorded file from Stop by pressing Rewind or Fast Forward soft key buttons.
• Added ability to turn on peaking and zebras at the same time, thereby checking focus and exposure simultaneously.
• SDI audio de-embedder issues fixed.
• ProRes Proxy macro-blocking on playback fixed.