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GH1 Firmware Hack FAQ
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  • My procedure:
    1. Ensured full battery.
    2. Formatted card in camera.
    3. Removed card from camera.
    4. Inserted card in PC.
    5. Dowloaded PTOOL3.EXE from https://www.personal-view.com/faqs/gh2-hack/ptool-software into card root directory.
    6. Downloaded GH1__132.BIN from http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/dl/gh1.html) into card root directory.
    7. Downloaded SETA.BIN from http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?249355-100Mbps-Max-Latitude-Native-24-25p-Patch into card root directory.
    8. Ran PTOOL3.EXE.
    9. Loaded firmware GH1__132.BIN.
    10. Checked “Version increment”.
    11. Put “10” under “Enter version increment:”
    12. Checked “Prevent version compare”.
    13. Checked “New body”
    14. Clicked “A” button at the bottom of the PTOOL screen (A button automatically checks necessary boxes for you).
    15. Changed nothing in “Patches for testers”.
    16. Clicked “Save Firmware”
    17. Saved as GH1__135.BIN in card root directory.
    18. Deleted all files in card root directory, EXCEPT: PTOOL3.EXE, GH1__135.BIN, SETA.BIN
    20. Removed card from PC.
    21. Inserted card in camera.
    22. Put camera on table - allowed no movement during update.
    23. Pressed play until camera asks to update firmare.
    24. YES to firmware update.
    25. Waited for the green meter to fill the red box.
    26. Reformatted SD card in camera.
    27. End of procedure.
  • sounds like it, but, you don't run ptools from the sdhc card. you do all that on your computer, then just copy the bin file to the root directory of the sdhc card, put it in the camera and hit play.
    so, install ptools into windows on your hard drive somewhere-because you deleted it already, and put your original 132.bin file into that folder, along with the ini files for the patches you want to use.

    It appears you have successfully hacked your camera. at this point, you may want to stop and just go out and start enjoying your camera with the a patch.
  • Thanks for all the hard work Vitaliy.

    Zcream (or others), what gives the GH1 the best recorded image of any camera under 10k? What sets it apart from other DSLRs like the d60 or 5d mkii?
  • No moire, price, increased bit rate with hack.
  • The problem with HD video cameras is not image quality but compression. IQ is deeply affected by reducing 100-120 MBps of digital data into 17-24 mbps (thats 2-3 MBps). So the compression is 33-60 times. With the compression, comes artifacts like blocks or mud. With ptool, these artifacts are non-existent.

    Read Barry Green's article about moire here - http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/article.php/20

    The video resolution of the GH1 is also more than the DSLR as it does not do line-skipping. I was able to put the GH1 with the hack next to the EX1. The EX1 has about 900-1000 TVl resolution. With a good lens, the GH1 matches this resolution. Thats the most you will ever get. Lookup sampling theory to see why.

    The main advantage of the DSLRs is the soft gradient across edges (a more filmic look) due to the internal 12-bit processing. The Gh1 can only process 2^8 colors, while a DSLR can do 2^10 or 2^12 colors.

    Having said this, the magic lantern hack allows the T2i to give higher bitrates, and a really cool auto focus rack feature. I just bought a T2I kit just for the focus rack feature.

    IMHO, a DSLR kit would include a 5D Mark II (for extreme low light), a GH1 for most conditions and a T2i (for smooth rack focus shots)

    After the 100mbps hack this gets reduced to the Gh1 (for ALL shots) and a T2i for smooth rack focus shots. Just use CColton or Emory's Standard low fpn settings for ultra low light on the Gh1 (Standard 2,2,0,-2)

    I prefer Standard 2,2,-2,-2 for ultra low light.

    Either hack a c-mount 25mm 0.95 lens (about 500$ on ebay) or buy the m4/3 25mm 0.95 lens for about 1000$ as the low light lens.
  • (disregard)
  • I don't have a card reader. Should i get one, or can i put the ptool .bin file onto the card when the camera is attached to the computer? Figure it wont be a problem, but as things seem a little pernickety, i just wanted to check!
  • @jules

    You can use either way.
  • @2liz
    >Is it possible re-hack it?

    Asm many times as you want :-)


  • I've got Japanese GF1 of which is unhackable since pressing PLAY button won't work for me...
    is it possible to use the latest Ptool for my GF1?
  • Sure, I hacked my JP GF1 as well.
  • JMF...
    Mind telling me how to do that...plzzz
  • It works the same way as for GH1. Download newest PTool 3.56d and newest fw for GF1 from Panasonic website (v1.22). Load the fw to the PTool, check Version increment, Prevent version compare and New Body. Change the Version increment to 10 (!). Check "All interface languages" under Patches for end users->Interface. Save the firmware as GF1__123.bin

    Format the SD card in your camera. Put it in the reader and copy GF1__123.bin to the root of the card. Put the card back to the camera and press Play button. Don't forget the battery has to be fully charged. Press OK to install an update and wait until it's finished. Enjoy you camera :)
  • I already did it more than ten times...
    but since Japanese GF1 Model precluded ones to use "PLAY" button for updating firmware...
    so I've got stucked with that...
    is there anyone got de same problem as I?
    Anyway, thanx 4al yer explanation, JMF :)
  • Try to charge battery first. And use other SD card.
  • Thanx Vitality...will try dat...
  • I'm not shure, is mpeg format of hacked GH1 resolution possibly up to 1920x1080 ?
    o.k. it seems not :
    http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?225252-Anamorphic-Cinemascope-in-Native-1920x810-MJPEG-Mode
  • My question goes to zcream, Well, I’m trying to understand here: 3 SD Cards, 3 patches. So, you say “I use 3 cheap SD cards, (…). Format them in the camera and load 1 setting per card …”,
    You mean I need to hack the camera three times, of course once for each patch. And after that as soon as I introduce the SD card in the camera, it will be set for the settings that correspond to the patch being in that SD?
    I hope I made myself clear. I’m not a native English speaker.
    Thanks
  • > And after that as soon as I introduce the SD card in the camera,
    > it will be set for the settings that correspond to the patch being in that SD?

    No, it won't.

    Using separate SD cards is a way to be able to (re)hack on location in a convenient way.

    You apply the hack as you would otherwise: by pressing the play button. Since you can only apply an upgrade to one firmware file, to be able to apply multiple hacks, you would have to have mulptile cards with you. If you want to do this, be aware that you will need a(n almost) full battery to be able to apply the hack(s).

    If you want different hacks(ettings) for AVCHD and MJPEG you could combine them into one .ini file or directly into a single firmware file. You may not have the need to apply hacks one after another.
  • Crystal Clear! Thanks a lot
  • Vitaliy, I have a GF1 I haven't hacked yet. The stock camera turns off video-out while recording. Does your hack enable video-out - HDMI (preferred) or composite AV?

    HDMI video out is possible on Sony NEX-3 & NEX-5 while recording.

    Is this possible on GF1/GH1, GF2/GH2 or is there a hardware limitation?
  • @DrPhoton From what I've read it's a hardware limitation on the GH1 but HDMI output while recording does work on GH2, although somewhat crippled (but still better/cleaner than the competition, HDSLR wise): http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?237584-HDMI-Capture-Problem-SOLVED-AviSynth-RULES!

    Looks like you won't notice the crippled HDMI if you need it for monitoring.
  • Can someone confirm by actually trying it on a GF2 and GH2, that video-out works during recording. HDMI and or composite AV.

    Sadly, video-out does not work on my stock GF1.
  • Hi GF1 Hack gurus,
    I have a newbie question. I am trying to hack a GF1 using the step by step information given above. When I try to Save Firmware, using a name GF1_132 (increment of 10 above GF1_122 firmware I am using) , I get a error "Bad file name, Camera won't be able to read Such a file". Please let me know what I am doing wrong here.

    Thanks for your help.
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