Boycott Panasonic cameras - forced proprietary battery use in firmware

Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety
of its users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal
heating or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

--
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Alan Browne wrote:
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure
safety of its users against possible injuries because of
overcharging, internal heating or short circuit in third-party
batteries.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

What makes you think that 3rd parties will not bring out compatible
batteries?

Methinks you are over-reacting, at least for now.

David

"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify genuine
Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party battery
packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety of its
users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal heating
or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

Before screaming "boycott" like some 1970's shop steward you might like to
consider that fake batteries could be a problem.

--
Charles E Hardwidge

On 20-06-09 16:48, Charles E Hardwidge wrote:
"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify genuine
Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party battery
packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety of its
users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal heating
or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

Before screaming "boycott" like some 1970's shop steward you might like to
consider that fake batteries could be a problem.

As I use 3rd party batteries (at 1/3 the Sony price) and have had no
issues, why not? Most of these 3rd party batteries, esp. Li-ion, have
the protection circuit built in and this is stated on their product
sheets. And that is what I checked (via the re-seller) when I bought them.

All this is is a ploy to force OEM battery purchases.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

On 20-06-09 16:40, David J Taylor wrote:
Alan Browne wrote:
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure
safety of its users against possible injuries because of
overcharging, internal heating or short circuit in third-party
batteries.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

What makes you think that 3rd parties will not bring out compatible
batteries?

Methinks you are over-reacting, at least for now.

NEVER! DO! I! OVERREACT!

If it is based on a challenge/response it is all but impossible to
backwards engineer this.

eg: The battery hands over a class code
The camera generates a challenge (random 16 bit (or so) number)
The battery, for its "class" has to generate a correct response for
that random number.
Incorrect reply - camera tries 2 more times - then shuts off.
Correct reply - camera tries 2 more random #'s, if pass, then all is okay.

Such can easily be done in a tiny, cheap, low power consuming chip in
the battery (or in the power reporting chip already in place).

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

Alan Browne wrote:
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety
of its users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal
heating or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).


So what's new? Fuji have been doing that - a little differently for
years with the s5 Pro. That doesn't stop me using cheap Chinese
batteries in it. I just have to reset a chip. No different than using
knock-off inks in your Epson printer.

Get a life Alan. Panasonic have as much right to make their cameras out
of whatever they feel like as the company you worked for does to use
proprietor gear in their radar - you can only get from them. Or is it
different when it affects you personally?

--
You don't stop laughing because you grow old,
You grow old because you stop laughing!

"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
On 20-06-09 16:48, Charles E Hardwidge wrote:
"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety
of its users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal
heating or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

Before screaming "boycott" like some 1970's shop steward you might like
to consider that fake batteries could be a problem.

As I use 3rd party batteries (at 1/3 the Sony price) and have had no
issues, why not? Most of these 3rd party batteries, esp. Li-ion, have the
protection circuit built in and this is stated on their product sheets.
And that is what I checked (via the re-seller) when I bought them.

All this is is a ploy to force OEM battery purchases.

Sure, I accept there can be a forced OEM purchase angle as well as it being
a way to head off iffy third-party sweatshop parts. Those are the extremes
of control and greed, and you get it in the pharmaceutical, IT, and print
industries. It's dumb but there you go.

Personally, I'd favour third-party parts going through an independent and
none discriminatory quality assurance process. Chips could help verify parts
meet acceptable criterion and help push fake and potentially damaging parts
off the board. Everyone's a winner.

--
Charles E Hardwidge

"daveFaktor" wrote in message
...
Alan Browne wrote:
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify genuine
Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party battery
packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety of its
users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal heating
or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

So what's new? Fuji have been doing that - a little differently for years
with the s5 Pro. That doesn't stop me using cheap Chinese batteries in it.
I just have to reset a chip. No different than using knock-off inks in
your Epson printer.

Get a life Alan. Panasonic have as much right to make their cameras out of
whatever they feel like as the company you worked for does to use
proprietor gear in their radar - you can only get from them. Or is it
different when it affects you personally?

Yeah, I wanted to make babies with this 10 tentacled alien that dropped down
in my back garden last night but the DNA lock in was a bitch.

Actually, one thing that does irritate me is the way manufacturers dick with
stuff so an upgrade becomes a downgrade. Canon stripped all the manual
features from their Ax000 range forcing new customers to buy S series
cameras at twice the price. Bit naughty, that.

It's going off topic but I plan on keeping my A590 IS forever even when I do
jump for a mid-range or dSLR sometime.

--
Charles E Hardwidge

On 20-06-09 17:46, Charles E Hardwidge wrote:
"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
On 20-06-09 16:48, Charles E Hardwidge wrote:
"Alan Browne" wrote in message
...
Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure
safety
of its users against possible injuries because of overcharging,
internal
heating or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

Before screaming "boycott" like some 1970's shop steward you might like
to consider that fake batteries could be a problem.

As I use 3rd party batteries (at 1/3 the Sony price) and have had no
issues, why not? Most of these 3rd party batteries, esp. Li-ion, have the
protection circuit built in and this is stated on their product sheets.
And that is what I checked (via the re-seller) when I bought them.

All this is is a ploy to force OEM battery purchases.

Sure, I accept there can be a forced OEM purchase angle as well as it being
a way to head off iffy third-party sweatshop parts. Those are the extremes
of control and greed, and you get it in the pharmaceutical, IT, and print
industries. It's dumb but there you go.

Personally, I'd favour third-party parts going through an independent and
none discriminatory quality assurance process. Chips could help verify
parts
meet acceptable criterion and help push fake and potentially damaging parts
off the board. Everyone's a winner.

Which would drive up the price. There is no reason to be suspicious of
suppliers who put up all their data and who have a good rep.

I found a deal, looked up the supplier, spec, phoned the distributor and
checked out the batts before buying.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:34:57 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

Panasonic issues 'battery safety' firmware

Panasonic has released firmware updates for its latest digital cameras
including the GH1, G1, ZS3 and TS1. The new firmware can identify
genuine Panasonic batteries and _prevents the use of any third party
battery packs_. The company says it has taken this move to ensure safety
of its users against possible injuries because of overcharging, internal
heating or short circuit in third-party batteries.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09...vicenotice.asp

What a BS ploy. (And I hope this does not occur to Sony).

I doubt Sony would worry themselves over such an issue - after all many
of their cameras already require proprietary memory cards!