topic Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync in Cyber-shot compact cameras

ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

sichapm — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 10:51:44 GMT

I've been trying to get my new ZV-1 (firmware 2.01) audio and video in sync when USB streaming to my (High Sierra) 5k iMac. Typically, using the ZV-1's inbuilt mic as the audio source, I'm getting the audio coming in 1 second ahead of the video. I get the same problem when I switch the audio source to an external USB mic or to the Mac's built-in mic.

HOWEVER, I discovered that I can always get video and sound in sync (temporarily) if I first select the external USB mic as the source and then switch back to the ZV-1 mic. In Quicktime Player I can thus make a perfect short video…but as soon as I end the recording and start a new one straight afterwards, using the same sources, the audio is again 1 second ahead of the video. This is reproducible.

In my troubleshooting steps to try to normalise the USB stream, I tried the following (none of which helped):

1. Reboot computer

2. Reboot ZV-1

3. Clean my HD with both Disk First Aid and CleanMyMac

4. Logging in to my computer with a virgin test account

5. Trying two different USB cables

6. Trying two different USB ports

7. Switching to two alternative audio sources (internal iMac mic and external USB mic)

Is there a known issue - perhaps a bug in the ZV-1 firmware? If not, what could be the explanation for the ZV-1's audio and video syncing only after switching to a different audio source and back again? Thanks for any help.

Rif.: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

Marino.Manolo — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 11:27:56 GMT

Have you try also with Imaging Edge?

Rif.: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

sichapm — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:03:09 GMT

Not yet. I was hoping to avoid installing new software. In theory, I shouldn't need to. But I will try it.

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

sichapm — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:17:38 GMT

I've just received the shocking news from Sony that while their v2.0 ZV-1 firmware supported Mac Os 10.13, the minor v2.01 bug fix release did not! Who would even think to check that such a major compatibility change was snuck into an incremental release? The v2.01 system requirements were listed on the download page but only at the bottom of a long spiel and without drawing any attention to the significance of the changed system requirements. Here's what they wrote to me:

Thank you for your recent email.

With reference to your enquiry, kindly note that the lack of compatibility of Mac operating system with the camera's software can cause the out of sync issue.

Therefore, we recommend trying another Mac that has one of the supported operating systems and let us know your outcome.

Regarding your enquiry to roll back to the previous software version, we would like to explain that, unfortunately, it is not possible to do this.

Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this e-mail.

Thank you for your enquiry,

Yours sincerely,

Ebtehal

SONY SUPPORT TEAM

SUPPORT: http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en

I'm gobsmacked. Below is the relevant extract from their v2.0 release only a couple of months earlier…

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

Marino.Manolo — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:29:46 GMT

Again, have you try whit the latest version of Imaging Edge for Mac?

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

sichapm — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:34:56 GMT

I'm sure that Sony Support would have suggested that if were a workaround, don't you think?

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

Marino.Manolo — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:35:24 GMT

Is the SOFTWARE UPDATE compatible only whit:

"The latest version of the system software update is compatible with the following Macintosh versions"

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

Marino.Manolo — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:37:31 GMT

"I'm sure that Sony Support would have suggested that if were a workaround, don't you think?"

If you think this and don't even want to try, it's not my problem 🤗

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

sichapm — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:40:14 GMT

Clearly - otherwise why change the wording? This is from the v2.0 readme:

…and this is from the v2.01 file:

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

Marino.Manolo — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:46:00 GMT

Those are the compatibility for the software update program (System Requirements for updating).

I would try Imaging Edge, at the limit you get nothing.

Re: ZV-1 USB streaming to iMac = no sync

sichapm — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 16:15:43 GMT

@Marino.Manolo I appreciate your help but there is honestly no point. *If* Imaging Edge fixes the problem, it only gives me 1024 x 576 max, which isn't enough. It also doesn't accept audio from the ZV-1 or an external mic, forcing the use of the iMac's built-in mic which is shabby.

On those terms, I don't want to fix the problem.