Personal View FAQs Wiki

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
== What is PTool, and what does hacking do? ==
  * PTool is a Windows application written by Vitaliy Kiselev that can patch (modify) certain Panasonic Lumix camera firmware images. The patches remove firmware restrictions and let you change video encoding parameters. Patching to increase the video recording bit rate can significantly improve video quality.

== Where can I learn more and get help? ==
  * [[http://www.personal-view.com/faqs|personal-view.com FAQs]]
  * [[http://www.personal-view.com/|personal-view.com discussions]]

== What camera firmware images can PTool patch? ==
  * As of PTool version 3.63d: ([[http://www.gh1-hack.info/wiki/VersionHistory|version history]])

  * TZ10 v1.2: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/index.html
  * G1 v1.5: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index2.html
  * G2 v1.1: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index2.html
  * GF1 v1.2: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index2.html
  * GH1 v1.3: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index2.html 
  * GH2 v1.0e: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/330/new-gh2-firmware-leak

  * GH2 v1.1: not yet.  Vitaliy is working on a new version of PTool for this.  Don't ask when it will be ready.

== Where can I download PTool? ==
  * http://www.gh1-hack.info/wiki/PToolSoftware

== How do I use PTool? ==
  - Download an original Panasonic firmware image for your camera, and unzip it to get the .bin file
  - Run PTool
  - Click "load firmware" and load the original Panasonic firmware .bin file
  - Make you patch settings in the Ptool window.  If you want to load stored settings, see below.
  - Click "Save Firmware".  Choose a filename that is the same as the original firmware .bin file, except with a different number.  (e.g. %%GH2__V11.bin instead of GH2__V10.bin%%)  Note that the filename has two underscores.

== What is testing?  Who are testers? ==
  * Vitaliy did a tremendous amount of work in reverse engineering the firmware images and figuring out what many of the parameters do.  But there's too much for one person to figure out alone.  The process of testing different parameter settings and figuring out what they do has been delegated to any willing tester.

== How do I load or save PTool patch settings? ==
  * PTool can load or save patch settings in an .ini file, letter A - J. (seta.ini, setb.ini, etc.)
  * To load an .ini file, place the file in your PTool directory before running PTool
  * Run PTool and load the original firmware
  * To load settings from a file, click a letter button at the bottom of the PTool window.  Loadable settings have a green button.
  * To save settings to a file, shift-click a letter button at the bottom of the PTool window.  Enter descriptions, and then click "store settings".

== How to flash your camera with a firmware image ==
  - Copy firmware .bin file to root of SD card. Fully charge you battery. Do not even attempt to use AC coupler or 3rd party battery!
  - Power off your camera if it was on.
  - Power on camera. After this press (not hold) green play button.
  - You'll see hourglass and prompt to update.
  - Press up arrow, and then press Menu/set.
  - Wait for the update to complete.  Do not touch your camera while the update is in progress.
  - When the update completes, the camera restarts itself.
  - If anything unexplained happens after flashing, try resetting the camera. (Menu, Setup, Reset) Usually a reset is not necessary.

== How to use PTool on a Macintosh ==
  * Use http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/

=== Small tips ===

  1. Remember that Testers section patches are for testers. Use simple bitrate patches.
  2. How can I make encoder hold better in low detailed scenes? Use Auto Quantizer patches

===== Useful tools =====

StreamParser by Chris Brandin as help tool to analyse AVCHD streams - 
http://www.gh1-hack.info/StreamParser.zip


Other good idea is also use trial version of Elecard StremEye - 
http://www.elecard.com/en/download/products.html
Personal View FAQs Wiki

User Tools

Site Tools

Page Tools
