[em-tx]

k5 II with 24 and 30 fps would be enough for me to buy the body ...

I guess it needs more varialble bit rate, for lot of pro people also more control of frame rates and also expanding recording times. For instance for my purposes to 60 minutes of Full HD.

[em-tx]

FlashPoint - FlashPoint | The Future of Connected Content and FlashPoint | Corporate Info | History | FlashPoint is defining the convergence of Internet and digital content, such as images, video, and music.

"In 1998, FlashPoint introduced Digita®, a solution combining an in-camera intelligence platform with wireless technology and the Internet. Today, Digita® is the intelligence behind award-winning products from Pentax, Hewlett-Packard, Eastman Kodak, Minolta, Epson, and others. "

Since I own all the early Digital cameras from Pentax - including the EI-3000 prototype - and the co-produced HP cameras, I can confirm that Digita is in those cameras.

Since I also own the *ist-D, which came out in 2003, it's likely that Pentax used a hybrid of the DigitaOS in the camera, and since then, all Pentax DSLR firmwares have the "look and feel" of the original digital firmware.

As for Flashpoint current locations?

Corporate Headquarters
20 Depot Street, Suite 2A
Peterborough, NH 03458

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=20+depot+street+suite+2a+peterborough+new+ham...78.28,,0,11.19

Research & Technology Group
4011 WestChase Blvd, Suite 110
Raleigh, NC 27607

The founders of Flashpoint are Stanley B. Fry and Patty Scardino.

It appears that Patty was the brains of the operation. Her resume is pretty awesome.

"Mrs. Scardino is a founding employee of FlashPoint Technology. She has over 15 years of experience in hardware and software engineering. Mrs. Scardino managed the core technology development group responsible for developing Digita, FlashPoint's Imaging Appliance Operating System. Prior to FlashPoint, she worked in the Imaging Division at Apple Computer, and in the Mainframe Development Group at Amdahl Corporation. She has patents in the area of digital imaging software, and patents pending in the areas of Internet imaging. Mrs. Scardino holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois."

So in the timeframes we are talking about, Mrs. Scardino probably had a hand in the Apple Quicktake early digital camera amongst others.

A LinkedIn search on Patty Scardino, leads us to the "Raleigh-Durham" area of North Carolina, which is coincidently the same place as Flashpoint's "Research and Technology" group and she is named as "Chief of IP Operations at FlashPoint".

Her position is "current" at Flashpoint.

Also - Flashpoint Technology

"Flashpoint Technology, a former subsidiary of Apple Incorporated, was founded by Stanley B. Fry, Patty Scardino, and Eric Anderson. The company's headquarters is located in Petersburg, New Hampshire, while an additional office is located at Raleigh, North Carolina. The company develops technological solutions and relevant intellectual property that define the convergence of digital content and the Internet.
Top executives of Flashpoint Technology are listed as Stanley B. Fry, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Jens H. Hillen, President and Chief Operating Officer; Patty Scardino, Chief of IP Operations; and Leo Smith, Chief Financial Officer. Directors are listed as Edward D. Herrick, Cyrus Gregg, and Ross Bott.
In 1998, the company introduced Digita to the market, a built-in intelligence platform solution which combines wireless technology with the Internet. It is the industry's pioneer imaging OS (operating system) for cameras and printers . Digita allows camera programming using a scripting language dubbed Digita script. Most of the camera's features are controlled using the said script, including focus adjustment, exposure, lens and flash position, and picture processing.
In 2001, the company released the DigitaX, a follow-up of the Digita software imaging platform. The faster and simpler development and integration is a result of the improvement of its modular architecture and the usage of simpler development tools. Digita is licensed to Epson, Eastman Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, Konica, Minolta, and Sharp.
Flashpoint Technology has also developed a hybrid peer-to-peer (P2P) technology called KinectUs. The integration of digital content providers' solutions with Kinectus' modular structure makes possible the economics and speed of P2P with the availability and control of a centrally-hosted solution. The platform is comprised of two components: the KinectUs client, which is integrated invisibly into the application of the content provider installed in the user's computer; and the KinectUs server, the one responsible for managing all connections between the user's computer and visitors attempting to access content.
Flashpoint Technology as of late holds 17 patents, with 80 patents pending in the United States and 42 more in other countries. Among those are U.S. Patent No. 6,020,920, called "Method and System for Speculative Decompression of Compressed Image Data in an Image Capture Unit", and U.S. Design Patent D0418,826, named "Image for Display Screen of a Digital Camera". The said patents were issued on February 1 and January 11, 2000, respectively."

Great. Just to make clear, is this people we would like to address to develop custom FW or this people which has code to do so or there are people which can do it either way, if they feel its worthwhile? Anyway, great post.

[LaurenOE]

Great. Just to make clear, is this people we would like to address to develop custom FW or this people which has code to do so or there are people which can do it either way, if they feel its worthwhile? Anyway, great post.

LOL. Flashpoint.

These people - and I don't know this for fact - might still have their hands in the Pentax firmware or not.
I don't know if they have *anything* to do with Pentax firmware anymore.

What was an active Digital Camera OS, just up and "vanished" and has not been seen since.
All traces except for a few websites here and there are gone across the web.
Except for Raspberry PI and what is happening over at Magic Lantern, not many other Digital Camera OS systems have appeared in the void.

To me, it seems obvious that it would be easier for the Flashpoint/DigitaOS folks to just take it easy for the rest of their lives if they could.

What we do know is that Mrs. Scardino is still doing something that entails managing intellectual property.
Kinda like the golden egg.
People with a golden egg do not take too kindly to people messing around with their intellectual property.

Someone else could approach Flashpoint/Mrs. Scardino and ask, but it won't be me.

[Class A]

So what do you think?

There has been an effort to create an alternative firmware for Pentax cameras already.

The corresponding website still exists and shows the progress that has been made -- decrypting the firmware and understanding basic parts of its structure -- but there haven't been any updates for ages.

[em-tx]

LOL. Flashpoint.

These people - and I don't know this for fact - might still have their hands in the Pentax firmware or not.
I don't know if they have *anything* to do with Pentax firmware anymore.

What was an active Digital Camera OS, just up and "vanished" and has not been seen since.
All traces except for a few websites here and there are gone across the web.
Except for Raspberry PI and what is happening over at Magic Lantern, not many other Digital Camera OS systems have appeared in the void.

To me, it seems obvious that it would be easier for the Flashpoint/DigitaOS folks to just take it easy for the rest of their lives if they could.

What we do know is that Mrs. Scardino is still doing something that entails managing intellectual property. Kinda like the golden egg. People with a golden egg do not take too kindly to people messing around with their intellectual property.

Someone else could approach Flashpoint/Mrs. Scardino and ask, but it won't be me.

Are you saying that custom FW might be not possible, because people will take on authors due to intellectual property?

[em-tx]

There has been an effort to create an alternative firmware for Pentax cameras already.

The corresponding website still exists and shows the progress that has been made -- decrypting the firmware and understanding basic parts of its structure -- but there haven't been any updates for ages.

...exactly, so I wonder if there is possibility to change it and move on actually.

[LaurenOE]

Are you saying that custom FW might be not possible, because people will take on authors due to intellectual property?

Yep.
Custom firmware is basically a "Hack".
Some companies look the other way.
Some do not.

I tried to find some of the DigitaOS development tools a while back so I could try and program my HP and Pentax early digital cameras, and I found NOTHING.

No development environment could be found.
With intense searching, one or two script examples across the web was all I *could* find.

I found it odd that such a promising product - DigitaOS - had vanished across the web.
However, it's not uncommon if a company actively sends out letters to cease and desist.

We know that Pentax and HP and others made use of the DigitaOS and relationships fell apart in the first part of the decade.

There's lots of sleuthing that could be done, and I have my hunches.

[Class A]

...exactly, so I wonder if there is possibility to change it and move on actually.

Sure, the possibility is there.

Quite a bit of the groundwork has been done.

However, it is a lot of effort to reverse engineer assembly code and that's what you have to do if you want to modify it. You first have to understand what is there and then you can use it in new ways. It just takes someone (or more) with the dedication to do it. I'd rather use my spare time to make images, to be honest.

[JohnnyXD]

The main problem with the K30 is the lack of jack port, low bitrate and lack of video SR

[steve500]

I know I would donate towards such a project.

[em-tx]

I know I would donate towards such a project.

Thank you. I am happy to have fist very straight forward answer with interest!

[em-tx]

The main problem with the K30 is the lack of jack port, low bitrate and lack of video SR

From what you are saying:
low bitrate can be according to what I know or guess actually modified
lack of SR - I think FW can sort it, not so sure
lack of Jack - thats only real limitation. However when you shoot professionally you get sound on external device.

[em-tx]

Sure, the possibility is there.

Quite a bit of the groundwork has been done.

However, it is a lot of effort to reverse engineer assembly code and that's what you have to do if you want to modify it. You first have to understand what is there and then you can use it in new ways. It just takes someone (or more) with the dedication to do it. I'd rather use my spare time to make images, to be honest.

I am not asking you to do it, I am just asking if there is interested person to do it - cause there is enough users if you would support project. You should definetilly enjoy your shooting.

[JohnnyXD]

From what you are saying:
low bitrate can be according to what I know or guess actually modified
lack of SR - I think FW can sort it, not so sure
lack of Jack - thats only real limitation. However when you shoot professionally you get sound on external device.

Well, the most important problem is the SR in my opinion. Since we all shoot handheld a proper SR is mandatory.

Lack of jack is not a problem whatsoever for me and bitrate. Well, it's more than enough as long as you don't do post processing

[steve500]

Thank you. I am happy to have fist very straight forward answer with interest!

Definitely. I am all about getting the absolute best out of something whether it was originally intended for it's potentials or not.