Steve'sDigicams

lunarHonour · Jul 29, 2008, 12:37 PM

Hi everyone, I am brand new to this forum.

I bought an Japanese only language a100 from KEH Last week for around $200 as a replacement for my 7D which broke.

I bought it in hopes of installing the English firmware on it and succeeded. I was able to modify the English version firmware to where the camera would accept it (by default the camera only accepts the Japanese version firmware). The camera now displays the menus in English :-)

Does anyone have an interest in this firmware? I could host it somewhere.

I am also wondering if other model Sony DSLRs are hackable too. Don't they have a JP only a700?

TCav · Jul 29, 2008, 1:06 PM

What you did, no doubt, violated a license agreement somewhere. While I'm pleased that it worked for you, and reasured that it can be done, I think that anyone that hosts it risks calling down the wrath of Sony on them.

You might want to put up a similar message on dyxum.com and photoclubalpha.com to let people know that it can be done and that you can help them do it, but I think that's as far as you can safely take this.

lunarHonour · Jul 29, 2008, 1:18 PM

Ya that's probably true, the actual files are most likely copyrighted.

Well if anyone needs help modifying the firmware I can do that instead. It's quite simple, you just need a hex editor.

I actually tried to register @ dyxum today too but their registration page is broken I think.

matasovskym · Jul 30, 2008, 11:25 AM

Dear lunarHonour,
can you provide me with information about how to edit file with English firmware for my Japan version of Alpha 100 please? Thank you very much!

Martin

dnas · Jul 30, 2008, 5:47 PM

I have puzzled over this dilema, when looking at the A100, A200, A300, A350and A700, all of which ONLY have Japanese menu system on the Japanese domestic models.

I was thinking that you MAY be able to load the English language firmware, but it's interesting that the A100 (and I presume, the others as well) will only take the Japanese firmware.

I had a quick look at the hex once, and decided it was all too hard!!!! I saw that the first part of the hex file was different to the English version, and one or the other was longer.

Let us know when you register with dyxum.com so we can take a look!!!!!

lunarHonour · Jul 31, 2008, 9:58 AM

Okay I just registered on dyxum.com.

There is only a byte difference in the header of each firmware that lets the camera know the region. I am assuming there is a soldered jumper too on the camera PCB that sets the region since the region does not change after flashing with the new firmware file.

Here are the instructions I gave to swas who was able to fix his camera:

Download the official firmware 1.04 first and then extract the 2 files. One of them is a .str file, you will need to hex edit the .str one. Do you have a hex editor? If not download that.

Hex edit the .str file and look at the first row:

00 00 67 58 00 00 01 04 21 87 00 00 00 00 00 XX

Change the XX (it can be 30 or 40 or 20 depending on the firmware locality) to 10 (make sure you are over writing the value and not adding more values).

Save the file.

Then put both the .str file and the firmware file onto the CF card, making sure there are no photos on the card.

Turn the camera on and press the play button, it should ask if you want to upgrade to 1.04.

alisson.d · Aug 6, 2008, 6:23 PM

hi lunarhonour!

has anyone else tried this?

i really dont know how to use a hexeditor, but i'm interested in trying this.

im not sure if giving me a rundown instruction on how to do this would cut it for me, but it would be much easier if you can host the firmware for us. do you think
you can host it, so we can download the firmware?

Sintares · Aug 6, 2008, 10:55 PM

Download the firmware from Sonys' site.

Product support - drivers and software.

Its called DSCA100V104?.exe (its less than a meg, so its easy to download )

The ? depends on your region, America/Canada will be U, UK is E etc

Run the file and extract the two files (.str and .app) to the desktop

Download the hex editor from http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...2.htm#download

Extract all the files from the zip to your desktop.

Run the XVI32.exe file

File - open - select the .str file - open

Look at the bottom of the editor, does it say Overwrite or insert ?

If it says insert, on your keyboard tap the Ins or Insert key, till the editor reads Overwrite ( its just like Office, where you can overwrite or insert depending on the mode )

On the top line (line 0) do you see the five 00s?

Click the entry to the right of the five 00s, that cell now highlights to show you are about to edit it.

Type 10, as soon as you enter two digits the next cell along will be highlighted, so don't hit another key or you will change that one as well.

File - save.

There you go.

Update as per Sonys instructions.

alisson.d · Aug 9, 2008, 8:57 AM

Sintares wrote:

Quote:

Download the firmware from Sonys' site.

Product support - drivers and software.

Its called DSCA100V104?.exe (its less than a meg, so its easy to download )

The ? depends on your region, America/Canada will be U, UK is E etc

Run the file and extract the two files (.str and .app) to the desktop

Download the hex editor from http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...2.htm#download

Extract all the files from the zip to your desktop.

Run the XVI32.exe file

File - open - select the .str file - open

Look at the bottom of the editor, does it say Overwrite or insert ?

If it says insert, on your keyboard tap the Ins or Insert key, till the editor reads Overwrite ( its just like Office, where you can overwrite or insert depending on the mode )

On the top line (line 0) do you see the five 00s?

Click the entry to the right of the five 00s, that cell now highlights to show you are about to edit it.

Type 10, as soon as you enter two digits the next cell along will be highlighted, so don't hit another key or you will change that one as well.

File - save.

There you go.

Update as per Sonys instructions.

***********

Hi there Sintares!

Thanks for your reply. It's really is helpful. I was supposed to ask LunaHonour for a screenshot of how it works, and you did it.

Thanks for the links too!

I'll try to do this on monday and will make a post if i was able to do it.

alisson.d · Aug 11, 2008, 7:13 AM

Good day to everyone!

I did it. I was able to update the firmware of my a100 from japanese to english using this steps.

Iam so much happy about this!

Thanks to all your help.

I just followed all instructions you gave me and did some rereading to make sure im about to do it right.

Thanks!

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Jul 29, 2008, 12:37 PM	#1
lunarHonour Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 5	Hi everyone, I am brand new to this forum. I bought an Japanese only language a100 from KEH Last week for around $200 as a replacement for my 7D which broke. I bought it in hopes of installing the English firmware on it and succeeded. I was able to modify the English version firmware to where the camera would accept it (by default the camera only accepts the Japanese version firmware). The camera now displays the menus in English :-) Does anyone have an interest in this firmware? I could host it somewhere. I am also wondering if other model Sony DSLRs are hackable too. Don't they have a JP only a700?

Jul 29, 2008, 1:06 PM	#2
TCav Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Washington, DC, Metro Area, Maryland Posts: 13,826	What you did, no doubt, violated a license agreement somewhere. While I'm pleased that it worked for you, and reasured that it can be done, I think that anyone that hosts it risks calling down the wrath of Sony on them. You might want to put up a similar message on dyxum.com and photoclubalpha.com to let people know that it can be done and that you can help them do it, but I think that's as far as you can safely take this.

Jul 29, 2008, 1:18 PM	#3
lunarHonour Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 5	Ya that's probably true, the actual files are most likely copyrighted. Well if anyone needs help modifying the firmware I can do that instead. It's quite simple, you just need a hex editor. I actually tried to register @ dyxum today too but their registration page is broken I think.

Jul 30, 2008, 11:25 AM	#4
matasovskym Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1	Dear lunarHonour, can you provide me with information about how to edit file with English firmware for my Japan version of Alpha 100 please? Thank you very much! Martin

Jul 30, 2008, 5:47 PM	#5
dnas Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 477	I have puzzled over this dilema, when looking at the A100, A200, A300, A350and A700, all of which ONLY have Japanese menu system on the Japanese domestic models. I was thinking that you MAY be able to load the English language firmware, but it's interesting that the A100 (and I presume, the others as well) will only take the Japanese firmware. I had a quick look at the hex once, and decided it was all too hard!!!! I saw that the first part of the hex file was different to the English version, and one or the other was longer. Let us know when you register with dyxum.com so we can take a look!!!!!

Jul 31, 2008, 9:58 AM	#6
lunarHonour Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 5	Okay I just registered on dyxum.com. There is only a byte difference in the header of each firmware that lets the camera know the region. I am assuming there is a soldered jumper too on the camera PCB that sets the region since the region does not change after flashing with the new firmware file. Here are the instructions I gave to swas who was able to fix his camera: Download the official firmware 1.04 first and then extract the 2 files. One of them is a .str file, you will need to hex edit the .str one. Do you have a hex editor? If not download that. Hex edit the .str file and look at the first row: 00 00 67 58 00 00 01 04 21 87 00 00 00 00 00 XX Change the XX (it can be 30 or 40 or 20 depending on the firmware locality) to 10 (make sure you are over writing the value and not adding more values). Save the file. Then put both the .str file and the firmware file onto the CF card, making sure there are no photos on the card. Turn the camera on and press the play button, it should ask if you want to upgrade to 1.04.

Aug 6, 2008, 6:23 PM	#7
alisson.d Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 5	hi lunarhonour! has anyone else tried this? i really dont know how to use a hexeditor, but i'm interested in trying this. im not sure if giving me a rundown instruction on how to do this would cut it for me, but it would be much easier if you can host the firmware for us. do you think you can host it, so we can download the firmware?

Aug 6, 2008, 10:55 PM	#8
Sintares Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 647	Download the firmware from Sonys' site. Product support - drivers and software. Its called DSCA100V104?.exe (its less than a meg, so its easy to download ) The ? depends on your region, America/Canada will be U, UK is E etc Run the file and extract the two files (.str and .app) to the desktop Download the hex editor from http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...2.htm#download Extract all the files from the zip to your desktop. Run the XVI32.exe file File - open - select the .str file - open Look at the bottom of the editor, does it say Overwrite or insert ? If it says insert, on your keyboard tap the Ins or Insert key, till the editor reads Overwrite ( its just like Office, where you can overwrite or insert depending on the mode ) On the top line (line 0) do you see the five 00s? Click the entry to the right of the five 00s, that cell now highlights to show you are about to edit it. Type 10, as soon as you enter two digits the next cell along will be highlighted, so don't hit another key or you will change that one as well. File - save. There you go. Update as per Sonys instructions.

Aug 11, 2008, 7:13 AM	#10
alisson.d Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 5	Good day to everyone! I did it. I was able to update the firmware of my a100 from japanese to english using this steps. Iam so much happy about this! Thanks to all your help. I just followed all instructions you gave me and did some rereading to make sure im about to do it right. Thanks!