Problems capturing Video

[Joe_Mama]

Hello,

Specs:

- Canon ZR45MC mini DV camcorder
- PYRO DV firewire card (adstech.com)
- Adobe Premiere Pro

Problem:

- Cannot capture video anymore. I was able to capture my entire wedding (about 6 hours worth of video) last year and haven't used it since but now I doesn't work
- I get no real error message within Premiere but when I do try to capture it says something like that it can't activate recorder and to try resetting the recorder.
- I also tried Windows Movie Maker to capture and the error message I get is something like, an error has occured preventing capturing. No real error message.

Things that I have tried:

- I went to adstech.com to look for updated drivers couldn't find any.
- I read their FAQ and removed the Camcorder from Device Manager while the camcorder was plugged in to the computer as the FAQ suggested and then had Windows reinstall the camcorder. Still didn't work

Other:

- The camcorder shows up as an item in My Computer.
- I believe everything was working fine before I installed XP SP2 but it was so long ago that I was able to last capture video and since I've installed SP2 that I'm not 100% sure but I'd say i'm 95% sure it was fine before SP2.
- The firewire card does not show up as a firewire card per say in device Manager but I believe it shows up as Network Adapter (name has a 1394 in the beginning, I can't remember as I am at work right now). So I'm not even sure how I could reinstall the firewire card within XP.

Suggestions:

- Got any?

Thanks in advance.

[Ken_ver_1_5]

looks like the problem is with your fw card.
if you can't find the card in device manager
then it is not installed properly. you need to
find the name of the card in order to remove
its driver from windows. you could try to reinstall
the card then remove it and see if that clears up
the problem after reinstalling the drivers.
this applies to wherever the card is installed
as you mentioned it shows as Network Adapter
as it is a device it should show in device manager
I could be wrong but I think it should.

[Joe_Mama]

So does this mean that it is showing up in device manager under Network Adapters?

[Ottawaman]

try a new firewire cable-they get damaged sometimes

[Joe_Mama]

That's what I was thinking too....if I bought one from futureshop would I have a problem returning it in the event that I still can't capture?

[Ottawaman]

sometimes dollar stores have them
future shop will prob charge too much
Do you need 4pin to 6 pin?

[Joe_Mama]

Oh boy....I'm not sure...how do I find out?

[Ottawaman]

is the cable little on 1 end and bigger on the other?
Usually, camcorders have the smaller 4 pin connector and your computers firewire card has a larger 6 pin port

[Joe_Mama]

yes.....1 end is smaller (camcorder) and 1 end is larger (pc firewire connection)....so i need a 6 pin connector?

[Ottawaman]

yup 4 pin to 6 pin
unless you have firewire 800- which I doubt :)

[Ottawaman]

or
Just take your cable with you when you go shopping

[Joe_Mama]

thanks...I'll pick one up tonight and update this thread. Thanks again dude

[Ottawaman]

No problem

[Ottawaman]

http://pccyber.ca/scrItem.asp?product_subtypes_id=343&product_types_id=34&product_id=1882

[Joe_Mama]

Bought a new cable and still have the same problem....any other suggestions?

[Ottawaman]

Try removing the firewirecard from the machine when it is off. Then restart the machine, go into device manager and remove the firewire device (1394).
Shut down and reboot
Then shut down again
Replace the card in the machine and reboot
See if windows detects new hardware automatically
if not run detect new hardware routine
hopefully by this point it will see your 1394 device(may ask you for drivers)
try your camera again

Pain in the ass, but often removing and deleting a piece of hardware and its drivers and then re installing them clears up the problem.

If this doesn't work, try restore setpoint (assuming you want to and have been setting restore points)

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmb_tol_snry.asp

You may have some sort of software/hardware conflict if this doesn't get you too far.

Last problem could be the firewire card or hopefully not the camera.

Can you test the card in a different machine-
Test the camera on a different card/ machine

Sorry, sometimes it's hard to know what to say from far away
Good luck, let us know what happens and we'll keep trying to help.

[Ottawaman]

Oh try resetting/reseating the firewire card while the puter is off. Sometimes they wiggle free.

[Ottawaman]

andyman suggests...
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=firewire&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

[Tim]

-a good thing to do here is to find someone with a firewire computer (if you have a mac friend even better :)) and rule out the firewire port on the camera.
or if you have a buddy with a firewire drive or something and verify the firewire card is working in your PC. Sometimes troubleshooting a camera in premier can be like chasing your tail. (not that I would know... that)
From what you describe, it does sound like the pc is installing the firewire card. It would show up as a 1394 device.

Note:Make sure you don't plug in the firewire cable backwards. Yes it is possible, I did it and blew the firewire port in the device I was plugging in.

[Ottawaman]

6 to 4 pin hard to do backwards :)

Good advice though..
4 possible problems..
camera..
computer
firewire card
software

could have been cable (still could be if you are really unlucky and got 2 bum ones in a row)

With any situation like this it is so much easier if you can eliminate one of the variables as part of the problem.

[Tim]

I don't mean backwards end to end, I mean putting the round side on the flat side. It's easier than you think...
;)

[Ottawaman]

do you speak from experience ? :D
They are a little notched on the 4 pin and shaped pointy on the 6 pin

[Tim]

yes I do...
:D

And yes it is easier than you think. It takes mere seconds to blow the firewire port in your device.
Seconds...

[Ottawaman]

we are all human after all...:)

[Tim]

I have not so good luck with firewire. I love em, they work great, but out of 3 firewire drives, one I plugged in backwards, ZAP. The Lacie I threw down a concrete set of steps (not intentionally I assure you), and the last one I plugged the wrong power supply into it. ZAP. Hey... it fit perfectly...

[Ottawaman]

well stay away from mine ;)

I know you are supposed to demount the device safely .. a few times I forgot, but nothing bad happened

[Joe_Mama]

Thanks for the suggestions Ottawaman and Tim. I will try the easiest one first which is to bring my camera to my buddy's house and try it on his pc. If that fails I'll have no choice but to try what Ottawaman suggested.

I'll update the thread hopefully tonight (if I can get to my friend's house that is).

Thanks again.

[Ottawaman]

good luck!

[Joe_Mama]

Finally got a chance to bring my mini DV camcorder over to my buddy's house. Happy to say that the problem is NOT the camcorder as it worked on my friend's pc (able to capture video), however, I have not had a chance to do what Ottawaman suggested which is to remove the card from my pc, delete from device manager, and reinstall the card. My only concern about doing this is the drivers. Like I said before the website is total crap.

I may have to purchase another card.

I will update when I get a chance to try Ottawaman's suggestion.

Thanks!

[Joe_Mama]

Ok...I've tried what you suggested Ottawaman and it still doesn't capture. I tried the following:

- Physically taking out the card then went to device manager to delete the entries for the firewire card but they were not there. I put the card back in and I did not notice XP telling me that it found new hardware.
- With the card in I deleted the following 2 entries: 1. 1394 Network Adapter from Network Adapters 2. The Texas Instrument OHCI. I then physically removed the card booted the pc up to confirm that the entries did not exist. I shutdown, inserted the card again, booted up and went to device manager and the 2 entries reappeared. I was NOT told at any time that XP had detected new hardware.

I'm about ready to give up and bite the bullet and buy a new firewire card unless someone else has any more suggestions

Thanks.

[Ottawaman]

starting to sound like the card, hmmm

follow this...
http://www.adstech.com/products/API300/manuals/PYRO%201394%20Port%20install_PC.pdf

[Ottawaman]

If your camera is not recognized do these in *no* exact order.........

1. try a different cable(s) 4 pin are easily damaged
2. Try different PCI slot for card
3. Run the Microsoft Fix for XP http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;810032 ***at your own risk - set a restore point first/back up personal info
4. There are various possible fixes for ME and 98 on the microsoft support site
5. ***at your own risk - set a restore point first/back up personal info- pull the 1394 card, format drive C, install XP, later put card back in, reboot and it works.
6. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3ben-us%3b329256
7. There must be a million other things to try ...google
8. After you reinstall Windows XP and all your updates etc, save a system restore point before you plug your camera in. The if it stops working you may try the system restore point that you saved. Be careful, I have lost data by doing system restore point before. Make sure your data is on a safe drive or backup, if it's in a program folder that was installed after the system restore point you may lose personal data.
9.try booting compter up with camera on/camera in vtr mode
10. try different camera/firewire device
11. try different firewire card
12. try different motherboard/system
13. make sure camera is running off of ac cord-not battery
14. tell microsoft this is stupid and you want your money back...lol

[Joe_Mama]

I forgot some information that may help:

- After reinstalling the card I connected the camcorder and tried using Premiere Pro to capture. I got the same message as before. I went to Windows Movie Maker and after selected "Capture Entire Tape" I heard the camcorder rewinding the tape (tape had some newly taped footage). But that's where it stopped and I got that error saying it couldn't capture (same windows movie maker as before)
- I briefly looked at the .pdf link you sent and I'm starting to think there might be an IRQ conflict. Yesterday when I was troubleshooting I encountered an article mentioning about a possible IRQ conflict so I checked my pc using Everest and saw that the IRQ for the 1394 card said it was being shared but I didn't see any duplications with any other device. The only hardware upgrade that I've made since being able to capture video successfully is my video card (Geforce Ultra GT6800).

I will go through the pdf you have recommended more thoroughly this weekend. You've given me hope!

[glitch]

Why would you go out and buy cables and news cards before even trouble shooting? That's a tad bit moronic if you ask me.
Some possible fixes.
http://forum.digital-digest.com/archive/index.php/t-42557-p-1.html

[Tim]

well it's a good thing we have you to save us from being morons.
;)

[glitch]

well it's a good thing we have you to save us from being morons.
;)
Well the post wasn't directed at you , but all I would like to say is "Captain Cyrus to the rescue!"

[Ottawaman]

Well, it must have been me.
Let's see...
You have a camera, a cable, a card and a computer

Does the camera work yes, next
Does the cable work, yes next (cable 3-6 dollars, easy fix)
Does the card work, install in other computer to check, yes next
Is the computer configured properly, lots of possible issues to trouble shoot before knowing that answer
So, should he change many system configuration variables first, and then find out it was the camera or cable? Then he would have many system variables to reset, if he can remember what he changed, and nothing else got screwed up in the process.

[Joe_Mama]

Glitch,

I was going to take offence to being called "moronic" and respond in a not so nice way but after visiting the link you provided I would have kissed you in person. The following little command did the trick:

regsvr32 %windir%\system32\qdv.dll

Thank you and next time try to be a little nicer, not all of us are so technically inclined as you.

Ottawaman,

I really appreciate the time and effort you took in trying to help me. I hope some day I can help you. Thanks a million again!!!!!!!

thecomputermechanics.com does it again!

Now if someone could help me with my other thread in the Windows Help forum!!!!

[Ottawaman]

Glad it worked out, hope to see your masterpiece soon at a theater near me!