FCP - Unable to Initialize Video Deck

[mxcnflmmkr]

Hi Ben.

I know you're probably tired of hearing this over and over again from novices like me but I was reading a post exchange you had with someone last December. After carefully following your instructions, I too am unable to get my camera to be initialized.

Lord knows I've tried everything (except turning it on while FCP was on to avoid burning out the Firewire). I used to be able to log and capture just fine before without a problem but all of a sudden, I was unable to. In fact, after not using FCP for about a month, I was prompted to re-register it. I did so with great success and from then on (yesterday afternoon) I can't get my camera to work.

Any suggestions. Here are my settings:

Type of camera: Panasonic DVX 100
Capture Settings: From Log & Capture - Device Control: FireWire NTSC
Capture/Input: DV NTSC 48kHz

Easy Setup:
Format: NTSC
Use: DV-NTSC

Audio/Visual Settings:
Device Control Present: FireWire NTSC
Video Playback: [missing] Apple FireWire NTSC (720x480)
Audio Playback: Default

I hope this helps you to help me from going mad.

Thanks Ben. And sorry for asking that you repeat this process for the quadrillionth time.
Martin

[Ben Balser, ACT]

You seem to be set up ok. In FCP, under the View menu, there's a "Refresh Devices", or something to that effect, command. Run it.

Also, are you sure the DVX100 is in Firewire mode? How do you know it's in FW mode?

Try a different cable, as sometimes cables go bad.

Never turn on the camera, until after it is connected to the Mac. Then, turn it on, watch it's LCD screen to make sure it verifies it is connected to the computer. THEN launch FCP.

Let me know if any of this does or does not help. It's a start.

Also, what Mac, hard drive set up, RAM, OS version, FCP version, it all makes a difference.

[mxcnflmmkr]

So I "refreshed" the devices.
I know it's in FireWire mode because the DV Out is ON (I also tried it off).
I tried 3 cables, two of them are fairly new (2 months old, purchased at Apple).
Camera turned on the way you said to.

Computer Configurations:
Mac OS X, version 10.5.6 Leopard
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 2GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
FCP Version: FCP 6.0
If it matters: QuickTime 7.0

Still no response. Thanks.

PS. Someone recommended that I re-install FCP but when I simply inserted the disk, it said it would require 50GB of space, but that's additional to where I'm at now, so it's not like it is going to replace the old file, just add a new one. Should I even be considering this right now?

[Ben Balser, ACT]

Um, nope, don't reinstall. First, trash your preferecnes using something like this app:
http://www.chesa.com/pro/

Also, you really should update everything using the Software Update function to get up to version 6.0.5, and that all of your OS and other apps are up to the very latest versions, which are all stable and known to work.

I haven't looked at a DVX100 in a long time. I'll get someone who owns one I know to drop in and see if he has any ideas.

Also, try to connect it to another FCP system to verify the FW port on the camera is not blown out. If you plug the camera into thing via FW while it is turned on, you risk shorting out a port on one end or another. Here's what you can do, plug it in, turn it on, put it in playback mode, as normal. Then launch QT Player. Since you have QT Pro installed, go to the Preferences, see if it's finding your camera. If so, go to File > New Movie Recording, and try to capture that way, see if it works. Let us know how this works out.

[mxcnflmmkr]

Hey, so I tried everything. I'm pretty good at updating software whenever it comes up so I've been updated with all the latest stuff. I tried QT and it doesn't even recognize the camera. It does recognize my other Casio still camera but not this one. At this point, I'm not sure if I should just bite the bullet and buy a DV Cam deck but from what you told someone else, the problem may still persist unless all avenues are explores and checked off.

Anything else comes to mind?

[Ben Balser, ACT]

You could try iMovie, or a trial version of Veescope Live (http://www.veescope.com). If neither of those works, different FW cables work, then I think the FW port on your DVX100 is blown. You'll have to get it repaired. You can get a really cheap DV camera to use as a deck. But you won't be able to use the 24p pulldown function on the DVX100, though. To use that, you'll need a decent deck, or get your DVX100 fixed. If it's still under warranty, it'll be a free fix, aside from shipping cost, and would be worth it. Remember, never turn on a FW device, especially a camera, until after you plug it into the computer. And then, after it's connected, launch FCP.

[MickeyG]

Hi just reading over your post and I cant figure anything to be wrong.
Ben has suggested everything I thought to try.
Which version of FCP are you on? 5 or 6. 6 kind of simplified the process as far as easy set ups and what not.

Firewire NTSC
DV NTSC (Advanced pulldown if using 24PA)
Hit Log and Capture and you should be good to go.
As Ben as suggested Refresh AV Devices. That is always the 1st thing I do if Im having trouble getting a Camera to initialize and 90 percent of the time it will resolve the issue.

Really I wouldn't suggest using your DVX as a capture deck anyway.
Why wear out a $2500-$3000 camera when you could wear out a $200 camera.
If you record 24p (Advanced or Normal) you can still capture the 24p material with any cheapo camera. Once recorded its in the metadate and will transfer over a firewire stream no matter what camera your using.
Ive heard some JVC decks have issues but Ive never seen it.
If its in the budget get a deck much easier and faster to use but if you have to cut corners I suggest getting a cheap consumer camera to log with.

Anyway back to your issue it sounds like the firewire on you camera may have blown as Ben suggested. Really could not be sure unless you tried different hardware.
If everything is set up right in FCP then see if another camera works also try your DVX in another machine.

Hope you get it going there is really nothing more aggravating then not being able to get a camera/deck to initialize. You have hours of tapes to log and hours of editing and cant get past the 1st simple step. Ive been there more times then I can count

Good luck

[John Menszer]

I had a related problem. Applecare suggested that I disconnect my Firewire 800 hard drive, which was my time machine, as it was "hogging the firewire connection." I did and I could log and capture easily. You may wish to see the discussion "Capture Problem with FCP6 posted August 8, 2008 by John Menszer.

[Ben Balser, ACT]

Good point John. If you have FW800 drives connected, that's fine, but not a TimeMachine drive, as TimeMachine is running non-stop all the time and eats up the bandwidth of the data pipe that video needs.