View Full Version : Capture help needed please?


Tim Cee
October 11th, 2011, 11:25 AM
Got the firewire card installed everything works but I am now having an issue capturing video. During capture, in the capture window the radio button controls all work the camera but when I hit any of them the capture preview stops but is still rolling on the camera playback screen, in the capture window the screen goes blue. The only way to get it back is to hit the reconnect to current device button at the top of the capture window.

For example, while capturing if I hit the stop capture radio button to let the tape roll to another piece of footage the camera still rolls on just fine but the capture preview window goes blue and also has no sound. Only after I hit the reconnect to current device radio button will it come back on the capture viewing screen. I hope that explanation makes sense?

Tim Cee
October 11th, 2011, 02:43 PM
I got it working. I uninstalled the driver then reinstalled it, this seemed to do the trick.

I am no computer tech type, quite the opposite in fact. To me computers are one of a few necessary evils that are part of video and still imaging. It was a brain taxing day for me as I installed a Firewire card and got the capture problem figured out. If you knew me you would know this was a huge feat for me but also a computer confidence builder in that I even got it done.

Thanks for all your help out there so far DVI'ers.

UPDATE: Well I spoke too soon. I restarted my sytem then rechecked, the capture still hangs up as mentioned above.

Any ideas folk's?

Don Bloom
October 11th, 2011, 03:23 PM
Tim,
Tell us what you're using...Pro of VMS and which version. Also what are you trying to capture? DV, HDV or something else.

Graham Bernard
October 11th, 2011, 09:57 PM
Got the firewire card installed everything works......

Well, what is working? Besides the issues you are having with capture, what is working that you can say the FireWire is working?

Ok, what is your OS? And is this a new build?

What you are describing appears to be a mismatch of FireWire drivers with Win7.

As Don asks, we need more information.

Cheers

Grazie

Tim Cee
October 12th, 2011, 06:47 AM
Yes, this is a new system, see specs below. It did not come with a firewire port so I installed the card, a dual port IEEE 1349 card. The firewire ports see the camera, they also see the external hard drive plugged into it. I use a Canon XHA1 to shoot and then a Canon HV30 to capture to save wear and tear on the XHA1. It is all HDV I am capturing.

I tried capturing with the XHA1, it works flawlessly but as mentioned I would rather use the HV30 to capture as I did on my old system. As I said, the capture and playback will work on the HV30 but as soon as I hit a radio button in the capture window it stops working then I need to hit the Reconnect to device radio button, also in the capture window. It also stops working when a scene change occurs during capture/playback. I sure hope this gives you enough info to help me out on this.

If it is a driver issue where do I get another driver? The system picked this driver automatically when I plugged in the camera and gave no other choices.


Sony Vegas Pro 10
Windows 7 64 bit machine
XPS 8300 Intel Core i7-2600 processor(8MB Cache, 3.4GHz)
12GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHZ, 2x4GB/2x2GB
AMD Radeon HD 6770 Graphics card

Mike Kujbida
October 12th, 2011, 06:58 AM
Here's a suggestion by Ian Stark on legacy firewire drivers that may help.

Right click on 'Computer' ->Manage->Device Manager->IEE1394 Bus Host Controllers->select your card->right click->Update driver software->Browse my computer for driver software->Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer->select the driver with (LEGACY) after it's name->Next->Finish.

Graham Bernard
October 12th, 2011, 08:02 AM
I'm glad I asked if you had a new Win7 install, which you've now confirmed, my money is on the need to select the Legacy Driver. You'll have it on your Win7 install, it's just waiting for you to select.

Follow the directions the last poster made, and you should be good to go.

Grazie

Ian Stark
October 12th, 2011, 08:28 AM
You know what? I think you might have just solved a problem for me that I apparently solved myself some time ago! I'd forgotten about that little trick. Hope it works . . . for both of us!

Tim Cee
October 12th, 2011, 09:01 AM
I tried the Legacy driver, it made things worse. It made the XHA1 act as finnicky as the VH30 during capture attempts. I managed to get it back to the other driver so now at least the XHA1 captures as it is supposed to but the intended capture deck, the HV30 is still not working correcty.

I even looked for an updated driver at the Manufacturer web site for the firewire card but they have nothing.

Any other ideas to get the HV30 capturing properly? This was why I upgraded the system in the first place, solely for better performance with Vegas and my video but it seems I have gone from the frying pan to the fire. I am frustrated beyond words, any other ideas?

Graham Bernard
October 12th, 2011, 08:01 PM
...... but when I hit any of them the capture preview stops but is still rolling on the camera playback screen, in the capture window the screen goes blue.

Eh, I re-read your experience above, have you got the option to Preview Video and Audio during Capture selected? If so, then I'm out of ideas. Added to which you've already checked the Legacy driver option.

I'm going to ask the obvious here - do you think you've captured anthing? Not being able to see capturing isn't the same as not capturing, if you haven't got the Previewing selected.

Grazie

Tim Cee
October 13th, 2011, 06:38 AM
Eh, I re-read your experience above, have you got the option to Preview Video and Audio during Capture selected? If so, then I'm out of ideas. Added to which you've already checked the Legacy driver option.

I'm going to ask the obvious here - do you think you've captured anthing? Not being able to see capturing isn't the same as not capturing, if you haven't got the Previewing selected.

Grazie

Yes, it captures until it loses the connect with the HV30. It loses connect when I hit the radio control buttons in the capture window and also at times during scene changes during capture play back. Same tape, same settings, same everything on the XHA1 which works fine so it is somethng with the HV30 the capture function does not like.

Mike Kujbida
October 13th, 2011, 08:57 PM
(kicking self for not suggesting it much earlier).
Give HDVSplit a try.
It's free and a lot of folks love it.
HDVSplit utility for HDV capturing with scene split - HDV capture utility (http://strony.aster.pl/paviko/hdvsplit.htm)

Tim Cee
October 15th, 2011, 08:10 AM
Thank You Mike, and everyone else who tried helping me with this issue. I will look into the HDVSplit program. I guess I am overly stubborn as I would like Vegas Pro to do as it is supposed to, like it did on my older system.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the help.

Ian Stark
October 15th, 2011, 08:36 AM
Something I have just learned today is that not all firewire cards work with Windows 7 and an even greater number will only work under 32 bit OS's. Microsoft rewrote their firewire drivers for Win 7 and there's a white paper available that explains the changes (sounds riveting . . .)

This is one of the things that might be cured by installing the legacy drivers (there are other drivers that apparently work well, available from Unibrain, but I haven't tried these). In my case the legacy drivers did not work and I haven't made the time to try the Unibrain drivers yet.

General advice seems to be to avoid the cheap cards.

I don't know if this is going to be of any help to you Tim, but I'm posting this in case it's of use to others who find this post while looking for firewire problem solutions.

Tim Cee
October 17th, 2011, 02:28 PM
Something I have just learned today is that not all firewire cards work with Windows 7 and an even greater number will only work under 32 bit OS's. Microsoft rewrote their firewire drivers for Win 7 and there's a white paper available that explains the changes (sounds riveting . . .)

This is one of the things that might be cured by installing the legacy drivers (there are other drivers that apparently work well, available from Unibrain, but I haven't tried these). In my case the legacy drivers did not work and I haven't made the time to try the Unibrain drivers yet.

General advice seems to be to avoid the cheap cards.

I don't know if this is going to be of any help to you Tim, but I'm posting this in case it's of use to others who find this post while looking for firewire problem solutions.

My logic is that I refuse to believe the XHA1 works well and the hard drive also works well on the card but only the HV30 will not. I woudl think if it were a cheap or bad card my results would be different than I have outlined above?

Ian Stark
October 17th, 2011, 02:39 PM
Sure, I agree with you Tim. As I said, I didn't think it was going to be of any help in your situation. I was only posting it in case it helps other people who are having firewire trouble and come across this thread.

Graham Bernard
October 19th, 2011, 09:24 AM
Tim, you've got 2 FW ports on that card. What are you using each for?

Grazie

Ian Stark
October 19th, 2011, 09:52 AM
Tim, if you haven't already, try capturing without the external firewire hard drive attached to the card. Many years ago I had a problem with an old canon XM2 (GL2) which, when attached to the card at the same time as my firewire drive, caused what someone described as a 'data storm' on the firewire bus, resulting in no end of woe when capturing. Removing the firewire drive was the cure. Worth a try?

I have done a little browsing on your behalf and can see that in fact a lot of people have had troubles with HV20s and HV30s when it comes to capturing - and not just with Vegas. For many, using HDV Split was the answer, for others it was to install all the software from the CD/DVD supplied with the camera, others got it working with alternative firewire drivers. Others never had any joy (sorry).

Graham Bernard
October 19th, 2011, 10:01 AM
Tim...., when attached to the card at the same time as my firewire drive, caused what someone described as a 'data storm' on the firewire bus, resulting in no end of woe when capturing.

Hence my question as to the usage of the TWO F/W ports.

Grazie

Ian Stark
October 27th, 2011, 02:30 AM
Tim, did you ever get this sorted?

Tim Cee
November 3rd, 2011, 07:46 AM
Not yet Ian but thank you for your help I will try your suggestion. Along with this issue I am also sorting out all the oher woes changing over to a new PC has caused such as re-calibrating my monitor for both still images and video and getting my eyes used to the change to an acceptible degree. And there are a few other sticklers the new system is giving me for sure My inexperience is frustrating to say the least.

Leslie Wand
November 3rd, 2011, 05:23 PM
get a spyder and calibrate your monitors properly. you'll be glad you did!