Capturing to FW HD through Albook issues.

[Frank Vu]

I tried capturing footage by connecting my DVX to an external Firewire Harddrive, and then the harddrive to my Powerbook.

The harddrive mounts, but I can't get FCP HD to recognize the camera. But if I connect the camera directly to the PB's FW port, then it let's me operate the camera and import.

How do I get FCP HD to recognize the camera daisy chained to the FW HD?

[Jeff Donald]

It must be an issue with the external hard drive and not the Powerbook. I've had students tell me they've captured that way with limited sucess. I've heard of dropped frame issues from some of the students. When the camera is connected via the HD, what does the Apple System Profiler show?

[Frank Vu]

When nothing's connected to my FW400 port, the system profiler says 'FireWire Bus' under FireWire Device Tree

And under 'FireWire Bus:', it says 'Speed: 800 Mb/sec Speed'

It's odd that it doesn't list the FW400 port, and the port does work.

Great bird pix by the way.

[Jeff Donald]

What you want to do is connect the HD and the camera via the HD, Make sure the devices are on. Open the Apple System Profiler and click on the arrow. Each device should be listed if the computer can communicate to the device. If your camera is shown, they are communicating. If not, the drive could have a bad FW port, bad cable from camera to port, drive does not support certain devices.

[Frank Vu]

When I plug in each individual device, it the profiler shows them. But when I daisy chain, the profiler only shows the FW HD.

And for some reason, when I connect the camera, it says that the FW port is 800 Mb/sec, even though it's a 400 port.

[Jeff Donald]

It is probably related to control of the XL1. What type of FireWire camera control do you have selected in FCP? Your supposed to use FireWire Basic with the XL1 series, but you might try switching it. You can try having the camera and drive on when you start the computer and vice versa. But the reporting of the FW port incorrectly sounds like you might have a drive issue. What brand drive is your external drive?

[Frank Vu]

I have a DVX-100, and a LaCie 120GB FW HD. I have FCP set on FW basic, and FCP does recognize the camera when I plug it directly into the 400 port.

[Mark Sloan]

Sometimes _when_ you turn the power on affects the way FireWire devices are recognized on a chain. I have this problem with an external burner... Try unplugging everything, shutting down, and then turn the devices on. Then start up the computer. I have found that FireWire devices are found most consistently this way. Even though it is supposed to be plug and play I have had issues.

If you have a PowerBook with a FireWire 800 port try using a FireWire 9pin (800) to Firwire 6pin (400) cable to connect your hard drive. The 800 port is compatible with 400 speeds, so all you need is the cable to get the pin connections correct.

[Dave Perry]

I don't know if this will help but I have had connectivity issues as well. I use a G3 iBook 800, LaCie D2 120 gig drive, LaCie D2 Superdrive and Canon Optura Xi. It took a while to find the right order in which to connect the dvices but the order I use is iBook connected to the hard drive connected to the Superdrive connected to the camera. This works with no problems. I take the book to work with me in the mornings then reconnect everything when I get home just by plugging in the one FW cable and everything reconnects fine.

[Frank Vu]

Thanks for the responses, I'll try rearranging and rebooting. Although, it's just a little disheartening when you're a mac user. =(

And worse comes to worse, I could get an adapter, but it seems ridiculous considering daisy chaining should work.

[Jeff Donald]

I know Lacie recently made available updates to the firmware and drivers for many of their drives. Check out their site and download the updates. Run the updates, they'll check your version first and install only if your drive needs updating. When working with FW updates make sure only the device to be updated is plugged in, as a precautionary measure.

I thought I had read you were using and XL1 series camera, sorry for the mistake. The DVX probably doesn't use FW Basic, try the other FW protocol.

[Mark Sloan]

Even though daisy chaining should work, using two separate cables would, in theory, give you better performance anyway... one less bridge for the data to jump...

[Frank Vu]

Ok, I updated the firmware on my LaCie. I tried rearranging which ports to connect from the external to the computer, and I even booted from my external and plugged the camera into the external to see if FCP would recognize....

still no dice.

And I know I could go the 800 to 400 route, but just thinking about it makes me bitter.

[Jeff Donald]

Just so I'm understanding everything, are you saying when the camera is plugged directly into the Mac via the FW port, it is not recognized? Or are we just dealing with the camera connected to the HD issue?

[Frank Vu]

It's just a camera -> fw hd -> computer issue. I was just trying everything I could think of.