Weirdest Capture Problem... EVER!! at DVinfo.net

Justin Montanino · August 22nd, 2005, 09:52 PM

Ok, whoever can figure this one out wins my undying admiration. I want to capture video from my Canon GL2 to my G5. I have done this a million times before, no problems. All of a sudden, my computer won't recognize that the camera is attached, and I get that "Unable To Initialize Video Deck" message.

Here is what I've ruled out:
Cables - I've used cables that I know work
The camera - I used it on a different G5 and was able to capture fine
The firewire port - I use other Firewire devices without any problems.
FCP settings - I've reviewed them a million times, and when I switch to iMovie, that program won't recognize the camera either.

So, the computer won't talk to the camera, and I can't figure out why. I've tried attaching the camera both before and after starting FCP, no difference. Does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am going out of my mind!!

Thank you,
Justin

Greg Boston · August 22nd, 2005, 10:49 PM

Justin,

Check Apple's site because this has come up recently. IIRC, it's something to do with Quicktime. Have you also tried repairing disk permissions? That solves a lot of issues in OSX land.

-gb-

Jonathan Jones · August 22nd, 2005, 11:19 PM

Well, the FIRST thing I would check would be what Greg suggested. Make sure you have repaired permissions and try it out.

The THIRD thing I would check is the integrity of the firewire port. I know you said that other devices are working but I have a thought based on very little knowledge. I do know that there actually can be some unintended variable clock speed issues with some firewire bus systems. Video transfer is on the higher end of data rates that firewire busses handle, and I'm not sure, but if the video app is ultra-sensitive to the integrity of the signal, perhaps it reads as 'unrecognizable'. Other apps are not likely to stress the FW out as much - so who knows. This may be a questionn for an Apple tech.

As far as the SECOND thing I would check...who knows, but I would sure as heck thing of something quick and cheap before shelling out for a repair job on a G5 without even knowing wheather or not I had a faulty FW card.

Have you tried hooking up your camera to iChat AV? You should be able to use any FW digital camera with that app and it might be a good way to test it. Also, if you have QT 7, you can also try capturing just using quicktime with a lower demanding signal, like h.264 or mpeg 4. iMovie and FCP both operate using a QT engine, so using straight QT might not hurt to eliminate application conflicts. If capturing at a lower signal rate works, than try the third option, "as source" I think it is called. If this is not working, than maybe it helps narrow things down a bit, and perhaps someone here can sound it on what might be happening to disable your full quality dv input.

None of this probably helps, so I'm sorry. Just a little food for thought.

Good luck.
-Jon

Jonathan Jones · August 22nd, 2005, 11:28 PM

Oh yeah,
Also, do you have multiple user accounts on your machine? If so, try another account and run your app and try the capture. If you don't, then create another user account (if only temporary) and give the account just enough control to do whatever you will need to handle the video demands (running the apps, maybe QT settings, etc).

If everything runs fine through a clean account, then there might be some type of curruption in the settings, permissions, or a conflict with another application that runs under the administrator or with the main account you were running.
-Jon

Boyd Ostroff · August 23rd, 2005, 07:06 AM

See the following tech note from Apple - this is a common problem:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

Greg Boston · August 23rd, 2005, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

See the following tech note from Apple - this is a common problem:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

Thanks for coming up with that link Boyd. I knew they were saying it was related to Quicktime somehow. This question came up at last month's FCPUG meeting. I nominate your post for a sticky since it has been such an issue lately.

-gb-

Boyd Ostroff · August 23rd, 2005, 07:35 AM

Good idea.... I created a separate sticky on the topic

Justin Montanino · August 23rd, 2005, 08:00 AM

Thank you everyone. I will try all of these suggestions when I get home tonight, and log on with a full report!

Jonathan Jones · August 23rd, 2005, 09:11 AM

Ahh yes, I hope that is indeed the ticket, Boyd. It sounds far more likely and preferable to my post. Please ignore my post, as I stated, much of it was based on late night rambling and very little knowledge. Luckily, I have not had this problem come up in transitioning to QT 7, but, personally, I give credit to Boyd who has posted a few other comments that I basically used to guide me through my update process. I hope deleting those specific files offers the fix - it definately makes sense.
-Jon

August 22nd, 2005, 09:52 PM	#1
Justin Montanino New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NY, USA Posts: 11	Weirdest Capture Problem... EVER!! Ok, whoever can figure this one out wins my undying admiration. I want to capture video from my Canon GL2 to my G5. I have done this a million times before, no problems. All of a sudden, my computer won't recognize that the camera is attached, and I get that "Unable To Initialize Video Deck" message. Here is what I've ruled out: Cables - I've used cables that I know work The camera - I used it on a different G5 and was able to capture fine The firewire port - I use other Firewire devices without any problems. FCP settings - I've reviewed them a million times, and when I switch to iMovie, that program won't recognize the camera either. So, the computer won't talk to the camera, and I can't figure out why. I've tried attaching the camera both before and after starting FCP, no difference. Does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am going out of my mind!! Thank you, Justin

August 22nd, 2005, 11:19 PM	#3
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	Well, the FIRST thing I would check would be what Greg suggested. Make sure you have repaired permissions and try it out. The THIRD thing I would check is the integrity of the firewire port. I know you said that other devices are working but I have a thought based on very little knowledge. I do know that there actually can be some unintended variable clock speed issues with some firewire bus systems. Video transfer is on the higher end of data rates that firewire busses handle, and I'm not sure, but if the video app is ultra-sensitive to the integrity of the signal, perhaps it reads as 'unrecognizable'. Other apps are not likely to stress the FW out as much - so who knows. This may be a questionn for an Apple tech. As far as the SECOND thing I would check...who knows, but I would sure as heck thing of something quick and cheap before shelling out for a repair job on a G5 without even knowing wheather or not I had a faulty FW card. Have you tried hooking up your camera to iChat AV? You should be able to use any FW digital camera with that app and it might be a good way to test it. Also, if you have QT 7, you can also try capturing just using quicktime with a lower demanding signal, like h.264 or mpeg 4. iMovie and FCP both operate using a QT engine, so using straight QT might not hurt to eliminate application conflicts. If capturing at a lower signal rate works, than try the third option, "as source" I think it is called. If this is not working, than maybe it helps narrow things down a bit, and perhaps someone here can sound it on what might be happening to disable your full quality dv input. None of this probably helps, so I'm sorry. Just a little food for thought. Good luck. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

August 22nd, 2005, 11:28 PM	#4
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	Oh yeah, Also, do you have multiple user accounts on your machine? If so, try another account and run your app and try the capture. If you don't, then create another user account (if only temporary) and give the account just enough control to do whatever you will need to handle the video demands (running the apps, maybe QT settings, etc). If everything runs fine through a clean account, then there might be some type of curruption in the settings, permissions, or a conflict with another application that runs under the administrator or with the main account you were running. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

August 23rd, 2005, 09:11 AM	#9
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	Ahh yes, I hope that is indeed the ticket, Boyd. It sounds far more likely and preferable to my post. Please ignore my post, as I stated, much of it was based on late night rambling and very little knowledge. Luckily, I have not had this problem come up in transitioning to QT 7, but, personally, I give credit to Boyd who has posted a few other comments that I basically used to guide me through my update process. I hope deleting those specific files offers the fix - it definately makes sense. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

August 22nd, 2005, 10:49 PM	#2
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Justin, Check Apple's site because this has come up recently. IIRC, it's something to do with Quicktime. Have you also tried repairing disk permissions? That solves a lot of issues in OSX land. -gb-

August 23rd, 2005, 07:06 AM	#5
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,800	See the following tech note from Apple - this is a common problem: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

August 23rd, 2005, 07:35 AM	#7
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,800	Good idea.... I created a separate sticky on the topic

August 23rd, 2005, 08:00 AM	#8
Justin Montanino New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: NY, USA Posts: 11	Thank you everyone. I will try all of these suggestions when I get home tonight, and log on with a full report!