Blown Firewire :(

Ian Skurrie · May 5th, 2009, 01:18 AM

The port isolators being talked discussed while they improve your chances still don't give full protection.To be safer you need to use firewire protector with a fuse in it such as those being produced by Kramer. I have had 3 sony boards replaced as well as the jvc camera board replaced due to these problems so I would suggest that it is not a JVC problem but widespread problem with firewire in general. Since I have used the kramer box as well as using proper power down protocols before changing switch positions or disconnecting any leads I have had no further problems.
The cause is quite simple in most cases. It is usually caused by a short between the powering pins on the firewire lead and the non powered pins when either plugging or unplugging firewire leads. The other cause is a simple static charge caused by inferior electrical grounding in the computers themselves. G5 Macs and their predecessors were supposed to be very vulnerable to these problems, however all my problems have occured using non mac pc's.

regards
Ian Skurrie

Aaron Newsome · August 25th, 2009, 09:30 PM

Well, I'm joining the club. Lost my firewire port today on my JVC HD-100. I'm so mad I could throw this camera out the window. Very mad!!!!

Chris Davis · August 30th, 2009, 02:51 PM

That's too bad. I found that a JVC CU-VH1 portable deck works fine for ingesting 24p and 30p footage. I bought my CU-VH1 for $700, but one sold recently on this board for $400. I will no longer let a firewire cable touch my HD100.

Aaron Newsome · September 6th, 2009, 11:04 PM

Well the main reason I love the firestore is recording events that last longer than a tape. I've already done a few concerts with it (when the firewire worked). Now I'm just not looking forward to doing my next concert and missing a song part while I change tape.

I do have an XDR recorder too, which can actually record a better picture (4:2:2 220Mbps Intra) but it would require me to get a component to SDI and the handheld rig also starts to get real big at that point.

The component to SDI seems to be about the same price as it might cost to just fix the firewire port. As much as I hate to do it, looks like I'm going to take it to the service center.

Sigh...

Ted Ramasola · September 7th, 2009, 03:17 AM

Aaron,

please see my posts on fixing the firewire.
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/jvc-gy-h...-jvc-cams.html
You may merely have lost the contacts through pressure on the firewire port since you also use a firestore like I do, and you may not have necesarily shorted your circuits which does more damage and requires part replacement.

A local technician can solder those ports back for you.

Ted

May 5th, 2009, 01:18 AM	#31
Ian Skurrie Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mooroolbark, Victoria, AU Posts: 63	Be careful The port isolators being talked discussed while they improve your chances still don't give full protection.To be safer you need to use firewire protector with a fuse in it such as those being produced by Kramer. I have had 3 sony boards replaced as well as the jvc camera board replaced due to these problems so I would suggest that it is not a JVC problem but widespread problem with firewire in general. Since I have used the kramer box as well as using proper power down protocols before changing switch positions or disconnecting any leads I have had no further problems. The cause is quite simple in most cases. It is usually caused by a short between the powering pins on the firewire lead and the non powered pins when either plugging or unplugging firewire leads. The other cause is a simple static charge caused by inferior electrical grounding in the computers themselves. G5 Macs and their predecessors were supposed to be very vulnerable to these problems, however all my problems have occured using non mac pc's. regards Ian Skurrie

August 25th, 2009, 09:30 PM	#32
Aaron Newsome Major Player Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 590	Well, I'm joining the club. Lost my firewire port today on my JVC HD-100. I'm so mad I could throw this camera out the window. Very mad!!!!

August 30th, 2009, 02:51 PM	#33
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	That's too bad. I found that a JVC CU-VH1 portable deck works fine for ingesting 24p and 30p footage. I bought my CU-VH1 for $700, but one sold recently on this board for $400. I will no longer let a firewire cable touch my HD100.

September 6th, 2009, 11:04 PM	#34
Aaron Newsome Major Player Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 590	Well the main reason I love the firestore is recording events that last longer than a tape. I've already done a few concerts with it (when the firewire worked). Now I'm just not looking forward to doing my next concert and missing a song part while I change tape. I do have an XDR recorder too, which can actually record a better picture (4:2:2 220Mbps Intra) but it would require me to get a component to SDI and the handheld rig also starts to get real big at that point. The component to SDI seems to be about the same price as it might cost to just fix the firewire port. As much as I hate to do it, looks like I'm going to take it to the service center. Sigh...

September 7th, 2009, 03:17 AM	#35
Ted Ramasola Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Allen, Texas U.S.A Posts: 1,117	Aaron, please see my posts on fixing the firewire. http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/jvc-gy-h...-jvc-cams.html You may merely have lost the contacts through pressure on the firewire port since you also use a firestore like I do, and you may not have necesarily shorted your circuits which does more damage and requires part replacement. A local technician can solder those ports back for you. Ted