FireWire Port Burn Out at DVinfo.net

Jason McCormy · July 12th, 2008, 07:13 AM

How do you guys handle the risk of the firewire port burning out if you plug the camera into a computer that is already on? Do you just not do it? This is causing a problem for me, as having to shutdown a computer every time I want to connect a camera is a royal pain and interferes with editing projects. Is there another way? Perhaps with just the camera off until you have it plugged in?

Thank you, as always, for your help.

Brian Luce · July 12th, 2008, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason McCormy

How do you guys handle the risk of the firewire port burning out if you plug the camera into a computer that is already on? Do you just not do it? This is causing a problem for me, as having to shutdown a computer every time I want to connect a camera is a royal pain and interferes with editing projects. Is there another way? Perhaps with just the camera off until you have it plugged in?

Thank you, as always, for your help.

You can get a little 6" firewire that kills the current passing through the wire.

They're about $5.

Are you on a Mac? They seem to be more prone to blowing up firewire boards. And you don't want to go there unless you've got $1400 sitting around and nothing to spend it on...

Chris Hurd · July 12th, 2008, 08:59 AM

Have you read through this thread?

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=64873

Jason McCormy · July 12th, 2008, 10:27 AM

Yes, I'm using a mac primarily. I'm reading the post Chris recomended and that has a lot of useful information. Does a port isolator really work?

Jason McCormy · July 12th, 2008, 10:36 AM

I just finished reading the thread and it seems the really only full proof method is to turn the camera and computer off. Does it matter in which order you turn them on then?

This is fairly stupid of JVC I think, and perhaps of firewire in general. What a pain! Especially those that edit in Vegas, having to load up an entire PC each time you want to connect a camera? If it is an editing place, that could be a real problems for people coming in with extra footage while editing existing stuff.

John Sirb · July 12th, 2008, 10:59 AM

Jason, as was mentioned in the other thread, this isn't just a JVC problem and it seems to be more with the Macs/FCP crowd but not exclusivly.

I got 2 of these from Firewire Depot. one is on the computer and one is attached to the cable connection my 200 to the Dr-hd100 drive

http://fwdepot.com/thestore/product_...roducts_id/356

Jason McCormy · July 12th, 2008, 11:14 AM

I know, this is just a bit nerveracking and rather time consuing. Thank you for the link, I'm going to order a couple of them. I think I will just continue to turn the machine off. Perhaps I'll use a machine just for transfer and then move the files over. It will take a while, but at least I can keep working.

The 4 pin wire wire cable, does this suffer from it as well? The other posting seemed ambiguous about it.

Brian Luce · July 12th, 2008, 06:42 PM

Has anyone every cooked a firewire board on the JVC from a pc? Maybe it's solely a Mac thing.

Robert Castiglione · July 12th, 2008, 08:46 PM

Jason, I feel your pain. I was very reluctant to accept the reality of the situation for a long time and kept taking risks until a friend of mine burnt out TWO cameras (well actually editors did it for him!). $2000 later.

So I just have bitten the bullet and turn off everything first as well as using the port isolator which is just such great insurance.

I believe (though I am not sure) that the reason you cannot just rely upon the port isolator is that you still have the problem of static electricity to deal with you even if you eliminate the danger of a charge from the firewire port. It only takes a tiny variation in voltage to blow the port.

Rob

Randy Johnson · July 12th, 2008, 08:53 PM

I too have 2 burned out camera ports which I cant afford to fix. I think the reason its happing alot now is because theres alot of guys who dont buy decks like the old days. I used to have a AJ-D230H which I never disconnected to hooking it up wrong was never a possiblity. Now there are more guys using there cameras as decks. I personally will probably never get my cameras fixed im going to ride them out and in a few years replace them with some sort of solid state internal recording. Firewire on these JVCs is way too flimsy for professional (run and gun) work.

Robert Castiglione · July 13th, 2008, 11:45 PM

Hi Randy,

Yes, I bought a DRHD100 as a solution. Sadly I soon regretted it as it was defective and has been back to JVC for repair for longer than I owned it. In a way this is not a real solution as it just transfers the problem to the firewire connection on the DRHD100.

Agreed that firewire does not seem suitable for professional applications.

Rob

Randy Johnson · July 14th, 2008, 03:56 AM

ya know JVC SHOULD cut us a break on the repairs or AT LEAST provide tech info so we can take our cameras elsewhere for repair.

Joseph A. Benoit · July 14th, 2008, 11:49 AM

Hello
is'nt just as easy to connect your DR HD100/COMPUTER to your camera with the power off on both, then power up both. i have a GY hd 110 and a DR HD 100 plus i use firewire port isolators on the computer firewire cable and the cable going from the 110 to the dr 100

these camera's cost enough without blowing the F/W PORT
I know when i had my SONY FX1 never worried about the F/W PORT it was a 4 pin

PS not trying to be a smart ass
thanks
Joe

Jason McCormy · July 14th, 2008, 01:00 PM

I'm curious, if you connected the camera to an Apple cinema display with firewire, when both monitor and camera were off, then turned them on at the same time would there still be a problem? Essentially, turn the monitor off without turning the computer off?

July 12th, 2008, 07:13 AM	#1
Jason McCormy Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Agoura California Posts: 268	FireWire Port Burn Out How do you guys handle the risk of the firewire port burning out if you plug the camera into a computer that is already on? Do you just not do it? This is causing a problem for me, as having to shutdown a computer every time I want to connect a camera is a royal pain and interferes with editing projects. Is there another way? Perhaps with just the camera off until you have it plugged in? Thank you, as always, for your help.

July 12th, 2008, 08:59 AM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Have you read through this thread? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=64873 __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 12th, 2008, 10:59 AM	#6
John Sirb Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Amherst, OH Posts: 134	Jason, as was mentioned in the other thread, this isn't just a JVC problem and it seems to be more with the Macs/FCP crowd but not exclusivly. I got 2 of these from Firewire Depot. one is on the computer and one is attached to the cable connection my 200 to the Dr-hd100 drive http://fwdepot.com/thestore/product_...roducts_id/356 __________________ John Sirb Lake Breeze Video

July 12th, 2008, 10:27 AM	#4
Jason McCormy Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Agoura California Posts: 268	Yes, I'm using a mac primarily. I'm reading the post Chris recomended and that has a lot of useful information. Does a port isolator really work?

July 12th, 2008, 10:36 AM	#5
Jason McCormy Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Agoura California Posts: 268	I just finished reading the thread and it seems the really only full proof method is to turn the camera and computer off. Does it matter in which order you turn them on then? This is fairly stupid of JVC I think, and perhaps of firewire in general. What a pain! Especially those that edit in Vegas, having to load up an entire PC each time you want to connect a camera? If it is an editing place, that could be a real problems for people coming in with extra footage while editing existing stuff.

July 12th, 2008, 11:14 AM	#7
Jason McCormy Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Agoura California Posts: 268	I know, this is just a bit nerveracking and rather time consuing. Thank you for the link, I'm going to order a couple of them. I think I will just continue to turn the machine off. Perhaps I'll use a machine just for transfer and then move the files over. It will take a while, but at least I can keep working. The 4 pin wire wire cable, does this suffer from it as well? The other posting seemed ambiguous about it.

July 12th, 2008, 06:42 PM	#8
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Has anyone every cooked a firewire board on the JVC from a pc? Maybe it's solely a Mac thing.

July 12th, 2008, 08:46 PM	#9
Robert Castiglione Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 253	Jason, I feel your pain. I was very reluctant to accept the reality of the situation for a long time and kept taking risks until a friend of mine burnt out TWO cameras (well actually editors did it for him!). $2000 later. So I just have bitten the bullet and turn off everything first as well as using the port isolator which is just such great insurance. I believe (though I am not sure) that the reason you cannot just rely upon the port isolator is that you still have the problem of static electricity to deal with you even if you eliminate the danger of a charge from the firewire port. It only takes a tiny variation in voltage to blow the port. Rob

July 12th, 2008, 08:53 PM	#10
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	I too have 2 burned out camera ports which I cant afford to fix. I think the reason its happing alot now is because theres alot of guys who dont buy decks like the old days. I used to have a AJ-D230H which I never disconnected to hooking it up wrong was never a possiblity. Now there are more guys using there cameras as decks. I personally will probably never get my cameras fixed im going to ride them out and in a few years replace them with some sort of solid state internal recording. Firewire on these JVCs is way too flimsy for professional (run and gun) work.

July 13th, 2008, 11:45 PM	#11
Robert Castiglione Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 253	Hi Randy, Yes, I bought a DRHD100 as a solution. Sadly I soon regretted it as it was defective and has been back to JVC for repair for longer than I owned it. In a way this is not a real solution as it just transfers the problem to the firewire connection on the DRHD100. Agreed that firewire does not seem suitable for professional applications. Rob

July 14th, 2008, 03:56 AM	#12
Randy Johnson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,067	ya know JVC SHOULD cut us a break on the repairs or AT LEAST provide tech info so we can take our cameras elsewhere for repair.

July 14th, 2008, 11:49 AM	#13
Joseph A. Benoit Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Coconut Creek FL Posts: 291	Hello is'nt just as easy to connect your DR HD100/COMPUTER to your camera with the power off on both, then power up both. i have a GY hd 110 and a DR HD 100 plus i use firewire port isolators on the computer firewire cable and the cable going from the 110 to the dr 100 these camera's cost enough without blowing the F/W PORT I know when i had my SONY FX1 never worried about the F/W PORT it was a 4 pin PS not trying to be a smart ass thanks Joe

July 14th, 2008, 01:00 PM	#14
Jason McCormy Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Agoura California Posts: 268	I'm curious, if you connected the camera to an Apple cinema display with firewire, when both monitor and camera were off, then turned them on at the same time would there still be a problem? Essentially, turn the monitor off without turning the computer off?