HD100 capture issues in FCP

[Jeremy Clark]

I need some help:

FCP is unable to initialize capture from my JVC and displays the error message "Device is not connected properly or preset is not setup correctly". I can neither do a live capture or tape ingest from the camera any longer, but it use to work fine. This problem is recent, and I have gone through both my FCP A/V settings and camera settings which are:

FCP:
Sequence Preset: HDV-720p30
Capture Preset: HDV
Device Control Preset: HDV Firewire

JVC HD100U:
Frame Rate: 60/30
REC: HDV-HD30
HDV PB Output: 720P
PB Tape: HDV
My 1394 switch is set to HDV.

Fortunately, iMovie has no problem capturing my camera, and detects & captures the footage immediately. The problem there is that there is no setting in iMovie for 720p, only 1080i or SD 16x9. But at least it works, and I re-import the footage into my FCP timeline which is fine for web video. Therefore, this cannot be a blown firewire connection since iMovie works.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can fix this? Perhaps I need to upgrade and re-install FCP (version 6.0.5). My camera has other problems such as split screen and power on/off issues, but I have reason to believe that FCP is the culprit. FCP also has import breaks where iMovie captures everything perfectly.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Shaun Roemich]

I had this exact issue with FCP and found that my FireWire PORT was starting to work it's way loose and that the weight of my FW cable was causing it to "slump" and not completely mate up properly.

<<<ANY AND ALL ADJUSTMENTS OF FIREWIRE CABLES MUST BE DONE WITH COMPUTER AND CAMERA OFF.>>>

What I had to do was (again, with EVERYTHING OFF) place some foam under the cable so that it entered the FW port on the camera straight.

[Robert Rogoz]

I don't think this is FW port issue, as you'd the same issue with iMovie capture. First of all you can try to set up the capture, then turn your computer off. Connect your deck via FW and turn your computer on and then your camera. Open FCS2 and try to capture then.
In the camera setting use "Native" option for the export. Same with tape settings- use "Native" instead.
Sometimes also what works is setting first capture settings to ProRes and then set HDV on the next capture. For some reason it made my deck to communicate that way.
If iMovie captures it (and without breaks) then capture it in iMovie and then open the project in FCS2.
I checked some settings and workflows:
Ok, this is what i would do. Import it through iMovie. Then close the project- it looks like it saves it automatically in iMovie folder. Then open a FCS2 new project. Choose import files, go to iMovie new event and here you go- there are all your clips. In iMovie choose capture scratch disc the same one you'll use for your FCS2.
Use on your deck Native for export and tape settings.