4 x IEEE output required

[Peter Dorr]

I use the Canopus Storm2 and my exports have to go to 3 different IEEE 1394 pheriperals (a Digital Video Rec, a DVD Writer and my new Sony PVM-14L5 monitor). How can I do that ?
Can I just use any standard firewire Hub for that ?

Ideally (I know I want much ;-)) I would also like my digital camera's to be hooked up as well so I can import my movies as well.

Is this possible too?

PC <-> VCR, DVD, Monitor, Camera

Thanks a lot,
Peter

[Jeff Donald]

FireWire supports daisy chaining of up to 61 devices. Just plug one device into another and try to keep the cables as short as possible. A hub might slow down the process.

[Peter Dorr]

Thanks Jeff for your answer,

but unfortunately none of my devices has more then 1 Firewire port. So I cannot daisy chain them :-((

[Jeff Donald]

Can you add more ports to your computer? There are reports of hubs causing dropped frames and other issues.

[Peter Dorr]

Sure, I can add an a Seperate Firewire card. But how does that work with the Canopus then?
Right now it exports/previews all DV through that card.
If I add a seperate board then I am afraid that the export will no longer go through the Canopus, or am I wrong here ?
Thanks

[Jeff Donald]

I think you're going to have to talk to Canopus Customer Support on this issue and get their recommendation.. There are a few Canopus users here that might chime in on this question as the day goes on. You may need to plug some devices in as needed.

I have first hand experience with DVD burners causing a slow down when using a hub. So I would plug it in only when needed. The same for the camera, use it only when your sourcing your camera footage. Use the deck for recording to and feed the monitor an analog signal out of the deck, or E-to-E if you just need to pass the signal through. Do you have a need to have all the devices plugged at the same time?

[Peter Dorr]

I don't have a direct need for all of them at the same time. I just prefer not to change cables everytime I want to do something :-).

Right now I use the solution you provide with the VCR, but since this new (not yet arrived) monitor is suited for firewire input, I figured that the qulity of the display would be even better then with composite plugs. So now i do need at least 2 Firewire out at the same time.

I have posted my question at Canopus' Forum as well. So hoepfully they'll come up with something.
(Sorry, but what does E-to-E mean ?)

[Jeff Donald]

E-to-E mode (E-E) stands for electronics to electronics and is a VTR mode in which the VTR processes the signals as it normally would during recording, but does not actually record them to tape. Instead the signal is routed to the active outputs for use by other devices (monitors, routers, waveform/vectorscope etc.) The VTR is usually put in this mode by pressing the Record button. Many newer VTR's have it as a menu item that needs to be turned on. What model deck do you have?

[Peter Dorr]

I have a Sony DHR-1000VC deck.

[Jeff Donald]

I can't find an English manual on that deck to check if it has that feature. On Sony's site it mentions DV IN/OUT so it might. It also has S-Video IN/OUT and that is not a bad way to hook up your monitor either.

[Clint Comer]

I have a 3 port firewire card. Nothing fancy at all. I have captured from one port to a hard drive on another port while running the project from another hard drive in the 3rd port. All at the same time. Firewire is king baby!! And like said above you can daisy chain a bunch of stuff together. One of my instructors has 4 hard drives going into one port and he never has any problems.

[Garret Ambrosio]

You can add another firewire port no problem. I have 3 built-in ports and an addtional 2 off the card I got with the Hollywood DV.