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wardacameron
wardacameron
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Can't capture hdv with Premiere Pro

Feb 15, 2010 12:37 PM

I'm having a hard time capturing video from my Sony HDV-HC7 Hi-Def Camcorder. I'm running Premiere Pro CS4 on a DellStudio system running Win 7 64 bit Ultimate. It has an intel i7 CPU (8 cores) with 12 gm of RAM.

When I run Premiere and select Capture it opens up the capture window correctly and allows me to control the camcorder. The camera is connected and working. However it won't capture. I have tried to capture several ways:

1. log the in and out points on the tape and then do a batch capture.
2. capture the entire tape.
3. manually press record when the correct scene is cued on the camcorder.

Each time the result is the same, nothing is captured. The play counter shows the tape is playing and I can see the tape playing but the recorded scene length remains at 00:00:00

I am connected via 4-pin (camera) to 6pin (computer) via firewire. I have tried two different firewire cables just to make sure it wasn't a cable problem. I do not have a dedicated capture card unless my Hauppauge Win TV HVR-1250 can be considered a capture card. My firewire is off the system board so I don't have a dedicated firewire card in the system.

I've gone through Adobe's troubleshooting tips and none of the options helped.

1. My hardware meets the minimum requirements

2. Recreating (even reinstalling) the cache doesn't help.

3. tried two different tapes with the same problem

4. The cable connections are working. I've even tried two different firewire cables. Both indicate an iLINK connection on the camera and the capture window can control the playback of the camera with no problems.

5. Scene Detect is grayed out so I can't deselect it but I don't think it plays a role in HDV capture.

6. I've checked my device control settings. The camera is set to sony and alternate 1. I set it this way because I couldn't capture anything on Standard. I tried this setting and it captured one clip. After that, I could no longer capture on this setting again. Regardless of whether I'm set on Standard or alternate, the camera status is online.

7. Capture with another utility. I tried the sony capture software as well as Premiere elements 8.0 and I have the same problems.

8. Make sure all video has been rendered. They are.

9. Select playback settings (set to automatic).

10. I am logged in as an administratore

11. I don't have a capture card. Do I need one?

13. I do run it with no other main programs running.

14. all my drivers are current.

15. my video card driver is current.

I should add that I have the same problem trying other software like Premiere Elements 8.0 and Sony Picture Motion Browser so I'm guessing it's a hardware issue.

I appreciate any suggestions. Do I need a dedicated video capture card? If so, what do you suggest? Do I need a 4 pin Firewire port rather than a 6 pin? Do I need a sony dedicated cable as some forums suggest?

Thanks in advance.

wcameron

8531 Views   68 Replies   Latest reply: nickdbomb, Dec 7, 2011 5:22 PM
 
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  • wardacameron
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    1. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 12:39 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    I forgot to say I'm using Premiere Pro v4.2.1.

     
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  • Harm Millaard
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    2. Harm Millaard,
    Feb 15, 2010 1:25 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Check your camera settings in the menu. Use the manual to find the correct settings.

     
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  • Matt Petersen
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    3. Matt Petersen,
    Feb 15, 2010 1:46 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Try downloading HDVSplit and see if you can capture into that? I'm also a bit "funny" about on-board firewire cards, but I have no hard data to back that up. if you can borrow a FW PCIe card, it's certainly worth a shot.

     

    MP

     
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  • wardacameron
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    4. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:30 PM   in reply to Matt Petersen
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    Thanks Matt. I installed  HDVSplit and when it starts capturing I get the following:

     

    Capturing has been started

    INFO: No more data is received from camcorder. Capture stopped

    End of Capturing

     

    It attempted to capture for 0:00:04 seconds. No file is created in the output directory.

     

    I will look at the card you recommended.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    5. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:31 PM   in reply to Harm Millaard
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    Thanks Harm. I've double checked that my settings are correct.


     
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  • Ann Bens
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    6. Ann Bens,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:41 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    When playing (not recording) the tape in Premiere or HDV spilt can you see footage?

    Wind the tape a few minutes forward and try again.

     
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  • Harm Millaard
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    7. Harm Millaard,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:41 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    And your sequence settings are correct as well, I assume? Mixing DV and HDV can be troublesome.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    8. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:45 PM   in reply to Ann Bens
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    No. I don't get video displaying during play mode. The camcorder starts and the forward and back buttons in Premiere control the camera but I do NOT see a live preview when playing. I thought that was only for dv and that hdv would not display live video there?

     
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  • wardacameron
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    9. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:45 PM   in reply to Harm Millaard
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    I'm not totally sure what you mean here Harm but I'm definitely not mixing up dv and hdv. I have only used the camera to shoot hdv footage.

     
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  • Ann Bens
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    10. Ann Bens,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:53 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Check: Project/Project Settings/General/Capture set to HDV.

    You should atleast have playback in HDV split.

     
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  • Harm Millaard
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    11. Harm Millaard,
    Feb 15, 2010 2:53 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Make sure that your camera is set to HDV output over iLink. I know you said it was, but please check again in your camera menu. Numerous people have had trouble and it was a simple setting after all to make it work.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    12. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:01 PM   in reply to Harm Millaard
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    Thanks Harm. I checked my manual and made sure two settings were correct on the camera.

    I confirmed the output was set to HDV and that the iLINK Converter was set to off so it doesn't try to convert hdv to dv during dubbing.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    13. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:03 PM   in reply to Ann Bens
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    Hi Ann. I have confirmed that my Capture Format is set to HDV. Should the HDV settings button do anything? when I

    push it I don't get any kind of options screen to open up.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    14. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:10 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    I've added a screen capture of my capture window. What you can't see is that the play counter in the bottom left counts forward with the video as it plays but the actual Capture Duration remains at 00:00:00:00

    Attachments:
     
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  • Matt Petersen
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    15. Matt Petersen,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:11 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    my gut feeling is the firewire on-board is no good. but before you part with some cash for a PCIe version, is it possible you can test this camera on another computer? just to rule out the camera itself.

     

    try to avoid the really cheap FW cards. I fancy the ones with an TI chipset, but that's just anecdotal.

     

    MP

     
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  • Matt Petersen
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    16. Matt Petersen,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:13 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    oh... can you press "PLAY" after you hit 'RECORD'? some cameras need you to do that (wierd I know).

     

    MP

     
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  • wardacameron
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    17. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:23 PM   in reply to Matt Petersen
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    It is wierd. If I hit record without hitting play first, nothing happens. You definitely have to hit play first.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    18. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:27 PM   in reply to Matt Petersen
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    I'm guessing that this will turn out to be the correct answer. If I'm buying a new card though what brand

    do you suggest? also, should I be looking at a video capture card or just a firewire card?

     
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  • wardacameron
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    19. wardacameron,
    Feb 15, 2010 3:43 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    I've created a screencast video to illustrate my settings. I hope this helps. The url is:

     

    http://www.screencast.com/users/WardCameron/folders/Default/media/363b fa8a-7194-43ec-bf23-5c85ab148d7d

     
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  • Pyro4lif
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    20. Pyro4lif,
    Mar 3, 2010 2:25 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    hey i had this same prob turn your ilink convo off then the cam will send the hdv out I thank God that He helped me figure this out!

     
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  • shooternz
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    21. shooternz,
    Mar 3, 2010 3:08 PM   in reply to Pyro4lif
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    I thank God that He helped me figure this out!

     

    I thought God was a Panasonic guy ...

     
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  • Jeff Bellune
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    22. Jeff Bellune,
    Mar 3, 2010 3:13 PM   in reply to shooternz
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    Okay guys, let's stop it right here, right now.  I can see where this might be headed, and it's not going there if I can help it.

     

    Back on topic, please.

     

    -Jeff

     
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  • wardacameron
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    23. wardacameron,
    Mar 8, 2010 4:01 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Thanks for all the help everyone. It turned out that I needed to buy a separate firewire card. I installed it today and it works. I guess the built-in fire

    wire port is just not reliable.

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    24. Bill Hunt,
    Mar 8, 2010 4:10 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Good news and glad that you have it working fine.

     

    Note: depending on the number of actual control chips your card has, and how they are located, during Capture, you will NOT want to have other FW devices connected, whether you're daisy-chaining, or not. With separate chips, you might be able to have, say an external, so long as it IS on a separate chip. Cameras want to be the only thing on that chip.

     

    Good luck,

     

    Hunt

     
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  • wardacameron
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    25. wardacameron,
    Mar 8, 2010 4:14 PM   in reply to Bill Hunt
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    Thanks Bill. I'll keep an eye on it. Right now I only have the one Firewire device but if I end up adding another I'll

    be sure to monitor the performance during transfers. I'm just glad to finally be able to get it to work.

     

    Cheers.

     

    Ward

     

    Message was edited by: wardacameron

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    26. Bill Hunt,
    Mar 8, 2010 4:43 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Ward,

     

    Just something to think about. All too often, users will daisy-chain, or just plug in lots of FW devices, and wonder why they could once Capture, but not now.

     

    Good luck, and glad that a card took care of things for you.

     

    Hunt

     
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  • Spinning Reel Australia
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    27. Spinning Reel Australia,
    May 13, 2010 11:23 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Hi Ward,

    I just discovered this discussion and have the same problem. I also have a Dell Studio system and a Sony HC7! Can I ask did you just buy a general low profile (thin) firewire PCI card or something expensive and fancy? I also have a Dell Studio XPS laptop and the HDV capture through the built in fire port is fine! Anyway I've just ordered an Adere capture card for desktop so hope that works. The guy at the shop told me that the motherboard firewires often use cheapest chipset and that may be problem. I am running Premiere Pro CS5. Cheers,Richard

     
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  • maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    28. maranatha@stx.rr.com,
    Jun 11, 2010 4:18 PM   in reply to Spinning Reel Australia
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    I've had Dell SPS 435 for 9 months.  I've spent about 50 hours with tech support (no exaggeration!!!) from Dell, Adobe, Microsoft, and iYogi.  I got to the highest level in Dell (they report directly to Michael Dell).  He said this is only the second case he has ever failed on.  Now I'm back with Adobe support for the umpteenth time.  My Sony FX7 and HS1 worked great with XP ... poorly with Vista 32, and badly with Windows 7 (64bit)

     
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  • maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    29. maranatha@stx.rr.com,
    Jun 11, 2010 4:25 PM   in reply to maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    (continued).  This seems to be a broad problem.. Adobe and Dell

    deny dealing with it.  They like to send you on dead end hunts

    ... ie go buy new firewire cables (I have tried 4) call Sony (they can't help) it's not hardware, it's software, or vice versa depending on which ones you are talking to.  Or, we will call back (Dell and Adobe both did not on numerous times).  I did get close to the issue once with an Adobe techie who said,

    Create and log on to a new local administrator account.

    Damaged or incorrect permissions in your user account may prevent Premiere Pro from writing required registry keys upon the first successful capture. Create a new local administrator account and then try to start capture in the new account.   This actually works.  If I create a new local administrator account, I can capture HD once.  Yeah, once!!! Then I have to make a new L A Account again.  Can't somebody help us???  Look at this forum ... look at how many of us are reporting this problem.  That probably means there are hundreds of people out there with this same problem.  HELP!!!!

     
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  • jeremy d.
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    30. jeremy d.,
    Jun 11, 2010 7:44 PM   in reply to maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    If that worked, then you probably have permissions issues somewhere in your system.

     

     

    Damaged or incorrect permissions in your user account may prevent Premiere Pro from writing required registry keys upon the first successful capture. Create a new local administrator account and then try to start capture in the new account.   This actually works.  If I create a new local administrator account, I can capture HD once.  Yeah, once!!! Then I have to make a new L A Account again.

     
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  • maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    31. maranatha@stx.rr.com,
    Jun 11, 2010 9:40 PM   in reply to jeremy d.
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    Jeremy

    Thank you so much for your answer.

    It shows me someone has some understanding about this stuff.

    Unfortunately, I don't know what a permission issue means.

    Who could I talk to about this?

    Adobe tech support doesn't seem to be helpful.

    I have spent literally 20 or so hours with them.

    Dell was no help.

    I hired iYogi ... waste of $120.

    Microsoft was no help.

    Do you have a suggestion of who could help me with this issue.

    Thanks

    Roby

     
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  • Spinning Reel Australia
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    32. Spinning Reel Australia,
    Jun 11, 2010 10:10 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    I have put in the separate firewire card to the Dell Studio, and now have no problems - importing and exporting, HD and SD. The card cost about $30US, well worth the expense to get around these issues with crap quality motherboard inbuilt firewire ports.

     
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  • jeremy d.
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    33. jeremy d.,
    Jun 11, 2010 10:20 PM   in reply to Spinning Reel Australia
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    -  Ward said he tried the Sony capture software as  well  as Premiere Elements 8.0 and has the same problems. That pretty much  rules out the software, including PPro. (I'll willingly cop to it if it  turns out to be Premiere, but I really don't think it is.)


    -  There's the message from HDVSplit:

     

    Capturing has been started

    INFO: No more data is received from  camcorder. Capture stopped

    End of Capturing


    -  SRA just mentioned the firewire card.


    All of that seems to point to the FW card. I'd try that first, since it's been mentioned before, and then we can go from there if we need to.

     
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  • maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    34. maranatha@stx.rr.com,
    Jun 12, 2010 5:09 PM   in reply to jeremy d.
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    Jeremy,

    Thanks again.

    It does not work with Adobe Premiere, Sony Vega, HD Split, or the Roxio 10 supplied with the computer.

    Yes, that should rule out the software, right?

    That's what I told the Dell Tech.

    I finally got to the top.

    The level that reports to Michael Dell.

    They could not fix it.

    He said go to the Adobe tech support people.

    I would be happy to buy a firewire card.

    Can you recommend one?

    Rob

     
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  • wardacameron
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    35. wardacameron,
    Jun 12, 2010 8:03 PM   in reply to maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    I'm sorry to see this discussion is still active after all the time I wasted trying all the software fixes. I hate to see others going through the same process that I went through.

     

    Seriously, open your computer to make sure you have an available slot and then spend the $30 for a new firewire card. I have had absolutely NO problems since I did this. Not only is it capturing in all programs (including Premiere CS5) with no problem (this feels like a miracle), but it also allows me to use my video camera as a webcam and in Adobe Visual Communicator vcasts.

     

    This solution works. It really does. It is NOT a permission issue or a software fix. Your software is doing what it is supposed to do. Unfortunately the Dell is just not bringing the correct signal from the built-in firewire port. I had the same problem with my previous Dell but I just thought it was because it lacked the horsepower to do video work. This system is a 64bit, 8 core powerhouse and it suffered the same problem. $30 fixed it once and fixed it permanently.

     

    The geeks among us understand that we are hardwired to go through the troubleshooting process and it usually IS a software problem. This one is NOT. It's an old fashioned hardware fix.

     
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  • maranatha@stx.rr.com
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    36. maranatha@stx.rr.com,
    Jun 12, 2010 8:08 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    Ward ,,,

    Thank you so much for your response.

    After untold hours on tech support (no lie ... 40 to 50 hours)

    if it is this simple, I will both laugh and cry.

    Is there a certain firewire card I should buy or avoid?

    Thanks again,

    Rob Carpenter

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    37. Bill Hunt,
    Jun 12, 2010 8:09 PM   in reply to wardacameron
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    I agree with you, and recommend a new, or the addition of, a FW card. Some users refuse to believe that their MoBo's FW could ever go bad. Their biggest hope should be that it's the computer's FW connector, and not the camera's FW connector.

     

    Good points,

     

    Hunt

     
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  • jeremy d.
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    38. jeremy d.,
    Jun 13, 2010 10:17 AM   in reply to Bill Hunt
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    Even though it's not a Prem problem, maybe we can get it into a Tech Support document.

     
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  • wardacameron
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    39. wardacameron,
    Jun 14, 2010 10:43 AM   in reply to jeremy d.
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    It should at the very least be in a FAQ or Support Knowledgebase.

     

    For the people stil lexperiencing it, just take the risk. A new card costs 20 bucks and 10 minutes to install. If it doesn't solve the problem you're out a few dollars. If it DOES (and I bet it will), you've saved yourselves many hours and the cost of your time and frustration. We need to remember that this is NOT an Adobe problem. It is a DELL problem. In my case I had the same issue with Premiere Pro CS4, Premiere Elements, Sony's video capture program, Windows MovieMaker, and any other software I tried. Once the board was replaced all programs worked perfectly. No video program can capture video if the firewire port is not sending the signal correctly.

     

    Good luck. Make sure you reply here if it does correct the issue so we can get strength in numbers.

     
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