Capturing from ADVC-100 - Vegas having trouble with "Device"

gumboots3 wrote on 4/28/2005, 7:13 PM
Hey all,

I'm trying to transfer VHS to AVI with a VCR and a Canopus ADVC-100. Everything is hooked up (composite from VCR to ADVC, FireWire from ADVC to computer) but when I turn on the ADVC in Vegas' "Capture Video" Screen, I get the message:

"The device 'Microsoft DV camera and VCR' could not be opened.
Please make sure that it is turned on and is not being used by another application or user."

I know the ADVC-100 is supposed to be compadible with Vegas. The issue has got to be in the computer, because I've also tried to capture with Movie Maker XP (which simply freezes) and another Capture utility, which gives a similar message about the device being used by another application.

The software is recognizing that I've got Firewire hardware plugged in, but there is something amiss with the Microsoft Device that actually does the work inside. I've been scouring the net for information about "Microsoft DV and VCR" but havn't come across anything that helps.

Is there something I can download or tweak within the device manager to fix this? Is there some sort of conflict that I'm not aware of? I've closed everything running in the background. Could a messed up video driver be causing conflicts with the video capture software?

The CPU is fairly new, very fast, with hordes of memory and disk space.

Thanks in advance for any help you have to offer!

Comments

B.Verlik wrote on 4/28/2005, 9:59 PM
I have never had a problem with my firewire, so I can't answer you directly. I can suggest a couple of things to try, but there's no guarantee, that it will work.
First: Has your firewire input ever been used before with anything else? I thought I've read other users complain that the input is finnicky and will usually only want to use the first device plugged in, but don't know for sure if this is true.
Second: You can try uninstalling your firewire card and then see if Windows reinstalls it when it reboots. This might wake up everything and start working.
Third: Is your firewire card made by a well known company? Have heard that cheap cards have a lot of cheap/bad parts. If your card has worked with something else, then disregard this question.
Forth: Firewire cables are notorious for having shorts and yet looking perfectly fine. Check with another cable if you have access to one.
Fifth: Find information about a different "device" than Microsoft DV camera. I think you may need a Texas Instruments codec or something else.
Sixth: Do a search here, this question has been addressed a million times and the information I just gave you, I accumulated by accident. (and possibly remembered wrong.)
Seventh: wait for other forum readers to correct my information.
MichaelS wrote on 4/29/2005, 5:32 AM
If your computer is a Dell, you may want to take a look at this patch. It completely solved my problems with my Canopus ADVC-100.

http://www.geocities.com/delldvinfo/BasicInfo.htm

I hopes this is some help to you. Good luck.
frogmugsy wrote on 4/29/2005, 6:02 AM
Did you try to go to Options, Preferences, General and uncheck Enable DV device control? (Video Capture Mode)

And then just play on the vcr to send the signal thru....
prairiedogpics wrote on 4/29/2005, 6:05 AM
I think frogmugsy has it correctly: You need to uncheck "Enable DV device control".
gumboots3 wrote on 4/29/2005, 6:34 AM
Thanks all for weighing in...

No luck fiddling with the preferences. I'm interested in the idea of uninstalling the Firewire then re-installing it, but worried I might break something. If I uninstall the drivers, will XP easily put them back in on its own when I reboot, or (with my luck) might I lose them forever? I don't want to do any more damage. Give me a risk factor. (Perhaps it's none?)

I have never used the firewire card for anything else, so I don't know if the problem is unique to the Canopus.

I've also noticed in my device manager that theres a "!" next to "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)" under the heading "Other Devices." When I look into its properties, it says: "The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)" Updating or re-installing them does not work. Could any of this possibly be related to the conflict with the video capture device?

(P.S. - What IS the capture device, anyway? Is it "OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller"?" I understand that's the firewire card, but is that the actual "device" we're all talking about? Or am I missing something else?"

Since I got the machine, my only quam with it is that it randomly switches its Video Out between the regular VGA port and what I presume to be the Graphics Card at the bottom of the tower, depending on whether you reboot, or just shut down. So when I boot back up, every now and then I've got to climb under the desk and switch the monitor cable to the other port. Could this be related to the uninstalled "Video Controller" device, and/or could this problem on the whole have ANYTHING to do with the Capture issue?

Or am I just grasping at straws here?

Thanks again for all the input, I really do appreciate it!
Orcatek wrote on 4/29/2005, 8:42 AM
As far as the VGA switching, if you disable the second card in the device manager, it shouldn't switch to it. You may also have to disable via the bios on some machines.

As far as ADVC, I gave up on feeding in thru the firewire port. Analog seems to work fine. I just stuck another firewire card in my box and all was well.

cspvideo wrote on 4/29/2005, 9:16 AM
I don't know if you've ever had any luck with your 1394 port. It sounds like it has never worked. If that is the case here are some things you can check:

1. Does your 1394 device share an interupt with something else on your system (like the audio card). If so you may want to move it to another interupt.
2. Are you capturing video to your system drive or do you have a dedicated media drive? Capturing to the same drive as your operating system will yield unsatisfactory results.

Paul Conti
rmack350 wrote on 4/29/2005, 9:57 AM
Overall, the details about your setup are a bit confusing but I'll give it a go.

The ADVC100 can be subject to going up in smoke. If both blue LEDs are staying on then that's what's happened.

Canopus recommended to me that I turn the device on before booting the computer, and NEVER turn it on or off or connect cables while the computer is running. Kind of inconvenient if you ask me.

From my own experience, NEVER use a 6-pin to 6-pin 1394 cable between this box and the computer. This cable carries buss power to power up devices and I think that's why these sometimes go up in smoke. (This might make it okay to switch the unit on and off while the system is running but don't quote me).

You can't use device control with this unit, nor can you pass through device control. So don't daisy chain a DV camera through it.

Mine (number three) won't run with any other firewire devices on the firewire card. So I installed a second card just for the ADVC100. I think that this one is "semi-smoked".

The first time my ADVC100 went up in smoke it seemed to take everything, drives and firewire card, with it. I replaced everything.

As for the Video output on your computer-that's confusing. An output at the bottom of the tower would be a PCI card and I'm wondering if it's something like a TV tuner card? What about the "normal" output? is it onboard graphics or an AGP or PCI-e card?

Rob Mack
Harold Brown wrote on 4/29/2005, 6:29 PM
I have a ADVC100 connected to a power strip with a surge protector. I always turn it on/off when my computer is running and I have never had a problem. I have a 4-6 pin cable. When I turn it on Windows pops up the window. When I want to output to TV monitor I hold down the input select button until I get the color bars. Works everytime.
rmack350 wrote on 4/29/2005, 8:31 PM
I think the key is to always use a 4-6 cable between the computer and the ADVC100.

When I sent the first one in for warranty replacement thay told me over the phone that I shouldn't turn it on and off while the computer is running, nor should I plug/unplug the 1394 cable. (I don't think they really knew what the source of the problem was but I'm going to assume it was buss power on the 1394 cable. I habitually used a 6-6 cable for convenience)

When they sent the replacement they included printed notices to the same effect. So I'd say it was a recurring issue that they were well aware of.

Using the 4-6 cable should prevent buss power from reaching the ADVC100.

Rob Mack
B.Verlik wrote on 4/29/2005, 8:51 PM
I do not have the Canopus ADVC-100, but I do have the datavideo DAC-100, and although it's not as good as the Canopus, it's got the same basic inputs, and it came supplied with a 6/6 firewire cable. As I found out, the hard way, if you don't have real good vision, you can fairly easily plug in the firewire cable upside-down. Yes I know it seems impossible to do, but I did it, and it went in easily. The DAC-100 was on at the time, and I immediately lost the firewire input on the DAC-100. Luckily, there were two firewire inputs, and the other one still works.
So, I guess that's the only thing I can think of, because I plugged my firewire cable in and out before with the power running and it never hurt anything. Of course that was the "El Cheapo", datavideo DAC-100. It may be too inferior to know it should break. After I lost the 1st firewire input, I started making sure that the power switch was off before I plugged it in.
I've now moved on to a Sony Camcorder with pass-through and I'm happy with that for making my transfers. And I have no choice but to use a 6/4 firewire cable.
mfhau wrote on 4/29/2005, 10:30 PM
Stating the bloody obvious but this had me stumped for 10 mins one day (had the same symptons- device recognised by windows but no image):

Make sure the ADVC is in analogue and not digital mode - press the button and the blue light will move

newhope wrote on 4/30/2005, 8:10 AM
This problem sounds more like the dreaded Xp SP2 MSDV.SYS debacle.
See other threads.. 'capturing from DSR30'
With some, but not all, DV devices the new SP2 version of the Windows XP MSDV.SYS file does not correctly recognise the device.
I had this problem when i upgraded to SP2 and Vegas would no longer capture from my DSR-30P but would happily capture from my DSR-150P and Panasonic NV-100EN.
After thinking I had a hardware fault with the DSR-30P I finally discovered a tech support message on the Microsoft site that pointed to there being a problem wityh the newer MSDV.SYS file that SP2 installs.
The message described a simple way of recovering the old SP1 (or earlier) MSDV.SYS file and once I had recovered the file and replaced the newer file with it everything worked. I didn't need to roll back to SP1.
If you have a copy of XP that comes with SP2 you'll need to source an earlier version of theMSDV.SYS file

You can download the SP1 version from
http://members.optusnet.com.au/newhope2/msdv.sys

Search your Windows directory for any versions of the file and rename them MSDV.OLD and then copy the downloaded version of the file into the same folder.

Main location for the file should be in C:\windows\system32\drivers

Please virus check the file for your own peace of mind.
I assure you it is clean and I run the latest Symantec antivirus software, but I wouldn't download and use any file before checking it.

Regards
Steve
gumboots3 wrote on 4/30/2005, 8:52 AM
Thanks all for your advice. I've tried everything you've suggested, to no avail. I thought for sure replacing the MSDV.sys file would do the trick, as it made the most sense regarding the error messages I've been getting. But still no luck. I called Canopus AND tech support for my computer, and they couldn't solve the mystery either, (though Canopus was infinately more friendly and helpful than Gateway was). I have two other thoughts...

There's a fire wire port on both the front and back of the ADVC100. The front is a 4 pin (which I've been using) and the back is a 6 pin. Both are labeled DV I/O. My computer only has 6 pin inputs, and given that the cable that came with the ADVC is 4/6, I've had to go from the front 4 pin jack to the 6 on my computer. But the Canopus support tech mentioned something that made me think that this wasn't the original cable that came with the unit. Perhaps if I get a 6/6 cable, and go from the back of the box into my computer, that would make a difference? Anyone know the difference between a 4 pin and 6 pin connection, and/or whether it matters which DV I/O you come out from?

My other thought was to try to borrow a DV camera with pass through and nix the ADVC all together. If the camera works, then it's something with the box. If the camera gives me the same error message, it's got to be my machine.

I appreciate all the feedback. Any last ditch suggestions are always welcome!
Thanks again!
B.Verlik wrote on 4/30/2005, 8:31 PM
rmack describes the cables above.
rmack350 wrote on 4/30/2005, 10:48 PM
I really, really think you SHOULD NOT run a 6 pin to 6 pin cable between the ADVC100 and your computer.

The extra two pins carry 6 volt bus power. There's nothing different about the signal.

My first and second ADVC100s went up in a puff of smoke. The main chip inside the box had a little blister on it after it died. I think that the box isn't well protected from the 6V bus power.

When the first one died I replaced it, my firewire card, and two firewire drive. It was expensive. Just play it safe and use the 6 to 4 cable.

Rob Mack