Print to tape weirdness

slacy wrote on 10/1/2004, 12:03 PM
Hi all,

I'm having a weird problem that occurred a year ago, then seemingly went away on its own, and now has reoccurred. The problem is I have to send out a master tape by the end of the day and I simply am perplexed as to how to remedy the problem.

Here's the background: I'm printing to tape on a VX2000, I'm using VV5b with a P4 2 Ghz machine, 1GB Ram, and I have source media on one drive, and temp/render files and VV installed on another.

The problem: almost immediately during the PTT process, the picture and audio seem to "pulse". It prints to tape for five seconds, then audio and video flicker and disappear for a few seconds, and then both return and the cycle repeats. I can tell it's going to happen because the green indicator in my Sony camcorder LCD kind of vibrates and lurches as if the signal is unsteady.

I've tried using wall and battery power to see if there's a power glitch, but I get the same results either way. The camera is seemingly fine. So I'm hoping it's simply a VV issue that the pros in here can advise me about.

I leave on vacation in six hours, and I need to get this out. Help!!! :)

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/1/2004, 12:13 PM
This is indicative of the Firewire bus being interrupted, or the camera not accepting the signal. In other words, hands aren't shaking across all applications.
Any anti-virus running? Cooling fans? Other background software? network connections? Sure you have an OHCI card? Camera set to accept digital incoming signal?
I don't have a VX, so don't know the camera too well.
slacy wrote on 10/1/2004, 12:20 PM
Spot,

A firewire issue seems like a good hypothesis. I do have an OHCI card. No anti-virus yet but that's because recently performed a clean install of Win XP (I probably should've mentioned that).

PTT was working before the XP clean-and-reinstall, so that is a likely factor. But I can't figure out how that might be involved. Could this be a driver issue of some sort?

No background software that should be an issue. Right now, as I mentioned, it's a pretty clean XP install.
Spot|DSE wrote on 10/1/2004, 12:25 PM
I'd still be looking at background apps.
What driver is your OHCI card using? Try deleting/uninstalling it from Control Panel and then search for hardware.
johnmeyer wrote on 10/1/2004, 12:37 PM
Do you have any other Firewire devices connected? If so, temporarily disconnect them.

There is a patch for XP that fixes many 1394 issues, even though it was supposedly just for problems with devices not being detected. Click on this link for more info and a bunch of links, including a link to the patch. (Note: If you have XP service pack 2, this patch is already included

Firewire 1394 Solutions
slacy wrote on 10/1/2004, 2:59 PM
Spot, when you mention background apps, can you give me a sense of what I might look for?
Spot|DSE wrote on 10/1/2004, 4:02 PM
Quicktime, admin stuff, those kinds of things. It might be that you've got a loaded toolbar and apps like Word, PSP, or other tools are in the background.
You might look for a product called "Enditall" that is very helpful.
Also, John's recommendation for the 1394 patch is dead-on as well. Try that.
slacy wrote on 10/1/2004, 4:42 PM
I have SP2, so I theoretically have the patch.

I've read a few technical snippets that indicate SP2 can screw around with Firewire 800 devices. I'm wondering if the simple fact that I recently upgraded to SP2 is causing the problem. Thing is, I can't figure out how to undo the effects of SP2 on firewire without uninstalling the entire service pack.

Some nights I wish I was a cabinet maker....