still having print to tape problems

dhill wrote on 7/14/2002, 8:08 PM
P3, 1GHZ, 512 RAM, Sony Vaio...When I print to tape I'm getting short (1 second or so) stutters or skips in the audio and video, every minute or two, throughout the duration. I have the VV3c update, I turned off Norton FW & Virus prot. as someone suggested to me before, but I still have the same problem.

I'm using the exact same set-up that I used with VV2 and I could print to tape just fine with it. I've tried both of my mini-dv cameras (Sony trv-950 and pc-100) and get the same results.

I tried changing the 2 adjustable settings under the pref/print to tape options and it didn't help.

I'm getting the following error message every time: The current device has had a communication failure. Please dismiss this dialog box, and then cycle the power on the device.

I tried turning off the camera and then back on, but get the same results when I try to print to tape again.

Thoughts?

Can I download the old VV2 capture/print to tape program and use it or will it conflict with the VV3c capture/print to tape program?

Comments

Caruso wrote on 7/14/2002, 8:30 PM
Now, this is only a guess, because I once experienced a similar problem. When you have tried printing to tape and you experience these stutters, check to see if it is only the video stream that is stuttering, or, perhaps your "entire" system. If you move your mouse slowly in a continous wide circle, do you notice that it, also, seems to freeze momentarily?

That's what I noticed when I was experiencing the stuttering problem you describe. I solved it by "downgrading" my mouse driver, moving away from the mfr's proprietary woopeedoo driver to the generic one supplied by my OS (Winxp), and I have experienced nary a stutter since. In order to get rid of that proprietary driver, I had to locate and delete it.

This is only a shot in the dark, but it worked for me.

Good luck in tracking down your problem. Your setup seems plenty capable to me (mine is a 900 mhz/128mb machine, and it works fine with VV30c).

Caruso
dhill wrote on 7/15/2002, 2:41 AM
Thanks for your response Caruso, but that wasn't it. Actually, I'm using the same OS and mouse drivers that I have been since VV2 (win 2000). It was worth a try though. I did more testing and it seems to happen (the stuttering of video/audio) after about 2 minutes most times. I wonder if this is a Sony Vaio thing (like with VV2)or if I'm missing some back ground app. that is happening and boggin down the computer. As I said, I turned off Norton and I closed all other programs. I was told I didn't need the old SF Sony fix with VV3. I wonder if that is correct?
Baluga wrote on 7/15/2002, 4:02 AM
I had similar problems with DV output to tape, getting black interruptions every minute or so. Some of the measures I have taken were, in addition to what you have done so far, to disable the sound and display in VV 3 while printing to tape. So that in the window you just see the message "printing to tape" and you can see the footage in your camera display.

I hope that helps.

Jenn
salad wrote on 7/15/2002, 9:35 AM
I have a friend that could not PTT from a SoFo application on a Sony VAIO PC. The exact same error mesage you mentioned.

Have you DL'd / installed the Sony DV switcher patch?

There's all kinds of Sony issues when it comes to DV. Print to Tape is the #1 symptom, but there is a fix.
Sony supplies it's own driver which needs to be "Dealt With".

http://www.sonicfoundry.com/download/step2.asp?DID=223
HPV wrote on 7/15/2002, 6:06 PM
So you know, you can get VidCap 2.5 (2.0h VidCap was funky for me) with the Video Factory 2 Demo download. Works good here, might give it a go if the DV switcher patch doesn't do it for you.

Craig H.
dhill wrote on 7/17/2002, 12:09 AM
Thanks for all the reply's. I'll try the sony fix again. I already have the audio and video preview turned off while printing to tape. If this doesn't work I'll call tech support. Thanks again.
dhill wrote on 7/17/2002, 12:12 AM
When I click on the sony sf fix it says the necessary sony driver is not on my machine. Anyone know where I can get the sony driver? Thanks!
SonyDennis wrote on 7/17/2002, 10:37 AM
If you don't have the sony driver on your machine, all the better. Don't install one just so the fix program can remove it.
///d@
Rocket_Surfer wrote on 8/1/2002, 5:38 PM
Hi Guys I am a new-commer to this forum and I would like to know if anyone has found a way to fix the print to tape or external monitor problems that has affected Version 3.0c, if so I am curious to know what it is, and even importantly what causes the problem in the first place.
craftech wrote on 8/1/2002, 6:21 PM
I am still running version 3.0 (the first version). Wait and see has paid off so far with this software.

John
EArrigotti wrote on 8/1/2002, 10:44 PM
I had this problem and fixed it by updating my MOBO BIOS, but the problem was not only occuring in VV3c, but I was getting it in all of the VV3 versions.

The point; however, is that often times, an update of a driver, can make things sail as they should. I don't think there is necessarily a problem with the latest update, but there is obviously a conflict somwhere in your system.

Keep searching and you just may find the answer.
Snow wrote on 8/7/2002, 7:40 AM
Using Windows ME created firewire output problems for me. It was fixed by upgrading to Windows XP Home.