NO PCMODE in my HVX 201 AE

[thunderMex]

I brought back from Austria to Mexico a new HVX 201 AE, as they call this over there.

I have not installed any drivers for the P2 cards yet.

But I did simply want to capture some SD footage on DVCAM tapes I recorded on a Sony camera in France.

They play fine in the camera.

So I set up the Firewire 400 cable into my new Macbook Pro with the whole Final Cut Studio installed.

But I can't get the HVX 201 set up for a simple log and capture because when I go into the MENU there is no PC MODE. In the Camera Mode Menu when I look into OTHER FUNCTIONS it shows the following selections:

Remote
1394 Control
1394 CMD SEL
End Search
Rec Lamp
Beep Sound
Clock Set
Time Zone
Power Save
User File
Hour Meter
Operation

No where in any tech manuals or PDF files or anything I can find on the internet on the DVX user site does it say that this important function will not show up unless some other preliiminary step or installation has been performed first.

I assumed that right out of the box that I could export footage from the camera without going through a lot of menu setting.

So, does the PC MODE only show up after you have set up the P2 cards driver? Is the entire PC MODE completely tied to the P2 driver installation?

[Barry_Green]

Put the media switch in "TAPE" mode, and don't put the camera in PC MODE, put it in VCR mode. Then it'll connect and work like any DV tape camera.

[thunderMex]

Thank you for your response! I know you are the PRO on this, Barry.

But I already had the camera media switch in tape mode because I don't have the P2 cards installed yet, and so you are saying that I do NOT hold down the button for 2 seconds to get it to switch from VTR mode to PC Mode? I simply leave it in VTR mode.

Then is the PC MODE only going to work for P2 cards after I install them?

What about in the menu where I am selecting VCR1 and setting 1394 control to EXT?

Then I selected 1394 CMD SEL to Rec_Play?

What is the full story on why my camera is different from what I am reading?

Thank you!

[Barry_Green]

so you are saying that I do NOT hold down the button for 2 seconds to get it to switch from VTR mode to PC Mode? I simply leave it in VTR mode.
For capturing from tape, that is correct.


Then is the PC MODE only going to work for P2 cards after I install them?
Correct.


What about in the menu where I am selecting VCR1 and setting 1394 control to EXT?
Has nothing to do with anything with capturing. VCR1 is for setting which remote control your camera will respond to, and EXT is for controlling an external tape deck or firestore.


Then I selected 1394 CMD SEL to Rec_Play?
See above, that menu item is only for controlling an external tape deck or firestore.


What is the full story on why my camera is different from what I am reading?
I don't know, I don't know what you're reading. But if you're trying to capture from tape, you use VCR mode.