Ahhhh!!!!

Anhar Miah said:
ok, its not the PC then,

like you said maybe cables or Camera, so:

step 2 check cables:

use the suspect cable with a another hadware (eg your Maxtor Hard drive), if that drive does not work, then you can conclude that the cable does not work.

Check the camera:

plug your camera using a cable (that is known to work) on another PC.

If it turns out your camera is not working, check your camera settings, maybe the port out is turned off.

PS:

please use normal fonts, the bold type can be rather distracting when reading it, it feels like you are shouting! :D

And I would also hope that you listen and respect everyones views, (not suggesting you are not, I have no experience with you) just be aware of others perspective, lets Keep DVXuser a friendly and warm place.
Peace.
Click to expand...

All of that would be great, except, because I have two cords and two cameras and I have tried to mix and match them in the port that has proven to work, yet, of all the possible configurations, NONE of them worked, I don't know if it's the cords that don't work or the cameras. In order to test it that way, I'd have to be sure that either or would have to work. I'm not. But my DVX hasn't connected to my computer in YEARS, with new cords or anything, I gave up trying to figure that out. That's why I capture with the other little mini DV cam. Also, the firewire cord that I used to hook my HD up to the comp with doesn't have a DV end, otherwise, I'd just use that one.
​
 
I was suggesting using the cable connected to your Maxtor harddrive, since you know this device works, that way if the cable is faulty, then it would not work when you connect your Hard drive to your PC, using the suspect cable (but if it does work, then will know for sure the camera is the problem).

Anhar,
 
Anhar Miah said:
I was suggesting using the cable connected to your Maxtor harddrive, since you know this device works, that way if the cable is faulty, then it would not work when you connect your Hard drive to your PC, using the suspect cable (but if it does work, then will know for sure the camera is the problem).

Anhar,
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I said that I can't use the cable connected to my HD because it doesn't have a DV end, so it won't hook up to my cams. Is that what u meant?
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FireWire usually has two main types of connections the small "6 Pin" and the larger "4 Pin" (it is possible to use convertor adaptors for these)

what I was suggesting was as below:

Hard Drive > FireWire Cable{the suspected one} > PC

However it may be that your hard drive does not have a standard "6 or 4 Pin" connection, if thats the case, then you can't test your cable unless you find another firewire device (or borrow one).

Anhar
 
First time I blew a firewire port it started working again months later. Then one time I accidently plugged my firewire cord in the wrong way and shorted out both of my Mac's firewire ports. Neither would work and it also shorted out the external harddrive. I installed the drive in my computer and decided to simply install a firewire port one day. Since I was between films and didn't have any actual video work this wasn't a big deal (not to mention I had my laptop too). Months later I finally installed the new firewire port (one of those four port deals) but suddenly both of the old firewire ports started to work. Go figure. Now I have five FW ports and they all work. (One of the four ports is not accessible from outside the computer otherwise I'd have six ports).

-Nate
 
Anhar Miah said:
FireWire usually has two main types of connections the small "6 Pin" and the larger "4 Pin" (it is possible to use convertor adaptors for these)

what I was suggesting was as below:

Hard Drive > FireWire Cable{the suspected one} > PC

However it may be that your hard drive does not have a standard "6 or 4 Pin" connection, if thats the case, then you can't test your cable unless you find another firewire device (or borrow one).

Anhar
Click to expand...

I didn't understand any of that, but, out of humility, I'd like to thank you for your help, in assisting me to discover that it is not my computer, in fact it is either my cord or my camera.
​
 
What Anhar Miah was suggesting was that if you could use the cable you connect your camera to the PC with the firewire hard drive you would know if the problem was with the cable. 6pin firewire is the "big" connector, probably the one your External HD has and your computer. 4pin is the "small"one, the one normally on cameras below 10k. The 6pin one can normaly be bus powered, while the 4pin one doesn't.

Suggestion: Borrow a dv camera and use the cable you've been using to capture to see if its the cable's problem. If not, than also try to connect your camera to other computer with different cables, or with the same one. If it works, the problem is software/driver related to your computer...
 
SPZ said:
What Anhar Miah was suggesting was that if you could use the cable you connect your camera to the PC with the firewire hard drive you would know if the problem was with the cable. 6pin firewire is the "big" connector, probably the one your External HD has and your computer. 4pin is the "small"one, the one normally on cameras below 10k. The 6pin one can normaly be bus powered, while the 4pin one doesn't.

Suggestion: Borrow a dv camera and use the cable you've been using to capture to see if its the cable's problem. If not, than also try to connect your camera to other computer with different cables, or with the same one. If it works, the problem is software/driver related to your computer...
Click to expand...

Yeah, the FWcord that plugs into my camera doesn't have the kind of end that fits into the back of my HardDrive, so I can't do that.
​
 
Okay, my problems have become unique...

My Device Manager is free from ANY KINDS of errors. I've uninstalled and reinstalled my FireWire port, it beeps to confirm it's connected and EVERYTHING. But as the days go by, each port gradually gives. What I mean by that is:

I have three FW ports in the back of my computer, and I plugged in the previously mentioned harddrive of mines that I'm SURE works. @ first it didn't work in the first port, now it doesn't work in all three. But the funny part is, the light on my harddrive only lights up when it's connected to the computer. So when I plug it into the comp via firewire, it lights up and runs and hums and whatnot, but it won't pop up on the computer. NOTHING I CONNECT to the FireWire port works, but some part of it seems to be working... Make sense? Any suggestions?
 
Ugh! Firewire problems. Been there, done that, so not as unique as you might think. WhiteWood, since it seems you have exhausted all options, I think your last resort is to go get a FireWire port, as suggested. I know you wanted to avoid it, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Things wear out and break. I would suspect that the reason the HD lights up and hums, is the power aspect of the FireWire is still okay, but the communications part is busted. The fact that it doesn't show up on the desktop confirms this for me. So whatever cable you use (4 or 6 pin) you still won't get communication.

It sucks, I know. It could be worse......
 
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I don't know if this will help you, and I don't know what your experience is with the workings of a computer. So if this is old news for you, sorry.

FireWire cables come in two basic flavors: Most common: powered (aka 6 pin to 6 pin) Not as Common: unpowered (aka 6 pin to 4 pin)

As was stated before 6 pin to 6 pin has both ends that look alike and the 6 pin to 4 pin will usually have one end that looks like the 6 pin and the other really small. When you go to a store and ask for a "FireWire cable" the first thing they will hand you will probably be a 6 to 6 cable.

The difference between the two is the 6 - 6 can be used to not only communicate with a FireWire device, it can power it as well. The 6 - 4 pin can only communicate with a device and that device will need power from another source, like you do with your camera. But they both plug in on your computer using the standard FireWire ports on your computer.

Since your problem is clearly not a power issue (hard drive spins up), the communication part failed. Time for a new port.
 
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Doc Bernard said:
I don't know if this will help you, and I don't know what your experience is with the workings of a computer. So if this is old news for you, sorry.

FireWire cables come in two basic flavors: Most common: powered (aka 6 pin to 6 pin) Not as Common: unpowered (aka 6 pin to 4 pin)

As was stated before 6 pin to 6 pin has both ends that look alike and the 6 pin to 4 pin will usually have one end that looks like the 6 pin and the other really small. When you go to a store and ask for a "FireWire cable" the first thing they will hand you will probably be a 6 to 6 cable.

The difference between the two is the 6 - 6 can be used to not only communicate with a FireWire device, it can power it as well. The 6 - 4 pin can only communicate with a device and that device will need power from another source, like you do with your camera. But they both plug in on your computer using the standard FireWire ports on your computer.

Since your problem is clearly not a power issue (hard drive spins up), the communication part failed. Time for a new port.
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Or maybe I can just fix the communication of my comp. There are TWO 'Communications (COM1)' in my device manager ad one has a yellow error sign on it. And I THINK I remember having a COM2, how do I fix my com situation?
​
 
Nope, COM1 and COM2 are totally different than FireWire and have nothing to do with your problem. Don't start messing around too much in Device Manager. You could start to get IRQ issues, which is another hairy problem, though not a hardware one like you have now.

Do yourself a big favor, and I mean this in a very friendly way, take your computer to a shop and have them fix it. You don't want to cause any more problems than you already have. It is easy to do if you don't understand what you are doing inside a computer. Tell them you have a FireWire failure and exactly what you did to test it (what everyone above told you to do). The fix itself shouldn't take but 20 minutes, if even that.

If you start messing around without fully knowing what you are doing, you could turn your editing computer into a very expensive boat anchor, if you get my meaning. Right now it sounds like the problem is an easy repair, and shouldn't cost too much to fix. But do something you shouldn't inadvertently and that cheap repair turns into having to replace your computer.

BTW, that's a very nice Logo. Eye-catching.
 
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Doc Bernard said:
Nope, COM1 and COM2 are totally different than FireWire and have nothing to do with your problem. Don't start messing around too much in Device Manager. You could start to get IRQ issues, which is another hairy problem, though not a hardware one like you have now.

Do yourself a big favor, and I mean this in a very friendly way, take your computer to a shop and have them fix it. You don't want to cause any more problems than you already have. It is easy to do if you don't understand what you are doing inside a computer. Tell them you have a FireWire failure and exactly what you did to test it (what everyone above told you to do). The fix itself shouldn't take but 20 minutes, if even that.

If you start messing around without fully knowing what you are doing, you could turn your editing computer into a very expensive boat anchor, if you get my meaning. Right now it sounds like the problem is an easy repair, and shouldn't cost too much to fix. But do something you shouldn't inadvertently and that cheap repair turns into having to replace your computer.

BTW, that's a very nice Logo. Eye-catching.
Click to expand...

Thanx. I did both of those logos in 2005, Time to update.

Anywho, seeing as my camera and computer are the most important things in my life, each day one off them doesn't work, I may as well be dead. I am also flat broke and as mentioned before, spending money to do anything is my LAST option. I'mma search more Yahoo and Google forums for people who've had the same issue and fix it myself. Thanx alot!
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I just caught 2 freakin' trains, walked like 2 freakin' miles to Best Buy, spent 41 freakin' dollars on a new firewire port, caught 2 freakin' trains, walked like 2 freakin' miles back home, plugged it in, and the stupid son of a b!--- doesn't work!!!!

I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! You guys say there are no unique problems, Well someone get the people who experienced THIS crap before and have them give me their solutions! I am SO PISSED right now!

No offense to you guys, but computers give me the worse trouble when it comes to filmmaking, because I have no control over it!
 
Sorry to hear it. But...........

"Do yourself a big favor, and I mean this in a very friendly way, take your computer to a shop and have them fix it. You don't want to cause any more problems than you already have. It is easy to do if you don't understand what you are doing inside a computer. Tell them you have a FireWire failure and exactly what you did to test it (what everyone above told you to do). The fix itself shouldn't take but 20 minutes, if even that."

Computers are moody beasts.
 
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