Mac's Don't Like DVX??

marlenedegrood

marlenedegrood

Flicks By Chics
I did a google search on problems with the DVX and Firewire and what I came up with were complaints in forums that Mac's are having a tendency to take out the 1394 chip on the DVX. Although they are supposed to be hot-swappable, they suggest powering everything up together. If you wind up damaging the chip then the main board where the chip is located has to be replaced.

I did this search because all of a sudden I'm getting bad data into FCP....it looks like dirty head stuff but I'm convined that I don't have dirty heads. First of all the camera only has 10 hours on it and we all know that's power on time. Secondly I did a quick 5 sec. clean with tape cleaner and saw no difference. Thirdly the recordings look fine when played back through the cameras vcr and lastly, if I put a tape recorded on the DVX into another camcorder then it captures into FCP perfectly.

I emailed Panasonic and all I got back was a form letter saying to take it to an authorized service center. Of course that's in another state and then if it is the chip problem that means they'd replace the board and then what???? I have to power down everytime I want to connect the DVX?? Forget it....I'll just keep using another camera for capture. Thanks a lot Panasonic....screw us Mac users.....again. I wish I'd have bought a Sony.....and next time I will.

There....I vented a little.

Marlene
 
My Mac doesn't have a problem....it's the DVX that has a problem with the Mac. I should have titled this...."The DVX doesn't like the Mac"

Marlene
 
marlenedegrood said:
I did a google search on problems with the DVX and Firewire and what I came up with were complaints in forums that Mac's are having a tendency to take out the 1394 chip on the DVX. Although they are supposed to be hot-swappable, they suggest powering everything up together. If you wind up damaging the chip then the main board where the chip is located has to be replaced.
Click to expand...

This isn't just a Mac issue. It's a PC thing, too.

I used to use a Canon ZR-40 as a feeder deck. I torched that thing 5 times before giving up on it.

I run my DVX off of battery power now when feeding footage in, so as to eliminate voltage spikes. I stay away from the AC adapter at all times.
Does anyone know if this ACTUALLY helps, or is it just one of those old wives' tales?

David Kuznicki
Production Manager, WGTE-TV30.
 
My understanding is that you have to power off the dvx before plugging the firewire in or unplugging it from the computer, unfortunatly I'm finding that out too late. I have yet to find anything relating to the AC adapter.....but that's irrelevent to me because I've always run off the camera battery. The DVX is new to me but not minidv's. I've been using them for years and have always hot swapped with no boards getting fried so I had no reason to think I should be powering down.

Marlene
 
marlenedegrood said:
My Mac doesn't have a problem
Click to expand...

You're right. It's working just fine.

I don't know. I've never had this problem. PC or MAC (My friend has a MAC with no issues and the DVX100).
 
I don't know about it either, but I've never used the DVX to capture, so what do I know?:huh:
 
The bad news is if it is the firewire port, I don't believe it's covered under the warranty...

Try it on another computer [Mac or PC, makes NO dif] If it works well, it may be a $20 firewire card on computer. If it's the same you're hooped. I don't understand why people capture with the 3.5K camera. I know money can be tight, but a used camera off eBay is $100 or less - Nice insurance if you ask me.
 
Don't trust anything to be hot swappable ALWAYS power down any devices before unplugging or plugging in a device. Iv'e been using a mac with my DVX for 2 years and never had this problem beacuse I always do the above first.
 
I agree about using another camcorder or deck to capture as it only makes sense to wear down a $600 camcorder for capture rather than a $3,500 camera. I used my JVC for quite a while for capture until I started worrying that I would gunk up the JVC heads by using Pano tapes in it. I'd propbably be smart to invest in a inexpensive Pano for capture, then the tapes won't be an issue. Any words of wisdon regarding using the Pano tapes in my JVC.....am I just gonna mess up the JVC?

Anyway thanks for letting me vent.

Marlene
 
You may be better off getting a second camera with Firewire to use as a deck or simply get a deck and keep it hooked up to the computer. When I got my first generation G5 and hooked up my DVX to the firewire port on the front, FCP would not recognize the camera. However, when I hooked the FW cable to the computer in the rear of the tower, then it noticed it and has noticed it ever since. There is nothing wrong with the FW port on the front because I hook my iPod in there as well my external hard drive when I need to use them. For some reason it just didnt like the camera being hooked up in that port. So you might want to try a different FW port on your MAC and see if that helps.
 
DVX100Shooter said:
For some reason it just didnt like the camera being hooked up in that port. So you might want to try a different FW port on your MAC and see if that helps.
Click to expand...

Good idea! I will try that later today! And I'll be sure the DVX is powered down on plugging in and unplugging just in case I haven't already fried the board. BTW...I'm using an iMac G5 but I also have a Powerbook G4 that I could also try.

Marlene
 
marlenedegrood said:
Any words of wisdon regarding using the Pano tapes in my JVC.....am I just gonna mess up the JVC?
Click to expand...

Clean the heads in the JVC - Then use Pan tapes in ALL your equipment. No worries on mixing tapes and machines as they will all use same tapes. Note: You do not have to use JVC tapes in JVC, Pan in Pan, Sony in Sony, etc... The Pan tapes are just good and use a dry lube. Don't sweat brands....
 
I agree. One tape many cameras. How do you handle this? You use only Panny but someone sends you some Sony's to edit? Do you capture them in the cheap camera then clean the heads before going back to the Panasonic?
 
Blaine said:
but someone sends you some Sony's to edit? Do you capture them in the cheap camera then clean the heads before going back to the Panasonic?
Click to expand...

I would - But it depends how often. You don't want to run a head cleaner on the heads too often. Once in awhile would be groovy
 
yes, please find a cheaper or dedicated source of capture than your main shooting cam!

other people have addressed that....so.....agreed

DO NOT however buy any kind of JVC handicams for your capture cams, they have a huge class action suit againsnt them for random fatal errors in their camcorders. I traded someone an old worn-down panasonic handicam (he needed 1 feature on it) for a brand new JVC handicam that got the fatal error within a month. While it worked it captured fine, but the amount of complaints over these errors are astronomical.
 
just another reason to save your DVX for just shooting and use a less expensive cam for importing and exporting. why use up your heads on your DVX ?
 
I have been using a Panasonic pvdv 953 and pvdv 952 for almost 4 years with my macs and never ever a problem
 
Out of interest, does it matter what quality of dv cam you use as a player? Any reason not to just pick up something really cheap off ebay?
 
i almost became paranoid reading threads about not using my dvx100 as a desk but .....
just thinking about it, if pana put a vcr into the cam that means that its made for that purpose. i personaly think that always using the same tape brand and capturing every tape in one time will not damage my heads. of course it depends on the use of the cam. but a lot of people here are recording 1 hour per week (and a lot probably less). that means 50 hours of recording and 50 for capturing and a few more for letting the cam on and rewinding. i m not sure that it s very useful to buy a desk or another cam when you re not using that much your cam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top