OHCI Compliant Device IEEE 1394/DV now freezes up computer...

Eddie B

Eddie B

Active member
For two years, I've been using a Canon ZR800 NTSC camcorder as a preview device so I can get an idea (albeit a poor man's) of what my footage in Sony Vegas will look like on a standard definition CRT television. It's hooked up to the computer via a 1394 Firewire cable and it's hooked up to a VCR/DVD player via a three-banded eighth-inch (3.5mm) A/V plug-to-RCA cable.

This method has served me well since 2008. I now find that this method freezes up my computer. I can eliminate certain possibilities.

First, there is no competing Firewire device hooked up. In fact, my current computer only has one Firewire input. I've also replaced the Firewire cable, which didn't resolve the issue. So it is not Firewire related. As additional proof of this, the camera functions properly when capturing miniDV tapes. It only freezes up the computer when the 3.5mm AV plug-to-RCA cable is attached.

I've been using this same cable since 2008, so it seems doubtful it is to blame, as well.

Secondly, this happens with two different computers: the one I've been editing with since 2008 and a new one. So it's not the computer.

I have only one hypothesis, which is that it is related to Sony Vegas 9. I never had this problem in Vegas 7 or 8 and I frankly don't recall if I'd been using it with 9 prior (I've had 9 for several months now, but I'm not certain I've been previewing on a television with it).

Is 9 known to have issues with this matter? Ideally, is there merely some option I need to go in and check or uncheck?


Many thanks in advance to this troubling issue.
 
I think you need to also test with another camera - I've seen several cases where dying cameras work in some functions perfectly but are worthlessly unreliable in others - all it takes is one loose connection.
 
I was able to resolve the freezing issue by reading the Canon manual. For future reference for anyone who has this problem, for me it was solved by:

turning off the camera and computer, disconnecting the camera from the firewire cable, turning the camera and computer on (don't connect yet!), connecting the camera once the computer had fully booted, and then and only then opening up the NLE (Sony Vegas 9, in this case).

Now, it does periodically go on and off from the screen so there is still obviously a problem. I've only checked with my Windows 7 computer. Later today, I'll test it with my XP computer and see if they both exhibit that problem or if it's an issue with Windows 7's firewire driver, which I've heard elsewhere could be a problem.
 
I've updated the Windows 7's firewire driver to the other two available options, but when using my IEEE 1394 as an external preview device, it habitually goes on and off the screen and it does this frequently to the point I can't practically use it. Is there a setting within Vegas I could adjust to remedy this?

I know it's not the firewire cable (it captures fine) and I know it's not my 3.5 AV plug-to-RCA (because it does this within the camera's LCD screen as well), so I'm left to believe it has to be something to do with Vegas 9 or Windows 7. Any ideas?
 
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