P2 to firewire...not working...Help, please!

petelms

petelms

Well-known member
Hi.

I bought 2.5" firewire HD, case for it and USB battery solution, but for some reason it's not working with my camera. :crybaby:

When I connect the HD via firewire and then power the hd via USB battery, switch on the camera... it doesn't seem to recognize the harddisk...I use the 1394-host mode...it only gives me option to use setup, as you can see in the picture below...

This is the HD case I bought: http://www.mapower.com/Product.asp?CateID=10&LineID=9

Do I need to format the HD with computer before using it with camera? I tried to use the harddisk with computer and it works with any problems...

Any ideas what is wrong? :huh: I don't understand...I have tried everything and it doesn't seem to work...

Does the HD have to be in slave or master mode? When I bought the HD I couldn't find any jumpers in the box...so it's in the master mode by factory defalts...

63vr0gm.jpg
5z24o3p.jpg


Please, help! :huh: I'm getting desperate.

Thank you!
 
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Lots of preior discussion about this in the forum.

Lots of preior discussion about this in the forum.

Here is one thread to read:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=86076

It's long, but covers details that may help.

Yes, you must format the HDD via the cam. Don't use a computer. (The link above offers one explanation why).

Otherwise, this sequence - in order - has worked for me. (It reads longer than it takes to do):
1) With nothing powered up, connect the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) to your cam via firewire.
2) power up the cam BEFORE you power up the HDD.
3) Switch to 1394 HOST mode
4) Power up the HDD (It may take a minute for the cam to recognize the HDD - be patient. if it seems to be taking too long, make the first menu selection, but don't execute it. Exit from/cancel that selection and return to the 1394 Host menu. That may be enough for the cam to recognize the HDD. You'll know by the menu items; they're either disabled/grayed-out or enabled/active).
5) Format the HDD. (This should be quick, maybe 5-10 secs).
6) Power off the cam
7) Power off the HDD. (This may not be necessary, but I always do it to prevent any risk of frying the fireqire port when powering up the cam).
8) Power up the cam.
9) Switch to 1394 HOST mode
10) Power up the HDD. (At first, the menu items for the HDD may be disabled. Wait for the cam to recognize the HDD; it should take about 60 secs or <).
11) Offload your clips to the HDD using the "Copy to HDD" option.
12) Power off the cam.
13) Power off the HDD.
14) Disconnect the HDD firewire connection.
15) Power up the cam.
16) Switch to thumbnail mode.
17) Select and delete the clips from the P2 card(s). (Formatting the P2 cards is not a bad idea at this point).
18) Switch out of thumbnail mode.

Now you're ready to shoot again. You can verify that by looking at the amount of time available for recording in the upper right-hand corner.

Do a search for more info. You may find other methods from folks more knowledgeable than me. I know this seems lengthy and tedious, but I'm satisfied it protects my firewire port from frying.

Also, Pages 84-85 in the Owner's Manual explains this, though it makes no mention of the HDD being either "slave" or "master".

x
 
Is the hard drive SBP2-compliant? I'd be surprised if it wasn't, but do you get a "SBP2-compliant hard drive" device recognition message from a Windows PC when you plug it in? I'm sure the Mac displays a similar message if that's what you use, but I'm not sure exactly how it handles this.
 
How are you powering the drive from the battery. are you using a power cable from the power jack of the drive to the usb of the battery.
It seems to take a couple of seconds fro the grayed out options to come up but I feel that you are using the usb cable to power up the hard drive ( usb of battery to usb of drive). that will not work with the camera connected by firewire. Seems the circuit board will not let that happen. i just tried it that way and got the same screen as you did. You need to power the drive with a usb to 3.5mm power cable which i listed in the previous thread about this.
 
Thanks all for the replies!

Mico, what kind of cable do you mean? USB to 3.5 power cable? Do you have any link for this? Which previous topic you are talking about?

Yes, I'm trying to power the HD with USB and then use the firewire-port to HVX. So, that seems to be the problem. Damn! I feel already excited...I might eventually get this thing working! :dankk2:

Here's a pic of the USB power pack: (it has 4 AA batteries in...)

4t553ch.jpg
 
Here's the pic of my HD case. So, the only way I can give power for the HD is with the power cable left...not from the USB? Hehhe, ironically, that's the only option I haven't tried yet, because I don't have right kind of power plugin for that...

63bn05c.jpg
 
This the thread.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=96856

I do not know the battery you are using as I use the apc.

I power the drive through the power jack of the hard drive to the usb of the battery. The jack that says on your pic dc 5v.

This is the power jack adapter but I can't tell if yours is 3.5mm. thats something you have to figure out.

http://www.amazon.com/EFORCITY-Prem...8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1180022114&sr=8-4

As you are using equipment I know nothing about please take that into account as i can't positvely say that what i suggest is your problem .Just trying to help you work it out.
 
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Thank you, Mico. That's a great link from Amazon. I have never known that this kind of cable even exists. :beer:

What about the polarity? Do you know, is there any difference with this kind of USB to 3.5mm cable? Mine seems to have - in the middle and + outer.

I think mine is also 3.5 mm jack...I think I'm going to order that cable from the Amazon now. Thanks. :beer: It's on sale, heheh! (List Price: $21.99, Price: $5.90 You Save: $16.09 (73%))
 
Polarity should be standard but as I said i can't gaurantee as I do not know this hard drive and battery pack. who made them and how they wired them.

The other thing is a 4 AA battery pack does not sound like it wil last very long when download times take 4 min or more for a 4gig card.

This is the battery pack I use
http://www.amazon.com/APC-UPB10-Mob...9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1180023429&sr=8-1

The APC has a battery life indicator on it so you know when you need to recharge.
 
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Yeah, you are right, those 4xAAs are not going to last very long. :( I would love to order that APC power pack, but for some reason it cannot be ordered to the Europe from the Amazon. It's too bad. :huh: I haven't find any other solution to buy from Europe yet.

Ou nou! I can't order the USB to 3.5 mm cable either! Damn! I got this warning...this really sucks. :crybaby: I don't know what to do now...

"*** We're sorry. This item can't be shipped to your selected destination. You may either change the shipping address or delete the item from your order by changing its quantity to 0 and clicking the update button below. (See geographical restrictions.) ***"
 
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If you get a multi meter and the parts, I'm sure a local electronics store has them, you can build your own connector. Do this at your own risk.
 
Hehhe, I was just surfing the same link! Yeah...maybe I can order from this company...I have to ask...:thumbup: I sitll have to find where to buy that APC Power Pack...By the way, how many times you can offload 4 gig P2 card with it?
 
Phew. I finally found places where I could order both of those items. Yeah, now waiting for the shipping. :beer: One step closer again...:thumbup:
 
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