Blown Firewire :(
 

Aloha,

Well, I just blew the firewire on my JVC HD100. It was dark and I think I plugged in the cable upside down. DOH! It is weird, because DV works fine, but HDV doesn't work at all. My Mac sees DV just fine but nothing for HDV and my Firestore works fine with DV, but freaks out with HDV.

I have searched the forum and concluded I need to send the camera to JVC. I called the customer support number Carl Hicks mentioned in one of his posts and it is just a bunch of recordings that tell me to call the service center in Georgia. I call that number and get more recordings.

I have downloaded the "factory service request form" and filled it out. Am I just supposed to send my camera to JVC without contacting them first?

I also need to upgrade to the version A firmware. Do I just put this on my "service request form" or do I have to send it to a different location for this from the repair? I know I should have done this a long time ago, but it has never been a problem, so I didn't bother. Since I am sending it in now, I might as well do it.

go to JVC's professional site and pick any of their cameras to get info on.

on the left hand side of the screen will be an option to get more info. I think that one is a dealer locator button. click that and put in your zip code. you will be given a list of vendors, but at the top will be the contact info for your local JVC rep. contact that person and have them help you directly. They will point you in the right direction.

Good luck,

Dan Weber

You've probably already done it, but did you double-check the position of your HDV/DV switch?

HDV & DV are 2 different chips. That's why there is a switch for the firewire.

If you blow one chip, the other will still work.

JVC service is terrible, I live in California and contacting the Irvine branch and getting answers only happens in a perfect world.

I had the chance to get together with some JVC reps these past days at the HD expo in Burbank, they will be very nice and open about my problems (split screen, blow out firewire, etc) I think that's a good way to get their attention.

I have a business card from one of the reps if you want to give her a call and try to find out how to fix your problem.


Hope this works for you...

I had the same blown firewire. I live in S. CA so I took my camera to the Cerritos service center to be fixed. It took one month to the day to get it back. When I got it back the firewire was fixed, but the SD card slot no longer worked. Not wanting to be without the camera for another month, I just learned to live with it.

sorry but there is ONE FW port chip. the switch has to do with the _information_ being transported via the FW port, principly audio, and some differences in transport protocol.

firewire chip
 

Sorry but having blown the hdv firewire chip and still being able to use SD I have to disagree with you that one chip is responsible for all firewire data transfer.The JVC technician was very emphatic that there are two chips responsible for firewire data transfer, one being for standard DV, and the other being for HDV data transfer, and that my HDV chip was fried. In the end it is immaterial as the whole circuit board needs to be replaced at great expense unless the camera is still in warranty.

Never plug in firewire when you are in a hurry and when its dark. I have had the same as you with my small Panasonic GS75. I plugged the cable upside down in my computer. It never happened to me before in the past three years. The strange thing is that i didn't have to use force, else i would have noticed something was wrong. I turned on the camera and the next thing i saw were flashing leds, (all of them, including ones which i didnt see on before :)) , like a christmas tree. I thought, o shit. This is not good!

I turned it off, but it was too late. The camera is dead! (and the firewire chipset on my computer too)
I am really feeling sad, as it was my first camera and i still liked it for quick documentary work. I think i will get a HV30 next month as replacement.

i did the same thing. Only my firewire port was dead for both worlds. I sent the camera to JVC in Atlanta and 1900.00 later got a new main board put in the camera. Funny thing is when I talked to he service rep the first thing he asked was if i used a Mac. Seems Macs have a history of blowing Firewire ports. Will never make that mistake again. i hope this helps others from doing it as well

Firewire port isolator
 

This cable will not send power to the camera.

I think this is a must have for JVC ProHD owners:

http://fwdepot.com/thestore/product_...roducts_id/356

$30 with shipping beats a $1900 repair bill. Call it insurance. JVC should have used the 4pin cable as it comes without power.

tup

I found this 6 pin male to 4 pin female adaptor on Maplin UK at £4.98:
(sorry for long url - hope it works OK)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...-PIN%20ADAPTOR

Together with a 4 to 4 or 6 to 4 pin cable (depending on your camera) it should also isolate the bus power.

I wished I purchased the port isolator when this was first discussed a year or so ago. I blew the DV firewire chip last night. I'm sorta relieved that HDV still works. Finally ordered the isolator just now. Thanks for the reminder.

Would the same thing happen to the BRHD50U deck? Let's say the deck is already on when you turn on the computer you have it connected to, would it blow the firewire port on the deck?

be interesting to do a body count regarding this. Any PC users blown their FW?