Brand new V1U bad? Problems connecting, bus trouble, and FCP crashes. What gives?
 

I know there is another thread dedicated to a similar issue - but it may not be the same problem - and I have more specific information. If it is the same problem, my apologies.

I test drove a brand new V1U over the weekend. Brand new. I took it out of the box and put the included Sony HDV in charged and started shooting. For the most part it went well (that camera EATS light), until I decided to digitize today and let me say that was when the problems started.

First the camera would not connect to FCP. At all. Then I noticed other problems, such as erratic behavior from the FW drives on the bus that the camera was connected to. Even the FW800 that were on the same 400 port. So I would plug the camera in and then drives would disappear. Also, FCP would crash. I assume this was from the drive connectivity problems but who knows. It would tie the computer in a knot, and I would have to do the full-on power-button restart to get things going again.

A little BG - I have done professional film and video work since I got out of film school in the mid 90's so I know my way around just about any camera and editing system. My settings were all correct for device control and everything. I have edited lots and lots of HDV from my FX1 on my single processor G5 at home and know what to expect from HDV. Today I had the same experience on 2 G5 duallys with plenty of RAM and an new Intel machine all running FCP 6.0.4. The bus and crashing problems are bad enough for me to want to try this too much.

What gives?

Could Sony have made a batch of bad V1U cameras? I hate to think that, but someone else has posted similar problems with their camera. Any one have suggestions of things to try? I have read over the manual extensively and there is nothing to help a problem like this. DID I Mention the camera has only had 30mins of tape through it? TIA.

have you tried it with another computer?

with a pc?

i think to say you might have a bad camera because it doesn't work on your system is rather presumptuous to say the least.

leslie

This sounds a little bit familiar - I have a firewire external sound module that runs fine off an add-in PCI firewire adapter. But if I plug my Sony FX7 into one of the other ports on the adapter, it fails to connect and the soundcard also disappears. (I added external power to the sound module but the problem remained.)

So then I added a second firewire adapter to a second PCI slot, plugged the FX7 into that, and now everything works great! So running multiple FW devices on a single bus might be the cause?

I'm right down the road from you, I have a V1U and FCP and Vegas
Private message me and I'll give you a call...
I have these same problems so I can probably talk you through better than writing it!

Jason
Garner, NC

Yes, I too am having a problem and have another thread going with my problem. Jason, please post up what you have had to do.

"i think to say you might have a bad camera because it doesn't work on your system is rather presumptuous to say the least."

Dude - did you miss the part where I said "I had the same experience on 2 G5 duallys with plenty of RAM and an new Intel machine all running FCP 6.0.4."? If you can't count thats three machines and the problems I described effect the OS not just FCP, so please take the time to read my post before you call me presumptuous (and make yourself look silly).

Thanks Jason. I will be in touch.

I am not really interested in "making this work" though. If the camera hogs the buses and has s***ty device control and I have to digitize to my boot drive (which is starting to look like what is going on), this is totally unacceptable for professional production work and the camera will be returned. I really can't hope this is a damaged camera because if Sony sent something out that functions this poorly (much worse than my 2 gens old FX1) that will be the end of my association with Sony.

There's nothing wrong with its device control - it works fine once you have a proper connection. They're two separate things...

"There's nothing wrong with its device control"

Graham, really, I don't need to have any fundamentals explained to me here. If you want to talk about how yours works with FCP or help me with my problem thats fine, but assuming I don't know what device control isn't helpful. In fact, those kind of useless responses are why I rarely come to this and other video forums.

The only interactivity I can get between FCP and the camera is in the generic HD setup which has no device control... so yes, there is a problem with the device control too.

I doubt that. But good luck with your problem.

Well - just spent some time with Sony Service on the phone and it seems the iLink is indeed non-functional on this camera. I am not impressed with Sony of late. Too bad, because the image quality looked good. However, not being a hobbyist, the most important quality about a camera for me is that it function properly. I hope I can return it for another model... probably from another company.

Andrew, don't know if this helps, but I just posted this on the related thread:

"I also had connection problems with my V1U when I first connected, was getting very frustrated with getting my mac pro and final cut 6.04 to see the camera. Then I changed my easy setup (found from an article on the Ken Stone website) in final cut, and now it works like a charm.

The easy setups are available here: http://edu.moviola.com/hdv_prores#new_easysetups

Even if your product is truly defective, these setups may be helpful once you get a new system, I find them extremely helpful in a number of workflows."

If you end up getting a replacement product, this may be helpful. I have been very pleased with the quality of my V1U although I haven't put it through all of its paces yet.

I have captured directly to Pro-Res and as HDV, has worked like a charm for me with those easy-setups.

Regards,
Jeff