"No Communication" in FCP at DVinfo.net

Bill Pryor · November 26th, 2006, 02:43 PM

I don't THINK I've got any FCP settings wrong, but it's very possible. Same for the A1. But it's the first time I've tried to do anything in HDV. FCP is saying "no communication" when I go to capture mode. I'm at the 1080p24 setting in FCP, 23.97 sequence. In the camera the downconvert is off as required. There's video coming into the computer but no control at all.

Greg Boston · November 26th, 2006, 02:49 PM

Bill, check your device control presets. There are variatons of FW control and you may not have the right one selected.

Just a thought...

-gb-

Bill Pryor · November 26th, 2006, 02:50 PM

I checked that and think it's the right one. Unfortunately I'm at home now and can't tell you which ones I tried, but I believe I went through all the HDV ones.

James Jackson · November 27th, 2006, 09:34 AM

I dunno if it helps but i was having problems getting my PC to work with my A1. I was plugging it into my front IEEE cables. I unplugged my external hard drive and plugged it into the rear one and now totally works. My guess was that just using one of my firewire was the solution. I doubt it helps but I understand the headache you are going through.

-Jimmy

Scott Audette · November 27th, 2006, 11:22 AM

I had a similar problem.

I managed to solve it by finding some App on the Apple Discussion boards that allowed me reset FCP to it's factory settings. I setup the defaults again and voila it worked.

It's called FCP Rescue 5 and can be found at http://fcprescue.andersholck.com/.

Hope this helps.

Scott

Larry Huntington · November 27th, 2006, 02:14 PM

Go to Audio/Video settings and "Create Easy Setup" and go for the HDV settings. This worked for me as opposed to manually changing things around.

Bill Pryor · November 27th, 2006, 05:08 PM

I did an easy setup, but what about Device Control Presets? What's that supposed to be for loading 24F?

Larry Huntington · November 27th, 2006, 10:03 PM

Try these...

Sequence Preset: HDV - 1080p24
Capture Preset: HDV
Device Control Preset: HDV Firewire

Greg Rothschild · November 27th, 2006, 11:21 PM

You have the latest version of FCP right? I figured you did, but just in case...

Larry Huntington · November 27th, 2006, 11:39 PM

Yes Greg. FCP 5.1.2 running on a Quad Xeon Intel Mac with the latest firmware.

Chuck Fadely · November 28th, 2006, 08:20 AM

These are generic tips that I'm sure you've already tried, but I'll put 'em up here for others:

First and most important, when you change settings in FCP, you have to open a new project for them to take effect.

Second, the camera has to be plugged in and on before starting FCP.

Third, I'm sure you've unplugged all other firewire devices to see if it works then? No firewire hub, right?

Fourth, (with a new Mac Pro, this isn't a prob,) some versions of Quicktime (7.1.1 specifically) broke the capture control.

good luck

Bill Pryor · November 28th, 2006, 09:07 AM

Thanks for all the posts. I'll work on it some more when I get time (shoots going on the next few days). I'm fairly confident that what I did was not have the camera turned on and switched to the proper mode before I opened FCP. Simple thing but I forget about that because my normal work mode is to flip the breakers that turn on all the decks and monitors before I ever turn on the computer. I had the camera plugged in but turned it off (I always power down before unplugging any firewire thing even though allegedly you don't have to--I've seen too many fried drives) and moved it to the front firewire port so I'd have easier access. I think when I powered the camera back up I did not restart FCP. So I'm fairly sure that's the issue, since I was getting video into the system, just no control buttons.

Juan Diaz · November 28th, 2006, 05:00 PM

Hey all,

I just got an A1 and I'm having the same problem. Shot some test footage in 24f mode, and I can't get FCP to see the A1 with the HDV1080p24 Preset. I'm still testing through the different possibilities, but if anyone has been successful in capturing 1080/24f footage to FCP 5.1.2, would y'all mind confirming the settings you are using?

Thanks in advance.

Nick Weeks · November 28th, 2006, 09:05 PM

I don't have the A1 just yet, but thumbing through the FCP options, it seems as though you need to make a new device control preset under FCP menu > Audio/Video Setup

The "HDV firewire" and others are set to 29.97 fps, you'll have to duplicate that and change the frame rate to 24

See if that helps at all

Bill Pryor · December 3rd, 2006, 11:29 AM

I'm still having trouble getting FCP to recognize the camera.
Here are my settings:
Camera is on Ext. Cont., HDV24F

FCP 5.1.2:

Sequence Preset: HDV - 1080p24
Capture Preset: HDV
Device Control Preset: HDV FireWire Basic (tried HDV Firewire too)
Playback Output Video: None
Playback Output Audio: Default
Edit to Tape/PTV Output Video: HDV (1440 x 1080) 24p
Edit to Tape/PTV Output Audio: Default

In Device Contro Presets I have the frame rate at 23.98. I tried 24 too.
Nothing works.

November 26th, 2006, 02:43 PM	#1
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	"No Communication" in FCP I don't THINK I've got any FCP settings wrong, but it's very possible. Same for the A1. But it's the first time I've tried to do anything in HDV. FCP is saying "no communication" when I go to capture mode. I'm at the 1080p24 setting in FCP, 23.97 sequence. In the camera the downconvert is off as required. There's video coming into the computer but no control at all.

November 27th, 2006, 11:22 AM	#5
Scott Audette New Boot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: USA Posts: 13	Similar Problem I had a similar problem. I managed to solve it by finding some App on the Apple Discussion boards that allowed me reset FCP to it's factory settings. I setup the defaults again and voila it worked. It's called FCP Rescue 5 and can be found at http://fcprescue.andersholck.com/. Hope this helps. Scott

November 28th, 2006, 05:00 PM	#13
Juan Diaz Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 49	New A1 User Same problem Hey all, I just got an A1 and I'm having the same problem. Shot some test footage in 24f mode, and I can't get FCP to see the A1 with the HDV1080p24 Preset. I'm still testing through the different possibilities, but if anyone has been successful in capturing 1080/24f footage to FCP 5.1.2, would y'all mind confirming the settings you are using? Thanks in advance.

November 26th, 2006, 02:49 PM	#2
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Bill, check your device control presets. There are variatons of FW control and you may not have the right one selected. Just a thought... -gb-

November 26th, 2006, 02:50 PM	#3
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I checked that and think it's the right one. Unfortunately I'm at home now and can't tell you which ones I tried, but I believe I went through all the HDV ones.

November 27th, 2006, 09:34 AM	#4
James Jackson Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Leesburg Florida Posts: 65	I dunno if it helps but i was having problems getting my PC to work with my A1. I was plugging it into my front IEEE cables. I unplugged my external hard drive and plugged it into the rear one and now totally works. My guess was that just using one of my firewire was the solution. I doubt it helps but I understand the headache you are going through. -Jimmy

November 27th, 2006, 02:14 PM	#6
Larry Huntington Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Grass Valley, California Posts: 350	Go to Audio/Video settings and "Create Easy Setup" and go for the HDV settings. This worked for me as opposed to manually changing things around.

November 27th, 2006, 05:08 PM	#7
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I did an easy setup, but what about Device Control Presets? What's that supposed to be for loading 24F?

November 27th, 2006, 10:03 PM	#8
Larry Huntington Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Grass Valley, California Posts: 350	Try these... Sequence Preset: HDV - 1080p24 Capture Preset: HDV Device Control Preset: HDV Firewire

November 27th, 2006, 11:21 PM	#9
Greg Rothschild Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Los Angeles, Ca Posts: 120	You have the latest version of FCP right? I figured you did, but just in case...

November 27th, 2006, 11:39 PM	#10
Larry Huntington Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Grass Valley, California Posts: 350	Yes Greg. FCP 5.1.2 running on a Quad Xeon Intel Mac with the latest firmware.

November 28th, 2006, 08:20 AM	#11
Chuck Fadely Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States Posts: 306	These are generic tips that I'm sure you've already tried, but I'll put 'em up here for others: First and most important, when you change settings in FCP, you have to open a new project for them to take effect. Second, the camera has to be plugged in and on before starting FCP. Third, I'm sure you've unplugged all other firewire devices to see if it works then? No firewire hub, right? Fourth, (with a new Mac Pro, this isn't a prob,) some versions of Quicktime (7.1.1 specifically) broke the capture control. good luck

November 28th, 2006, 09:07 AM	#12
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Thanks for all the posts. I'll work on it some more when I get time (shoots going on the next few days). I'm fairly confident that what I did was not have the camera turned on and switched to the proper mode before I opened FCP. Simple thing but I forget about that because my normal work mode is to flip the breakers that turn on all the decks and monitors before I ever turn on the computer. I had the camera plugged in but turned it off (I always power down before unplugging any firewire thing even though allegedly you don't have to--I've seen too many fried drives) and moved it to the front firewire port so I'd have easier access. I think when I powered the camera back up I did not restart FCP. So I'm fairly sure that's the issue, since I was getting video into the system, just no control buttons.

November 28th, 2006, 09:05 PM	#14
Nick Weeks Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 722	I don't have the A1 just yet, but thumbing through the FCP options, it seems as though you need to make a new device control preset under FCP menu > Audio/Video Setup The "HDV firewire" and others are set to 29.97 fps, you'll have to duplicate that and change the frame rate to 24 See if that helps at all

December 3rd, 2006, 11:29 AM	#15
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I'm still having trouble getting FCP to recognize the camera. Here are my settings: Camera is on Ext. Cont., HDV24F FCP 5.1.2: Sequence Preset: HDV - 1080p24 Capture Preset: HDV Device Control Preset: HDV FireWire Basic (tried HDV Firewire too) Playback Output Video: None Playback Output Audio: Default Edit to Tape/PTV Output Video: HDV (1440 x 1080) 24p Edit to Tape/PTV Output Audio: Default In Device Contro Presets I have the frame rate at 23.98. I tried 24 too. Nothing works.