Capturing In FCP 5 with GL2 problem
 

Hi i hope someone can help me!!!!

This is what i have. MacBook Pro, and canon gl2 with osx 10.4.9 (newest update) and im using FCP 5. I go to capture video with my gl2 using my fw port, and in the capture window i can control the camera but it says "preview disabled" Then i go to capture and the capture window comes up, then it says "cant find media"

I have a dead line to get to and i can load any footage to my mac!

Can anyone help me please! thanks,

Matt

This happens frequently with the GL1 I have owned since 2000. For me, the issue is the 4-pin firewire port on the camera. I have simply plugged that cable into the camera too many times. Cable connections are no longer as tight and positive as they once were. Loose and sloppy is a better description of the connection port now. I manipulate (wiggle) the cable connection to the camera unitl I get the "camera OK" notice in the capture window. Then I do everything I can to avoid even breathing (much less touch) that firewire cable.

Thanks for your help, but i jsut checked my connection and it seems solid. this is sooo frustrating

Oh. I just dealt with this today.

Do VIEW>REFRESH AV DEVICES, then execute capture.

I am not sure what is going on, but there is a real time break in software when I want to be reassured I will get what I am seeing in the capture window. Doing the above and clicking on the icon "capture clip" has been successful for me.

Thanks Waldemar, but that didnt help either.

this is sooo crazy!

ok here is an update, i go to system profiler, and i go to the fire wire option and the gl2 doesn't show up. is there a compatibility issue with the gl2?

Thanks,

Matt

well i played with it and i was able to have the system profiler see the gl2, but i still get "preview disabled" and when i go to capture it doesnt see the footage.

Matt,

I was asked this same question by a friend hanging out on another forum...

I played around with my GL2 on Sunday and was able to get this situation by turning on the GL2 after after starting up FCP. The Log & Capture would let me control the camera but not see or capture the video. Refreshing A/V Devices would fix the problem.

So a few quick questions: What Capture Preset are you using? Is the Device Control Prest set for Firewire NTSC or Firewire NTSC Basic?

Just for kicks, have you tried setting it to uncontrollable device, then pressing play on the GL2 to see if video shows up?

FYI, i was able to capture video after i disconnected my external fw800 drive. it was weird. So i gues inorder to use the fw800 external HDD i need a FW expansion card for my MBP. Has this happend to anyone else? Thanks. Matt

Odd. I dump to a hard drive via firewire all the time using my G3 laptop. Because the G3 only has one firewire port I send the cable from camera to HD, then place the Computer at the end of the chain. Works fine. I wonder ... would the sequence of equipment in a chain make a difference?
Normally, when I do this I am importing to a iMovie Project, and iMovie is much more forgiving than FCP. Shouldn't make a difference as long as you set the external drive up as the scratch drive for FCP.

i'll have to give that a try. Never thought about doing it that way.

well i hooked up my gl2 to the external drive then that too the MBP. It wouldnt capture again.. that soo weird. I wonder why it wont let me cature with a external pluged in? i would think it shouldnt matter since its like "the latest and greatest apple notebook out" right?

Which FCP 5?
 

Matt,
What version of FCP are you using? It should be 5.1.4 or better.

yup i have 5.1.4 on my MacBook Pro now. It just frustrating that i wont let me capture video unless my external drive is unpluged.

Matt,

I asked that last question when I had little time to think. Sorry.
There is a known problem with canon cameras and firewire 800 hard disk drives. In my case, the firewire 800 down shifts to 400 speeds, but the camera still works ok (this is on a G5 tower).

I don't have an MBP, but I do have an MP... I haven't yet tried loading video while an external f800 drive is attached, but I will. Not that that will do you any good either way. ...