Firewire. . .Again.
 

I just had the mother of all meltdowns! I know somehow I burned up a Firewire port on my GY-HD100 a few weeks ago. Now I think I may have a power problem with my computer. Last night I tried to capture via Firewire like always from my DSR-30 and I couldnt get the Firewire to work after MUCH troubleshooting and swapping of gear.I seemed to have burned ports up in my DSR-30, both of my GY-HD100's, AG-DV10, A consumer camera I have and my Canopus DV converter. Not bad for ones night work. So after weaping like a little girl in the feetle position for a few hours I decided to order the Intensity Pro card and go good ole analog. Nothing to burn up there, anywho I am also afraid to hook up anyting to my PC Firewire related. Which brings me to my question, I think my P.C. has a power problem but im not sure nor do I know what to swap to fix it so if I bought a 4 pin Firewire card for it and used that would that protect me from this happening again?

Thanks
Firewireless Randy

Firewire isn't supposed to conduct current right? It seems some people fry cameras and others don't, so it seems the issue is that some computers, for whatever reason, leak current on to the firewire? Who is the CSI here? Dashwood where are ya?

Are there any instances of Macs frying cameras?

I actually fried an iPod and camera - what was happening was that I had wired it up wrong when building it, so that there was actually power going into the FireWire drive.

:(

Doublecheck that connection on the motherboard.

6 pin Firewire does carry voltage my question is: If my computer caused the problem which it looks like it did. If I got a 4 pin Firewire card for the computer would it keep it from happening again? Id only have voltage from the camera(or Deck) which is what I guess i'll have to purchase after this mess settles.

Are there 6 pin to 4 pin FW adaptors? if there are, would it solve the issue?

o.k. so it WILL defniatly solve the problem. Because I have a 4 pin PCI card I could use and then use a 4 to 6 pin adapter for the camera. that way no voltage will come from the p.c. only the camera. I wonder if JVC has a way to turn off the voltage (if it has it) from the GY-HD100?

Hello Randy

go on the web go to firewire depot
the cable you need is a FIREWIRE 1394A CABLE 8 INCH PORT ISOLATOR

I have 2 of them 1 connected to the computer firewire cable
the other to my 110 firewire port to my DR HD100 cable

Tim Dashwood told me about them they work great.
Joe

So if I get one of these cables for my camera/deck and a pin Firewire which I NOW have in my windows machine I wont have to worry about this happening again? Will I need to be carefull on how I startup? ie having the camera and computer off then hook up or can I hot swap?

Hello Randy
I sorry don't mean to be dumb.
are you using you camera as a deck?
and does your computer have a 6 pin or a 4pin firewire port?

Joe

yes. for now I am using my camera as a deck. I only use it as such when I shoot HDV. Later I plan go either get a Firestore or the JVC deck. My camera is a GY-HD100 with a 6 pin Firewire cable. But when I had my Firewire melt down I was trying to capture DV and was triying every deck/converter I had. Which apparenttly my cpomputer destoryed all. DSR-30(4 pin) DV converter (6 pin) home camcorder(4 pin) 2 GY-HD100s (6 pin) since the melt down I was able to get a Firewire card for my PC with a 4 pin port(better late than never)

yes. for now I am using my camera as a deck. I only use it as such when I shoot HDV. Later I plan go either get a Firestore or the JVC deck. My camera is a GY-HD100 with a 6 pin Firewire cable. But when I had my Firewire melt down I was trying to capture DV and was triying every deck/converter I had. Which apparenttly my cpomputer destoryed all. DSR-30(4 pin) DV converter (6 pin) home camcorder(4 pin) 2 GY-HD100s (6 pin) since the melt down I was able to get a Firewire card for my PC with a 4 pin port(better late than never) but it originally had a 6 pin.

Hello Randy
all i can tell you
is i use a dr hd 100
i connect the firewire cable from the computer to the Dr100 power off
when i'm going to down load my m2t files to my laptop
I turn on my computer first let it boot up then i turn the Dr hd100 on
after i down load my m2t files to the computer
i go to the task bar and click on the icon that saids safely remove hardware
i have removed the firewire with the Dr100 on with no problem, but i don't do that anymore
but just i think it be better TO SHUT THE CAMREA OFF before removing the firewire cable. (TO ME ITS BETTER TO BE EXTRA SAFE)

Joe

o.k. fair enough, I am just more than a little bit antzy about it having killed (possibly) a number of Firewire devices.

The difference between 6 pin and 4 pin is that power isn't carried on the 4 pin version.

BUT there's still a copper connector between camera and PC, and stray voltage, or static electricity can still travel down the wire and zap something.

I think the isolator is a good idea though. There are also some isolating hubs around.

Anyone have a link to these products?

This is such a common problem. It's not worth fixing if it happens. better off buy ing a deck.

"This is such a common problem. It's not worth fixing if it happens. better off buy ing a deck."
I agree, JVC told me they are not releasing any new decks because they are phasing them out. Tape is not in the future, Although I agree they had better come up with a better Firewire or other method. $1,000+ to fix a firewire port plus $1,800 for the JVC firestore x2 for my 2 cameras is way to rich for my blood. Id like to seem them release a modest priced playback only deck for like $1,500 to $2,000 but I doubt it ever going to happen.

Hi Randy

B&H sells the Jvc Br hd50u deck for about $2700.00
And Firestore /Dr hd100 60gig runs about $1350.00 100 gig $1500.00

I hope it all works out for you

Joe

why not get the fs4 for $640?
3 hours of video record time. Not bad.

I have the 4 port version of this.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...eater_Hub.html

Note the comments about Spark protection/hot swap.

Regardless, I always power down the camer, but it isn't practical to power down and reboot the PC every time

I am balancing my options today, I found someone who can fix my firewire ports for about $650X2 for 2 cameras $1,300 + either $700 each for the FS-4 or $1,500 for the dr hd100 vs $2,700 for a deck. its a close call. I anyone using the FS-4 with the GY-HD100?

I'd hate to test this out of the box. Like diffusing a bomb.

Are you sure your firewire is blown?
 

Randy, Is the problem simply that you NLE won't recognize your camera? Are you sure that your firewire is blown. Try hooking up 2 cameras via firewire and transferring video between them. I use FCP. Ever since I upgraded to QuickTime 7.4 I have been having problems capturing video. I actually had to use imovie to capture my last project.

yeah im pretty sure, I tried it with a Mac and windows and im currently capturing video from my frends VX 2000 and its fine.