Can't seem to capture anything.

figueroa4 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-18-2005, 01:19 AM

Hello, I just bought the Dazzle DV Clip card and it came with Pinnacle Studio 8. When I hook up my camcorder a box pops up on my screen asking what I want Windows to do and then lists the software that can help me. It shows "Pinnacal Studio using <need provider>" Not sure what that means so i click on it anyway. It then starts and I click on the capture tab. And click Start Capture button. The camcorder comes on and starts playing and the camcorder on the monitor starts its clock. But nothing shows in the preview screen or anything. I then click Stop Capture but since it didn't download anything there is nothing else I can do. What am I doing wrong?

I thought it was the <need provider> thing so next time I clicked on "ArcSoft using ShowBiz". In that program when I try to capture my camcorder will start playing and the clock on screen plays (no playback in preview either) for 3 seconds and then everything stops and I get an error message saying "unknown file format". But there is nothing I see that I can change.

Really hoping someone can help me out on this, I have no clue what I need to do! Win XP was just installed at the sametime the card was added if that helps. I tried uninstalling in device manager and re-installing but nothing changes.

Bethany

Tony A · #2 (**permalink**) 07-19-2005, 09:42 AM

Hello Bethany:

Did the DV Clip card come with its own software on CD? You mentioned Arcsoft, was this supplied on another CD with the card? Sounds like driver installation is needed, I could be wrong. What sort of inputs are on this card - and how many?

Also, what are the other options listed when you hook up the cam?

figueroa4 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-19-2005, 05:32 PM

The DV Clip card only came with the Studio 8 cd. In the instructions for the card it says to install the card and when I start Windows and it says New Hardware Found to click cancel and install the software. So I was thinking the driver came from that but I read that XP automatically installs the drivers which it does and I can't find a way to change the driver, it says it is using the best one. ArcSoft was already on my computer so I tried it when Pinnacle didn't work. Since your last post I found ImageMaker that came with my camera and tried that with the same results. I also tried capturing with Windows Movie Maker and it says Can't find device or something like that.

There are 2 Iee1394 ports on the card. Now when I hook up the camera it just shows Pinnacle the others are gone for some reason.

I saw on another board asking if the camera was listed in the device mamanger. I can't find it there but I do see it in My Computer and in Control Panel under Scanners and Cameras as AVC Compliant DV Camcorder. Does that maybe mean that the camcorder is not OHCI compliant and wont work with this card?

Thanks for trying to help.

Tony A · #4 (**permalink**) 07-19-2005, 08:39 PM

This is really odd. I would try another firewire cable, just to be safe. Can you beg/steal/ borrow one? If you can control the cam from the PC, it must be set to 'play' mode, so that's fine.

Studio gives you 3 choices for capture - full avi, mpeg, or preview quality. Which ones have you tried?

Have you seen a dialogue box saying 'Studio will test your drive to see if it can sustain.....blah blah'? because it should do this before it even starts to capture.

figueroa4 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 02:39 PM

I have tried all the different formats (full, mpeg, and preview) and they all do the same. It does check my drive and then it ends and shows me how many minutes of video I can get with each of the formats.

I read another post yesterday speaking of the cable as well which fixed his problem. So I guess that is my next step. Is there a certain one you might suggest?

Tony A · #6 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 05:43 PM

Ideally, borrow one from someone on whose PC it's known to work. The big names have better quality control, I suppose. Belkin is one, but they're a little over-expensive. I hope this solves your problem.

Incidentally, you haven't mentioned what sort of PC you are using? Do you have XP Service packs 1 and/or 2 installed?

figueroa4 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 10:52 PM

I don't really know anyone that has one. (We are new to the area.) My pc is home grown in sorts no brand name. It has AMD k-6, 40gb hard drive, and Windows XP. Can't recall how much memory right now but it's pretty much (long day today!)

I will take a look around for a new cable and see what I can find out. Thanks for your help!

mrlipring · #8 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 10:57 PM

a k6-2? ouch.

figueroa4 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 11:17 PM

Why is that bad? I just got it back and that's what they put in it.

mrlipring · #10 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 04:06 AM

well if it's a k6(2 or 3 or whatever the mobile one was called - 2+? i have no memory whatsoever) it's what, socket 7? or super socket 7?

I'm hoping you're wrong, or they're wrong, or whatever. a k6 is a horridly slow, 8 (?) year old processor model. They maxed at what, 500mhz? the same as the entry level slot A athlon, iirc. but as i said, it was many years ago.

Basically, ss7 motherboards and chipsets are supersucky by today's standards. and yesterday's. and last week's... and so on.

I'm thinking, hoping, and praying that you're mistaken, and that it's a a64 you've got. I can't think of any other cpus with a 6 in the name, tbh. if it's an a64 then you'll be fine, and i want one. I'm skint at the mo, but i'll have money soonish, so i'll be going the 64-bit route.

but yeah, if you paid actual real money for something like that (i found a whole pc in the street that's faster than a k6, and only the monitor was broken - thankyou, idiots!) then you were ripped off.

actually, a k6 should really struggle with winxp...