ADS Pyro AV Link HELP!

[Coluph]

Hey guys,

Well after the fiasco with the ATI TV Wonder, I ordered the somewhat expensive, ADS Pyro A/V Link...now I've got a whole new set of problems. I can't fiddle to long with this as I only have 7 days to return it if it doesn't work and I get a 20% restocking fee...so I REALLY want this thing to work. Help!


My setup:

AMD XP Athlon 2500+ Barton Core CPU
1 gig Dual DDR RAM
Onboard Nforce2 Firewire port
80 gig 7200 RPM Seagate drive, connected via SATA, ABIT Parallel adaptor
VCR: JVC HR-VP628U, connected via RCA with external Video Stabilizer device, to remove macrovision.
ADS Pyro A/V Link revision C
Software: WinDV, Ulead Video Studio 7 LE. Same problem both packages.
Windows XP Professional
NOTHING running in background. Clean system used ONLY for video.

Drive has indexing service turned off, has been defragmented. I do not think the hard drive is the issue as I can capture to this same drive via an old bt based card...it does not do this.

The problem:

Video looks fantastic...audio is in perfect sync on completed file, BUT...after a few minutes of capturing...the device will constantly keep 'pausing' itself, resulting in dropped frames. The dropped frames occur in bursts, usually of about 20 some odd frames.

Basically the device is useless and is going to have to go back if I can't find a fix for this.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

If this goes back I give up and I'm buying a set-top DVD Recorder for $600. Unlike the US we do not have low priced alternatives for this stuff, and Canopus is not avaiable to be purchased here unless you want to fork out over $400 for one, and wait a month for it to arrive. Overpriced IMO.

Obviously others have got this unit to work without a problem...WHAT are you doing differently?? Please share.

I cannot go out and buy a time base corrector...Nobody sells them here. Ebay is too expensive. For the price I paid for this thing, it should work without all the extra 'professional' gear attached to it.

[Coluph]

In additon to what I just posted...the unit will also do this even when I am not capturing to the hard drive...just when you are preveiwng...so this rules out anything having to do with hard drives...other programs running etc...To me this looks like a firewire problem...or a fault in the device itself...Could this be defective?

[Tommyknocker]

It does sound defective. Even when I first got mie, it never dropped frames every few minutes. I would say go ahead and return it.

[Coluph]

Its really looking that way. I just copied the tape to a Sony TRV-65 camcorder (Hi-8 with TBC) and its still doing it.

That rules out the possibility of a video signal problem right there as far as I can see.

[Coluph]

Well out of all the luck.. All I can do is laugh at this...

I called ADS and by the sounds of it my unit is defective.... RMA number.

[Tommyknocker]

So will you let them repair it, and try again, or does the DAC still look goos to you?

[Coluph]

I don't have much of a choice...I can't find any of the others around here for purchase...The pyro was the only one any of the stores near me actually was able to order.

I'm waiting to hear if the dealer wants me to return it there or just do an RMA with ADS.

The capture it does do when its working is fantastic...For testing purposes...I just tried it with a brand new never opened video tape. It still does it. I am really curious to hear what VCR you are using with yours and if you are going in with the RCA cables or something else.