URGENT: Capture programs can't control camera

[madmartian]

I MUST resolve this within the next two days for a film festival! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I was capturing fine a month ago (and for the past three years!), but now, no go. Windows recognizes the camcorder (I hear the happy connected sound). The error varies depending on the program.

Adobe Premiere Pro:
"Can't Activate Recorder. Try Resetting Camera."

Stoik Capture:
"Class not registered, Error code 2"

WinDV
"Error: Can't create CaptureGraphBuilder"

This happens with two different cameras (both of which used to work). To resolve this, I tried the following:

Reregistered successfully as follows:
regsvr32 /s qdv.dll
regsvr32 /s quartz.dll
regsvr32 /s wmvcore.dll
regsvr32 /s wmvadve.DLL
regsvr32 /s shimgvw.dll
regsvr32 /s msxml.dll
regsvr32 /s msxml2.dll
regsvr32 /s msxml3.dll

I also tried everything here:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=330682

except for #3 since I'm not using HDV.
In regards to #4, removing 3rd party directsound audio filters, I do not have any installed by themselves nor have I installed codec packs, but I have no idea how to get a list of directsound filters I have installed.

I also searched the forums and tried a few other things:
Unplugged all USB devices. (there are no other IEEE 1394 devices)
Removed the network listing for IEEE 1394.
No sound card to move - sound is on the motherboard.
Disabled background programs.
No extra unused 1394 ports - only one is on the motherboard
Latest DirectX is installed.

I do have one potential suspect. I installed Nero Ultra 7 since I last successfully used the camera with the computer. I uninstalled Nero Ultra 7, but it left TONS of crap in the registry. I manually removed anything I could find related to AHEAD or NERO, but I could have missed something, and Nero could have overwritten something. I also deleted files and folders under Program Files that uninstall had left behind.

Note also that I have Windows XP SP2 with ALL available updates (I do automatic updates). I also have an NVidia GeForce 7900 GT and I have not changed the drivers since my capture last worked.

And in case this may help, here are lists of audio and video codecs from Device Manager:

Audio Codecs:

imaadp32.acm
msadp32.acm
msg711.acm
msgsm32.acm
tssoft32.acm
msg723,acm
Windows Media Audio
Sipro Lab Telecom Audio Codec
Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec
Indeo audio software
Hewlett Packard Mobile Voice
Voxware Compression Toolkit
alf2cd.acm
Microsoft PCM Converter

Video Codecs:

iccvid.dll
Indeo I.263 Video Driver
Indeo video 5.10
ir32_32.dll
ir41_32.ax
iyuv_32.dll
MS MPEG-4 v1,2,3 driver 4.10.3927
msh261.drv
msh263.drv
msrle32.dll
msvidc32.dll
msyuv.dll
Panasonic Software DV Codec 2.64
tsbyuv.dll

[Richard_G]

Have you tried restoring the system to a date when everything last worked? I make a point of turning off automatic updates as I've had problems suddenly appear in the past after an automatic update. If it wasn't broke, why let Microsoft try and fix it? Finally, bit of a long shot, but have you tried a different cable?

[madmartian]

Forgot to mention I tried 2 cables, both previously known to work for capturing.

I don't use system restore. I can't remember why I turned it off, but I'm pretty sure it was a good reason, like to try to fix some other problem. :)

-Mike

[Richard_G]

Hmm, Format, reinstall????

Or if you have multiple hard drives, install XP on a different drive (this will then give you an option of which install you want to use during the boot), load all drivers, but no updates, and WinDV. See if that works. If it doesn't, it's a hardware problem, if it does, it's software.

[madmartian]

Considering the large number of people having this problem, I am pretty sure it's a software/driver/codec issue or conflict of some sort. I have noticed also that some videos that used to play fine in Media Player Classic suddenly have audio but no video. I have no doubt that this problem is related to the capture problem (though the same videos play fine in VLC).

-Mike

[Richard_G]

It may well be, but is easy enough to prevent. Ensure that a restore point is created every time any new software, drivers or codecs are installed. That way you can always roll back to a working version when you find something doesn't work. If camera control and Media Player Classic used to work, it is obviously something that has been changed that has caused the problem to appear. If you can't roll back, a re-install or second install would appear to be your only answer.

I must admit, I've never been able to understand some peoples obsession with insisting on installing the very latest drivers as soon as they come out. Often they are only released to overcome a specific problem with a certain piece of software. If you don't use that software and don't have a problem, why update?

[JohnnyMalaria]

I do have one potential suspect. I installed Nero Ultra 7 since I last successfully used the camera with the computer.

I'd be suspicious, too. I've come across this problem elsewhere (Nero has something called Scout - or similar).

Only one application can make use of a DV device at any one time. I suspect Nero installed something that hogs the MSDV driver (responsible for DV devices).

And in case this may help, here are lists of audio and video codecs from Device Manager:

It doesn't really help since these video codecs listed are the older Video for Windows technology ones. You really need to see what DirectShow filters are installed.

To help troubleshoot, please download our Enosoft DV Processor. It can collect a lot of information that you can send to me. It will indicate what, if any, DV devices are connected - whether or not they can be successfully used - and you can try to capture from a device. If it fails, the software logs some diagnostic information.

Also, the software will let you test the device control separately from the video capture. These are two different aspects to communicating with DV devices. Often, the device control (i.e., playing, stopping etc) is successful even when another app has hogged the MSDV driver.

Finally, after you get the "happy sound", does Windows create a folder in My Computer with a name like "Sony DV Camcorder"? And, if so, if you open the folder, can you see video from the camcorder (you need to be playing a tape or be in camera mode).

[madmartian]

I must admit, I've never been able to understand some peoples obsession with insisting on installing the very latest drivers as soon as they come out. Often they are only released to overcome a specific problem with a certain piece of software. If you don't use that software and don't have a problem, why update?

In theory Automatic Update only updates critical updates (security stuff). In theory... I still think Nero is a far more likely culprit than anything from Microsoft. For example, when I plugged the camera in, Nero popped up a message asking me if I wanted Nero PhotoShow to catalog the photos on the camera. They did something to intercept the camera connection. Possibly a piece of that was left behind after uninstall.

Johnny, I will try the program and get back to you later this afternoon. Thanks for the tip.

-Mike

[madmartian]

Johnny - indeed device control works fine with your program. However, when I tried to capture I got the same error as WinDV - "Could not create CaptureGraphBuilder2". I tried the reverse, to set an AVI file as the input to output it to tape, and as soon as I selected the AVI file, the program aborted. It apparently cannot handle Premiere Pro AVI files. Note that I am unable to find any log file.

[madmartian]

I have confirmed this to be a software/driver/codec issue. I realized my camera also has a USB port. Trying to connect using the USB instead of Firewire gives me the same errors.

-Mike

[guns1inger]

Unless you have a relatively new camera, the US port will be used to transfer low resolution, low bitrate video only - basically suitable for emailing and not much else.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Johnny - indeed device control works fine with your program. However, when I tried to capture I got the same error as WinDV - "Could not create CaptureGraphBuilder2". I tried the reverse, to set an AVI file as the input to output it to tape, and as soon as I selected the AVI file, the program aborted. It apparently cannot handle Premiere Pro AVI files. Note that I am unable to find any log file.

Thanks for the feedback.

Please try the device again and, after you get the error, press the large Config... button. You'll see an option to create a diagnostics report. Just follow the instructions and it should email a zip file to me.

Re Premiere Pro AVIs, I'll have to investigate that. Most odd. Are they DV format and are they rendered by Premiere? And which version of Premiere? (I have Pro 1.5).

[madmartian]

I was able to transfer the video on another computer, so the current emergency has been thwarted though I still need to fix the problem.

I will try the configure thing later.

Thanks,

-Mike

[lacywest]

https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=ScenalyzerLive

ScenalyzerLive (short: ScLive) makes capturing video and selecting useful scenes from your DV-tapes very easy, comfortable and FUN! Sclive is the "missing link" between the Camera and your editing-program. Due to the file-size or file-format limitation under the FAT32 file-system (Windows 98/ME) .avi files are limited to 2 or 4 GB, ScenalyzerLive provides a solid Workaround for this 2/4GB problem.

This program controls my Mini-DV cameras ... works pretty good. Uses fire-wire.