Capture programmes won't acknowledge Canopus ADVC-100 output

[pete2004]

Tonight I installed a FireWire card in my PC, and to it I connected my new Canopus ADVC-100 using the front DV I/O port (I don't yet have a FireWire lead with 6-pin plugs at both ends, and according to the Canopus instruction manual I don't need one).

To the back of the ADVC-100 I connected an analog video camera from which I was hoping to capture some old tape. However the whole operation has been an abject failure. The FireWire card has installed successfully and seems to be communicating with the Canopus (e.g. the computer complains when I turn the Canopus' power off), but neither MovieFactory nor WinFast PVR acknowledge that any capture device or indeed image are present.

Is there something I need to do in order to 'initialise' the FireWire card, or somehow let the programs know that it's there - and has video coming into it that I want?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Pete

[rcb]

1. After you turn on the advc 100, open My Computer... under Scanners and Cameras you should see:

AVC Compliant DV Taper Recorder/player

2. if above is OK, d/l a trial copy of ScenalyzerLive and set it up to be your capturing app.
While I can't speak to moviefactory, I don't think Winfast PVR will work with the canopus input.

3. Also make sure your advc front switch is set for analog input. See manual for details.

[RWANDREWS]

I use the Canopus, & I had the same problem. I use the Freeware Microsoft AV capture program found in the tools section to the left. (I forget actual name)

Also, make sure you capture as AVI type 2 if you are using TMPGEnc to encode, as TMPG does NOT like type 1 files.

Ulead Movie Factory works, but only makes Type 1 files.

[Cole]

I have got the ADVC-50 and when I first stared to use it, had some terrible problems in getting my PC to regularly recognise my Canopus Card. I even bought a replacement firewire card as I thought that the original one was faulty.

I was using Windows Movie Maker 1 to capture.

If I powered up my PC and went to WMM straight away, then it would be mostly okay. Use if for something else first and then try to capture, I would be knackered as WMM would not aknowledge any attached capture device and the resulting file would come up as corrupt. I was advised that WMM was not that good a program to capture with.

Anyway, I don't seem to have this problem any more as what I now do is use Edit Studio 3 to capture (trial version still allows the capture program to work). I have also upgraded to WMM 2 which does seem better but I prefer Edit studio as the program has better controls.

A couple of times I have had the Canopus unrecognised (but no where near the amount of times as before), but what I would do then is unplug the firewire cable and re-connect and this usually works. If not a reboot does it.

One other note to point out. When you next re install your operating system, have the Canopus connected and switched on, this may be something else that I have done which has helped.

Hope that this is helpfull.

[redwudz]

All of the above, and if you don't have the MS SP1 update installed, you may need to add it. Can't recall if it is required.

[RWANDREWS]

DVApp is the program I use, that I couldn't think of earlier. DVIO seems to be a good choice also, but I don't have any experience with it.
I turn on my Canopus 100 after I completely boot up WIN XP and it makes a boop- boop tone and an icon appears in the takbar and also in my computer.
After capturing about 100 movies with the Canopus, I have NEVER had a problem with that aspect.

[pete2004]

Thank you all for your help so far.

Unfortunately, I'm no closer to getting this fine piece of equipment operable.

However, under 'My Computer', 'Scanners and Cameras' I am now getting an icon titled AVC Compliant DV Tape Recorder/Player. If I click on this I get short message asking me to wait will the device initializes, then when the window refreshes I get a large blank box. If I leave this window open, go to another window and return to it I get the image of the other window lagging behind inside the box. (I'm not sure in the computing world what this effect is called but it's common when dealing with programs that aren't responding.)

If I reboot then power up the Canopus, I get a 'Found New Hardware' Wizard which attempts in turn (unsuccessfully) to install drivers for an AV/C Subunit and an AV/C Monitor.

I'm thinking that it probably wouldn't hurt for me to uninstall and reinstall the FireWire card but I'm not sure which device (under 'Device Manager') this is. Associated items seem to be IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers (with OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller and VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host controller under this); further down under 'Network Adapters' we have: 1394 Net Adapter, 1394 Net Adapter #2, and Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC. My FireWire card is a Kouwell KW-1582v.

I suspect the problem lies more in my computer's understanding of information coming from the Canopus than anything to do with the FireWire card. Do I need any sort of driver with the Canopus? I certainly wasn't provided with one, only a disc containing Video Studio 6 (or something).

Thank you again.

Pete

[budz]

pete2004 wrote:

Associated items seem to be IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers (with OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller and VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host controller under this)

It would be helpful to post your computer specs. and what operating system you're using. What brand is that firewire card you have? If I'm not mistaken some brands have a conflict with some motherboards. You may want to join and check the Canopus forum. I use a ADAPTEC 4300 FIREWIRE PCI CARD. I didn't have to install any drivers to get the ADVC-100 to work.

[Anonymous65]

You might have to use the firewire connector on the back to get digitized video from the ADVC...

[proggy]

You might have to use the firewire connector on the back to get digitized video from the ADVC...

The ADVC-100 will let you use either the front or rear firewire port for connecting to the computer. It sounds like a problem with the firewire card. It could be the compatibility of the card with your motherboard or Canopus, or the firewire card driver.

The Canopus does not have a driver itself. You can get a Canopus codec to use with the ADVC-100, but that won't help you until you get the unit working as-is.

You may want to join and check the Canopus forum

Agreed. I believe they have a list for compatibility issues.

[Bondiablo]

To the back of the ADVC-100 I connected an analog video camera from which I was hoping to capture some old tape.

You didn't happen to connect it to the ADVCs analog out instead of the in?

[shaynew]

I use an ADVC-100 to import from 8mm camcoder and VHS VCRs. In my experience can take XP SP1 with Directx9.0B several minutes to recognize that the ADVC is there and on and ready to send or recive video. I get a long string of "device connected" chimes and "device disconnected" chimes before windows XP recognizes it well enough to allow programs like Premiere Pro or Scenalyzer to receive from it or export to it.

I don't know which of the follwoing steps are really necessary but I do the following when getting ready to capture. Start with the ADVC-100 and the analog device off.

Check that everything is cabled correctly and has power.
Turn on the analog device that will send to the ADVC so that the ADVC has some kind of incoming signal.
Turn on the ADVC and set it to Analog in (hold down the button a few seconds when doing so to remove macrovision)
Resart windows.
Do something else for a few minutes while windows finds the ADVC
Start the program that will talk to he ADVC and hope it recognizes it.
If this doesn't work repeat the last step or go back to the resart windows step and repeat from there.

Telling the computer to look for new hardware doesn't seem to help.
But patience and the above routine do.

By the way, is it just me or is do other people have a hard time getting into the Canopus forums in the last few months?

--Shayne

[EDIT]

I Later solved my probalem with the ADVC not being recognized by the Dell 8300 by installing some files canopus sent when I asked for them. ADVC100 works fine now.

[jdjbuffalo]

I use the ADVC-100 all the time for capturing videos from my Tivo. One thing that might sound simple that I've had issues with a few times is there is a button on the unit. It will change the it from one mode to another. Make sure that you try both modes out when you're trying to capture.

If this doesn't work then I would check out Canopus' Forums. They have a lot of useful information on this device. Like others have said, there are some Firewire cards that might be incompatiable. They should have this information on the Canopus Forums.

Hope this helps.