Canon ZR950 - Cannot even connect/detect - Win XP

[LeoR2D2]

Hi all,

I am trying to capture video off of my new Canon ZR950 DV Camcorder. Unfortunately - the video capture programs I have can't even detect it, it says no device found. (I tried WinDV and Powerdirector).

I am fairly technical so I have tried the obvious/easy stuff - Camera is on and set to the right mode (Play) - it is connected to my firewire port etc. But it's as if the darn thing isn't even connected.

I checked my device drivers and the firewire port seems to be fine (though this is my first time trying to use it).

The Canon CD comes with a TWAIN Driver (do I even need that?) But for some godforsaken reason it is not compatible with Win XP and I can't install it anyway.

Does anybody know what I could possibly be missing here? Why doesn't it see the camera!?

Thanks!

[aedipuss]

first try the cam on a friend's known good firewire port and cable. then try your cable with his computer. if all your stuff works there then it is your firewire port.

[LeoR2D2]

I will definitely do that thanks - I am on tilt because I don't have any other firewire ports in this house to test it on! But I was hoping there might be some other problem/fix that i'm just not finding on google. I did find a couple patches for XP/Firewire issues that im installing now...but i'm not hopeful.

[aedipuss]

you might want to order a firewire add in card and new firewire cable just in case. they start under $10 at newegg.com

[dfluke]

I had a similar problem with the Canon ZR830. My computer would only reconize the camera if the camera was in the 'record mode.' Once it reconized the camera I would have to change the camera to 'play mode."

[slasherr]

I also have the canon zr950 with a nexxtech n3pfwpc firewire pci card and the computer doesn't see my camera either. i am very close to taking the camera and firewire card back for a refund.

[lordsmurf]

Nexxtech = offbrand crap.
Adaptec is the best, found at Best Buy or online.

[Mojo88]

Video noob here with freshly-bought ZR950 - is the firewire a lot faster than the supplied USB to transfer to PC?

thanks

[Jim44]

Video noob here with freshly-bought ZR950 - is the firewire a lot faster than the supplied USB to transfer to PC?

thanks

Yes. USB is typically for transferring still images. Firewire tends to be faster, due to the amount of overhead and how it handles it versus USB.

[klaiken]

I discovered that the only time it works is 4-pin to 4-pin and you must have the AC power plugged in. 4 pin to 6 pin it did not work at all. 4 pin to 4 pin would not work without the AC plugged in.