[Rob Forsythe]

[ georg] ” and a EyeTV fw TV device”

What kind of hardware/software operates that unit?

I suspect that it should NOT be connected (and any of it’s software uninstalled/disabled, at least to check) when running FCP.

You say you unplugged all FW devices…

Did you LEAVE EVERY other FW device UNplugged…
EXCEPT for your Sony Deck (I mean EVERY FW device)?

Then, leave the deck ON, quit FCP, restart FCP and make sure View > External ALL FRAMES is selected.

If that works, continue slowly plugging FW drives back in, one-at-a-time, constantly checking to see how FCP monitors.

If you can’t get FCP to send moving images out the FW to the deck, I’d suspect a bad FW port on either the Mac or the deck.

I’d also borrow ANY other FW camcorder (even a home video DV camcorder) and see if THAT unit in VCR mode works (using my CHECK-LIST to make sure of everyting) even if your deck still refuses.

There was another recent thread where the poster discovered it was his DV device (camcorder) not working, not FCP.
He found out by borrowing another camcorder.

[Rob Forsythe]

[pvanwest] “is the compatible devices page. The DV1000 isn’t on there – hasn’t been since it was discontinued”

I know that the main point of your post is that this Panny deck is not a good machine (I have heard this from many sources as well).

But, the fact that a given device is not currently on the “compatibility list” doesn’t have much relevance.
(These lists are even worse at adding NEW camcorders as quickly as they become available.)

There are many FW units that work perfectly with FCP and other NLEs that are not listed.
The list just contains units that are (for the most part) in current use and have actually been TESTED to be compatible.

In general, and without many (if any) exceptions, in the USA, if the device comes from a major manufacturer, has a 4-pin FW connector, and is designated as “DV”, (and is, of course, in good working order) it will be perfectly compatible with FCP.

[Rob Forsythe]

Your symptoms absolutely match that you do NOT have the Canvas Window (the right-hand window on the computer screen) set to “Fit to Window”. (And/or that you have the Canvas window adjusted too LARGE for your computer processor to handle.)
Did you, in fact, check the “Fit to Window”?

How is your FCP window layout?
Do you only use one computer monitor?
Do you have the Viewer and the Canvas side-by-side and above the timeline? (Its not a requirement, but I’d like to get a feel for your layout.)

Try this:
Window (menu) > Arrange > Save Window Layout > (Name this something you can remember).
This will save your layout so that you can restore it if this test does not work.

Next choose:
Window (menu) > Arrange > Standard
(This will pop everything to a single screen and arranged to a basic layout.)
Now, go to the Canvas settings and make sure to check “Fit to Window”.

Try playing the timeline and observe the external monitor.
A. If everything’s OK, manually rearrange the windows to roughly how you like them and see if it still works. If so… done!

B. If the timeline still won’t play normally, you have some hidden problem that has me stumped. (The list has never failed.)

Please post back… I’m with you on this.

[Rob Forsythe]

Oh, I doubt that you tried the whole list. (Pay special attention to Number 3, 4 and 9.)

This list contains about everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
11. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
12. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
13. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
14. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
15. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/trashing_fcp_prefs.html

“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.
And, you should always MIXDOWN your audio before you play your sequence.
First, SELECT ALL of your audio tracks (highlight them) on the timeline, then:

Sequence Menu > Render Only > Mixdown.

This can help with all kinds of “sticking” playback problems, audio and/or video.

[Rob Forsythe]

It should be completely compatible, its designed for FW NLE editing.

Since you have a camcorder available, hook the deck and the camcorder together via FireWire.
Put the camcorder in VCR mode.
Play a tape in the deck and see if you can view it on the camcorder’s viewfinder or LCD screen.

Then, stop the deck, take out the tape and play it in the camcorder and see if you can see it on a monitor hooked to the deck.

This will tell you if the FW connection is working on the deck.

Lastly, remember that on my LONG list of things to try, the deck needs to be in the DV or FW input mode for you to be able to see the output from the camcorder in this test OR for the FireWire to control the deck from FCP.

[Rob Forsythe]

This list contains about everything to try to enable:
a. External Monitor VIDEO and AUDIO via FireWire & DV deck or camcorder.
b. Viewing in the Canvas window on the computer screen.
c. Being able to record on the external FW DV deck or camcorder.

Try things in this order until you find the “cure”:

1. Make sure you have only ONE (1) FireWire deck, camcorder, DV capture “card”, or D-to-A converter or video device attached to the computer at a time. Any more than one DV device can cause loss of signal and control.
2. Make sure you have View (Menu) > External Video> All Frames set.
(If the ALL FRAMES option is grayed-out… jump to step 6 below and continue.)
3. Make SURE your Canvas window (right window) in FCP is set to “Fit to Window”… AND that it has not been “pushed off” the edge of the computer screen.
4. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu (Box Icon with broken sides) is checked on Image or Image+Wireframe… NOT just Wireframe.
5. Make sure your CANVAS View Menu is checked on RGB… NOT just Alpha.
6. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Easy Setup… is set for DV-NTSC (or DV-PAL, if that’s where you are).
7. Some camcorders/decks work better under “FW (NTSC/PAL)” -or- “FW (NTSC/PAL) Basic” control (in the capture settings). Try either setting to see which works best for your device.
8. Make sure your Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings > A/V Devices (tab) > Mirror on Desktop > must be CHECKED. (If not, playing video will not appear in the Canvas.)
9. Make sure the “Log and Capture” Window is CLOSED and not just “hidden” behind other windows.
10. Turn off the power to the Camera/Deck/Converter Box, then turn it back ON.
11. Make sure the camera is in VTR mode… or the deck is in DV (DV, iLink, or FW) input.
12. On a Sony camcorder or deck, make sure the menu setting “A/V > DV Out” is set to OFF.
13. Re-check that your FW cable is well-connected at both ends (or try a new cable).
14. Important: Quit FCP, then Restart FCP.
15. Now again, make sure you have View > External Video > ALL FRAMES set…

If it still does not work. “Trash” the FCP Preferences on the Mac
https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/trashing_fcp_prefs.html

“FCP Rescue” is a free Apple Script that will Trash the Preferences.
It will also restore your user settings afterwards.
Download:
https://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14729

>Then, start again at my “step 1” above.

If you are running FCP 5, please check the following link-

https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

If none of these things work, it sounds like you might have a serious hardware problem with either the camera or the Mac.

[Rob Forsythe]

Did you go to the Apple link and perform the corrections listed?

https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852

If none of these things work, it sounds like you have a serious hardware problem with either the deck or the Mac.

[Rob Forsythe]

What did you capture FROM?

Just so we don’t keep playing 20 questions… please be VERY SPECIFIC as to EXACTLY what you had, and have lost.

i.e.
DV tapes, captured as Audio only –or– CD’s imported cuts –or– VO Tool captures –or– AIFF’s or mp3 files converted, etc.

[Rob Forsythe]

Wouldn’t THAT be nice…

Realtime DVE’s were so much fun to program with the joysticks and rotation knobs.

[Rob Forsythe]

Since you are on FCP 5, this might answer the problem if the other steps don’t help.

https://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301852