[Simonc]

Hi Tom, I was hoping you would have had a ‘eureka’ moment by now 🙁

My settings:

Camera in VCR mode
Rebooted to 60i (NTSC) – the reason I got the Z1(U) was its PAL/NTSC switchable-ness – I’m a Brit abroad.
In/Out Rec menu: (two arrows)
VCR HDV/DV = AUTO
REC MODE (greyed out) = DV SP
COMPONENT = 1080i/480i
i.Link Conv = OFF
DOWN CONVERT = EDGE CROP
A/V->DV OUT = OFF

Its not a 50/60 issue is it ?

FCP 5.0.3 settings:
Sequence Preset: HDV – 1080i60
Capture Preset: HDV
Device Control Preset: Sony HDV FireWire
…
Edit to tape/PTV : HDV (1440×1080) 30 fps
– ” – Audio: HDV

The set-up for: reads Custom Set-up, although I thought I set it up with HDV 1080i60, on comparing the two, its only the display output that is different (I have a second 23″ LCD as the output) – so the easy set-up should do it… ?

I don’t think this was part of the preset though: (although I still don’t know if this is ‘it’): In Audio Video Settings, A/V Devices tab, I ticked the ‘Different Output for Edit to Tape/Print to video’ and chose, HDV (1440×1080) 30 fps, Mirror on Desktop.

– fingers crossed for a fix for you –

Regarding the deck – it does seem to be just the camera drive in a box, although, you obviously are saving wear and tear on the camera’s drive this way, which you would also do with an fire-store style external capture device. The thing that is blatantly missing from the deck (and the camera for that matter) is a 1080i component IN, in my view. However, I think in a studio environment, the deck is still worth it, so the camera isn’t tied up / worn down with captures, plus you can clone tapes quickly for backups. I’m the classic ‘prosumer’ though, so I would not need a separate deck.

Hope this helps – don’t know what else to suggest – I’ll wait for the real pro’s to get in Monday 😉

[Simonc]

Looks you have already done everything in the post I just made – sorry!

I think you should concentrate on the decks menus, have you had the AV in -> DV out on recently (external video source going through the deck) – I was recently doing this – and had the same ‘no data’ results – but, I’m not sure exactly at what point they went away, it was still on though when I started to try and capture. Maybe check that, and then reset the deck ?

[Simonc]

Hmmm. Try forcing the VCR to HDV (not auto – same menu), make sure it *is* a HDV tape (sorry for the obvious) go into FCP Preferences, and load the quick set-up preset for HDV (50i/60i) to set all the presets (sequence default, capture default, device control etc.) to the right thing.

I also had problems when my Lacie d2 was using firewire, but found switching to USB2 and only using firewire for the camera fixed that – although it was not the same symptoms as this (camera was not detected at all).

And, for paranoia’s sake, have a HDV sequence open and selected when you open the capture window with Cmd-8.

If all of that does not do the trick, I’ll start listing *everything* I have set in the camera, and in FCP (5.0.3)

Simon C.

[Simonc]

I fixed just this, for me. On the camera, In/Out Rec menu (in VCR mode, the left and right arrows menu) make sure iLink Conv is set to OFF.

It was set to On, and even though the camera was saying HDV out, it seemed to fox FCP (maybe it was outputting DV).

Hope this fixes it for your deck too.