Final Cut Express won't allow me to capture from my vdo camera

I just loaded Final Cut Express HD on my Mac because I wanted to upgrade from IMOVIE. My Powerbook G4 had no problem capturing video with my Sony HDV 1080i video camera. But I can't get Final Cut Express HD to locate my camera at all no matter what "easy setup" setting I choose. But if I turn on IMOVIE, the program can capture from my video camera no problem. I know the firewire cable is hooked to the computer correctly & the camera is on & in the VTR mode. If anyone can help me identify this problem, I'd really appreciate it because I'm trying to begin a new video project & can't if I can't capture video. Thanks for helping.

Powerbook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on May 31, 2006 8:54 PM

20 replies

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Jun 12, 2006 4:03 AM in response to Stephen Alder

There were a list of questions. You answered one.

To the list of questions add what computer, what drive and how is everything connected?

Complete information is essential to find a solution to your problems. Trying to piece the information together from the thread is very hard. Go though all the questions. Provide as much information as you can and something might be done.

Jun 12, 2006 11:39 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

It is unlikely that your son's camera is unsuitable.
My camera is 6 years old and not on the approved list
- but works perfectly.

Most of the cameras in the world are NOT on the list
- yet work OK.

Try these (which have already been mentioned):-

Plug the camera directly into the computer and not
into the FW HD (if you have one).

When you have plugged it in and switched on go to
View>Video Out and select Refresh Video Devices.

Ian.

This was fantastic advice -thank you so much -it worked first time. He's thrilled! He had tried so many other ways to make it work, and had virtually given up on FCE. Stephen

Jun 12, 2006 11:45 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

We seem to have solved it with the help of Ian Brown's advice. However, just for the record, it's a Powerbook G4, 1.5GHz; 512 MB DDR SDRAM; Firewire connected -either via SmartDisk 80GB HD or direct to Sony DCR-PC105E. He hasn't yet tried to see if it'll work when connected via the SmartDisk HD again. When following Ian Brown's advice, we both connected directly AND refreshed devices. I have a feeling that the latter was what sorted out the problem. Thanks anyway. Stephen

roxcy

Level 1

0 points

Sep 1, 2006 12:10 PM in response to Firpadirp

i have a similar problem. i installed FCE and the start up screen asks if you have a camera that you want it to recognize, and at the time i didnt have a camera and clicked "dont show me this again" because i figured it would alert me once i did plug in a camera. now i have a camera and i plug it in and FCE can not find or recognize that i have a device pluged in and it tells me to do the same thing " go to capture presets" i can not find capture presets anywhere! please help. i uninstalled and reinstalled to see if it would ask me again and it didnt. i've clicked the device refresh and i've tried changing the easy setup.

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Sep 1, 2006 1:36 PM in response to roxcy

First of all this thread is ancient. Did you do what was suggsted in the messages in it like

http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n301852

Also trash your preferences files.

Try starting a new a thread and give full specification of your computer, the camera or deck you're using, the drives you're using, how everything is connected, the format and settings on the media you're using and the settings you're using in FCE.

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Final Cut Express won't allow me to capture from my vdo camera