Problem with camcorder and Firewire

[FireStrike 0]

Hi,

 

I can't get the panasonic camcorder to work with my notebook and Win XP.

 

I connect them via Firewire... with Win2k before I had no problems. I plugged the cable in and the image device was found.

 

Nothing happens when I do it in Win XP though.

 

Are there drivers somewhere. Do I need a special Direct X Addon (like for 8.0a for win2k)?

 

Do the drivers come with the software? If yes.. which software works with Win XP?

 

Thanks alot

 

Cu,

Mario.

[FireStrike 0]

it's even worse.

 

*sometimes* it recognize the camcorder, sometimes not.

 

When it does, it gives me an installation error 90% of the time. The other 10% it works, but then the connection gets lost after some seconds.

 

Used it with Movie Maker.

 

Even more weird:

It works on my normal PC with Win XP instantly!

 

The Firewire card of the Notebook can't be the problem, cause the firewire Network seems to work great.

 

But what could be the problem then?!

 

I am lost :[

[shoemakerpom 0]

I had the same problem with my PC when I first got my camera and I did not have the proper updates. Most likely your laptop will not have these updates installed. The first update I will send to you if you give me your email address. This updates your capture capabilities with the firewire port and stops all freezing up problems. The second is you should use tha latest version of video program that you use because they are written around the updated architecture in the firewire ports. I use Ulead Video Studeo 5 and its as solid as a rock when you add there first update. I would highly recommend it since its cheap and if your starting out its not too intimi[censored]. Third always,always,always have the camera plugged in to the port and powered up and in vcr mode before you turn on the laptop and boot up. Firewire ports are not like usb in that they don't always retain all functions properly if you just plug in like a usb. Think of them as a small scsi port that you would put a printer in and it will make sense. I followed all these steps that a store rep reccommended and I have been making great video's with the camera. Also if you can afford it get youself a 10 gig scsi drive (doesn't have to be the latest greatest) and have that drive only for video capture. A scsi drive is insurance for no missed frames when capturing as long as after you capture you defrag the drive. I captured to a fast IDE partion and even with the fastest IDE drive I lost frames due to sectors dedicated to programs on that drive. So save yourself aggrivation and capture the right way and you will have no problems . As for the MS movie maker consider that complete garbage marketing ploys to compete with Machintoshes accomplisments in video capture.