Check if Video Capture Driver is working - ERROR MESSAGE

clive51 · Post by **clive51** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:05 pm

I have just loaded videostudio 11 plus and purchased a Canon HV20 HD camcorder.

Videostudio allows me to capture video from an older Canon SD video camera but displays "Unable to switch to capture mode - check if your video capture driver is working properly" when the HD HV20 camera is connected. I can still control the camera play, rewind etc - no picture on the PC. I can also write HDV back onto the tape loaded on the Canon HV20.

ANY HELP appreciated.

I have Directx 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904).

PENTIUM 3.2 on Asus PL5 Delux board with Radion X1600 512MB graphics card. Have 3GB Ram and over 10GB disk space spare on C Drive. Operating Win XP pro with SP2.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:34 pm

I don't know anything about HD cameras, so hopefully someone will come along soon and help you with that.

However, if you only have 10 GB left on your C:\ drive, and if you haven't changed the VS working directory from its default position in My Documents on that drive, then you are already in trouble. Even if you were capturing a single SD mini DV cassette, that would require at least 13 GB of free space. And then for editing it, at least double that amount.

I am not by any means saying this is the origin of your error message. However, unless you select a different drive for your capture and working folder (File > Preferences > General) you will undoubtedly very soon get another error message...

clive51 · Post by **clive51** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:43 pm

Thanks

Look forward to some replies - Actually have severel Terra Byte of disk space on other drives where video files are captured.

Clive

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:49 pm

But my point remains. Unless you change the working directory from its default position on the C:\ drive, you will have problems very much sooner than later. As far as I am aware, HDV files (if that is what the Canon uses) are larger than SD DV files. And the editing etc temp files are all created and used in the working directory. It is generally recommended that the working directory hard drive have at least double the amount of spare space (and better, unfragmented) of the size of the files being edited...

clive51 · Post by **clive51** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 10:07 pm

I quite agree - Have been editing DV on computer with a range of software (Studio and Intervideo) for years so realise the limitations of space for renering etc so please concentrate on the actual problem - Thanks

With the HD camera I cannot capture anything of ANY size at all!

Clive

glesgaguy · Post by **glesgaguy** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:32 pm

I can't help but I can sympathize with you.

I also have a Canon HV20 and get the same message but the funny thing is Iam using Vista on my laptop, when I switch this for an XP system disk everything works fine.
Is this the wierd world of computer hardware or the the crap software, I ask myself ?

By the way Pinnacle Studio 11 works perfectly

glesgaguy · Post by **glesgaguy** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:43 pm

And by the way have you noticed that in device manager the camera is in "sound video and game controls" and not as an "imageing device" this is true for both Vista and XP.
If I plug my DV cam in it is recognized as "Imageing Device"
Although why VS11 can recognize the capture device in one system and not the other is a case for Sherlock Holmes

clive51 · Post by **clive51** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:02 pm

Thanks - any other ideas welcome - I too cannot understand these drive issues! May try on another PC and see what happens.

Clive

2Dogs · Post by **2Dogs** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:20 pm

glesgaguy wrote:And by the way have you noticed that in device manager the camera is in "sound video and game controls" and not as an "imageing device" this is true for both Vista and XP.
If I plug my DV cam in it is recognized as "Imageing Device"
Although why VS11 can recognize the capture device in one system and not the other is a case for Sherlock Holmes

Elementary, my dear glesgaguy, it would appear to point to a problem with Windows Vista drivers!

I see that VS 11+ is touted as being able to capture from "Virtually any video source:" - but it may just be that it doesn't support your particular camcorder. This could easily be disproved by successful experiences from other Canon HV20 HD users.

Otherwise, hope for a patch at some point in the future.

lindsey · Post by **lindsey** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:46 pm

I am new to this site. I have a Sony HC3 with the same error message only when I'm capturing in HDTV 1080i mode from the camera.