VideoStudio Pro x2; Unable to Capture Video

[dlh.moore]

Hi everyone;

I'm David. I recently downloaded the Video Studio 12 trial "VS Pro x2", and am having trouble capturing video from my Canon MD160 (PAL) DV Camcorder (with tape).
The device is connected via a DV cable and an IEEE 1394 card.

The problem is that VS Pro x2 doesn't seem to recognise it. When I plug in the MD160, Windows recognises it and I have been able to capture video using Windows Movie Maker. But when I open VS Pro x2 and go to "Capture Video" or "DV Quick Scan", the "Source" or "Device" menu is grey/inactive and I can't see or select my MD160.

The MD160 is set in playback mode and as I said the Windows Movie Maker recognises it and seems to work ok. I've tried the VS Help Menu but haven't been able to find a solution.

Does anyone know why this might be happening and if there's anything I can do to fix it?

Thanks kindly.

[Ken Berry]

Hi Dave -- and welcome to the forums! Nice to see such a quick post after approving your application this morning!

That does seem a little strange, the trouble you are having, since VS traditionally has very few problems with DV cameras (or HDV cameras) -- I have consistently used both with no similar problems.

Sometimes, however, it can get a bit finicky with certain models about the order you open things in. With some cameras, you connect it up via Firewire, turn it on to PLAY, then open VS. Sometimes, though it is the opposite: you open VS, then turn on the camera. So play around with those options. (In my case, when I turn on either my Canon 960i or HV20, and they are connected via Firewire, I get an a ping from Windows (Vista Ultimate) and a dialogue box saying it has detected a new device -- do I want to use it? I click OK then open VS and it automatically opens up to the camera...)

That being said, however, I long ago stopped using VS for DV capture -- not because of any problems. But like others here, I found a small freeware program called WinDV which did the job seamlessly, with no dropped frames. If you want to try, you can download it from windv.mourek.cz

I know it is annoying that something does not work correctly, but if you use your existing workaround of Windows Movie Maker or WinDV, then you simply open the captured files in VS for editing.

And I would not get too hung up about using only the one tool (VS) for everything. Many of us here use a wide variety of programs in any one project -- not only for capturing, but making titles, editing audio, using alternative transitions or filters and other effects, developing menus (authoring) and even burning... You'll soon find that the more's the merrier when it comes to video editing!

[TrevorS]

Ken,
I have suddenly had a similar problem. I have a Canon HV30 and have had no problems capturing in the past, but just today I get an error "Unable to switch to Capture Mode. Check if your video capture driver is working properly".
I can't find a way around this. I have done a "repair" re-install but this has had no impact. I have just completed a slideshow of photos from a recent holiday and then went to capture the video which now gives me this problem. I have been using VS Pro X2 to do both video and slideshows for a while, quite successfully.
There is no cable problem as VS seems able to start and stop the camera (Play mode) but doesn't capture anything.
Any ideas you have would be gratefully accepted.
Regards,
Trevor

[Ken Berry]

I am not sure what is causing this -- could be associated with a recent Windows update, and these are usually corrected by installing the latest DirectX update -- see the sticky on that at the top of this forum.

But frankly, I never use Vs for capturing from my Canon HV20 since it does not have the capacity to split-by-scene during capture... and I always prefer working with real files, rather than split "virtual" files. So I use a small freeware capture program called HDVSplit. I am sorry, but I don't have a link for it but a Google search should quickly turn it up.

If you have problems with that, then that would suggest something more serious has happened to your computer... or worse, the camera!

[TrevorS]

Ken,
Thanks for the quick response.
I downloaded the latest Direct X and I tried HDVSplit. I got a similar result with HDVSplit - it controlled the camera OK but no video or sound was captured. I followed some threads from HDVSplit and found a suggestion - reboot the PC with the camera plugged in and on and switched to Play. This did the trick - I am now capturing video/sound successfully. I hadn't thought of that; I had started VS and then connected the camera, and also connected the camera before starting VS withour success.
I am awfully glad there is nothing wrong with the camera.
Once again thanks for your advice.
Regards,
Trevor

[Ken Berry]

Glad you got it working! But I guess your experience just goes to show how many variants there are out there caused by specific computer architecture... In all my years on this Board, this is the first time (I think!) that I have heard this particular solution -=- though I acknowledge that once or twice I have accidentally left my camcorder attached via firewire and switched on to PLAY, and then had to reboot the computer for some unrelated reason. I have then, when the computer boots up, received both the ping sound of a connection having been made and a message saying that a new device has been detected and do I want to use it... Much the same as one of the options I described above.

Anyway, hope this work-around continues to work for you!!

[zeke]

Hi, dlh
I had haven the same problem with you for a weeks. Through few weeks hard test, I found the answer. This problem is subject with the PC hardware.
If you haven't maken it work well, you may plug headphone into the PC or connct the speaker box and PC, besides adapting all suggestion upon of course. Then open your VS X2, try to capture the Canon video camera again.
I founde it in occsionary. For my PC hardware, it has "Realtek High Definition Audio" sound device. Under Windows 7 64bit home basic version, without headphone or speaker, the sound device icon at the right bottem corner of the windows bar is "DISABLE"! At this situation, I had tried so many times, for intance, reinstall VS pro X2, restall Windows 7, Windows vista, even install VS pro 11, even VS 9 and Windows XP etc. Only VS 9 + Windows XP can capture my Panasoic vedio camera( VS 9 used Ulead capture program and run under XP, VS11 run under vista, VS11 and VS X2 use Corel capture program) . I send help email and called the technicl support phone for help., but no answer. It make me so dispointed.
Occsionaly, I left the headphone on the PC after hear music. I deside to install VS X2 for a time before I throw it away, I find it CAPTUR video well suddenly.