Promblem Using Panasonic HD1200A in Final Cut
by Todd Drezner
on
Nov 10, 2006 at 7:02:28 pm
I rented a Panasonic HD1200A deck to load DVC ProHD material that I'm using in a documentary. I've used the deck successfully before on the same computer I'm using now.
This time, every time I go into log and capture, FCP gives me an error message saying it is unable to initialize the deck. All audio/video settings and capture settings are correct. I've changed firewire cables, switched ports, and finally switched computers, but the same problem continues. On the second computer, we found that if the deck was connected to the computer, the computer did not recognize our external firewire lacie drive. When we disconnected the deck, the drive appeared.
Both computers are dual 2.5 G5s with 1 GB RAM running FCP 5.1. If anyone has any ideas about why this might be happening, I'd appreciate it. Thanks,
Re: Promblem Using Panasonic HD1200A in Final Cut by Alan Lacey on Nov 10, 2006 at 7:30:54 pm
I had a similar problem recently.
Lots of menu options in the 1200 to get right, then it only worked when I rebooted and connected it to my PCI FireWire card, not the Mac FW bus. Don't ask me why.
Re: Promblem Using Panasonic HD1200A in Final Cut by walter biscardi on Nov 10, 2006 at 7:35:32 pm
[Todd Drezner]"This time, every time I go into log and capture, FCP gives me an error message saying it is unable to initialize the deck. All audio/video settings and capture settings are correct. I've changed firewire cables, switched ports, and finally switched computers, but the same problem continues"
First off, ensure you did NOT connect the 1200A to your computer while the 1200A was powered up. If so, you've fried the firewire port. This has happened quite a bit through folks here on the Cow and it's something Panasonic fixed with the 1400.
Second, ensure that the 1200A is in Remote. There's a hard switch on the front of the deck.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
http://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network's "Good Eats"
HD Editorial for "Assignment Earth"
"I reject your reality and substitute my own!" - Adam Savage, Mythbusters
Re: Promblem Using Panasonic HD1200A in Final Cut by Mark Raudonis on Nov 11, 2006 at 4:26:20 am
This deck has almost 900 individual menu items. There's probably a dozen or so if incorrectly set can ruin your day.
If you rented this deck, go back to your vendor, and have them demonstrate that it will work on THEIR computer. If it does, with no further menu items changed, then you've got the problem.
Re: Promblem Using Panasonic HD1200A in Final Cut by walter biscardi on Nov 11, 2006 at 3:00:45 pm
[Alan Lacey]"Walter thanks for that post, it's silly little things like this that can seriously screw you up when your in a hurry."
I heard about one company that fried four brand new G5's like that. The 1200A didn't work on the first machine, so they connected it to the second machine, then the third, then the fourth. the 1200A had been powered up the whole time. Luckily they purchased everything from a great VAR who offered to get the machines repaired at no charge.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
http://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network's "Good Eats"
HD Editorial for "Assignment Earth"
"I reject your reality and substitute my own!" - Adam Savage, Mythbusters
