P4C800-E Deluxe - Capturing Video Through the M/B's Firewire Port(s)

[Paul]

Hi

After building my new NLE system around this M/B I find that there are
problems when capturing Video direct through either one of it's firewire
ports. I am not the only one and from my research it seems it's down to the
Via OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Controller. If you happen to have another
firewire port on your system in say a capture card, or in my case, on the
back of my Audigy 2 ZS SoundCard, capture works just fine, without any
dropped frames at all. This seems such a basic problem to have (AFAIK) no
solution that I can find on what is after all a top of the range M/B

Anyone found information or a solution?
Paul


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[Philip Callan]

Hi

After building my new NLE system around this M/B I find that there are
problems when capturing Video direct through either one of it's firewire
ports. I am not the only one and from my research it seems it's down to the
Via OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Controller. If you happen to have another
firewire port on your system in say a capture card, or in my case, on the
back of my Audigy 2 ZS SoundCard, capture works just fine, without any
dropped frames at all. This seems such a basic problem to have (AFAIK) no
solution that I can find on what is after all a top of the range M/B

Anyone found information or a solution?
Paul

I have this board, and capture flawlessly from the onboard 1394, the one in
my Antec front
panel (which is off a MB header) as well as the one in my Audigy 2
(dont know what a ZS model is, but its all firewire).

I use a Canon ZR65MC what camera are you using?

 

[Paul]

I use a Panasonic NV-MX300 and the Audigy 2 ZS is the new model. After
visiting a number of forums, there are others who suffer like myself but
there doesn't seem to be a solution and the Asus & Via websites are
pityfully scant concerning this connectivity.


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[Philip Callan]

Umm, what do you need from VIA? I own this board,
and I dont think I needed a VIA driver for anything, thats why I bought a
Intel chipset board.

 

[Paul]

So basically I've bought a very expensive M/B which is useless Firewire-wise
unless you install another card with Firewire connectivity right? This is
clearly a big issue yet nobody seems to want to do something about it other
than put up with it. It's no answer to say "it doesn't affect me".

Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!

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[Philip Callan]

So basically I've bought a very expensive M/B which is useless Firewire-wise
unless you install another card with Firewire connectivity right? It's

no answer to say "it doesn't affect me".

No. Where did I say anything akin to that? I said I dont experience this
problem, but never said anything
about it being useless firewire wise.

This is
clearly a big issue yet nobody seems to want to do something about it other
than put up with it.

It's only a big issue to you at the moment, because you cant capture video,
trust me, it'll
boil down in a bit. I dont have to 'put up with it' because *I* havent seen
it, remember the
saying 'Your mileage may vary'? not everyone is going to be able to
replicate your problem.

And, once again, I say, I have captured FLAWLESSLY through the Firewire port
ON my MB's backplate AND via the 2nd Firewire header which use the VIA OHCI
compliant
controller onboard (which does not need a driver of its own, its part of the
875P chipset package
you install), and via the Audigy2's firewire which lists a vague 'IEEE 1394
OHCI Compliant
Host Controller Vendor' as the maker of the chip.

Perhaps if you were to elaborate on what program you are capturing with,
what speed of HD you use
and your basic system specs (RAM/CPU). Your very quick to rant about the
lack of help, but your
not giving much to work with.

 

[Tim]

Hi there,

I have the same problem on a P4C800-D with a Audigy 2 Platinum the onboard
Firewire port drops loads of frames use the Audigy Firewire port very few if
any dropped frames.

I'm going to remove the Audigy and see if there is a difference but looks
like some problem with the onboard Firewire port.

I'm using Sony PC120E, Adobe Premier Pro also tried Pinnacle Studio and
Expressions 2 all exhibit the same problem of dropped frames when using the
onboard Firewire port.

Just pleased I've got the Audigy with it's Firewire ports but an odd one.

Tim.

 

[Paul]

Thanks Tim for baling me out here. I KNOW I am not the only person
experiencing this problem.

However further research suggests it could be a clash with the RAID
controller. I am using 2 x WD Raptors (SATA 150) set it a RAID
configuration for my OS (XP Pro & SP1a) and Programs. This is installed on
the Intel ICH5R Controller. My Storage volume is on 2 x Seagate Barracuda
7's (SATA 150) again set in a RAID 0 configuration. I am running a P4 3Ghz
and a Gigabyte 9800 Pro Graphics card. I am not overclocking anything.
Capture will be via a Pinnacle DV500 card which I have not yet installed
using Adobe Premiere 6.5, however I don't intend installing this card until
next week. In the meantime I am using Adobe Premiere Pro to capture DV
direct through a firewire port. This would appear to be afflicting RAID
users, I think, Philip do you use a RAID configuration? - if not then this
further points to this might be the problem. As you say Philip, it's
strange that the onboard ports don't work and an external one will that said
I have never rated Via - bad experiences but that's an entirely different
matter - I appreciate what you say though regarding the fact that additional
drivers are not required, although if the problem is related to one of the
RAID controllers (which one?) then updated drivers will indeed be necessary.

Paul

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[Steve Sr.]

Paul,

Any chance that this is an interrupt sharing issue? according to the
motherboard manual the onboard 1394 controler shares an interupt with
PCI slot 4. You might also want to check for other resource conflicts.

My $.02

Steve

 

[Tim]

Hi there,

A couple of things obviously I'm using a P4C800-Deluxe not the P4C800-E
Deluxe also I'm not using a raid configuration at the moment just using my
raid controller in IDE mode.

I must admit haven't tried to use the onboard Firewire port in the
configuration as I only reinstalled in this mode a week ago will give it a
try later in the week and report back.

Tim.

 

[Philip Callan]

Thanks Tim for baling me out here. I KNOW I am not the only person
experiencing this problem.

However further research suggests it could be a clash with the RAID
controller. This would appear to be afflicting RAID
users, I think, Philip do you use a RAID configuration?

Nope, I dont use either RAID on either controller, so your right, it may
only affect certain users
worth looking at twice

 

[Paul]

Steve - I had completely overlooked this, thanks M8 - I may have over
reacted - yes looking at things I have installed my Audigy 2 ZS in PCI slot
4 and as you quite rightly mention this shares the Via 1394 controller!
I'll look again at my M/B manual and swap the Audigy for another
"appropriate" slot. At present I'm running with a cheap 56kps modem in
another slot, but I'm taking this out later in the week for a USB
replacement. I will also be installing a Pinnacle DV500 card too so I'll
check the pci slots carefully. This is probably it - I will report back at
the end of the week - thanks everyone.

Paul

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[johnwall]

Nope, I dont use either RAID on either controller, so your right, it may
only affect certain users
worth looking at twice

Folks,

I've got the ASUS P4C800 Deluxe and I've got one IDE drive setup for
the OS and two SATA drives setup in a RAID 0 configuration. I also am
unable to capture video from the onboard firewire ports. I've tested
everything except for taking the RAID configuration off the system.
My camera (a Sony DCR-PC100 and cable work fine on my other system (an
HP Pavillion). I've tried to capture with Pinnacle Studio 8 (full
version) and Movie Maker both without luck.

I'm going to pick up an external firewire card now and will see if
that resolves the problem. If so, I'll be upset that the Promise
drivers didn't deliver on their promise (pun intended), but will at
least have a solution! It sucks that a high-end board would ship with
drivers that obviously have not been tested together, but hey, that's
capitalism at it's worst!

Cheers,

SK

 

[johnwall]

Nope, I dont use either RAID on either controller, so your right, it may
only affect certain users
worth looking at twice

OK - I can't tell you that the firewire onboard the ASUS P4C800
incombination with the Promise RAID controller is what's causing the
problem. What I can tell you with some authority is that an external
Firewire card resolves the problem and allows me to capture video
flawlessly.

I wish motherboard makers would test their boards more completely, but
if wishes were money, I'd be a billionaire by now!

 

[DanO]

I have the same issue, using the Promise RAID Controller for a RAID 0 stripe
set. The VIA firewire doesn't capture correctly, yet a cheapo add-in PCI
firewire card works great. Haven't tried without the RAID setup.

DanO

 

[BoB]

What kind of transfer rates are we talking here?
We have the P4C-800E-Deluxe at our shop and a external
120 gig maxtor firewire/usb2 drive that does 12MB/s sustained
over usb2! Running dual raptors stripped on promise controller.
Does this mean that it won't work for firewire?

 

[Tim]

Hi there,

The issue for me has been that it will capture via the onboard Firewire port
but it continuously drops frames whereas using a PCI Firewire card or Audigy
2 card with Firewire port it hardly drops any frames.

Tim.

 

[Paul]

Please read my above response to Steve's - I agree with him that it's
probably an IRQ conflict?

Paul

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[GSeals]

I've been reading this thread with great interest because I have a
similar problem. I took the advise and moved my soundcard from slot
4, and the onboard ports work again. However, I can not capture
video with my DV camcorder using a firewire connection, either by the
onboard ports or a stand alone pci card. The camers isn't recoginzed
when connected. I'm currently using Nero Ultra 6, but have also tried
U-Lead 7.0, the ATI supplied software (updated from the web,) the HP
supplied software (also updated,) as well as, ugh, Windows Movie
Maker. I don't think the ports are the problem because peripherals
such as firewire external hard drives work as they should when
connected. Eventhough I am able to capture video via the analog
connectors, I would really like to get the DV capture working.
Everything else (games, audio recording etc) runs great. So, my
question is, should I be able to capture video via a DV firewire
connection with the following setup? Please note that I asked the
same question to ATI tech support via email, and the response was to
flash to the latest MB BIOS (I did that at first boot and have v1010)
and make sure the chipset drivers were installed (that was done after
I first installed Windows XP.)

Asus P4P800 deluxe (not overclocked)
P4 2.4 800fsb
ATI All In Wonder 9800 Pro
1 gig Corsair PC4000 twinx
S-ATA RAID 0 with 2 Matxor DiamondMax plus 9 120's
HP DVD Writer 200i
M-Audio Revolution 7.1
Windows XP Home (updated regularly)
Sony DCR TRV-8 mini DV camcorder

Thank you for the help that anyone may offer. I intend to crosspost
this in the DV video newsgroup.

GSeals (not a newbie)

 

[Hmmm]

1. Have you verified that WinXP has recognized your ATI board's
firewire port. On one system I had with Fasttrak ATA 4-channel RAID,
SB Audigy (w/firewire), and ATI All-in-Wonder 8500, even with
IRQ sharing both firewire ports simply wouldn't fly. There was on
my ATI board a DIP switch that turned of the firewire port (for
occasions much like this one. Does yours have one? Info on what
that switch was for was posted (a bit late.)..
on the website

2. Is the camera new? Have you tried downloading on a
system you've checked out?

3. For a plain old vanilla capture app, have you tried
virtualdub? Its used alot over at a.b.multimedia.utilities.

--Walter Neighbors

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you trust?" -anon.