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

[steve]

Hi,

I have kind of same problem. Here is what I have done so far.

Connect my DV cam (Sony) to FireWire port to capture some video. No results.
Try the other port. no result either. I always got a message: no device
detect or an other device is using....

Send a message to ASUS about what seems to be a problem (I am still waiting
for an answer 2 weeks later...).

Post a message here 2 weeks ago. No answer...

Bought a FireWire cars (PCI) on the suggestion of members of the Ulead MSP
newsgroup. Install it. Try to transfert. No results.

So, I take back my old computer (gave it to my girlfriend). I am sure it
was working OK. And it was not used at here place. Connect my DV to it: same
thing happended. Got a message that another device was using the port or
that there is no device.

To my, there is only one explanation: the ASUS board fried something in my
DV cam.

I will test that this week on a computer that is working for the transfert
of video by a FireWire card to see if I'm right.

What do you think?

Thanks

Bernard

I am a newbie, and do not know what to think. I have not purchased my
i875 based board yet, but this is so important to me, I just bought
an expensive camcorder, and I will not take a chance on it period.
And yours seems not to be the only post on this subject. I do not
know what to trust.

I have searched for a i875 chipset board based on a TI firewire
chip.That is a Gigabyte board. I also had some other technical
questions so I called their support number on my own dime, and guess
what, they actually answered my call within a couple minutes and a
very knowledgable person was patient enough with me to answer my very
specific tedious questions. If I decide to put together a pc rather
than buy an apple, I will be doing it around a Gigabyte board. I do
have to say it has been a couple days and Gigabyte has not answered by
email of the same questions I asked the tech, but I got my answers
fast and accurate by calling.

 

[Bernard Mataigne]

Hi,

I just finish testing my DV cam on another computer. It's fried. And the
only explanation is that the FireWire Host on the ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe is
not good. I don't know why or how, but what I am sur of is that I was able
to transfert video from my cam before (on another computer). After trying to
transfert with the FireWire on the ASUS, I was not able to.

Worse than that. I tried with another DV Cam that I had. That one is also
dead. I mean the cams are working OK but are no more recognise by the
computer. I send one of the cam to Sony for repair.

So, don't try to transfert. Now, there are more and more messages about this
problem...

Bernard

 

[Bernard Mataigne]

Hi,

I just finish testing my DV cam on another computer. It's fried. And the
only explanation is that the FireWire Host on the ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe is
not good. I don't know why or how, but what I am sur of is that I was able
to transfert video from my cam before (on another computer). After trying to
transfert with the FireWire on the ASUS, I was not able to.

Worse than that. I tried with another DV Cam that I had. That one is also
dead. I mean the cams are working OK but are no more recognise by the
computer. I send one of the cam to Sony for repair.

So, don't try to transfert. Now, there are more and more messages about this
problem...

Bernard

 

[Litotes]

Been using the firewire port with a cheaper samsung DV camcorder and Adobe
Premiere Pro
and everything works fine. Only problem is that you can not do anything else
while tranfering
video, even changing the window focus will cause transfer to abort, but if
you leave it be
it transfers just fine.

 

[Ted Miller]

On my machine now with the Pyro DV, I can use the machine normally while
captures are going on with no dropped frames or other problems. The
situation you describe is IMO unusable.

 

[Tim]

Hi there,

P4C800 Deluxe, can't use onboard Firewire as always dropping frames but it
has never fried my Sony or Panasonic DV cameras when I have tried using it.

I'm currently using a Sony PC120E, Belkin PCI Firewire card and Adobe
Premier Pro and I also cannot do anything while transferring from the Sony
to the PC. However used to use Premier 6.5 and could do other things while
transferring to the PC so would suggest it could have something to do with
Sony and Adobe. This system does however work perfectly not dropped frames
etc.

Maybe the Pyro DV has a different output to the Sony?

Tim.

 

[steve]

Hi,

I just finish testing my DV cam on another computer. It's fried. And the
only explanation is that the FireWire Host on the ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe is
not good. I don't know why or how, but what I am sur of is that I was able
to transfert video from my cam before (on another computer). After trying to
transfert with the FireWire on the ASUS, I was not able to.

Worse than that. I tried with another DV Cam that I had. That one is also
dead. I mean the cams are working OK but are no more recognise by the
computer. I send one of the cam to Sony for repair.

So, don't try to transfert. Now, there are more and more messages about this
problem...

Bernard

Thanks for the info.
Please post a follow up after you get your camera repaired. Tell us
what the repair was. These minidv cameras are so expensive they can
make the cost of the computer seem a joke in comparison.

Is it possible you did not hook up your firewire port correctly. Is
there actually anything to hook up? It is built into the backplane
isn't it. So there is nothing to 'install' is there? Is there
something that you should have grounded somewhere else on the
motherboard but did not?

Please, can really experienced reader of this board answer. Could
Bernard have hooked something up there or elsewhere on the motherboard
to cause the firewire port to damage his appliance?

Thanks

 

[Bernard Mataigne]

Hi,

You can't mess up with the cable. There is only one way to plug it (at
either end). My cables are good. I have two of them that I was using before,
with another computer and without problem. Somebody write about the
possiblity of a kind of short if you plug the cable when the computer is on
(and the cam). That was not my case. I never do that even it is possible in
theory. My cable is always plug in the computer, I plug the cam, open the
cam. That what I use to do...

So there is no doubt in my mind that the FireWire on that board is not
standard. As the firewire port on the ATI AIW 8500 was not standard, as
probably a lot other... There seem to be different IEEE 1394 standard... Or
is it the Sony that is not compliant? At least the Sony worked with 2 other
FireWire card (one generic and on ADS).

Bye

Bernard

 

[Steve Sr.]

Steve,

This board has 2 firewire ports. One is located on the rear panel with
all of the other I/O connectors. This one had better be wired right as
it connects directly to the motherboard.

The other port is available on the motherboard in the form of a 10 pin
header. This can either be connected to the front panel connector on
the case or run to an additional I/O bracket connector via a cable.

Both of these provide the opportunity for miswiring the cable although
Asus does provide a cable for the rear panel bracket and one would
expect that it is wired correctly but one never knows. The front panel
connector leaves the biggest opportunity for mis-wiring. Here you have
8-10 wires that have to be mated correctly with the corresponding pins
on the motherboard header.

The 1394 interface can supply power to the attached peripheral through
2 pins on the interface. The largest opportunity for damage is if
these are reversed. Electronic devices are polarized and will likely
be damaged by reversed power. The other opportunity for damage would
be to apply the power supply voltage to one of the signal connectors.

I suspect that any hard damage has been caused by mis-wired cables or
mis-labeled connectors. During assembly would be a good time to at
least verify the power connections with a volt meter before plugging
in a peripheral. If the signal connectors are backwards the peripheral
won't work but you shouldn't destroy any hardware.

The dropped frame issue is most likely a software / driver issue not
related to the damage issue.

My $.03

Steve

 

[Z Man]

The Firewire port for the 'internal' conector requires no cable; thus, it
cannot be mis-wired. The bracket port has a wire that is keyed to fit only
one way. Nonetheless, I lost several peripherals. For details, see my
detailed post in this venue about a week or so ago. (Search for the word
'fried' in the subject line.)