Hi folks - first time poster so go with me. It's a bit long-winded but trying to explain the whole story so perhaps someone can help us identify what on earth is going on...
We have two camcorders - an older HVR-A1E and a recently purchased HVR Z5E.
Yesterday we had recorded a game (of soccer) on our old camera (Sony HVR-A1E) and our post match interviews on the new camera (Sony HVR Z5E). When recording the game using the HVR-A1E, we use a Firewire capture the game (via FinalCutPro) in real time any everything was fine – we could then chop up the game for highlights etc.
However, this is when the problems began to kick in.
When we plugged the firewire > DV into the Sony HVR Z5E, the recording never displayed on the Final Cut Pro import as it normally would – and has done any previous time we have used it). We then tried it on another iMac (with the same firewire cable but the same results).
We then tried it on a third machine – a new MacBook Pro – and again nothing. We thought it might have been an issue with the Firewire so we tried another cable on all three devices but again, nothing.
We thought it might be the camera, so we tried putting the tape in the old camera (HVR-A1E) and tried the same as before, with all varieties of computers and firewires but nothing, we again couldn't get it to show up using a firewire port.
We then thought it might be an issue with the tape, so we got out an old tape, that we knew had previously worked, and again tried it on both cameras, various fire wires and different computers and again, nothing.
It's all very strange.
What is worse, not only can we not get our Firewire's (on either camcorder) to talk to the iMacs or MacBook Pro's (even although when we plug it in, the camera recognises it is connected with the HDV OUT ILINK although doesn't display), there now appears to be a problem with the HVR-A1E in that when you turn it on, it crashes and restarts itself constantly, to the point of not being able to use it.
We've the old camcorder since summer 2011 and never once had a problem with it. Indeed, everything was working fine until we plugged in the Z5E to try and take an interview off the camera. We ended up eventually managing to get the interview off the Z5E using the SONY HVR-M15AE (record/playback deck) which, strangely, displayed using Firewire > Firewire connection.
So, where we are is: HVR Z5E appears to work and record fine and as normal, but won't display anything on any machine using Firewire > DV connection. The HVR-A1E doesn't either and, furthermore, when you switch it on, crashes and restarts about seven or eight times, before stabilising and then resetting after 20mins or so. We are completely stumped and have searched the Internet for answers.
We have a few possible theories based on what we've read – some are probably absolutely ridiculous but we're thinking about everything at the moment:
1. The most plausible for us seems to be a build up of static electricity in the first firewire > DV cable we used which could have caused problems in both camcorders?
2. This might be important, it might not be, but the first iMac was tried the cameras on was using an newly upgraded Final Cut Pro (literally upgraded an hour before we plugged it in). I can't see how this would have caused any issue but worth mentioning it.
3. A corrupt tape has caused issues… Again, this seems unlikely, particularly as we had used the tape the previous day with no problems but we did try it in both cameras and, after doing so, the A1E isn't working.
4. The first Mac used has had issues with viruses in the past (we also have Windows installed on it for work purposes). I don't even know if it's possible for camcorders to get viruses etc but again, just throwing everything we can think of into the mix.
Anyway, after explaining that long winded story, we need to try and fix the problems (on both camcorders). The Z5E not allowing us to connect to via Firewire and the A1E is doing the same, but is switching itself off when you turn it on.
If anyone has any advice or thoughts about what on earth is going on, it would be very much appreciated.
Regards,
Alan
