I have a iMac 266 ghz with 2mb ram running on leopard. Although the video editing is smooth, I have a big problem. When I connect my camcorder the the computer (canon xm2 - firewire), my computer just does not register that the XM2 is connected. the problem is this, because I have a MacBook External hardrive connected to my iMac (firewire), BOTH the camcorder and MacBook fail to respond. I had the same problem when I had a P.C (Windows Prof). Is it a firewire 'overload'?. To get my camcorder to capture, I have to unplug the MacBook. Its a catch 22 because I book the Macbook (500gb) to save my Prem Pro projects on!. Any tips would be great!. thanks.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Problems with camcorder firewire AND external hardrive firewire
- Thread starter johnm57
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
266GHz! Yowser, that's fast and with only 2MB RAM I'm thoroughly impressed you can edit video!
Anyway, it does seem like a weird problem. But I don't understand you when you say that the camera doesn't "capture"? Is it you intention to record while it's connected to the Macbook (I thought it was an iMac, btw??)?
Or do you want to use the external HDD to record to?
Basically, I'm just not sure what you want to do, what your problem really is, or what computer you're trying to connect.
Anyway, it does seem like a weird problem. But I don't understand you when you say that the camera doesn't "capture"? Is it you intention to record while it's connected to the Macbook (I thought it was an iMac, btw??)?
Or do you want to use the external HDD to record to?
Basically, I'm just not sure what you want to do, what your problem really is, or what computer you're trying to connect.
266GHz! Yowser, that's fast and with only 2MB RAM I'm thoroughly impressed you can edit video!
Anyway, it does seem like a weird problem. But I don't understand you when you say that the camera doesn't "capture"? Is it you intention to record while it's connected to the Macbook (I thought it was an iMac, btw??)?
Or do you want to use the external HDD to record to?
Basically, I'm just not sure what you want to do, what your problem really is, or what computer you're trying to connect.
thanks for your prompt response.....
the problem is when I start Prem Pro CS3, I have the camcorder plugged into my firewire cable. The other firewire cable is plugged into my MacBook. My intention was to save all Prem Pro files IN the MacBook, but for some reason, when BOTH are connected (I have TWO firewire ports on the back of my iMac), neither of them work. I have to unplug the firewire cable FROM my Macbook in order for my camcorder to work in Prem Pro.
thanks
Okay, these are my suggestions – I assume the MB is in target mode and there isn't some setting on the camera you forgot to use:
Open premier pro, and then connect the camera.
The other suggestion is to connect the Macbook directly to the camera and then simply use the camera as an external HDD.
Another suggestion is that - depending on whether your camera is able to do this (my audio recorder is) - connect the MB in Target Mode directly to the camera, so the camera will think it's an external hdd, and dump the stuff FROM your camera.
I can only think of one other reason why there might be problems: Permissions. By that I mean that your MB isn't partitioned and you haven't ticked off the "ignore permissions on this partition".
Oh, there is of course another possibility: You FW controller might be screwed up
Edit: Come to think of it, does it also do this stall when you don't have premier pro open? Can you see both the camera and the MB in target mode as external HDDs in finder if you don't start PPro?
Okay, these are my suggestions I assume the MB is in target mode and there isn't some setting on the camera you forgot to use:
Open premier pro, and then connect the camera.
The other suggestion is to connect the Macbook directly to the camera and then simply use the camera as an external HDD.
Another suggestion is that - depending on whether your camera is able to do this (my audio recorder is) - connect the MB in Target Mode directly to the camera, so the camera will think it's an external hdd, and dump the stuff FROM your camera.
I can only think of one other reason why there might be problems: Permissions. By that I mean that your MB isn't partitioned and you haven't ticked off the "ignore permissions on this partition".
Oh, there is of course another possibility: You FW controller might be screwed up
Edit: Come to think of it, does it also do this stall when you don't have premier pro open? Can you see both the camera and the MB in target mode as external HDDs in finder if you don't start PPro?
just went out for a cig....
I have partitioned the MB into 2 partitions. there are 2 icons on my screen meaning they have been partitioned. However, when I plug my Xm2 into the other firewire cable, the two partitioned icons disappear from my screen. I did try to find the 'ignore permissions on this partition' but could not find it. I have just been into Imovie with my XM2 camcorder plugged into the other firewire cable, but the isight built in camera is the only camera what comes up. this is really strange. Not quite sure what you mean by 'target' mode. I am new to mac.......
thanks
i don't think you can daisy-chain your camera with a MB the same way you can with an external FW hdd. connect the camera directly to the imac, save your projects on the MB afterwards and your problems would be solved. or you can just get an external FW hdd and do the daisy-chaing thing.
Well, new is okay. I'm still having trouble understanding whether you want the camera to be recognised as a camera (because you want to use it as a form of webcam) or you want to dumb recordings already made on the camera to the Macbook?
Target mode is when one holds down "T" on the keyboard while booting, so a firewire icon shows. This way, the computer acts like nothing more than a Firewire Harddisk. This way you can dump and or record directly to the partition (if partitioned with the correct format and your camera supports external HDDs).
(I'm sorry, it would be much easier if I could see the equipment "live", but alas … ).
The "ignore ownership" (it's a translation from my danish os, so I think that's the correct wording in english) "ticker" can be found if you select the partition where you don't have the OS installed (I take it that you did NOT erase it all when you partitioned!?) and right click (ctrl-click) and choose "show info". There at the very bottom there should be box you can tick.
I need to verify whether you want to use the camera as a web cam or simply dumb already recorded stuff to the MB?
thanks for the info. there is a 'tick' already there at 'ignore ownership on this volume'. i do not want to use the camera a a web cam. I am a wedding videographer and bought the external hdd for me to save files from prem pro (the imac only comes with 260gb). When I partitioned the external hdd, the hardrive was empty anyway. I just clicked on Mac OS Extended (Journaled - whatever THAT means!).
Wait, so you DON'T have a MacBook (as in "a laptop from Apple"), but "only" an iMac and an "ordinary" Firewire external HDD?
If it's an ordinary harddisk, I wouldn't partition it with a journaled OS X format (unless you want to use it as a boot disk), but rather, say, FAT32 (with all the inherent flaws of that), simply because it makes it more compatible with everything. I think this might be part of the problem.
Anyway, if it's an ordinary harddisk, ignore all the stuff about target mode, and see if you can connect it directly to the camera (it might need to be chosen in a camera menu), and then dump directly, completely foregoing the intermediate iMac.