Hi guys! I'm a brand new Avid MC user and I need some help.

Actually, I'm not really a "user" but an IT tech in an university and I must give support to the "vid pros" using Avid MC and I'm kinda lost.

So I apologize in advance for my (sort of...) lack of knowledge about video production/processing/edition.

OK...first of all, even if this could has nothing to do with that, here's the setup:

Computer

• Intel S5000XVN Workstation board
• 2x Quad Xeon E5420
• 4 GB of RAM
• Quadro FX 3700
• 750 GB HDD (the edition is firewire external HDD based...Glyph GT050Q)
• Firewire 400/800 PCIe 1x card (I guess Startech...)

Softwares

• Windows XP Pro SP3
• Avid Media Composer 2.7 (v3.0 is in the mail...)
• Quicktime 7.4.5.67
• WMP 10
• F-Secure 7.11
• What else?!

Camera

• Panasonic DVCPro HD P2 AG-HVX200AP

Both for you and me, I'll keep it simple.

On this camera, there are a slide button to switch between 2 media; P2 card or mini-DV tape.
And beside this switch, you can see a button to switch from "live" mode ("camera" red dot light On) to "recording/playback" (MCR/VCR green dot light On) mode.

(Sorry for the blurry pic...cell phone, you know...)

The problem is that I get "no input signal present" when I'm on Tape & Live mode at the same time.

On P2 media, I have no single problem acquiring feed on both live or recording mode, even if there is no P2 card inside. Ok...with no card I see nothing on record mode but at least, I have a signal.

On tape mode, MC has no problem with the signal as long as I'm on the "record" mode. Moreover, and it's the most weird part, IF I start MC with the camera on "record" mode AND then switch on "live" mode, it works!

Is it clear enough?! I mean that MC says there's no input signal on "live" mode (mini-DV) as long as I didn't start it while the camera is on "record/playback" mode...

So it's not a cable/firewire card/PC problem (kind of thing you'll usually look at when you have a "no signal" error message). Note that Windows itself has no problem with the camera on both media and both mode.

So is it "normal"? Is it a camera bug or the problem is on the Media Composer side?!

If it's a kind of bug, do you think the 3.0 version will solve it?

I know what you're thinking...you wanna say that we just have to do the record/live switch trick and we'll be OK...true but I'm affraid that this bug (if it's a bug) hides more serious problems that will occur in the future. I imagine you know what I mean...

So thanks for your help and...patience! And I really hope that all this make some sense to you. ;)

Just a note to say that I'll order a Pyro Firewire card...just to make sure and be protected against futur problem.

Is this model the best? The board has no PCI slot.

PYRO1394 PCI Express

Any idea?

I'd be glad to have your inputs guys...

Once the deck is on go to deck configuration in the settings and it should find it.