Hello

I really need some help here- (urgent!!!)

I am trying to output a sequence (only 30 seconds long) to a DV tap using my Sony HVR-V1e and the digital cut

I have the deck recognised

I have set the digital cut to Output Mode RT DV25 

Entire Sequence / Stop on Dropped frames / Add balck at tail - I have tried various combinations

Deck control is remote / Ignore time for time code as my timeline starts at 59:00:00 and my tape is not striped that far in advance

Crash record (not an editing deck)

When I press the big red button, there is some communication between the app and the camera and the tape rolls a bit pauses and then stops and then nothing.

Please can anybody tell me how I can get my timeline onto Mini DV tape as this needs to go out ASAP

Thanksin advance

Neil

Are you getting an error message? Open the console window and see what information is generated when you attempt your digital cut.

Hello - Yes I seem to be getting this error message

Exception caught in APlayer::Play - Exception: ADM_DIO_ERROR_OCCURRED, DIOerr:Flamethrower timeout: Transmit request timed out 200.188000 milliseconds

I recall getting this message as well when trying to run the timeline with the camera connected.

This makes me very annoyed - why oh why does MC3 not just work!

So I have done some research on the forums on this flamethrower timeout error and it seems to be related to the firewire settings on your computer  and whatever -

well here is my flamethrow exception to Avid -

Once again Liquid (which just works - all the time every time) has to come to the rescuse because MC3 cannot do the simple thing of playing a timeline through to the end with a camera attached.

So you can edit in MC3 but woe betide the person who wants to actually output to tape- if you can get it right then well done otherwise tough luck to you.

This is not good enough Avid - get it right or pack it up!

End of my flamethrower - I will also call timeout on this useless feature as well.

.

Neil, if you get some time, take a look at my settings for this and do a new test, you have already choosed " ignore time" how about " video effect safe mode "

Thomas

Thank you for this - I have tried all the settings - I can get MC3 to stop giving this error when the camera is on and the timeline is being played back, I did this in the video output setting by switcing off the output to DV or something like that.

BUt for recording back to tape from Avid, this does not work. By now I could stand on my head and whistle dixie, it does not work.

So for me this funciton is a lie and it shows up MC3 as being an inacapble and unstable product.

Neil:

A flamethrower timeout is almost always a firewire connectivity issue with the deck. Usually, the best way to solve it is to restart the computer AND re-cycle power at the deck, with the deck on while the restart is in progress. Then launch the application and see what happens. I'm assuming you're not using a Mojo BOB and that the deck is connected to the FW port on the motherboard.

Larry, Neil's mobo uses a VIA VT6308P firewire controller, not a TI chipset based one.  This could be the root of his problem.

Neil, see if you can beg, borrow or steal a Texas Instruments-based firewire card, and plug your deck directly into that.  It should help.

jwrl:

Larry, Neil's mobo uses a VIA VT6308P firewire controller, not a TI chipset based one.  This could be the root of his problem.

Nice catch John, most likely the prob

Thanks Tomas, but I can't claim any great wisdom here.  You'll note that I use an ASUS mobo as Neil does which is why I know Asus use VIA firewire controllers on at least some of their mobos.  I've added my own Pyro (TI based) firewire card to meet Avid requirements.

My previous Gigabyte mobo used a TI firewire controller, for anyone interested in building their own.

Yes, I have been using Gigabyte boards myself on all my editing builds for the last more than 10 years, they have always served me well.

My current main editing sys is beginning to be 3 years and I have looked at replacements but this sys just runs so very very good so that I really see no need to, I just got myself a certified videocard instead.

As a newbee with Media Composer, less than a year with the app, I am capturing both Sd and Hd from differnt cams as well as using my canopus bob for tape capturing, I have so far, knock on wood, never seen any of the probs sometimes described by other users, it all just works.

Hello Everyone

Thanks for the discussion around this - Larry I have tried all the possible variables around re-booting and turning the camera on and off with power down on the PC etc - I have in fact (I think) tried every variation known to mankind -

The only conclusion is that this function does not work in MC3 for me.

Unfortunately I have only 2 PCI slots on this machine -one for a video card (fair enough) and one for a sound card - because - surprise surprise - MC3 does not like onboard sound.

So a firewire card is not a quick fix option for me.

So now MC3 does not like onboard firewire. Once again why am I not surprised - if it does not work its because you have the wrong hardware - from sound card to video card to firewire card. (Not even Apple is this proprietary)

And excuse if I am mistaken - but it is my understanding that firewire is a standard? Thousands of other vendors implement firewire solutions without prescribing which vendor you use.

In 2009 this is not not good enough  - based on MC3 not being able to complete very very basic functions (see the export issue in another thread) my current conclusion is that MC3 is a weak editor and should only be sold as a turnkey solution to big studios.

It certainly does not belong in the more modern smaller / boutique production houses as it is basically unable to provide a robust level of service without a really expensive support contract and very specific hardware.

This approach will see Avid out of business in the next year o two.

But regardless of my opinions of the product - please be aware that I do really appreciate the messengers and the assistance that they provide.

Avid is costing me money and stress and mayvbe it  is time to look for an editor that works like it is 2009 and not 1999.

adamsonn:

So now MC3 does not like onboard firewire.

Neil, you are an old Liquid user, for Liquid, it has been published strong recommendations not to use a Via chipset, there is no official recommendations, yet, to not use Via chipsets together with Media Composer, you might just listen to us other users telling you that this might be a fact, your current machine with the Via chipset would be almost impossible to run Liquid on I think.

OK, let's look at where you could be having problems.  You have an Asus P5QL-EM Motherboard - as pointed out above, Asus use VIA's implementation of firewire.  This does have timing issues, where the TI chipset doesn't.

Your system has one physical hard drive, a 160 Gb SATA drive, which has been partitioned into C and D drives.  Even though you specify that D is just a data drive, Avid will still attempt to use it for media unless you take specific steps to avoid this.  In such a circumstance you will almost inevitably suffer buffer underruns.  It would be smarter not to partition that drive at all.  That way you can guarantee that your 500 GB drive will be all that's used for media.

Your video card is an Nvidia 7600 GS.  Even for a games card that's getting a little long in the tooth.  An Avid approved Quadro would definitely serve you better.  That card occupies your PCI-e x16 slot, and your Audigy sound card is in your single PCI slot.  You are thus left with two PCI-e x1 slots for possible expansion.  A Pyro API-316 PCI-e fireWire card should fit the bill nicely.