FCP won't start when DV device is attched

I am running the very latest version of FCP (all updates installed) on a G5 single 1.6 GHz with 2 gigs of RAM. If it makes any difference the program was bought via apple education discout.

Basically, when I plug in my dv camera (firewire) with the intent of capturing footage, FCP will not even start up all the way. It gets stuck on that load-up rectangle and then the dock shows it as Not-Responding, you can sit there and wait forever but it never comes up.

The dv camera is a cannon ZR80. While trying to isolate the problem I found that iMovie will startup, but it also goes unresponsive when I tell it to talk to the camera. I updated quicktime pro (7.0.3), but it also won't talk to the camera.

Is this a camera problem or a software problem...?
How do I fix it?

Is the camera in VTR mode when you plug it in and launch FCP?

Also, have you tried launching FCP first, then plugging in and switching on the camera?

Are you using any external FireWire peripherals?

The camera is in VTR mode.

I have tried starting then plugging in once, I seem to recall it didn't work. For the sake of assuring myself I will try again but I think it didn't help.

As for firewire peripherals...
I have a Lacie external Hard dirve which plugs into another of my firewire ports. I am going to try running the HD through my usual camera port to see if somehow the port is fried.

Any other ideas?

> I have tried starting then plugging in once, I seem to recall it didn't work.
> For the sake of assuring myself I will try again but I think it didn't help.

Ethan, try to avoid just telling us "it didn't work". What message do you get, if any? Does FCP freeze, crash, unexpectedly quit? Or does FCP function, but fail to control the camera?

Have you tried hooking up the camera but unhooking the Lacie drive, to see if there's a difference?

Try this as well

[docs.info.apple.com]

Jude, I tried your link and did as it suggested, I recieved the exact same results.

I suppose I should clearify the "exact same results" and "it didn't work"

I am getting exactly this literally everytime I try to open Final Cut with the camera plugged in and turned on in VTR mode:

Final Cut runs through its setup routine in that load-up rectangle
When it reaches the step where it checks for DV device, the entire program locks up. I get no erorr message of any sort, but according to the dock and the "Force Quit Applications" menu FCP is in status "Not Responding" No matter how long I wait it will not open or become reponsive again. After this I force quit the program. I don't recieve any apple notification window such as "The Application Final Cut Pro has unexpectedly Quit. Would you like to submit a bug report." Which is what I would expect to see.... It pretty much just dissapears. It will open again if I turn off or unplug the camera, but otherwise it just does the same thing again.

Heres what happens if I open FCP then try to activate the camera instead:
FCP continues to function as long as I do not try to use the camera. If however I try to perform a function such as Log and Capture or Print to Video the program locks up on "Initializing DV Device" There is once again no error message of any sort, it just goes into program not responding mode.

Not having the Lacie drive plugged in makes no difference. Using a different port for the camera makes no difference. Other devices do function through the port in question.

One of my friends has suggested maybe this is an addware problem. Just wondering if this is a possiblility and if so what is a safe antivirus program to run with FCP. (I know Norton doesn't deal particularly well with the production suite...)

>Other devices do function through the port in question.

Have you tried the other devices using the same FW cable? Have you tried a different FW cable with the camera?
Sometimes the simplest problems are overlooked, as I know many of hours have been spent on trouble shooting expensive equipment only to find it was a $10 cable causing the problem.