Firewire Problems - Importing DV Clips

Sometimes FCP can't find my camera/deck, giving me the "Continue or Try Again" message box at start up. I'll relaunch FCP and then it finds it. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 start-up attempts. Sometimes it will start fine, then lose the deck after I've been running/importing for a while. Is Firewire typically this unreliable? I import DV footage via Firewire 400. I've replaced the cable, and tried two different decks: a Sony GVD 900 and a small Canon handheld camera. Is there something else I can check/trouble shoot? Is there a better means of importing clips from DV tape than via Firewire?

A setup where you hook up your camera through external HD is not preferred. Problems like yours can occur. Better way is having a second internal HD for captured media.

im starting to think that sometimes it may have to do with the camera/deck.

historically ive ALWAYS hooked my camera/deck to and external FW hard drive and its funny, canon XL2's ALWAYS work just fine as to sony dsr 20/25/45s but i have had repeated connectivity issues with various dsr 30s and 11s.

and there are almost always issues with my little consumer sharp viewcam.

dunno why, just seems the way its worked out

Thanks for the quick response.

Actually, I do capture to a separate, internal Hard Drive - dedicated just for media. I plug a firewire cable into my DV deck and the other end into my Mac. When I launch FCP, sometime it can find the deck, sometimes it can't. I'm thinking of replacing miniDV tpe with a CitiDISK portable hard drive and am curious if I this is a firewire problem or a tape deck/camera problem.

Any advice is appreciated!

BTW, one often overlooked source for all kinds of FW problems lies within the cable itself. Better make sure it is Pro-level and up for the task.