DSR-20 pauses during capture. Hardware or Software?

Weirdest thing.
I've been capturing DVCAM PAL material through my DSR-20 to my G-4 dual 800 right to a G-Tech 500, using OSX 10.4.7 and the latest Quicktime 7.whatever, using FCP 4.5 and "capture now." not "batch capture". Just downloaded these OSX and Quicktime updates before starting this project.

I've been capturing material using the DSR-20 for years.( Hours meter: Drum rotation 0142 X 10H; threating 0493 x 10H) Now all of a sudden the capture stops (pause symbol blinks on the recorder). apparently when the tape hits a spot where the camera had been stopped while the cameraman shifted angles or shots, or locations. The stuff was shot on a PD-150 PAL. I've been using the camera for a couple of years with no trouble. Tapes were new Panasonic Mini-DV ME M60 in SP. Of course I checked the time code, but there are no breaks in it. The tape plays clean when I'm not capturing. That's why I have to believe it's a software problem. . Problem seems to arise only when the shots change. Can't figure it. Is there an "Update Software" issue here?

By the way, same problem arises when I capture to an internal 80 gig disk, not the external G-Tech.

I've also captured DV-PAL tape shot on a Canon XM-1 (PAL version of the GL-1)right to the G-Tech, and to Video 1 internal. No problem with the Capture. (Although when I put the Canon material into the DSR-20 it coughs and jerks. Sometimes I have to reboot the DSR-20 to get it to settle down.)

Then I took the DSR-20 to my Imac Intel with FCP 5. 1 I recently downloaded all of the updates to that as well, so both machines were running the same OSX and Quicktime. And yes, I got the same problem.Long interviews with static camera are fine, but switch the shot once or twice and the capture stops. But the 5.1 gives me an error message when the capture stops by itself. Says there's an Audio problem, the tape and presets on the computer don't match. But when I checked all the boxes and menus they do match. DV-Pal etc. All are 48kz (but the LCD on the DSR-20 reads Fs 32k. I tried resetting the DSR-20 to 32 to match the tape, but still had same capture problem. Didn't try to reset the capture presets on FCP. Stuck with DV-Pal as usual.)

I'm open to suggestions. The PD-150 wasn't mine, so I can't check the settings, but there was no problem during the shooting.

I ran the head-cleaner on the DSR-20. No difference. Still jams up when the shots change. Very strange stuff.

Thanks for any ideas?

Double checked. Played two other tapes in DSR-20, both read Fs48k. The problematic tapes were apparently recorded at Fs32k. I can capture them and they're 48 in the Quicktime files, apperently FCP converts the 32 to 48. I assume that the Fs32k v. Fs48k is the culprit.

Didn't check the camera audio settings when we started shooting. Does it make sense this is the problem? Would it cause the capture to pause and stop? By the way, a 30-minute interview goes smoothly in capture. Problem is just when the shots or scenes or locations change by camera stop and start.

You violated the Tiger/QT7/FCP5 rule. Try this:

[docs.info.apple.com]

Koz

Thanks Koz

I'm downloading Quicktime 7.1.2 again. Will reinstall it on the Imac Intel.

But the problem also exists on the G-4 running FCP 4.5, not FCP 5. Although I did download 7.1.2 there as well.

I completed capturing two very long interviews without a hitch.
Problem pops up when the camera starts and stops recording a shot.
One long shot isn't a problem, even at Fs32k.

By the way, if I still have the quicktime download in a folder, can I use that rather than downloading the same file again from Apple?

LP

Hi Koz

I tried your suggestion.Erased the Quicktime 712 files from library/receipts. Downloaded the new quickime file, which I believe is what I already had, and restarted the computer (I didn't unistall 7.1.2 before I downloaded and installed, nor did I empty the trash of the receipts, if that matters.). In any case when I restarted the computer, and tried to recapture the problematic sections, the capture halted at exactly the same spots it halted before. I have to assume it's not a Quicktime Receipts problem.

Any other ideas?

Thanks
LP

<<<Any other ideas?>>>

Yes, the original idea. It's usually a bad idea to cross versions. The officially blessed version is Tiger/FCP5/QT7. The other good combination is Panther/FCP4.5/QT6.

You have to have installed Tiger fresh, not the upgrade. If you cross any of those versions--you don't have one of the combinations listed above--you may have troubles because the odd versions don't always talk to each other properly.

That causes the most troubles. The "receipts" thing will cure most of the oddities, but not all.

Koz