camcorder not recognised

My system (XP, SP2) is not detecting my camcorder. I have had no problems up to now (everthing has been working OK for some years). I've tried installing an 'imaging device' but XP only offers digital camera options. I wondered if the new firewire card I installed was duff, but it does not work with a USB cable connection either. I've scoured the net for drivers etc from MS, Panasonic etc but no joy.

Any suggestions?

 

You had an "old" Firewire card/controller? The drivers from the old Firewire might be conflicting with the new ones. I would go backwards and uninstall all the Firewire, then reinstall the new one.

Can you connect the camcorder to another computer with Firewire to check the cable, etc?

Matt

 

At the moment I am discounting the firewire link because I've connected via a USB port (which, as I said, doesn't work either). Interestingly, with the camcorder connected, when I switch it on I get the 'ding, dong' tone indicating that the system would seem to have recognised that something has been connected (and similarly when I switch it off) so why does XP not then say 'new hardware device detected'?

.... a few minutes later...

I've just followed the 'troubleshoot' process and eventually it told me to uninstall the driver. This I did, and when I switched the camera on again XP detected it, reinstalled the driver and said 'new hardware...' - however, I still can't capture video from the camera !

 

I haven't captured video before. I expect you need to configure the capture software. Look for instructions in that program.

 

Re the 'capture' software - I had a chat with the program vendor's helpline and at their suggestion tried a 'capture' via Win Moviemaker, which also failed. Their conclusion from this was that the problem is outside any software program, which I tend to agree with.
The next step is to borrow a friend's camcorder and see if that works. If it does, then it is looking as if there is going to be a sharp pain in the wallet !
Watch this space.

 

I have just tried a borrowed camcorder on the system, with exactly the same result (i.e., no capture - at least that suggests that I won't have to buy a new camcorder!).
The current situation is that My Computer now lists not only my Olympus camera, but also a camcorder, which is at least a small step forward (except that previously it stated that it was a Panasonic but now it's unspecified), but still no success with 'capture'.
You're right Steve, I shall try it on another PC - more news later.

 

Latest news:
I have just taken my camcorder over to my friend's PC, with a quite unexpected result.
My friend's PC does not recognise my camcorder, BUT - IT DOESN'T RECOGNISE HIS EITHER !! In fact, the results on his PC are EXACTLY the same as on mine. Admittedly he now has a Sony as opposed to a Canon, but he (we) tried everything to get his PC to install his camcorder with precisely the same result as on my PC. As with me, he has previously captured quite happily for some time but not any longer.
My next step will be to try an XP repair via my recovery disc (which means uninstalling SP2 and re-installing it), and if that doesn't work I'm looking at the dreaded XP reinstall, with all that entails.

 

What mode is the camcorder in when attached too the XP PC's? I recall with my Sony I had to switch to payback mode on the camcorder for it to "seen" in XP. My set-up is a desktop unit with a fire wire card.

 

CD Options list

The camcorder is always set to Playback, and I have tried connecting via Firewire and USB - always zilch.

 

As I said, I have only touched on it, but one or two "rules" I know is that Firewire is the preferred method over USB and not to run the camcorder on battery power when connecting to the PC.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have always run 'capture' via a Firewire link and I have always used the camcorder on battery - previously never any problems (except when I occasionally forgot to switch on !!)