Firewire video transfer from camcorder to pc is pixelated

[hsbridge]

I'm trying to transfer video from a Canon ZR800 camcorder to my pc using a 4-pin to 4-pin firewire cable. The PC recognizes the camcorder no problem, but as soon as I start the transfer process, the video image in the preview screens of both the camera and the pc show that the video is randomly pixelating as the video is transferring.

When I disconnect the firewire connection the video image on the camera plays smoothly....plug it back into the pc with the cable and it pixelates.

I have tried the camera and the cable on two different computers with the same result.

Is it likely that the cable is defective or am I missing something?

Many thanks,
Helen

 

[g00fysmiley]

you're missing something; the system is taxed when you are doign the transfer do it can't transfer the file while at the same time processing full images to the lcd ... happens on my sony too

 

[hsbridge]

Unfortunately, I'm still having a problem....

As you suggested, I closed the LCD screen on the camera and tried to do the video transfer, but same pixelating problem occurs. I can still see the pixelating in the preview screen on the computer.

 

[g00fysmiley]

yes, but that's because it is only displaying part of the incoming image, same as the lcd, as you said, once copied it should be a smooth playing file once its copied, or is the image on the computer pix-elated after the file transfer is finished? cause then I'd suspect a problem with drivers

 

[hsbridge]

I just tried to play the file from the hard drive after it was completely transferred and unfortunately it is pixelated.

Can you tell me which drivers you think might be causing the problem?

Thanks,
Helen

 

[g00fysmiley]

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/camcorders/minidv_camcorders/zr800#DriversAndSoftware

if that doesn't work; the fact that the lcd on the camera is pix elated as well makes me think either actually software issue on the camera itself, because a cable problem would only likely effect the look on the computer not the camera end, but couldn't hurt to try a different cable, never know my experience comes only from my sony digital8 stuff

 

[hsbridge]

Thank you for your efforts to help me with this problem.

I actually got in touch with a live person at Canon tech support tonight and after we ran through the scenario including the hardware and video card I’m using (see below) he said that he thought that my video card may not be able to keep up with the speed of my CPU.

Dell Studio 1535
Intel Core2 Duo CPU T8100 / 2.10 GHz
3GB of RAM
At least 100 GB of hard disk space available

Video card
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400
Memory 1534 mb
Core clock and memory clock 500 MHz

He said that I might find ways to “tweak the video card” or optimize my system....

I will look into that and figure out how to do both…however it seems to me that I should have enough computer power relative to the CPU / memory / hard drive / video card to make this work without having to stand on my head and I’m really wondering if there is in fact, a problem either with the firewire cable or the camera itself as you suggested.

Helen

 

[hsbridge]

Problem solved !

Sorry for the delay in reporting back....but I have been out of town for two weeks.

I bought a Canon head cleaning tape and it worked.....the video is now clean both during and after transfer.

Don't know why the LCD screen reflected clean video when the heads were dirty...but it did.

Thanks again for all the feedback.