Problem with DMK41AF02 on my MacBook Pro

iceman (Mike) · #1 19-03-2010, 03:16 PM

Hi

I'm trying to use my DMK41AF02 on my new MacBook Pro (running Windows XP).

I've installed the latest drivers, and the camera is recognised, but it says "Error: Live Mode could not be started. Please make sure no other program uses this device and that there is enough bandwidth on your firewire bus available".

My MacBook Pro has the 9-pin 800mb firewire connection, so I bought a 5 metre 9-pin to 6-pin cable, and expected that the DMK41AF02 could get power through that.

Is that correct?

I've also tried 2 different powered firewire Hubs.

9-pin in the Macbook Pro to 6 pin in the powered hub, then 6-pin to 6-pin from the Hub to the DMK41AF04.

In both cases, the device is recognised and I choose it from the list, but I get the same error message each time.

So whether I use a powered Hub or not, I get the error message.

Please help!

What might the problem be?

Cheers

sheeny (Al) · #2 19-03-2010, 03:40 PM

Have you tried reinstalling the DMK drivers?

The DMKs seem to occasional go awry for some reason and a reinstall of the drivers usually fixes that up. I'm talking USB of course, can't comment of firewire at all, but just in case its the DMK playing silly whatzits with you...

Al.

Dennis · #3 19-03-2010, 03:56 PM

Hi Mike

Darn it – these things should work out of the box!

I used to have problems with 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire on my IBM ThinkPad until I discovered a “Power Management” setting for my Firewire PCMCIA card. Once I disabled automatic power management, I could connect 3 cameras simultaneously and cycle through them.

So, is there a similar “Power Management” setting on the Mac?

I think the “Power Management” setting was accessed either through “Control Panel” then “Power Management” or it might have been via “System”, “Hardware” then “Properties” ?

Cheers

Dennis

multiweb (Marc) · #4 19-03-2010, 03:59 PM

Hi Mike, try another cable before looking into drivers installation. Sometime that's all it is.

Dennis · #5 19-03-2010, 04:00 PM

Just found this...

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...14&postcount=6

Cheers

Dennis

iceman (Mike) · #6 19-03-2010, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheeny

Have you tried reinstalling the DMK drivers?

The DMKs seem to occasional go awry for some reason and a reinstall of the drivers usually fixes that up. I'm talking USB of course, can't comment of firewire at all, but just in case its the DMK playing silly whatzits with you...

Al.

I'm quite sure it's not the driver. I downloaded the latest DMK41 driver from the Astronomy Cameras website.
It recognises the camera ok, just won't start the live feed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis

Hi Mike

Darn it – these things should work out of the box!

I used to have problems with 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire on my IBM ThinkPad until I discovered a “Power Management” setting for my Firewire PCMCIA card. Once I disabled automatic power management, I could connect 3 cameras simultaneously and cycle through them.

So, is there a similar “Power Management” setting on the Mac?

I think the “Power Management” setting was accessed either through “Control Panel” then “Power Management” or it might have been via “System”, “Hardware” then “Properties” ?

Cheers

Dennis

hmm I don't seem to have a "Power Management" tab on any devices when I look at the device properties. I'll keep looking into that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Hi Mike, try another cable before looking into drivers installation. Sometime that's all it is.

I've tried a few different cables, as well as using powered hubs, no joy.

I've connected an external harddrive from the port using the 9-6 pin cable and it works fine, so the port, and the cable, both work.

Very frustrating! I wish I could swap it for a USB version.

multiweb (Marc) · #7 19-03-2010, 04:56 PM

If the camera is recognised then the connection is working and the drivers are ok. It seems that some MAC have problems with the transfer rate and the compression used for the video stream. Have you tried different things?. Might be worth setting the camera with the shortest cable available next to the computer, get it working, then introduce the hub in the connection and other components.

sheeny (Al) · #8 19-03-2010, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Hi Mike, try another cable before looking into drivers installation. Sometime that's all it is.

Funny you should say that... while imaging sol today I got the dreaded "DMK lost" error again... last time I cured it by reinstalling the drivers, but today I swapped the cables and now all seems OK.

Al.

multiweb (Marc) · #9 20-03-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheeny

Funny you should say that... while imaging sol today I got the dreaded "DMK lost" error again... last time I cured it by reinstalling the drivers, but today I swapped the cables and now all seems OK.

Al.

Yeah cables are usually the last thing you think about because you think they always work. But a faulty cable will intoduce very very confusing behaviours. I even had one instance where the new cable I bought was faulty as well. I had no hair left by then.

kinetic (Steve) · #10 07-04-2010, 06:49 AM

How did you go with this problem Mike in the end?
I have seen this exact problem described in another forum
that I'm a member on.
I can dig out the threads if you like?
I have them sent to email....huge backlog, I know it's
in there somewhere....

Steve

iceman (Mike) · #11 07-04-2010, 06:53 AM

Hi Steve

Good timing - I was about to bring this thread up again because I finally got a chance to re-install the drivers etc on this new Macbook after my old one died.

Something someone suggested in another place I posted was to try changing the frame rate, because apparently sometimes the DMK41's try to default to a framerate that's too high.

I did this on Monday, after getting the error message, I changed the framerate to 3.75fps, and it did actually start returning images. What I forgot to try straight after, was to change the frame rate back to 15fps and see if it worked then.

So i'll need to try that tonight.

(btw, this test was with the 9-pin to 6-pin firewire cable straight from the Macbook to the DMK41).

It's been raining and cloudy for the last few days so I've been in no rush

Will let you know.

kinetic (Steve) · #12 07-04-2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

Hi Steve

Good timing - I was about to bring this thread up again because I finally got a chance to re-install the drivers etc on this new Macbook after my old one died.

Something someone suggested in another place I posted was to try changing the frame rate, because apparently sometimes the DMK41's try to default to a framerate that's too high.

I did this on Monday, after getting the error message, I changed the framerate to 3.75fps, and it did actually start returning images. What I forgot to try straight after, was to change the frame rate back to 15fps and see if it worked then.

So i'll need to try that tonight.

(btw, this test was with the 9-pin to 6-pin firewire cable straight from the Macbook to the DMK41).

It's been raining and cloudy for the last few days so I've been in no rush

Will let you know.

Ahh cool, I'll keep my eye on the thread ...

Steve

gbeal · #13 07-04-2010, 05:57 PM

Mike,
I am in the process of dumping the PC, altogether. This means a change in a few of the things I do, sort of a rethink more than anything.
One thing that has me by the short and curlies at the moment though is the DMK and Mac, like you. Unlike you though I have no desire to run Windoze at all not even via VM Ware etc.
This poses a problem for the likes of lunar and planetary as the only program that talks to Mac and DMK is AstroIIDC, and I will not pay the US$110 fee to use this. It will mean biffing the DMK I suspect but wondered if you (or anyone else) had any bright ideas. No, not bright like "un-dump the PC".
Gary