OT: Computer help

Submitted by WolverineHistorian on

Even though I’ve uploaded a ton of videos the last three years, I am clueless when it comes to fixing problems that arise with my computer.  So I need some computer related advice from anyone who is familiar with Windows Movie Maker. 

Since day one, I’ve had a USB port attached from a VCR/DVD player to my computer.  (I got it for $20.00 at CompUSA 3 years ago.)  That’s what I have always used to transfer sports footage to my computer to make my videos.  A couple weeks ago, I got a virus and I had to have all my programs reinstalled.  I never unplugged my USB port.  Everything is working fine now but when I go on Windows Movie Maker to try and capture footage, I get this warning…

“A video capture device was not detected.  Verify that a device is turned on and connected properly, and then try again.” 

I’m completely lost.  My USB port was never unplugged.  It’s stayed plugged in for the last 3 years so I have no idea why I’m getting this warning.

If anyone can help me out and tell me what the problem might be, I’d really appreciate it.  There’s still a ton of videos I’d like to upload.  Just last weekend, I got all my games together from 2004-2007 so I could make a Mike Hart tribute.  But until this problem gets fixed, I can’t upload any videos because I can’t capture footage.

Help!

Kal

July 12th, 2010 at 5:59 PM ^

Do other devices work in said USB port? If not, consider reinstalling your motherboard's drivers.

Did your VCR/DVD come with driver software? If so, reinstall that as well.

Try plugging your VCR/DVD player into a different computer and see if it works, then your problem is your computer's USB port.

     Edit: It is really unlikely that the problem is Windows Movie Maker itself.

WolverineHistorian

July 12th, 2010 at 6:02 PM ^

I got the VCR/DVD player 7 years ago.  I got the USB port 3 years ago.  So I don't remember the machine having any driver software. 

Going on the control panel, it says I have no port connection.  But my dad plugged his cell phone into the computer last night through a USB port and the pictures he had taken came up fine on the computer. 

WestWolverine

July 12th, 2010 at 5:59 PM ^

Windows XP, Vista, or 7?

What happens when you unplug the USB cord and plug it back in? Does the OS even detect anything?

Sweet jesus we need to figure this out stat, your videos are awesome.

WolverineHistorian

July 12th, 2010 at 6:17 PM ^

It's Windows XP.

When I unplug the cord and plug it back in, there's a sound coming from the speakers which means, I assume, that the computer recognizes it. 

Then sometimes, but not all the time, a pop up for installation wizard appears asking you to put your disk in to have in fully installed, but when I do that, I keep getting the message that it can't be installed.

It makes no sense.   

WolverineHistorian

July 12th, 2010 at 9:20 PM ^

The VCR/DVD player is a SONY.  On the back, it said Model # SLV-D350P. 

What puzzles me most is, last year all my computer programs had to be reinstalled as well (yes, another virus) but I never had this problem. 

And a correction from an earlier post, the Installation Wizard asked for a CD, which we have, not a disk.  My bad. 

willywill9

July 12th, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^

Perhaps you need to search for and reinstall whatever driver that comes with that particular device you own.

Is someone trying to make an attempt to sabotage WolverineHistorian and the recorded history of Michigan football as we know it?!



Edit: I agree with those above, to troubleshoot, try:

 

  • Plugging that USB into either a different USB port on the same computer
  • Plugging that USB cord into another computer's port

If neither works, then it's likely related to the device you have.  You may need to google "driver" along with the name of your device

 



 

Mr. Robot

July 12th, 2010 at 6:34 PM ^

You're WolverineHistorian, so keeping your machine going is totally on-topic.

Anyway, did the VCR/DVD player work right when you plugged it in last time or did it require some installation? I've never used one that had a USB right on the thing, nor did I know such a thing existed, but it should work like any other USB device if there is no capture device inbetween and its just built into the VCR. Try unplugging it and plugging it back in first, as that would make the computer redetect it and search for drivers. If you're running the same OS as before or somethign newer, it should work automatically. Otherwise, if you can get the model number off the VCR, try going to the support page for it on the manufacturers website to look for drivers, setup programs, or FAQs.

Its also possible that not everything on your motherboard has the appropriate drivers from the reinstall. Right-click My Computer, choose Manage, and then go to the Device Manager. Do you have any yellow question marks anywhere? If so, you may need to go to your PC manufacturer's website, type your model in, and look for a driver setup of some kind.

WolverineHistorian

July 12th, 2010 at 9:09 PM ^

That damn yellow question mark.  I enlisted my dad to help me out and he spent nearly an hour and half last night trying to get rid of that stupid yellow question mark for the USB port.  It's the only question mark on the entire computer system.  Everything else is working fine. 

My dad spent so much time updating everything on the computer including going to the device manager and to type the computer model in.  But no matter what he did, that question mark wouldn't go away. 

Mr. Robot

July 12th, 2010 at 10:05 PM ^

Well, if the question mark is apprearing under the actual USB list, with USB ROOT and all the jazz, then it should mean it is in fact your VCR. If all other USB stuff is working, your board drivers are definitely good to go.

Don't know what to tell you beyond that besides what I already mentioned about going to the manufacturer of the VCR. Honestly, I've never seen a cheap VCR/DVD combo player with a USB port on it. I've seen more expensive ones that exist for the soul purpose of outputting the video to a computer, and I've seen dedicated video capture devices as both PCI (or PCI-E) cards and as USB attachments, but I've never known standard players to have such functionality. If you didn't have a gazillion videos up on YouTube I probably wouldn't believe it.

Let us know if anything works out. If it doesn't though, I'm sure any one of us MGoComputerGuys within a reasonable distance would be willing to hook up with you and figure it out for free. You provide a very big service to us and I, at least, would be more than happy to return the favor.

EDIT: I just noticed above that you have posted the model number of this thing, and after looking it up, I'm still not seeing crap about a USB port. You sure you're just running a USB cable directly from the VCR to the computer? There's no device inbetween that you plug the colorful plugs into that then runs to the PC?

Frank Drebin

July 13th, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^

I am not quite sure if you are saying that this is displaying for a USB port for the computer, or for the external device. It sounds as if there is a missing driver for the USB, whether it be from the computer manufactuer or the external USB card manufacturer. I would check the support page for the PC model that you have and make sure that you have all of the correct USB drivers. Also, make sure that you don't have any drivers installed for a different type of USB card, as this may be viewed as a non-working device.

WestWolverine

July 13th, 2010 at 12:25 AM ^

of the device in Windows XP device manager? If so, uninstall it, unplug the USB cable, with the VCR\DVD still turned on plug the USB cable back into the computer and see if Windows will try and reinstall. Hopefully it will at least ask you to put in a disk that should have come with the device. I'm not seeing any drivers for your machine though most of the diagrams I see doesnt even have a USB port on it.

To get to Device Manager:

  • Click on Start and then Control Panel
  • In the System Properties window, click on the Hardware tab
  • With the Hardware tab selected, click on the Device Manager button

Griff88

July 13th, 2010 at 1:22 AM ^

WolverineHistorian, I think Mr. Robot is correct about how your vcr is connected to your computer. You say you got the USB port 3 years ago. I don't think it's a usb port, but something like an S-Video to USB 2.0 Video Capture Cable.

Follow the usb cable pack to the vcr. If the vcr is a native usb device, then the cable that is connected to your computer, will be plugged into a usb port on the vcr.

If the usb cable from the computer to the vcr has some colored jacks, and those jacks are plugged into the vcr... then you have the vcr plugged to the computer via an adapter. In which case, the adapter could be what is the problem.

Rasmus

July 13th, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^

From the SLV-D350P manual, that machine only has S-Video and Composite output. So WH is definitely using an external adapter (a.k.a. capture cable) to get the output to USB. 

I guess what is missing is the driver for the adapter/cable. I know some of them do come with drivers, but I don't know if that is always the case. Anyhow, WH, we need to know what kind of adapter/cable you are using.

WolverineHistorian

July 13th, 2010 at 12:41 PM ^

Well, this is embarrassing.  But fine. We already established I know nothing about computers. 

O.K.  I unplugged the cable/adapter (what I thought was the USB port) and these are the numbers on it...

Item No.: VC-211A 

S/N 0 0 1 4 1 8 0

Rasmus

July 13th, 2010 at 2:33 PM ^

It looks like that was/is sold under a variety of brand names -- I found three or four on the first Google page, but they all seem to point to the same device.

If you have a CD that came with it, then probably it is the Ulead Video Studio 7.0 CD, right? If so, you can try installing the "Grabber Driver" on that CD, though it is probably only version 1.0 of the driver. For instructions, see page 4 of the CompUSA manual (Word .doc file) available in the Wayback Machine. Note: the driver available on that page dates to 2004 (v1.1), but you will probably want to use the 2006 (v1.2) driver mentioned below.

A better source for the drivers is the Digitus site, here. Product number DA-VC211A. They seem to be the actual manufacturer. Their archives search is a little tricky to use, so here are the direct links: Version 1.1 of the driver (2004, i.e., updated for SP2),  Version 1.2 of the driver (2006). I presume you will want to use version 1.2.