Sony DSR 11 wouldn't connect, and a query.

[Peter Copestake]

A colleague's DSR 11 couldn't be recognised by any of his computers.
It turned out to be a simple matter - a poor connection in the Firewire socket which broke when the weight of the lead was pulling on it and was corrected by taping the lead to the top of the case. Perhaps this weakness is well known?
The question - why do SCART leads need very heavy cabling which disconnects them if a piece of equipment is moved but firewires only need such flimsy leads?

[tom hardwick]

You make a good point Peter. Good riddance to the 4 pin Firewire cable - it was badly designed from day one. The cable carries a voltage as well as to and fro signals, and hot-wiring components is to be actively discouraged - too many people have fried internal PCBs by not accurately aligning the Firewire plug before pushing it into the socket.

tom.

[chrisk]

The 4 pin firewire cable does not carry a supply voltage, just two twisted pairs for the signals. The 6 pin version uses the two extra pins for ground and +30ish volts power for an external device.
Chris

[tom hardwick]

Thanks Chris, good to know.

[Peter Copestake]

too many people have fried internal PCBs by not accurately aligning the Firewire plug before pushing it into the socket.

Looks as if deck at least should be switched off before checking connectivity,then Tom?

Peter.

[tom hardwick]

Sony would have you switch off everything - computer and camera / VCR. Connect up the Firewire and then turn everything on again. Life's too short for that, so I very carefully 'roll' the hot Firewire plug into its socket. I start off with the flat portions of plug and socket lined up and roll the plug up into the socket.

Nothing's blown in 12+ years of doing this.

tom.

[Peter Copestake]

Thanks, Tom, will pass that on, though I've never been so careful myself (except, probably, when I'd just read the instructions) and nothing has gone wrong with me either. But it will now, won't it!
Peter.