Why can't my PC see my Camera? Works on the Mac.

August 23, 2007 7:19 AM

Why can't my PC see my Camera? Works on the Mac. It's not the cable, the software, the computer, or the camera. I have a Canon HV20 HD video camera that only has a firewire output. Link to camera specs. When I take it to the computer lab and connect it to the Macs there, it works perfectly. However, my desktop PC does not recognize it.

I have installed the software that came with the camera. And I can connect my external hard drive to the Desktop through the same firewire port, so I know it is not a hardware issue. And since I used the same cable at the Mac lab, I know it is not the cable.

Any ideas as to why it will work on the Mac and not the PC?

I tried Canon Customer Service already....

thanks

posted by lotusmonster to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Could be the drivers.
What OS is on your PC?
Looking at the Canon website, it looks like they only have drivers for Win98, 2k and Me.
If you're running Vista, you may be up a creek.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:22 AM on August 23, 2007

Response by poster: Sorry forgot to metion the OS. I'm running XP Pro SP/2. But that seems crazy that there would be no drivers for XP. I will look into that. I just assumed the drivers were XP. Any other ideas?
posted by lotusmonster at 10:40 AM on August 23, 2007

Not really.
Generally, if the thing works on a Mac but not on a PC, the default solution is "drivers".
posted by Thorzdad at 11:13 AM on August 23, 2007