No pix for awhile and I'm in a very foul mood.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
34,096
As most regulars know getting pix up has been a problem for me.

I use Corel because it's simple enough for me to understand. A couple of month back it decided it would not work if any other windows were open. To make it work I have to shut down, restart using only Corel until I get my pix saved to file.

Today I took pix of three Pala Give Aways -- silver mounted katana, BAS, and Royal Siver mounted Dhankuta. The camera, a worthless, rotten, no good Kodak 210 took the pix but when I tried to get them to the computer the program couldn't find the camera -- something it has done without fail for maybe 1500 times. Today it quit.

I checked cable connections even though nothing's changed since yesterday. Firm. I uninstalled the Kodak software and reinstalled it. Checked all settings. For no reason, nothing's changed since yesterday and it worked yesterday.

Still won't work. I guess I'll have to go buy a new DC. This with Pala in a cash crunch.

Needless to say, I am ready to take this DC and the lousy disc that came with it outside and give the the old Uncle Bill vs the Sirupati treatment.

I HATE this goddamned stuff that works part time and then doesn't work at all!!!!!!!!:barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf:

But I'll get descriptions of the Give Aways up anyway.
 
I understand your frustration. I review computers and computer-related products, and I've used plenty of digital cameras and other gear that works some of the time.

The problem you're having could be caused by many things: most likely suspects are the cable from the camera to the computer (if you use one) and/or low batteries in the camera. Far better solution, in my experience, is to use an external reader device and just take the memory card out of the camera and put it in the reader. Connections tend to be far more reliable and faster as well.

Also, what Corel software are you using? I have a number of photo-manipulating packages (one-time review copies) that I could send you at no cost :D , if you can let me know what sorts of things you normally do with them so I can pick the best fit. Or if you have a specific other program in mind that you'd like to use or try, let me know and I'll see if I have it or can get it. Again, no charge.
 
Uncle,

Take the DC outside, and give it the Sirupati treatment.

Come back inside and post those give aways, I bet they sell without the pics. It may take a little longer, but I bet they sell.

And as an incentive to buy you can ship parts of the DC with them! :)
 
Stupid Camera!! Uncle, before you destroy it would you consider sending it to me along with all the stuff? I might be able to figure out what is wrong and fix it. Or burry it in my computer junk yard.
 
I'm wondering if Corel could be messed up? Or maybe low batteries. Just a thought.
 
Uncle Bill, 'fore you Ganga-Ram your DC, you might not have to buy a new one...(this is why, web-pages and such nonewithstanding, I'm not an avid fan of 'digital' technology on whole--or rather, most modern-made products, computer stuff in particular, are made as consumer-products in the true sense of the word, e.g. they meant to be 'used up' :mad: .....in any case):

a few questions--

(1) does the camera itself seem to work? I don't know how your DC operates, but can you tell if it is working (other than hooking it up to the computer)? If not, then there's probably nothing for it other than to replace it.

(2)if the camera itself seems to work, the problem could 'only' really be with:

A. the connector/port on the computer itself - you could maybe check this -- I'm almost positive your camera is probably a USB (Univeral Serial Bus--no idea what that means really, but that's what it's called) device. The plug should be pretty small, flat on one side and round on the other, no? If so, there should be another USB port on your computer. If you have a scanner, it's also likely to be a USB device, so you could try plugging the camera into the other port.
This scenario isn't very likely though

B. the connector/port on your camera itself is somehow b*ggered--not likely, but I think you'd need to buy a new one (or you could pay someone more than the price of a new one to repair it probably)

C. the USB cord--the cord between the camera and the computer--has a broken connexion. this seems the most likely one to me, and pretty easy to fix, all you would need is a new cord, they shouldn't be more then$5. Again, if your scanner uses the same sort of cord, you could test this theory by borrowing its cable and seeing if the computer detects the camera then. This is what I would suspect to be wrong. Unless you've been doing something incredibly odd, I can't imagine that the port on the computer or the camera itself somehow was damaged.

D. the software - not likely since you tried re-installing it. you haven't put any new programs on your computer recently have you? i'm assuming you're using some incarnation of windows which can be very touchy (to use a polite word) about software conflicts, hardware conflicts, aeroplanes passing within 50 miles, &c. I wouldn't know where to start if it's the software, because then even if you get a new camera it might not work.....

I'd check the cord.

Oh, more one thing - is the computer 'detecting' the camera? If it is, then perhaps it's low batteries or Corel acting odd. You might be able to get the pix off another way in this case...

Hope this helps :(

B.
 
Thanks for help, all.

I use a power converter to power the camera because it eats batteries like a pig (which it is) eats slop.

The connection cords have worked for 2 or 3 years. Haven't touched them for more than a year. Checked them anyway and they seem ok with firm connections. Don't have a meter to check continuity, tho.

The camera itself is working fine. I took pix this am and reviewed them in led screen and they look ok.

Both Corel and twain software I consider questionable. As I do most software that works only part time. When I worked at Boeing almost 50 years ago if a programmer had turned in a program that had bugs in it like most of the software I see today he'd have been fired on the spot.

My best guess is the camera itself has somehow dropped electronically its connect mode. I'll probably go look at DCs this weekend and try a new one of some kind.
 
Hmm...it sounds like it could be the connector-cord itself--might be worth checking. I don't know how your DC works, the one I'm using at the moment when I plug it into the computer a little window pops up which says 'detecting new device' or something. And then the computer acts as if the camera is another hard-drive and I can directly access the files on it. If yours works like this and you can access the files on the camera (I mean, your computer will open a window and show your filenames for the photos on the camera), it's probably the software. Another thing is just to try some other program other than Corel, perhaps there's a free one somewhere.

If worse comes to worst DCs have surely dropped in price since you bought yours, so at least it shouldn't be too bad if you have to buy a new one (maybe you can find a better one).

good luck, B.

Originally posted by Bill Martino

Both Corel and twain software I consider questionable. As I do most software that works only part time. When I worked at Boeing almost 50 years ago if a programmer had turned in a program that had bugs in it like most of the software I see today he'd have been fired on the spot.
Click to expand...

I'd question most ;). Hell, I'm only mid-20s, but I think that even 10 years ago a lot of these programs wouldn't have been passed by the companies (Microsoft excluded :p )...
 
One more tidbit of info --

When I have the connect cord plugged into the camera nothing else on it will work. When I unplug it everything will work.

Looks like a trip to Circuit City this weekend.
 
Try using the same camera and software on another computer, if you can (one they are specifically known to be compatible with).

You said you had used it some 1500 times - do you have hundreds or thousands of files in some folder the software reads? Try cleaning out temporary folders etc., perhaps by moving pictures to another folder.

Just suggestions --- I don't have Corel or a digital camera myself.
 
When I worked at Boeing almost 50 years ago if a programmer had turned in a program that had bugs in it like most of the software I see today he'd have been fired on the spot.
Click to expand...

Hey, at least on the PC you can probably change it easily. Now that they've got processor chips in everything, code of the same quality is getting burned into chips, like the one in your camera. Since they churn out new models like mad, replacement parts or chips with revised code probably don't exist anyway.

You may look and see if there an almost invisible reset button somewhere, probably accessable by poking a pin or paperclip into a hole. Some stuff, especially older stuff has this way to reset the processor when it gets into a loop or freezes.

Why the dudes that make this junk don't provide resets for everything is beyond me. Just about every computer crashes sometime and needs to reboot. Add the great code written now and you've a real farkin' mess.

I've fought with instruments that needed three or four replacements of programable chips to revise read-only code before they worked right. That's crap.
 
Bill,

People routinely ask me for recommendations on digital cameras since they know I'm interested in both photography and computers. I have definite opinions on brands and various models but let me give you one pearl of wisdom: don't listen to anybody's recommendations if their camera is more than six months old. The technology changes too fast. Canon might might make some really great DC's for six months and then start making several that are crap. You have to listen to somebody who reviews this things for a living. They are currently testing the exact models that are now for sale. There are several good web sites but I think Jeff Keller has done the best job. Whenever somebody asks me for model advice, I send them here: http://www.dcresource.com/

That's my good, unbiased advice. This bit will reflect my bias but I would be willing to defend it if questioned. If it is at all possible at all, stop using Windows and generic PC's for these digital tasks. I've told family and friends that I will no longer support them if they use PC's. The stupid things are always getting viruses or refusing to run a program that they ran yesterday. And the mandatory registration of Windows XP is hopefully going to raise so much consumer ire that Microsoft will finally feel some pain.

The new flat panel iMac is a dream computer. It has a G4 processor. It comes with USB and Firewire on the board. It ships with iPhoto installed and ready to run. Nothing will help you keep thousands of pictures organized like iPhoto. If you have a Mac you can get free online storage from Apple. Every account gives you 20 megs of free storage and you can have as many accounts as you want (my family has four right now). The picture I recently posted of the medallion was being linked from my free Apple account (greggg@mac.com) And current Macs are shipping with OS X as the default OS. The stability of UNIX with the ease of use of a Mac. It's the way to go.

I know it's a long shot but if you want to go this way, email me and I will help you figure it all out.
 
Many thanks again for trying to help. I haven't done anything different, no changes to the computer or software of any kind, camera will take pix and show them to me but won't send them to the computer starting today after doing everything for maybe three years.

I'll look for a reset but I don't have much hope for this thing.

And, Vikash has an old computer that I can try the camera on before I chop it to pieces.
 
Make sure you get the new camera before you chop the old one up.

We want pictures of the chopping!!!:D
 
It sounds like the camera is working properly itself. I would still bet on the cable having a broken connexion - this might account for the camera 'locking up' when the cable is plugged it. So two things to try possibly (1)borrowing/buying a new cable or if your camera has a removable memory card, you could buy a Camera Memory Card Reader (though you need to make sure you get the one that goes with your type of memory card)--only about US$20 I think. Since it sounds like the camera is working, it's just the computer-camera interface which isn't....

just my two bits.

B.
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
As most regulars know getting pix up has been a problem for me.

I use Corel because it's simple enough for me to understand. A couple of month back it decided it would not work if any other windows were open. To make it work I have to shut down, restart using only Corel until I get my pix saved to file.

Today I took pix of three Pala Give Aways -- silver mounted katana, BAS, and Royal Siver mounted Dhankuta.

The camera, a worthless, rotten, no good Kodak 210

took the pix but when I tried to get them to the computer the program couldn't find the camera -- something it has done without fail for maybe 1500 times. Today it quit. [/B]
Click to expand...

Here you go Ben.
I knew I saw it somewheres.;)
 
The camera, a worthless, rotten, no good Kodak 210
Click to expand...

thanks yvsa. I'm using a Kodak DC4800 - which seems to work quite well (they all eat batteries, it's the LCD screen mainly I think, try turning it off in-between shots). I don't think they make it anymore though. I think it's halfway between an 'amatuer' and a 'professional' camera -- and Kodak realised they could make something cheaper and sell it for the same price--but you might be able to find one somewhere still.

I still think you should try replacing/borrowing/testing the USB cord connecting the camera to the computer, as the most likely suspect; and/or if your camera uses a memory card, buy a memory card reader (though you have to get the one which matches your type of memory card) for your computer for $20.....


cheers, b.
 
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