how do i set up a usb camera device in parallels

[anitasancha]

The thread was moved from "Windows Guest OS Discussions" by Xenos

help .. I have a new canon camera (USB ) and animation software which only works on PC so I got parallels 3 for capturing. But I cant seem to get it to work. When I plug the camera in it crashes windows and parallels has to be forced closed, I dont think it cant find it as a usb device? but it works in the apple os bit fine, but in parallels... nope!!!!! anyone know what I shoud do?

[Xenos]

Hello Anitasancha,

Please let me know, what Parallels Desktop build you are using.
What are your Host and Guest OS? Your Mac model? Mac RAM and RAM allocated to VM?
Could you give a link on the Canon camera you are using?
I'd also appreciate you specifying which exactly animation software you are dealing with.
Thank you in advance!

Best regards,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

sorry about delay.. hols etc... XP home edition Ms Windows Ver 5.1.
Mac Pro Tower Ram 4GB ....Mac OSX tiger ver 10.4.9. Canon 40D SLR digital. Animation software animator DV professional.10.5 .. Canon connected via usb and does not show up in the pararells desktop / Devices / usb ( top bar in apple bit ) \but my wacom tablet and apple keyboard does) In configiuration editor usb controller is set as "device status enabled", connections options "connect to guest os." If I start windows. (little green triangle) go to normal windows set up and then start the camera, I get "no camera found "in apple monitor (using 2 monitors), then windows hangs up. I also get the little spiraling disk over the windows monitor instead of the winows normal arrow curser. I then have to force quit in apple and restart the computer. Thx. Anita

[anitasancha]

sorry about delay.. hols etc... XP home edition Ms Windows Ver 5.1.
Mac Pro Tower Ram 4GB ....Mac OSX tiger ver 10.4.9. Canon 40D SLR digital. Animation software animator DV professional.10.5 .. Canon connected via usb and does not show up in the pararells desktop / Devices / usb ( top bar in apple bit ) \but my wacom tablet and apple keyboard does) In configiuration editor usb controller is set as "device status enabled", connections options "connect to guest os." If I start windows. (little green triangle) go to normal windows set up and then start the camera, I get "no camera found "in apple monitor (using 2 monitors), then windows hangs up. I also get the little spiraling disk over the windows monitor instead of the winows normal arrow curser. I then have to force quit in apple and restart the computer. Thx. Anita

[Xenos]

Hello Anita,

Thank you very much for the detailed information. I have delivered your report to developers. Will let you know as soon as they give me an answer.

With best wishes for a Happy New Year,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

more info:-
Para build version 3 5582 5th Dec, has made a bit of difference, at least these items are in the para/devices list now, but still not functioning.
BUT now;-

Re usb external device.
If I start windows and then plug USB external in to computer it is seen windows(after about 5mins) Also it appears in the parallels device list and on the windows/control panel/device manager/ USB controllers, but when I close windows the drive is not seen in apple and therefore cannot be read or ejected.

If I start the computer up with the USB external drive in the computer it is not seen at all in parallels/windows, Only in apple.

Re usb canon 40D
If I put camera in usb no problems in apple and can be viewed and used by canons own utility software. If I open win /para the camera is still not found by the canons own utility software installed in win/para
If I try inserting camera usb in win/para it crashes to an unusable force quit and I have to switch off. Hard boot.

RE printer ip8500
Works fine in apple, but not even found when I try and "add printer" in win/para. But is in the devices list ( not ticked).

Anita ... P.s. please try and get back to me soon......

[Xenos]

Hello Anita,

For external USB please try setting it to be always connected to Mac by default:
- Start your Virtual Machine but do not launch the Guest OS. Click Configuration.
- In Configuration Editor open USB Controller and choose Connect to Mac OS X for Connection Options.
- When you have started your Guest OS, check the device in Parallels Desktop menu bar -> Devices -> USB.
- Before shutting down, disable the device in Devices -> USB.

For your USB Canon 40D, try sharing it with VM:
In Configuration Editor open Shared Folders and add the USB folder (click + and browse to the camera). Now when you start the Guest OS, you will see the camera in My Computer folder. Try launching it.

For the printer:
In Configuration Editor click Add button in the left bottom corner of the box, choose Parallel Port -> Use a Printer etc. After adding the printer in the Configuration, you will be able to print from VM (use "HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS" which is generic driver that's being used for printing from the Virtual Machine to any Mac OS compatible printer).

Best regards,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

Stilll not working properly.. re Canon 40D camera. This is not a folder. I need the camera to capture images in an animation software directly. It needs to be seen as a usb image device. The USB external drive was not seen in windows AT ALL re this time. Will look at printer, next.. Please get back to me about the camera, asap PLEEEASE.

[Xenos]

Hello Anita,

Please try this custom build 5582.5 (http://download.parallels.com/stuff/Parallels-Desktop-5582.5-Mac-en.dmg) with more stable USB implementation from the build 5160.

Could you also send me the crash logs for we could analyze the issue?
You will find the logs on your Mac side:

~/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Parallels.crash.log

If it is Windows, not Parallels crashing, we'd like to see the minidumps: c:\windows\minidump\minidump.dmp

Best regards,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

I do have the lastest build and it seems to have stoped most of the crashing. 5582 5th Dec.

The printer is working ... at least Ive tested text and not any difficult layouts. Hurrah!! But not the IP8500 printer selection options.

The usb external is seen in devices as external HDD. But not in windows, not even in the windows device manager. Even If I try connect to Guset OS or Mac OSX. either way not seen.
A get around is to ask pararells to ask me what I want it to do. I can then plug the USB external into the port when in windows and when propted as it to use the drive. Odd it takes about 5 mins to find it, so it may only be using usb1 speed or less. I then use windows to disconnect and then do so before shutting windows down. It is a way of getting files off there at least.

USB camera 40D. If I switch on when in windows, it opens the eos camera software in apple . I am having a lot of difficulties getting this to be seen in windows. On my other PC that uses win XP Pro and has all the eos software this works fine. I will get the updated canon drivers into windows in pararlles and try again.

As for logs ~/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/Parallels.crash.log there were non in the library for pararells. and none in ...c:\windows\minidump\minidump.dmp either

Tah for now. Anita

[Xenos]

Anita, may be this way will ease the procedure of connecting the USB (including the camera):

After you have turned your Mac on, launch Parallels and set USB to connect to the Guest OS in Configuration Editor. Start Windows and then plug the USB device in. The work speed of the USB depends on the type of the device - this is something we can not change.

Best regards,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

re..Camera..
After you have turned your Mac on, launch Parallels and set USB to connect to the Guest OS in Configuration Editor. Start Windows and then plug the USB device in.

Did this .. the parallels device sees the camera and gives it a tick in devices on top of apple bar. But window hangs up...with... "There was a timeout error waiting for the file to respond."

re..The work speed of the USB depends on the type of the device - this is something we can not change. The deices is a new passport WD external drive and currently functions a very fast speed on the apple, but on windows can take up to 5 mins to be seen by parallels/windows. All USB items are USB 2.0

Thanks.

[anitasancha]

Also to ablve nbotes... If I force quit... "There was a timeout error waiting for the file to respond." I get "no camera is found" I believe this is a canon error notice.

[anitasancha]

In addition I have phones Canon who say that the message" no camera was found" is a communication error

[Xenos]

Anita, the Time out error could possibly be fixed by reinstalling MacFUSE. Use this link (http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/). Also click on your Mac desktop and go to Finder -> Preferences. Put check at "Connected servers".

To make your WD external drive working faster, please try the following:

Make a shared folder in your external hard drive so that you can see your files stored on your drive in your Guest OS. Please note that you should install Parallels Tools before. To make a shared folder, you should shut down Windows. After that open Shared Folder Options in Configuration Editor and specify the folder you want to share. After making changes in Configuration Editor turn on your Guest OS. You will be able to see your shared folder’s icon on your desktop in Windows.

How to set a USB 2.0 external drive as a shared folder - detailed steps:

1. Open your Home folder - Documents - Parallels - Windows folder. Push command key, double-click .pvs file and don't release command key for 15-20 seconds till you get Parallels Configuration window.
2. Click on Configuration.
3. On the left side choose Shared folders, then click on + button on the
right side. Add the drive as a shared folder and save changes.
4. Then start Windows and you will see the folder under Shared Folders
shortcut on the Windows desktop. This will be your external drive.

Best regards,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

Sorry... given up... !!!!! toooo complicated.

I expected plug and play. I am not a computer wiz.!!

[Xenos]

Hello Anita,

I am sorry I can not give you a more simple workaround. We will try to make WD external drive working faster in future builds of Parallels Desktop. The improvement process is not so fast and easy but it is going on. Please sorry for making you waiting.

Best regards,
Xenos

[anitasancha]

WOW... SOLOVED !!!!!!!!!!!!! its solved

re usb camera ...not being seen at all and crashing..parallels..every time.... WAS Because.. wait for it... it was because of... DUAL MONITORS. You may well have a problem of images devices communication etc with monitors or ???? whatever ...When we just attached a single monitor the usb camera works fine.

[Xenos]

Anita, Congratulations! Thank you for posting the workaround here.

The thread is closed.

To all forum members: if you would like to post a question concerning the problem discussed here, please start another thread in an appropriate forum section giving a link on this thread.

Best regards,
Xenos