Trying unsuccessfully to take photos from Praktica digi camera to laptop and TV. Linked camera in usual way, but nothing shows on screen. Previously had had no difficulty, but now cannot produce anything at all on the laptop. Similarly, can`t screen from camera to TV -nothing whatsoever shows up. Any ideas,please, as to what could be the problem?

Your post could do with a bit more detail about the models of camera and TV, and how exactly you are connecting, and whether the PC connection goes through a Practika host program or you just open the files in Explorer (presuming you your a PC.... or do you use a Mac instead), and how you wire in either AV and PC situation, and what's changed in your system, and the steps of how you actual go about working either solution, and what you have done to troubleshoot so far [stops to take a breath :yawn: ]............... As you can see, there's many a slip twixt cup and lip.

Give us some proper info in the first place and then perhaps you'll get something useful back.

Hell`s bells, it`s that complicated, is it? Well, here goes -forgive me if I miss something vital:
Camera is a Practika 4.4, 4.5 Mega Pixel.
Laptop is Toshiba Equium.
Let`s forget the TV for now, eh? I`ll be content to sort the laptop out for now.

The connection is by USB/Video cable from laptop port to camera -there`s a second connecting link on the cable with a yellow spikey thingy for the TV connection, which dangles unused when the laptop and camera are in connection.

The idea seems that when the linkage is made, the camera is put in `playback` mode and switched on. I use Interrnet Explorer and Picasa, no other programmes or doohickeys. The instruction leaflet states that when linked up and camera switched on, the camera will automatically go to PC mode.

As originally stated, previously the laptop would immediately show up the screen allowing transfers from camera to laptop folders. The last time the connection seemed to have taken effect, the laptop screen stated the message ` no photos in camera`, although I know that there were many on the camera card. Latterly, the connection to laptop hasn`t produced any reaction whatsoever. Ditto with TV, which I`ve tried on various modes AV,Video etc., also via a VHS/DVD player -zilch.

Is it likely that the USB cable has developed a fault - is this something that happens? If so, is there a way to test that the cable is `live`? Any other possibilities?

It's not that complicated no. In fact it's really quite simple.

You're sat there in the comfort of your own home, with your camera, computer and TV. You're the one who's got a problem. You could go to a computer shop and pay the guys there for some assistance. It might be £40 or £50 quid for them to just take a look. Then there's your time and travel expenses on top. But instead, you are asking a bunch of strangers for some help...for free.

Do you now start to see now who is getting the better part of the deal?

So, do you really want to continue being a bit arsey about giving some info to the people who are willing to help you. Or do you think, on balance, that typing a bit of info is something pretty simple and actually a basic courtesy when asking someone to be a Good Samaritan in your hour of need? Because please remember, no one here owes you a damned thing. So is it too much to expect you to do your part when you are asking others for the benefit of their experience and time?


A USB cable can be tested with a multimeter. A standard USB cable has just four connections. If you look in the end that goes to the PC then you'll see two long connection pins. These carry DC voltage. Then there are two shorter pins. These carry data. Use the meter to check for continuity on each one of the four in turn to the smaller pin at the camera end. Of course if it is a standard USB cable then you could try connecting a different device.

Another possibility is that the PC driver needs to be updated. This is because something in the PC operating system has been updated and is now causing a problem for older devices. I found you a link to the Practika support page. LINK

This doesn't rule out something more seriously wrong with the camera. I'm a little concerned that there's nothing from the video output in to the TV. But given that your description of a video phono is "a yellow spiky thing" then it doesn't bode well that you have made the correct connections.

Oh dear. Didn`t see that coming. I thought I was introducing a note of levity only, rather than disrespecting the professional technical expertise of your goodself. Which I admire hugely. I have always acknowledged help,advice,suggestions with grateful appreciation. I take your point regarding `free advice`, although for some reason I`d laboured under the impression that that was the raison d`etre of the forums.
Always glad to provide as much info as I am capable of doing, some may be beyond me though. What may be simple, easy and straightforward to the technically gifted can seem very complicated to us lesser mortals.
Some technical terms do not immediately ring a bell. My description of `yellow spikey thingy` seems to me more vivid and recognisable than its correct technical term - to the relatively uninitiated anyway. I have made the connection successfully in the past, as previously stated.
The PC driver suggestion sound promising, if only I knew how to make use of it. I`ll try the link you`ve kindly provided - I did reply last night and would have tried the link then, but the whole thing disappeared with the message that the page couldn`t be displayed, so I`ve had to re-do everything. Maybe the camera has a fault, but I rather doubt it. Have no idea on how to come by a multimeter; perhaps simply buying a new USB cable would be a shortcut to either confirming or eliminating that piece of kit from the list of suspects. Thank you for your thoughts and time, much appreciated as always.