I have an HP G60-235DX notebook. This labtop, unfortunately, does not have any firewire ports nor does it have an expansion card slot for me to add firewire ports. I am looking into buying a Prosumer Camcorder. I have been looking at The Canon XH-A1, The Sony HVR-V1U, The Panasonic AG-HVX200A, and the Panasonic AG-HMC150. All of these cameras use firewire ports to connect to computers. I must find a way to get the video onto the computer. Please help!!!

[A n d r e w]

You'll need a computer with FireWire to import video from almost any tape-based camcorder. I think the HMC-150 uses USB though (it records to SDHC cards, not tape).

[senu]

Originally Posted by johnnytragedy

I have an HP G60-235DX notebook. This labtop, unfortunately, does not have any firewire ports nor does it have an expansion card slot for me to add firewire ports. I am looking into buying a Prosumer Camcorder. I have been looking at The Canon XH-A1, The Sony HVR-V1U, The Panasonic AG-HVX200A, and the Panasonic AG-HMC150. All of these cameras use firewire ports to connect to computers. I must find a way to get the video onto the computer. Please help!!!

The only other way is to capture to an external HDD, via a PC that does have firewire, then edit and output on your laptop
Apart from Avid Liquid 7 Pros Breakout Box ( which takes a firewire input but connect to PV by USB2), I cant think of any other way , short of changing your laptop
There are, cheaper laptops/ desktops with fire wire which may be more cost effective

[ade4all]

only the hdv cameras (1st 2 you mentioned) need firewire, as stated the pana hmc150 uses sd cards & transfer by usb or if you have a card reader on laptop will directly transfer, the hvx200 has mini dv tape mechanism if you want to record in std def but if you want to record hi def you need p2 cards which again you can use usb to transfer

[Nebbs]

If you have a PCMCIA slot you can get a firewire card for next to nothing (£8-£10) on amazon.

[senu]

Originally Posted by Nebbs

If you have a PCMCIA slot you can get a firewire card for next to nothing (£8-£10) on amazon.

Some new laptops ( the OPs included) dont seem to have expansion slots

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by senu

Some new laptops ( the OPs included) dont seem to have expansion slots

Doubt if it will edit HMC150 footage either.

[ade4all]

Originally Posted by chrishull3

Doubt if it will edit HMC150 footage either.

this has definitely been the problem with avchd for quite a while but have just tried premiere cs4.1 with avchd native editing & i can finally edit in real time with no transcoding on a core 2 duel laptop. slowly but surely the software is starting to catch up with the camera technology - not sure if there is any other editing software that can edit avchd with such a limited computer but it is a start