Hello everybody!
I have a question - recently bought a camcorder (Panasonic GS300), and I can't transfer the films! I connect the computer to the camcorder via USB, and the computer recnognises it as a USB Mass Storage Device. And when i run the program to transfer the video, it says it doesn't detect the cam. What's wrong? I installed the driver more than once and the programs on the CD, and I think i detects the cam, because when I use window safe removal of what is in the usb drive, if i double click the usb mass storage device, three things are there, and one of them is the cam, but all the programs still don't recognise it. Please help!!!

[toadoftoadhall]

have you read the manual? USB is usually for transfering stills from the memory card to computer. Firewire is for transfering video. Have you tried firewire connection?

toad

Yes, nothing is in the manual.

But I got the USB cable, and it definitely should work! I didn't get no FireWire cables with the camera...

[rickyt]

If you seriously want to transfer video footage from your Panasonic GS300 or any other camcorder for that matter DONT use USB despite what you read or hear about . USB is faster in theory than firewire but only for short bursts. Invest in a Firewire card [fits in a PCI slot ] Try the AV forum shop for more info [although not sure If they sell them].I have bought a few from a well known auction site , they come with a cable and software and are good value . I use such a card to transfer footage from my Panny using Pinnacle 9 as capture software without any problems whatsoever .HTH

[redsox_mark]

To capture DV video from tape you need to use Firewire. It's not a matter of Firewire being faster or slower than USB, it is how DV and the capture part of editing software was designed.

The USB is useful only for copying from the memory card.

I know it seems silly, but it is standard practice NOT to include a firewire cable, you need to buy one.

[senu]

Originally Posted by Erik123

Yes, nothing is in the manual.

But I got the USB cable, and it definitely should work! I didn't get no FireWire cables with the camera...

No.
But you will find that the camcorder has a firewire socket labelled DV ( for a good reason).
As do most Laptops and modern desktop PCs which expect to be linked to a camcorder this way.

Firewire transfers video data at a sustained rate ( minimum constant data rate) to ensure that as much as possible, what is captured is identical to what is on the tape without any glitches ( called dropped frames)

As an aside, most printers dont come with even cheap USB cables (even sillier ) . As such camcorders without a firewire cable supplied is not really suprising.
Perhaps they want you to have a choice in which one to Buy!! ( Even my £700 CD player did not come with any cables to connect it to the Amp ( only a power cord)

USB2 does have a good transfer rate but only in higher end equipment ( such as Avid liquid Pro Breakout box) is it any good. The cheap and "standard "way is firewire.

If you really must transfer by USB - and as the others have said that is very undesirable - then you MUST use all the software programmes supplied on the disc which came with your camera - have you loaded them all up and used them ??