[ch8rty]

I'm looking at camcorders for my mum for christmas. I'm not sure but I think her PC has no firwire.

Would I still be better off getting her a DV camcorder and installing a firwire card myself for her? Or are their alternative methods for getting DV onto DVD? Since she will probably have no need to edit stuff? Maybe just wants to get stuff on DVD every now and then.

[senu]

You can put a cheap PCI firewire card in her PC (£20 max) and get some "capture to DVD" type software ( Like Ulead MovieFactory4 or 5) also £20

Youll need a cable but the cards often come with one

After this will you be doing the transfer or will she? ( I know what would happen if I got my Mum a camcorder )

The other way is to take the tape off her and simply use a Settop DVD recorder which need not be your or hers since the use will only be occasional.

Should you wish to buy one eventually , they dont cost a lot : from £59 ( supermarket specials) to £ 150-200 for a very good name brand with built in HDD

There is always the DVD camcorder route but Im not too familiar with them. They are very good for shoot, finalise disc and watch on DVD player straightoff.

For PQ tape of equivalent cost is probably better but Imention them because they exist .

[ch8rty]

Cheers senu. I'm thinking I'll get her a DV and take it from there. I'll agree to put stuff on DVD for her to start with. I can do that with my machine then (ibook) through imovie and idvd. Then when she starts getting more confident she can have some more toys to play with.

She'll always be able to plug the camcorder direct to the TV and watch stuff from the tape so she'll never not be able to watch stuff. I doubt she'll get that much done any way : )

[tomandjo2]

Some of the mini DV's also have USB so no need for firewire.

Tom

[senu]

Originally Posted by tomandjo2

Some of the mini DV's also have USB so no need for firewire.

Tom

Tom,
Infact, only a handful of the MiniDV camcorders don't have USB.

As a means of transferring DV video data to PC though, it is really not to be recommended,
It usually needs the camcorders proprietary software installed and is not supported by many mainstream NLE software for capture.
The sustained data transfer rate via USB is not as good as firewire though the burst speed rates can be marginally higher for USB 2
As such ,Firewire is the better way and many USB connections are more for transfer of Stills.

BTW :I have a "Pro" ( input / output) Breakout box for Avid Liquid 7 which has on board firewire connections (amongst a plethoras of inputs), from camcorder but connects to PC by USB2: It works quite well but it is however a costly piece of kit

For HDD and DVD camcorders, certainly USB transfer is the way to go.

[redsox_mark]

Just to elaborate on what Senu has said:

DV was designed for Firewire. Virtually all editing applications are expecting the DV video from Firewire only, and the camcorders output full quality DV only over Firewire. The USB connections on most DV camcorders are for stills, and with some models for low quality video streaming - NOT for full quality DV tape capture. For full quality DV transfer, I don't believe any camcorders support this using USB.