Can I download to non Firewire laptop from mini dv camcorder?

[chriswoodcock68]

E

[bsuttie]

You need a firewire port to transfer DV. If your laptop doesn't have one, but does have say a PCMCIA slot you can get an adaptor.

regards

Brian

[A n d r e w]

Before you ask, there is no such thing as a USB-to-Firewire adaptor that works.

Andrew.

[MarkE19]

Firewire is the only way to get a 100% quality copy of video off a DV camcorder. As mentioned a PCMCIA adapter card will add firewire to a laptop, as will an express card as long as the laptop has one or the other of these slots. If not then there is no way to add firewire.
Some camcorders can transfer video via USB, but in most cases it will be low quality video. Analogue to USB capture devices can also be bought, but the quality will still be lower than via firewire.
If you have a DVD recorder under the TV then you can record to this. Some of them have a firewire input for a camcorder. You can then put the DVD you have created into the laptop and edit the footage from it and then burn another DVD once done.

Mark.

[chriswoodcock68]

Only got usb's and modem and network sockets.
So what format of camcorder does anyone suggest?

[MarkE19]

DVD, HDD & sd card camcorders can all transfer to a PC via USB

Mark.

[chriswoodcock68]

Am I correct in thinking that if I get sd type then i need a card reader to plug into usb on my laptop?
If I get dvd type then it just goes straight into my optical drive?
Can I do just very basic editing with either type?
I am looking at Panasonic SDR-S7 , Toshiba HD Pro, Samsung VP-DX100 and the Sanyo VPC CG65.Any experience or thoughts on any of these?
Cheapest place to buy or is it just shop around?
Sorry for all the questions but if i don't ask I'll never learn.
Thanks for the answers so far.

[Gasman2]

General opinion is to steer clear of DVD. SD would be your best bet.

Sorry, no I've no idea about the specific cameras you list... hopefully someone else will be able to help.

The disadvantage of [edit] HD [/edit] DVD/HDD/SD is that they record to AVCHD format. Which is fine if you have a powerful computer, but less so with anything not recent and reasonable spec. There are ways around it, but it makes the process more complicated - from what I can gather!

If they're not HD - editing should be much easier.

Try: CameraPriceBuster.com / Amazon / Shop Around.

[chriswoodcock68]

Laptop has intel Pentium dual cpu 1.46Ghz 1.47ghz, 2 Gb RAM and 140 Gb hd.
Will this be OK for editing from sd card format?

[Gasman2]

Should be more than enough for non-HD and maybe even OK for HD.

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by Gasman2

The disadvantage of DVD/HDD/SD is that they record to AVCHD format.

There are both standard defintion (usually mpeg-2) and high definition (AVCHD / mpeg-4 and some variants of mpeg-2) camcorders which record to DVD, hard drive, and memory cards - they're not all AVCHD.

Your laptop's processing power looks a little on the slow side for HD editing. Another factor is the graphics card, of course.

I can't vouch personally for any of the camcorders you've listed, but here's another to add to the list: the Canon FS100. It records standard defintion to memory cards. There's a thread or two on the FS100 buried deep within the camcorders and video editing forum somewhere, so might be worth doing a search.

Andrew.

[chriswoodcock68]

I think I am leaning towards the Panasonic SDR-S7.
Any thoughts or comments?

[Gasman2]

Originally Posted by A n d r e w

they're not all AVCHD.

Apologies for not making that clear - my original post was misleading - now edited.