SP Mode bit rate on Digital Video Camera

[sghogan]

I have a Sony Digital Handycam that records in "SP" mode on tape. I am using Windows Movie Maker to capture the Video to a .WMV file (Would really like to capture to an MPEG2 file).
WMM gives me several choices for bit rate from about 256k to 2.1 mbps.
What should I assume the bit rate is for an SP mode digital tape.

[Richard_G]

None of the above. Transferring video from a DV camcorder should be done over Firewire as DV avi. Only once you have the video in the computer and all editing is finished should you encode to wmv or mpeg (or any other compressed format for that matter).

[sghogan]

OK but a question. I only have USB, so using "Imagemixer" that came with my Sony camera I can capture AVI but only 10 minute segments. When I called support the answer that I got was that AVI mode can only capture in 10 minute segments.
That is why I tried MS Movie maker. It captures teh whole tape in .WMV
What is the difference in capturing over firewire and USB?
What am I missing?
Thanks

[Richard_G]

Capture over USB is usually limited to stills and low resolution (320 x 240) video, Firewire transfer will give you full frame (720 x 480) video (these both assume NTSC, they are 320 x 288 and 720 x 576 for PAL). Full frame video is DVD compliant so should give quality on your TV as good as playing the camcorder directly once burned to DVD. For the cost of a Firewire card it is the only way to go unless you are happy with webcam type video.

[sghogan]

It turns out that I have an older PC (500MH) that I use as my music and photo "server". It has a firewire connection. I will have to look around for a cable or pick one up. I can capture on the older PC and edit, etc on my new (2.6GH) PC. I assume that the speed on the old PC won't affect the capture quality.
My main interest for video is downloading and editing my Tivo files. Once I started that I decided to do something with my digital camera video which I had been burning directly from camera to DVD on a Panasonic DVD recorder

[edDV]

While firewire transfer is possible on the 500MHz machine you would need to streamline the OS to maintain transfer to the HDD.

Better to buy an IEEE-1394 PCI interface card and cable for your new machine.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=0&Submit=ENE&description=IEEE%2D1394&D...ll&Order=price

[sghogan]

An update. I purchased a Firewire PCI card fo my 2.8GH Dell and now I am capturing to AVI files, about 13GB per 1 hour DV tape. I will probably have to purchase another external HD.