transfering video to a pc . whats a capture card

[qaz112]

hi

ive got an old cannon mvx 450 mini digital camcorder. [tape and sd card] . instructions say i can transfer video to a pc but i need a capturing card , can anyone advise me as to what this is.


i dont have or want firewire, i do have usb 2 cable supplied

thanks

[turk690]

The Canon MVX450 is a mini-DV camcorder. You have to have or want a FireWire card/interface because that is the only way to get DV AVI off the tape, no two ways about this; tough. USB is only for stills and/or low-res versions of video from the SD card.

[qaz112]

ah well that answers another question which is why was the footage i recorded to the sd card such low quality in my pc.

the cam has 2 sockets one marked DV other marked with a 3 pronged fork , what are these pls. maybe ones firewire.

can u confirm that u are not recommending fire-wire only because its faster

the instructions say the following: [just so u know where im coming from]

its strange but the instructions dont make any mention of the word firewire,[anywhere] any idea why this is

Transferring Video Recordings to a
Computer
You can transfer recordings to a computer using the IEEE1394 (DV) terminal.
You can also use this camcorder to transfer through it recordings from an analog VCR or
8 mm camcorder to your computer using the USB terminal (see Converting Analog
Signals into Digital Signals ( 92)).
Before starting the video transferring, make sure to prepare the following:
�A computer equipped with a IEEE1394 (DV) terminal or a IEEE1394 (DV) capturing
board.

thanks

[sanlyn]

IEEE1394 is Firewire.

[qaz112]

yeah i can see ur trying to help but now we are talking "standard set top DVD or BluRay" and other stuff....are u saying i have to buy them or what cause i kniow nothing about them.....i will bin the cam before i start buying huge amounts of new stuff

still hoping to get some light on my original questions . especially "can u confirm that u are not recommending fire-wire only because its faster"

thanks

[aedipuss]

firewire is all that works for getting video off a tape using that cam. firewire cards run 10-20 bucks plus a cable. you need to know what type of slot you have open on your motherboard. pci or pci-e to pick the right type.

[smrpix]

still hoping to get some light on my original questions . especially "can u confirm that u are not recommending fire-wire only because its faster"

thanks

You must have missed the very first reply to your post. Look again at #2.

[qaz112]

yeah i can see ur trying to help but now we are talking "standard set top DVD or BluRay" and other stuff....are u saying i have to buy them or what cause i kniow nothing about them.....i will bin the cam before i start buying huge amounts of new stuff

still hoping to get some light on my original questions . especially "can u confirm that u are not recommending fire-wire only because its faster"

thanks

thanks , i may have on another pc.

so do u think the instructions were just meaning to transfer low quality video [sort of hard to believe they wouldnt say] as was earlier suggested here [i posted them above]

[usually_quiet]

yeah i can see ur trying to help but now we are talking "standard set top DVD or BluRay" and other stuff....are u saying i have to buy them or what cause i kniow nothing about them.....i will bin the cam before i start buying huge amounts of new stuff

still hoping to get some light on my original questions . especially "can u confirm that u are not recommending fire-wire only because its faster"

thanks

thanks , i may have on another pc.

so do u think the instructions were just meaning to transfer low quality video [sort of hard to believe they wouldnt say] as was earlier suggested here [i posted them above]

Firewire (IEEE1394) is the standard means of transferring video from a DV camera to a PC. Not only that, but there are instructions in your camera's manual on how to use the DV port to transfer video, and no instructions in the manual for transferring video of any quality via USB.

The only instructions I found in the camera's manual that relate to the USB connection (marked with a three-pronged symbol), indicate it is used to transfer still images to a PC or to print still images.

You can also use this camcorder to transfer through it recordings from an analog VCR or
8 mm camcorder to your computer using the USB terminal (see Converting Analog
Signals into Digital Signals ( 92)).

The section of the manual quoted above refers to analog to digital conversion using the camera, and the reference to the USB port appears to be a mistake. If you read pages 92 and 93, it clearly states that the DV port is used to supply DV output to a PC. There is absolutely no mention of the USB port anywhere in that section of the manual.

[Edit]The only way to copy video from a DV camera to a PC via USB is to record the analog output from the camera's composite video and analog stereo connections with a USB PC capture device while the camera is playing a tape. However, this is only recommended as a last resort for those who only have a computer that cannot accept an add-on Firewire card. DV transfer will be better quality, simpler, and no more expensive. A decent USB capture device won't cost less than a Firewire add-on card

[qaz112]

apologies i misread it,..just had another look at page 92 and 93 it still talks about other things like 8 mm and vcr.

anyway it them seems that i need a firewire card and a dv to firewire cable and WinDV. i accept that now. its getting clearer. thanks

do i still need the capturing board that cannon spoke of

[Cornucopia]

Maybe this would make it clearer:
DV port = Firewire port = IEEE1394 port

So your cam's dv port is what you would use. Only that. The other connector is either for AC power adapter, or remote control, or analog outs - something like that (not having seen the manual yet).

Scott

[Cornucopia]

Cable should have come with the camera (if new purchase).

[qaz112]

"DV port = Firewire port = IEEE1394 port" so its all the same thing, the cable is called a dv cable and connects the dv port to the firewire port on pc.,..yes

do i still also need the capturing board that cannon spoke of

[smrpix]

Yes, you need a DV port on your computer.

�A computer equipped with a IEEE1394 (DV) terminal or a IEEE1394 (DV) capturing
board.

[qaz112]

surely u mean a firewire port....this is getting really confusing

"DV port = Firewire port = IEEE1394 port"

do i still also need the capturing board that cannon spoke of

[usually_quiet]

apologies i misread it,..just had another look at page 92 and 93 it still talks about other things like 8 mm and vcr.

anyway it them seems that i need a firewire card and a dv to firewire cable and WinDV. i accept that now. its getting clearer. thanks

do i still need the capturing board that cannon spoke of

Yes, if you don't have a Firewire /IEEE1394 port on the PC you will need to install a Firewire /IEEE1394 add-card to transfer DV video. Firewire /IEEE1394 add-cards for a desktop PC have a PCI or PCI-e interface. You have to be able open the case to see what kind of Firewire /IEEE1394 add-on card you need and to install the card. To add firewire to a laptop, the laptop must have an ExpressCard slot, and you would buy an add-on card with an ExpressCard interface.

If there is no way to add Firewire /IEEE1394, then your only option is analog capture. See my previous post about that.

[qaz112]

yes i need a firewire card, port, socket, whatever, but please will some one say clearly whether or not i also need a do i still need the capturing board that cannon spoke of

or is the capture device u spoke of above the same as a capturing board and will give low quality usb transfer

[aedipuss]

if you get firewire installed in your computer and a 4pin to 6pin firewire cable that's all the hardware you need.

[qaz112]

good, seems simple.

im assuming that the capture device usually quite spoke of above the same as a capturing board

like a : [£1 DELIVERED, THAT'S CHEAP] 1M Firewire IEEE 1394a 6 Pin to 4 Pin Digital Camera Camcorder PC DV Lead Cable

AND A FIREWIRE CARD TO Fit the board

thanks

[usually_quiet]

good, seems simple.

im assuming that the capture device usually quite spoke of above the same as a capturing board

No, an USB PC capture device, which digitizes analog video and audio output from the camera is something entirely different from a Firewire/IEEE 1394 card. ...but if you can use Firewire/IEEE 1394, you do not need to use (and if you are smart, do not want to use) a USB PC capture device to get the video from your camera onto a PC.

[qaz112]

ah the final knowledge. thanks every one.

last question: obviously this cam is a bit old using tape, but how much better quality would i get from a newer digital model. im not wanting pro quality or anything but just wondering how much the actual difference would be

[Cornucopia]

Depends on your budget. You would have to be the judge of that.

Some better, some worse, some same. Many better, but require better pc & software in order to maintain accurate editing. Different way of working.

Scott

[qaz112]

yes i guess its not easy to answer...we'll see...