Best way to transfer video files from computers?

[sj022698]

Ok, I found someone with a Mini-DV camcorder and a laptop with a firewire port. So, I’m going back and transferring all my tapes that have I believe are pixilated because I burned them using audio/video cables to a dvd recorder and possibly recorded on bad heads. The laptop burner has issues so I was looking at transferring them from that laptop to my laptop for burning. Mine does not have firewire. Would using an Ethernet cable be a good route to go? I have quite a few tapes so I’m a bit worried about length of time and will I lose any quality?

Thanks!

[lowellriggsiam]

I'd just transfer everything to a USB HDD unless that wasn't an option, then I'd transfer it accross my home network.

[sj022698]

Would allowing networking and copying the files over be faster and/or more effecient than ethernet?

[lowellriggsiam]

I am not sure what you mean by ethernet? Connecting two computers directly by an ethernet cable?

[sj022698]

I am not sure what you mean by ethernet? Connecting two computers directly by an ethernet cable?

Yeah. Can't you transfer data that way as well?

[lowellriggsiam]

I remember using paralel cables to network two computer directly, but last I remember ethernet required a hub like a router for networking.

[jagabo]

You can use a crossover cable to connect two computers via Ethernet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_crossover_cable
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10232&cs_id=1023202&p_id=...seq=1&format=2

100 Mb/s Ethernet can transfer about 12 MB/s. USB 2.0 about 30 MB/s. But with USB you have to copy from the first computer to the drive, then copy from the drive to the second computer. So the speed will probably be about the same. Gigabit Ethernet will be faster. You may be limited by the laptop drive speeds.