Capture and convert -- firewire

[mister]

I've been using WINDV with my JVC camcorder to capture AVI video to my PC (via firewire) and then usually convert to wmv or something smaller.

Is there now free (or low cost) software that will do it all? capture then convert?

Just trying to save time by having to open my converter program -- be nice to find something that will do both.

thanks

[aedipuss]

while theoretically possible any slight interruption of a firewire capture causes dropped frames. with today's faster computers and ssd drives it may be possible to write such software but firewire/DVavi is not something anyone is creating stuff for anymore.

[vhelp]

this is possible (with fast computer) but depends on the destination codec you will be converting to, i.e., xvid vs x264.

but it might be possible to convert on the fly using x264cli in "veryfast" mode if the correct decompressor is used via directshow driver. i'm looking into something like this, using x264 cli and "veryfast" mode myself but i'm tied up trying to figure something else out in another project. but i think there's enough savy people on this board that can code this capture tool for you.

[mister]

I'm not an avid video guy nor very up to date on latest technology -- the WINDV I've been very happy with -- but what's going on now? firewire is history?

If I had a new camcorder it would, I guess, be USB?

And what would be the most popular capture software? (something like WINDV -- not a big edit program -- more like capture only).

Thanks.

[aedipuss]

other than a couple HDV cams firewire is done. usb or the cam records to SD/CF/p2 cards and you can remove them and read them in your computer.

you transfer the files using copy/paste, your operating system handles it. much faster than the old real time capture over firewire.