Need >$500 camcorder that outputs live video through Firewire/USB

[btrotter]

I am playing around with setting up a video streaming server where I can stream someone on stage to a building adjacent to us. I can currently capture using a HD USB webcam directly to the Mac Mini it is attached to and stream through Quicktime Broadcaster. The problem is the webcam has no optical zoom so the image stinks. I thought I could swap out the webcam for a HD camcorder and I would be good. The problem is I cant seem to find any HD camcorders that have firewire ports or USB ports that output live video and are anywhere close to affordable (under $500). It seems like years ago in the MiniDV days, a lot of cameras had firewire ports on them, but not any more. Does anyone know of any camcorders that do this and are in my price range?

[Skiller]

You can be pretty sure any camcorder with a Firewire port will output live video on the Firewire port while in standby and recording mode. The problem is, like you have mentioned, those modern SD card camcorders don't have Firewire ports anymore because they record to SD cards which results in individual files rather than a continous data stream like on a MiniDV tape. You may be able to stream live via USB with some camcorders, but this usually results in a compromised quality and you most likely need propritary software and drivers to do it.


So I would suggest get a HDV camcorder, that's probably the easiest way to do it. Another option would be to capture a camcorder's component or HDMI output with a capture card.

[btrotter]

Thanks Skiller. I hadnt considered the component/HDMI output going to a capture card. I am going to look to see if any of the Pinnacle Dazzle cards work with Mac OSX. That may be a good solution.

[glenpinn]

firewire was used to transfer digital video from internal mini dv tape to the pc hdd because tape had to be transferred in real time, and usb back in those days could never do that kind of speed, and firewire was a lot more reliable.

if you want to use a HD camcorder, get one with hdmi, and record over hdmi, i think thats your only choice here.