I have an old Sony PC-1, with a firewire port. Is the best way to get video files into my Window 7 machine to edit in Movie Maker to install a firewire port on in my motherboard? Or, will Pinnacle work with a converter? If I need to buy a firewire port, which is the best one to buy? they are priced all over the place.
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Convert? NO!
Firewire card? Yes!
Get one that is for 1394a (aka FW400), even whether or not it also happens to have 1394b (aka 800). Best to get one with a TI chipset (most compatible, good drivers, least amount of problems). That will narrow the market somewhat. I currently like the SIIG brand, but there are lots of decent ones that fit the bill. You should certainly be able to find a good one for less than $100USD. I wouldn't skimp too much, though - you get what you pay for.
ScottLast edited by Cornucopia; 10th Nov 2014 at 12:49.
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Great, thanks Scott. I found one on Amazon for pretty cheap. Syba Low Profile PCI-Express 1394b/1394a (2B1A) Card, TI Chipset. I hope it isn't too cheap, but it had the specs you recommended. Do you think Siig makes one for a 64bit, Win 7 system? I can always return the one I am getting from Amazon. should I be able to import my video files directly to Movie Maker, and create either MP-4 or AVI videos? Any recommendations other than Movie Maker for editing in a PC? i read Pinnacle was basically worthless, that MM was better a video editing program.? Again, thanks for your help.
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See Syba's product page. It contains more detailed information than Amazon's listing provides. If click on on the Software Requirement tab and read what it says, you will see the device works with Windows 7 64-bit.
Windows Movie Maker is not a good choice as an editor unless you want WMV video as your end result. Someone else may have better ideas for good free or low cost beginner-friendly alternatives. -
what is Ymmv? I read awful stuff about Pinnacle, what video editing programs do you recommend? I also have an old MacBook, but this version of IMovie only makes MOV. files, that I can't seem to convert into MP4. I like to play my movies on a DMP,that plays MP4 or AVI files, but not MOV.
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Ymmv = "your mileage may vary" = every personal experience could be a little different depending upon circumstances.
I recommend pro NLEs like Vegas Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Apple FCP. But if you cannot afford that, my suggestion would have been Sony Vegas Movie Studio. However, if you are using a Mac, that will greatly change (narrow) the options. I noticed you said "also" - understand that using it as your capture machine narrows down the choices greatly, which in this case makes your workable options harder to find.
If you are otherwise okay with iMovie, just get QT pro: it will allow you to convert to MP4 easily.
ScottLast edited by Cornucopia; 10th Nov 2014 at 13:23.
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I would use it with my 64bit Win 7 PC. The macbook is pretty vintage, but I do like IMovie. but, the MOV.files ahve been impossible to convert, and I cant play them anywhere. Thanks for the advice though, I will stay with MM, and try QT pro to convert to MP4. i wonder if QT pro could convert MOV. files to MP4 or AVI?
Thanks for the explanation of ymmv. -
If your MOV is already mp4 compatible, you can do a lossless transcode (remux). If not, QT can reencode to Mp4 (with some expected loss). As QT doesn't work natively with VFW/Directshow, you have very few codec options (basically dv and uncompressed).
If using WMM, I would render to uncompressed avi if possible, for best quality.
ScottLast edited by Cornucopia; 10th Nov 2014 at 13:24.