Help with a digital video camera plz.

[ibex333]

I have a Panasonic PV-DV203.

I am trying to record a video from my DV casette to my PC's hard drive. Judging from the manual, it seems that my camera is capable of doing this, but it needs an i.link cable, which is a fancy name for a 4 to 6 pin firewire cable. (this is kinda silly, because I am able to capture still images from my DV tape by connectiong to the PC with a USB cable. If I can do that, why cant I transfer videos with USB???) Anyhow, I guess I need this firewire thing..

I am wondering if only a native panasonic cable will work, or I can just go to a radio shack, and get any such cable?

If you do not know what I am talking about and cant help me, mabe you know a forum on the internet that deals with these things? Thanx.

 

[xanis]

The same thing with my Panasonic DV cam happens. I can get still images, but no video and it's really dumb. Anyhow, yeah any 4 to 6 pin firewire cable should work, which reminds me that I need one. And a firewire card. Ugh.

 

[ibex333]

Please tell me if you have any luck when you get the wire.. I'm going to get it tomorrow, and post here.

 

[CFster]

Well, if you're going to use the USB, you better make sure you computer has USB 2.0.

Anyway, I use firewire from my DV cam all the time.

Actually, that's the only thing I use the camcorder for. It sits in between my DirecTivo and my PC, performing analog to digital conversion on the fly - works great.

When you get hooked up, you'll need some good software to capture, edit and encode after.

There are all-in-one packages, but none offer the functionality of doing things manually.

This is how I do it:

For quick clips, I'll just do it with Windows Movie Maker and make .wmv files.

If I want real DVD quality stuff I'll:

1. Capture with Scenalyzer into raw DV AVI format (warning, takes up boatloads of HD space - a 1hr movie is good for 20gigs)
2. Rip the audio out of it with VirtualDub
3. Convert that audio to AC3 dolby with ffmpeggui
4. Encode the video only to DVD compliant MPEG with either Tmpgenc or Cinema Craft Encoder
5. Put the audio and video back together with TMPgenc DVD Author and convert to DVD format (.vob files). Burn to DVD.

There is also a frameserver program called AVISynth (it's command line) - you wouldn't believe what you can do with that at the encoding stage.

 

[pulse8]

DV footage ONLY transfers over firewire. Don't ask me why, but it does.

 

[ibex333]

Originally posted by: CFster
Well, if you're going to use the USB, you better make sure you computer has USB 2.0.

Anyway, I use firewire from my DV cam all the time.

Actually, that's the only thing I use the camcorder for. It sits in between my DirecTivo and my PC, performing analog to digital conversion on the fly - works great.

When you get hooked up, you'll need some good software to capture, edit and encode after.

There are all-in-one packages, but none offer the functionality of doing things manually.

This is how I do it:

For quick clips, I'll just do it with Windows Movie Maker and make .wmv files.

If I want real DVD quality stuff I'll:

1. Capture with Scenalyzer into raw DV AVI format (warning, takes up boatloads of HD space - a 1hr movie is good for 20gigs)
2. Rip the audio out of it with VirtualDub
3. Convert that audio to AC3 dolby with ffmpeggui
4. Encode the video only to DVD compliant MPEG with either Tmpgenc or Cinema Craft Encoder
5. Put the audio and video back together with TMPgenc DVD Author and convert to DVD format (.vob files). Burn to DVD.

There is also a frameserver program called AVISynth (it's command line) - you wouldn't believe what you can do with that at the encoding stage.

my goodness! That sounds like a lot of work.. I cant believe you do that every time you take a video of your family or something like that...

Still thanx for the info.
By the way, I tried to use Nero for video capture, and the quality of the rexorded video was abysmal... it was way below 640x480... the res was in the hundreds. I dont know what wrong. This camera is not the best out there by far, but it's still pretty good.

 

[ibex333]

Originally posted by: pulse8
DV footage ONLY transfers over firewire. Don't ask me why, but it does.

yeah that really puzzles me.. gotta make a trip to the store tomorrow.

 

[CFster]

Originally posted by: ibex333

Originally posted by: CFster
Well, if you're going to use the USB, you better make sure you computer has USB 2.0.

Anyway, I use firewire from my DV cam all the time.

Actually, that's the only thing I use the camcorder for. It sits in between my DirecTivo and my PC, performing analog to digital conversion on the fly - works great.

When you get hooked up, you'll need some good software to capture, edit and encode after.

There are all-in-one packages, but none offer the functionality of doing things manually.

This is how I do it:

For quick clips, I'll just do it with Windows Movie Maker and make .wmv files.

If I want real DVD quality stuff I'll:

1. Capture with Scenalyzer into raw DV AVI format (warning, takes up boatloads of HD space - a 1hr movie is good for 20gigs)
2. Rip the audio out of it with VirtualDub
3. Convert that audio to AC3 dolby with ffmpeggui
4. Encode the video only to DVD compliant MPEG with either Tmpgenc or Cinema Craft Encoder
5. Put the audio and video back together with TMPgenc DVD Author and convert to DVD format (.vob files). Burn to DVD.

There is also a frameserver program called AVISynth (it's command line) - you wouldn't believe what you can do with that at the encoding stage.

my goodness! That sounds like a lot of work.. I cant believe you do that every time you take a video of your family or something like that...

Still thanx for the info.
By the way, I tried to use Nero for video capture, and the quality of the rexorded video was abysmal... it was way below 640x480... the res was in the hundreds. I dont know what wrong. This camera is not the best out there by far, but it's still pretty good.

Well, I don't actually. Like I said, I usually use Movie Maker to make clips.

But, if I'm authoring a DVD, then yeah I go through those steps. I'm just a masochist.

 

[Tu13erhead]

Originally posted by: pulse8
DV footage ONLY transfers over firewire. Don't ask me why, but it does.

I can transfer DV video to my PC using my Sony DV camera. Granted, Firewire is much better, but it can be done.

Just an FYI, any Firewire cables you find in store will probably be relatively expensive.

I strongly recommend MonoPrice as their prices are amazing and shipping is cheap and fast.

 

[ibex333]

Originally posted by: Tu13erhead

Originally posted by: pulse8
DV footage ONLY transfers over firewire. Don't ask me why, but it does.

I can transfer DV video to my PC using my Sony DV camera. Granted, Firewire is much better, but it can be done.

Just an FYI, any Firewire cables you find in store will probably be relatively expensive.

I strongly recommend MonoPrice as their prices are amazing and shipping is cheap and fast.

Thank you.

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: Tu13erhead

Originally posted by: pulse8
DV footage ONLY transfers over firewire. Don't ask me why, but it does.

I can transfer DV video to my PC using my Sony DV camera. Granted, Firewire is much better, but it can be done.

Just an FYI, any Firewire cables you find in store will probably be relatively expensive.

I strongly recommend MonoPrice as their prices are amazing and shipping is cheap and fast.

Your post makes no sense. Do you mean using your DV camera and USB? Which Sony do you have?