Re: Seriously OT: Digital Camcorders to PCs

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:41:12 -0700, "Lumpy"
<lumpy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Tony Cooper wrote:
I'm confused because you are confusing...

You're confused because I'm stupid. I know zero
about cameras.

Any video camera will do what you GF wants to do...

All upload in digital format...

That's what we're confused about. We read some comparison
guide thingie on Consumer Reports. I suspect it's very dated.
It talks about plugging patch cords between your camcorder
and your VCR to record to video tape.

Dunno. I can use a patch cord to play my mini-DVDs directly through
the TV, and I suppose I could record on a videotape at the same time,
but it would not be the normal way to do things. The only reason you
would is if you didn't own a computer and wanted to record on
videotape cassettes instead of DVDs or CDs.

Is it pretty safe to assume that most any modern
camcorder has a firewire output?

Almost all but the very cheap ones will have both a USB and FireWire
jack. What can change is that some camcorders will not upload via
USB. Most will, but the results can be jerky or slow. You do want a
camcorder with FireWire and a FireWire port on your computer.

Then once you offload the video from camcorder
to PC, what format is the file on the PC?

Depends on what your capture/editing program is. Can be AVI, DIVX,
XVID, MP4, MPG, WMV, ASF, MOV, etc. You designate that when you
capture. Not all cameras and not all software programs do the same
thing.

Don't worry about it, though. You'll be able to play what you upload
(before the edits) on any Windows or any Mac OS. You'll be able to
edit that (cut frames, move frames, add music, add titles, etc) burn a
DVD and play it in *most* DVD players. Some older ones won't play
home-cut DVDs, but a new DVD player is $30 now.

A program like Nero's Burning Rom is the best way to make a DVD from
your movie. Often that's bundled with a camera. If you have to buy
any program, that's the one. NBR is not for editing; it's for
burning.

I wouldn't suggest buying an editing program like Pinnacle or Adobe.
Use the free Windows or Mac program that's built-in (or downloadable)
until you outgrow it. You may never outgrow it.

One word of warning: If you use Windows Vista, the Windows program
may be a problem. I don't think they've solved that problem yet.

If you get a system, and have problems, this is the best site for
help: http://www.papajohn.org/ Most problems are addressed in his
site. Don't read it until you need to, though. It will just confuse
you. He gets deep.

Guaranteed that if you buy a decent videocam (not an Aiptek, Mustec,
or no-name import), have a FireWire port, have a large enough hard
disk or external, and spend two or three hours dicking around for the
first movie, that you'll be able to make a decent movie in 30 minutes
or less the second time.

Look at Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Hitachi or other major brand cameras.
Expect to pay about $200/300, but you can pay a little less or a
little more. I've had good luck with the Sony Handycams.









Thanks Tony -


Lumpy

--


Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL
.

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