Using USB to extract DV

[rjfiske]

I understand that iMovie and Final Cut Express support importing video from my camcorder so long as it's through firewire (known as i.Link on my Sony) but I only have a USB cable. I'm not too jazzed about buying a firewire cable. Is there no way for me to import the video? Even through a different program would be fine. I'm running Panther. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[slowtreme]

You're talking about 10 bucks or something? Get the cable ;)

I've no idea if imovie will import from USB, hell it wont even detect my Firewire camera. Are you in USB2.0? i don't think USB1.1 has the sustained speed to transfer Full DV.

[abhishekit]

Originally posted by slowtreme
You're talking about 10 bucks or something? Get the cable ;)

I've no idea if imovie will import from USB, hell it wont even detect my Firewire camera. Are you in USB2.0? i don't think USB1.1 has the sustained speed to transfer Full DV.

does it cost just 10 bucks? coz i had the same problem. My roommate has camcorder and i wanted to show him the cool things that imovie can do...(he is a windowz guy.. :) ) but i dont have firewire cable..last time i saw that cable at best buy it was around 20 bucks i guess

[LethalWolfe]

a 6 ft firewire cable will probably run you around $20. And it's the only way to digitally get video off the camera.


Lethal

[MarkCollette]

I have a related question. Is there some way to get video onto an iMac that's so old it doesn't have firewire at all, just USB 1.1 ? I know USB 1.1 isn't fast enough for realtime DV, but I'm curious if there's some way.

- Mark Collette

[Sol]

Get a 4-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable for your SONY camera and stop wasting time trying to invent workarounds using USB. That is just silly.

4-pin FireWire connectors are what SONY calls i.link. This is basically the FW connector that just carries data, no power.

6-pin FireWire connectors are for the ports built into all Macs and FW cards. These carry data and power.

As for importing video into a tray-loading CRT iMac, you would need something like the Eye TV or if you can find it, XLR8's InterView 2.0 These devices would give you roughly half the quality of a DV camera signal but you could make videos for the web and Video CDs with that. You would also need a video editing application that can work with them. I would recommend Adobe Premiere for the XLR8 since it is Motion-JPG based. The ElGato Eye TV comes with its own software.

Finally let me just say that those iMacs are not very useful for video work. I should know, I have one.

[MarkCollette]

Originally posted by Sol
As for importing video into a tray-loading CRT iMac, you would need something like the Eye TV or if you can find it, XLR8's InterView 2.0 These devices would give you roughly half the quality of a DV camera signal but you could make videos for the web and Video CDs with that. You would also need a video editing application that can work with them. I would recommend Adobe Premiere for the XLR8 since it is Motion-JPG based. The ElGato Eye TV comes with its own software.

Finally let me just say that those iMacs are not very useful for video work. I should know, I have one. [/B]

Since my iMac 333 was my first Mac, I had no idea that for just a few more dollars I could get one with significantly more features. But luckily there are people like you to point me to resources to allow me to get what I can from this box. Thank you.

At my school we have to pay money for computer time to do video editing for assignments, so I have been able to save money by only paying to import video at school, and spend the many hours of editing at home, for free. So, I'm still glad I have this machine :)


- Mark Collette

[Dale Sorel]

Just buy the cable, dude :)

[virividox]

get the cable and show him what ur pupy can do

[rjfiske]

So I've read that the responses consist of either other people having variances of the same question or people telling me to just buy the cable. Thanks for the replies.

I should have clarified... it's not MY camera (even though I incorrectly said it was). It's a friend's. He wants to use my computer to edit video instead of his PC (can you blame him? ;) ) I'm not jazzed about buying a cable for HIS Sony.

If it were MY Sony camera, yes I would have bought the darn cable by now. I was trying to find a viable alternative for HIS camera without paying the $10 - $20 for a cable that will get used once. Sorry, I should have been more clear in my original post.

[jxyama]

have HIM buy the cable. :D

or find a friend with an older iPod or ext. FW HD. the 4 pin to 6 pin converter comes with the iPod as well.

[rjfiske]

Originally posted by jxyama
have HIM buy the cable. :D



LOL. I didn't think of that... :cool: