Firewire 400/800 and Canon HV30

[evenkiehl]

Hello,
I am about to get a Canon HV 30 video camera and my sister is giving me a computer a year or two old, but it is at Apple at the moment, so I do not have the eact model #.

The camera, I have been told, works with the Firewire 400, 6 to 4 pin, but the newer Firewire 800 apparently is different. I have not ordered the camera yet, but should this be a concern to me if it is the Firewire 800, or is it just a different cable???

As soon as I have this reply, I will order my camera, so any help or advice appreciated.

Thank you,
Stuart

 

[yoak]

The new macbook pro has only firewire 800. The older model ( non uniboby) has both FireWire 400 & 800.
The white and the black MacBooks have FireWire 400.
The new aluminum MacBook has only USB and no FireWire.
Find out what kind of mac she is giving you first.
I think you can get a cable from the camera to firewire 800 as 800 is backward compatible.I'm not a 100% sure though. Great little camera. I have it as a b-camera.

 

[Courtaj]

FW800 is backwards compatible with FW400: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FireWire#FireWire_800_.28IEEE_1394b-2002.29

You will need a new or different cable, however.

 

[evenkiehl]

a few more questions..

Mange tak! Thanks, have got a call in to find out any more info on the computer, but a few questions in the meantime. It is not a black or white computer, probably no more than 2 or 3 yrs old. Resembles the titanium in appearance.
Sorry for the what may be obvious to you, but what is backward compatible?
I have been reassured that the fw400 works fine, but I have no idea if:
-the 800 works
-if it is better
-if it a different cable
-and what backwards means

Much of the info I gather here, and on the HV30 board will determine whether to purchase the camera.

Many thanks and hilsen to our Northern Brethern,
Stuart

 

[Courtaj]

"Backwards compatible" means that the new technology still plays nicely with the old technology. In this case, it means that a FW800 bus in your laptop will work with a FW400 device such as a camcorder. As I said in my last post, you'll need to buy a different cable, as the FW800 port is a different configuration to the FW400 port. Check the wikipedia link in my last post for the latest and greatest on firewire.

 

[evenkiehl]

Thank you very much!

...for your time and sharing your knowledge.
Many thanks,
Stuart

 

[islandman]

The new macbook pro has only firewire 800. The older model ( non uniboby) has both FireWire 400 & 800.
The white and the black MacBooks have FireWire 400.
The new aluminum MacBook has only USB and no FireWire.
Find out what kind of mac she is giving you first.
I think you can get a cable from the camera to firewire 800 as 800 is backward compatible.I'm not a 100% sure though. Great little camera. I have it as a b-camera.

This is the cable I got, and it works fine.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000AAZQM2/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3E5K6GEFSI075&v=glance

 

[aricher]

get the cable you need at monoprice.com - cheaper than amazon and they ship very quickly. I have the HV30, fantastic camera. I run it into my MBP 15" using the FW800 port. Importing with iMovie or FCP is a snap.

 

[yoak]

Then the mac you will get is most likely a MacBook pro (or a power book) prior to the unibody MacBook pros that is out now. They all have FireWire 400 and 800 (except the one macbook pro model that only had the 400) so you should be fine.
Check out www.dvinfo.net/conf theyhave a seperate forum just for the hv20/30

 

[evenkiehl]

Thanks for the links!

...and the information
much appreciation!
Stuart