Hello Trevor,

Thank you for both your timely responses, Sir! I just did what has been
suggested (Firewire from Camcorder to Laptop and USB from Laptop to HDD) and
it worked great! I don't think it dropped any frames and the nearly 55 minute
video of my Choir's first half of our last concert was an 11 GB file! My
first use of the HDD and this set up! Woo hoo!! Thanks to you and
everybody else! Now for the second half and then the movie creation, followed
by titles and chapters and then the DVD! Wow...I'm on a roll here woohoo! ;-)
Good day to all...

Wil.

"Trevor L." wrote:

> Wil,
> I replied early on in the thread and after reading other replies, I think
> what I said is correct
>
> 1. Camcorder to laptop via firewire.
> 2. Laptop to External HDD via USB2.
>
> This is identical to my setup except that I can't do 1. as my laptop doesn't
> have a firewire port so I use USB2 which I am told is slower and runs the
> risk of dropping frames. I don't think that the USB2 connection between
> laptop and HDD should caase the same problem as the transfer *should* be
> buffered - experts please correct me if I am wrong.
>
> Of course, you need a program on the PC to do the transfer, but this came
> with the camera, didn't it?
> --
> Cheers,
> Trevor L.
> Website: http://tandcl.homemail.com.au
>
> Wilfred wrote:
> > I can't connect both Camcorder and HDD with Firewire, since my laptop
> > only has one firewire port. So, what would your suggestion be then,
> > Graham? Please let me know...
> >
> > Wil.
> >
> > "Graham Hughes" wrote:
> >
> >> I would connect the firewire of the external hdd to the laptop,a dn
> >> then the cancomrder also with firewire to the laptop. Fire wire is
> >> much better at handling the data flow of dv-avi capture, with using
> >> usb2 you run the risk of dropping frames.
> >> When editing, thre is no reason to *have* to use firewire, as the
> >> editing app does not have to work in real time, but with such large
> >> files, I'd also suggest using firewire.
> >>
> >> I always do this when editing away from my base.
> >>
> >> Graham
> >>
> >> --
> >> Graham Hughes
> >> MVP Digital Media
> >> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
> >> www.dvds2treasure.com
> >> www.simplydv.com
> >>
> >>
> >> "bxf" <bill@topman.net> wrote in message
> >> news:1130158455.890560.55510@g43g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> >>>
> >>> bxf wrote:
> >>>> Wilfred wrote:
> >>>>> Hello,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> This may be a very simple question to many of you so I would like
> >>>>> a quick
> >>>>> reply, 'cause this is driving me nuts! ;-)
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I have a laptop with a 4-pin firewire port (ans several USB 2.0
> >>>>> ports). I
> >>>>> also have a Seagate 200 GB Hard drive with 2, 6-pin Firewire
> >>>>> ports and 1 USB
> >>>>> 2.0 port. Lastly I have a Sony Mini DV Camcorder which has a USB
> >>>>> and a 4-pin
> >>>>> Firewire port. I have all the cables for all the ports. I would
> >>>>> like to transfer video from my Camcorder to my External HD. So,
> >>>>> the question is HOW
> >>>>> DO I CONNECT these three pieces of equipment? 1) Should the
> >>>>> Camcorder plug
> >>>>> into the computer's Firewire port and then use a USB cable to
> >>>>> connect to the
> >>>>> Hard drive? Or 2) connect the Camcorder to the Hard drive's
> >>>>> firewire port and
> >>>>> use the other firewire port on the hard drive to connect to the
> >>>>> laptop?
> >>>>
> >>>> Unless you are determined, for whatever reason to use Firewire for
> >>>> everything, do the following:
> >>>>
> >>>> Attach your drive to the computer using a USB port. Your computer
> >>>> now has an additional drive, which, if everything is as it should
> >>>> be, will show up in Windows Explorer, for example.
> >>>>
> >>>> It is not possible to infer from your description whether the
> >>>> ports on the camcorder are input or output. Firewire is more
> >>>> frequently (but not exclusively)used to connect capture devices to
> >>>> the computer, so you should probably try to use that. You can try
> >>>> to use USB (assuming it is an output port) if you have problems
> >>>> when using the FW connection.
> >>>>
> >>>> There is no reason for you to think in terms of connecting the
> >>>> devices to each other. Just connect each one to the computer,
> >>>> independently.
> >>>
> >>> I realize that it is almost meaningless to talk in terms of input or
> >>> output on a camcorder, as why would there be an input port? I made
> >>> the reference just in case the presence of both USB AND firewire
> >>> had some unknown significance. If they are both for the same
> >>> purpose then you should be able to use either one.
>
>
>

Trevor L. wrote:
> Wil,
> I replied early on in the thread and after reading other replies, I think
> what I said is correct
>
> 1. Camcorder to laptop via firewire.
> 2. Laptop to External HDD via USB2.

Where did you say these? Am I not seeing all the posts? The only post I
see from you has the following:

"
My guess is 1) because you will need to use the PC's software to
initiate
the copying process. The PC will then write to the hard disk (if you
tell it
to).

PS. I'm jealous :-))


I have to use USB2 to read from camera and because the internal disk
doesn't
have enough free space, I have to write to an MP3 player with a 40GB
drive,
using USB2. If course not all of the 40 GB is available either, as it
has
music, jpeg images and video on it.


--
Cheers,
Trevor L.
"

Sorry 'bout that, bxf.

I think this may have got split into two threads

--
Cheers,
Trevor L.
Website: http://tandcl.homemail.com.au

bxf wrote:
> Trevor L. wrote:
>> Wil,
>> I replied early on in the thread and after reading other replies, I
>> think what I said is correct
>>
>> 1. Camcorder to laptop via firewire.
>> 2. Laptop to External HDD via USB2.
>
> Where did you say these? Am I not seeing all the posts? The only post
> I see from you has the following:
>
> "
> My guess is 1) because you will need to use the PC's software to
> initiate
> the copying process. The PC will then write to the hard disk (if you
> tell it
> to).
>
> PS. I'm jealous :-))
>
>
> I have to use USB2 to read from camera and because the internal disk
> doesn't
> have enough free space, I have to write to an MP3 player with a 40GB
> drive,
> using USB2. If course not all of the 40 GB is available either, as it
> has
> music, jpeg images and video on it.
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Trevor L.
> "

Trevor L. wrote:

> Take care that you use the highest quality when outputting. Experts here say
> MPEG2 is much better than MPEG1. I guess MPEG4 would be even better.

The thing with MPEG4 vs MPEG2 is not that it is ultimately better, but
rather that it can be better at any given bitrate, especially at low
bitrates. The best images MPEG4 can produce are not likely to be better
than those from MPEG2, if bitrates are ignored, but the files will be
smaller.

I'm sorry my mistake, I should have put,

Connect laptop via firewire to external hdd, then hdd to camcorder via
firewire.

Graham

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com


"Wilfred" <Wilfred@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news145A1C3-A1D3-44CF-B844-0D3266D7E802@microsoft.com...
>I can't connect both Camcorder and HDD with Firewire, since my laptop only
> has one firewire port. So, what would your suggestion be then, Graham?
> Please
> let me know...
>
> Wil.
>
> "Graham Hughes" wrote:
>
>> I would connect the firewire of the external hdd to the laptop,a dn then
>> the
>> cancomrder also with firewire to the laptop. Fire wire is much better at
>> handling the data flow of dv-avi capture, with using usb2 you run the
>> risk
>> of dropping frames.
>> When editing, thre is no reason to *have* to use firewire, as the editing
>> app does not have to work in real time, but with such large files, I'd
>> also
>> suggest using firewire.
>>
>> I always do this when editing away from my base.
>>
>> Graham
>>
>> --
>> Graham Hughes
>> MVP Digital Media
>> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
>> www.dvds2treasure.com
>> www.simplydv.com
>>
>>
>> "bxf" <bill@topman.net> wrote in message
>> news:1130158455.890560.55510@g43g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
>> >
>> > bxf wrote:
>> >> Wilfred wrote:
>> >> > Hello,
>> >> >
>> >> > This may be a very simple question to many of you so I would like a
>> >> > quick
>> >> > reply, 'cause this is driving me nuts! ;-)
>> >> >
>> >> > I have a laptop with a 4-pin firewire port (ans several USB 2.0
>> >> > ports).
>> >> > I
>> >> > also have a Seagate 200 GB Hard drive with 2, 6-pin Firewire ports
>> >> > and
>> >> > 1 USB
>> >> > 2.0 port. Lastly I have a Sony Mini DV Camcorder which has a USB and
>> >> > a
>> >> > 4-pin
>> >> > Firewire port. I have all the cables for all the ports. I would like
>> >> > to
>> >> > transfer video from my Camcorder to my External HD. So, the question
>> >> > is
>> >> > HOW
>> >> > DO I CONNECT these three pieces of equipment? 1) Should the
>> >> > Camcorder
>> >> > plug
>> >> > into the computer's Firewire port and then use a USB cable to
>> >> > connect
>> >> > to the
>> >> > Hard drive? Or 2) connect the Camcorder to the Hard drive's firewire
>> >> > port and
>> >> > use the other firewire port on the hard drive to connect to the
>> >> > laptop?
>> >>
>> >> Unless you are determined, for whatever reason to use Firewire for
>> >> everything, do the following:
>> >>
>> >> Attach your drive to the computer using a USB port. Your computer now
>> >> has an additional drive, which, if everything is as it should be, will
>> >> show up in Windows Explorer, for example.
>> >>
>> >> It is not possible to infer from your description whether the ports on
>> >> the camcorder are input or output. Firewire is more frequently (but
>> >> not
>> >> exclusively)used to connect capture devices to the computer, so you
>> >> should probably try to use that. You can try to use USB (assuming it
>> >> is
>> >> an output port) if you have problems when using the FW connection.
>> >>
>> >> There is no reason for you to think in terms of connecting the devices
>> >> to each other. Just connect each one to the computer, independently.
>> >
>> > I realize that it is almost meaningless to talk in terms of input or
>> > output on a camcorder, as why would there be an input port? I made the
>> > reference just in case the presence of both USB AND firewire had some
>> > unknown significance. If they are both for the same purpose then you
>> > should be able to use either one.
>> >
>>
>>
>>

Ooops, I know, typing faster than my thinking, I still suggest though,
Firewire from laptop to hdd and firewire from hdd to camcorder, for the
reasons I put in my earlier post.
Though as he is capturing without problems, there doesn't seem any need to
change now.

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com


"bxf" <bill@topman.net> wrote in message
news:1130177603.074838.327260@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Graham Hughes wrote:
>> I would connect the firewire of the external hdd to the laptop,a dn then
>> the
>> cancomrder also with firewire to the laptop.
>
> OP says laptop has only one firewire port.
>

You can never have enough ports! (grin)
http://tinyurl.com/9kk97
Treeman


--
Treeman
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Treeman's Profile: http://www.msusenet.com/member.php?userid=1260
View this thread: http://www.msusenet.com/t-1871141400

Or girls in them ))

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com


"Treeman" <Treeman.1xgqb2@no-mx.msusenet.com> wrote in message
news:Treeman.1xgqb2@no-mx.msusenet.com...
>
> You can never have enough ports! (grin)
> http://tinyurl.com/9kk97
> Treeman
>
>
> --
> Treeman
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Treeman's Profile: http://www.msusenet.com/member.php?userid=1260
> View this thread: http://www.msusenet.com/t-1871141400
>