IEEE vs USB?

[Sam Chao]

When I was at the store picking out a mini-dv camcorder,
the store clerk told me that I would want to transfer
video to my compuer using a firewire connection. He said
that USB wasn't really fast enough or reliable enough. So
I bought an IEEE card and cable.

When I got home and tested out transfers using USB (I
have USB 1, not 2) versus transfers using IEEE, I
couldn't tell any difference at all. Both methods require
me to play on the camcorder and record on the computer.
So if a video is 15 minutes long, it takes 15 minutes to
get it onto the computer.

Is this right? I was under the impression that using
IEEE/firewire would enable me to grab the video off the
tapes faster. If not, what's the point of firewire?

I'm using Windows Movie Maker.

Thank you very much for any help given!

[Cari \(MS MVP\)]

It's not the time it takes...you will ALWAYS take the same amount of as the
original footage is.... it's the RESOLUTION and in this case the clerk was
100% correct. You will experience far less dropped frames using firewire...
and the result will be a much better quality.
--
Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
www.coribright.com

"Sam Chao" > wrote in message
...
> When I was at the store picking out a mini-dv camcorder,
> the store clerk told me that I would want to transfer
> video to my compuer using a firewire connection. He said
> that USB wasn't really fast enough or reliable enough. So
> I bought an IEEE card and cable.
>
> When I got home and tested out transfers using USB (I
> have USB 1, not 2) versus transfers using IEEE, I
> couldn't tell any difference at all. Both methods require
> me to play on the camcorder and record on the computer.
> So if a video is 15 minutes long, it takes 15 minutes to
> get it onto the computer.
>
> Is this right? I was under the impression that using
> IEEE/firewire would enable me to grab the video off the
> tapes faster. If not, what's the point of firewire?
>
> I'm using Windows Movie Maker.
>
> Thank you very much for any help given!

[Capture Boy]

I use firewire and find it preferable to USB.

A large fast hard disk is also an essential item, no point capturing loads
of video quickly if a slow hard drive results in lots of dropped frames.

I have nothing against Movie Maker (hell its free after all) but there are
plenty of better programmes to use, depending on your budget.

"Sam Chao" > wrote in message
...
> When I was at the store picking out a mini-dv camcorder,
> the store clerk told me that I would want to transfer
> video to my compuer using a firewire connection. He said
> that USB wasn't really fast enough or reliable enough. So
> I bought an IEEE card and cable.
>
> When I got home and tested out transfers using USB (I
> have USB 1, not 2) versus transfers using IEEE, I
> couldn't tell any difference at all. Both methods require
> me to play on the camcorder and record on the computer.
> So if a video is 15 minutes long, it takes 15 minutes to
> get it onto the computer.
>
> Is this right? I was under the impression that using
> IEEE/firewire would enable me to grab the video off the
> tapes faster. If not, what's the point of firewire?
>
> I'm using Windows Movie Maker.
>
> Thank you very much for any help given!

[Cari \(MS MVP\)]

It's not the time it takes...you will ALWAYS take the same amount of as the
original footage is.... it's the RESOLUTION and in this case the clerk was
100% correct. You will experience far less dropped frames using firewire...
and the result will be a much better quality.
--
Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
www.coribright.com

"Sam Chao" > wrote in message
...
> When I was at the store picking out a mini-dv camcorder,
> the store clerk told me that I would want to transfer
> video to my compuer using a firewire connection. He said
> that USB wasn't really fast enough or reliable enough. So
> I bought an IEEE card and cable.
>
> When I got home and tested out transfers using USB (I
> have USB 1, not 2) versus transfers using IEEE, I
> couldn't tell any difference at all. Both methods require
> me to play on the camcorder and record on the computer.
> So if a video is 15 minutes long, it takes 15 minutes to
> get it onto the computer.
>
> Is this right? I was under the impression that using
> IEEE/firewire would enable me to grab the video off the
> tapes faster. If not, what's the point of firewire?
>
> I'm using Windows Movie Maker.
>
> Thank you very much for any help given!