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Video to Laptop (1 Viewer)

denbigh

Member
I run a Canon XM2 video camera which I download to my imac with no problems via the firewire port.

I now wish to buy a laptop to take with me when I go away. My problem is will I be able to down load my video via the very small firewire port on the laptops I have seen with a fire wire port.

The only ones I have seen are the sony machines and the more expensive of the mac laptops.

I have asked canon for their advice but they were most unhelpful saying that they could not recommend any particular machine.

Any advice would be useful thank you.

Denbigh
 
Denbigh, I download dv and even Hidef onto a Toshiba Satellite A100 (T2400) through a firewire port without any problems or dropped frames (providing the tape is in good condition, couple of damaged tapes have caused issues but nothing to do with the Firewire transfer). Its quite an old dual core satellite with a huge screen, a pain to lug around but a good NLE system (for DV at least).
 
Denbigh, I download dv and even Hidef onto a Toshiba Satellite A100 (T2400) through a firewire port without any problems or dropped frames (providing the tape is in good condition, couple of damaged tapes have caused issues but nothing to do with the Firewire transfer). Its quite an old dual core satellite with a huge screen, a pain to lug around but a good NLE system (for DV at least).

I have also downloaded video from a Canon video camera to a Toshiba Satellite laptop with no problems via the small firewire port.
 
Denbigh - I would highly recommend that you buy a high quality firewire cable as I had problems a while ago transferring video from camcorder to a Dell laptop - running Windows XP. Dell even said that I needed a new motherboard!! As the laptop was under warranty that meant an engineer would come and do the job I said that if Dell basically wanted to give me new laptop at no cost to me that would be OK. Altough I had said that the motherboard was not the problem they replaced it - and, of course, did not sort the problem. However, going out a buying a good quality lead did fix it!!!

cheers
Gordon
 
"Thanks for the advice guys I will check this model out."

The sattelite is a good laptop - two caveats, with 17'' screen it's huge, great for running adobe premier, but only just portable, if you're looking for something to take on holiday, and you're not so worried about screen real-estate, you'll probably want something a bit more portable. Second caveat - its old now, probably been superceded.

The bottom line is though - any laptop with a firewire in and disk capable of sustained speed of 7200rpm should be fine for (mini DV or Hidef from mini DV) video capture. You'll need to make sure you've got the appropriate software for capture as well if you go the PC route. Though you can download simple dv capture programs very easily.

I'd (personally) be hesitant to go the PC card socket route, just because it adds another cost, and another link to the chain.
 
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