Topic: HDD Camcorder

[Brian G]

Has anyone used one of these.  My office is looking for a new video camera, we want to post some training sessions on our internal website. They look pretty cool and hooks up to a pc via usb 2.0 and records in MPEG format.  Specifically the JVC GZMG505U.

Any thoughts?


Edit:  never mind...I did not see the post a couple of topics back....

[BlackLab]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

[F.O.Bean]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

why is this?

[dunebug81]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

USB2.0 is 80mb faster then firewire....

[F.O.Bean]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

USB2.0 is 80mb faster then firewire....

only faster than firewire 400, firewire 800 is the fastest

[dunebug81]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

USB2.0 is 80mb faster then firewire....

only faster than firewire 400, firewire 800 is the fastest

I was not aware there was a firewire 800.  Thats good to know.  I wonder if my ipod would use the extra speed that the firewire 800 offers.

[F.O.Bean]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

USB2.0 is 80mb faster then firewire....

only faster than firewire 400, firewire 800 is the fastest

I was not aware there was a firewire 800.  Thats good to know.  I wonder if my ipod would use the extra speed that the firewire 800 offers.

it is prolly not made for FW 800 tho, so i doubt you could take advantage of the full 800, but i have no clue, ive never held an ipod so......

[taper420]

Actually I think I heard somewhere that USB 2 does 480 in bursts and firewire streams at 400 so it actually ends up averaging faster

[crunchy]

yeah, I've heard that firewire transfers at a more consistant rate which makes it better for audio and video work

[BlackLab]

exactly.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

you want to transfer via Firewire not USB un;ess you want to risk dropped frames

Not always, it depends on the transfer mode.  Firewire is better for realtime transfers because it has a mode that allows link bandwidth to be reserved for the stream.  However, firewire's isochronous mode does not provide link layer error correction so you can get errors.   

Cameras that use a hard drive should be storing the video as a file just like on your PC.  Transfering a file object over firewire vs USB is pretty much the same thing with respect to link error correction.  The advantage to one over the other is just the block transfer rate.  I wouldn't have any concern about a USB interface on a hard drive based recorder if you are using file mode to transfer the recording.