Is USB fast enough to capture DV?

Post by **jparnold** » Tue May 12, 2009 11:55 am

Up till now I have always captured DV from my camera (uses Mini DV tapes) to PC hard disk using Firefire which works very well and I never get dropped frames.
I am considering purchasing a Netbook PC for use when travelling and these only seem to come with USB interface.
My camera also has a USB connection but I am wondering is USB fast enough to capture video without dropped frames?
Has anyone tried this with success?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue May 12, 2009 1:09 pm

John, I'm sure you've been around long enough to have seen all the posts that recommend NOT capturing DV via USB.

If your laptop does not come with a firewire port you should look into something like THIS.

Post by **jparnold** » Tue May 12, 2009 1:17 pm

Thanks Jeff,
I was fairly sure that I had read posts on this in the past and so first did a SEARCH on USB and got pages and pages of 'hits' I checked quite a few (which did not involve my question) and then gave up (I think that there were in excess of 6 'pages' of 'hits, far too many to wade through).

I'm not sure in Netbooks have any interface (port) for plugging in 'cards' like your reply 'linked to' as they are quite small (usually only an 8.9" screen and only weighing around 2lbs) and don't have as much 'space' as a laptop for such 'ports'. My interest in a Netbokk is for pverseas travelling as they are very light and don'y take up much space either.

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Tue May 12, 2009 1:37 pm

John,
USB2 is fast enough most of the time. It is rated at 480, but this is a burst speed and continuous speed is totally different and often much slower.
Turn everything else off and make sure you have no other usb peripherals disconnected and you may be ok.
Then, most cams only use usb for stills, but some come with a usb-video driver - panasonic - and this enables you to control and capture using usb2.
What is the make and model of your cam?
How old is it?
I wouldn't use it.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue May 12, 2009 2:21 pm

If you intend to use your mini DV camera, then there is no point even thinking about connecting it to your netbook. I have the Acer Aspire One, which like all other netbooks, only has USB and not firewire. Firewire in effect was invented specifically for DV. Period. No ifs, no buts. If you use USB, then depending on the camera, you will be able to either download only still images, and/or at most, streaming mpeg-1 quality video, NOT/NOT high quality DV.

Post by **jparnold** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:08 am

Thanks everyone.
Maybe I consider buying a laptop (even though not as transportable as a Netbook) which has a port for a plugiFirewire card.
Then again maybe I will sit back and enjoy my trips instead of trying to start to edit my video of a night whilst on tour (just thought of getting started early instead of waiting until I get home).

There is another alternative I guess - buy a new camera which records to hard disk of memory card, then I can transfer the files via USB2. Would have to get 'approval' from my wife which sounds not worth the trouble

Oh well back to the drawing board.

skier-hughes · Post by **skier-hughes** » Wed May 13, 2009 9:42 am

New netbook, New cam........... No holiday as run out of money

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:01 pm

My vote would be to enjoy your vacation and edit when you get home.

Post by **jparnold** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:31 pm

PCMCIA cards for Firewire are relatively cheap (under $30) BUT -

Do NETBOOK PCs usually have a slot for PCMCIA cards like the larger laptops do. Also is the inbuilt hard drive fast enough to capture DV? Does anyone know? Hopefully KEN can answer this as he has an Acer Aspire One (see previous reply above).

Thanks

Post by **Ken Berry** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:41 pm

No they don't. And I have to ask what the problem is with doing as I do, regardless of whether the computer I travel with has firewire or not... If you have a mini DV camera (including HDV camera), what is the problem with simply collecting the used DV cassettes -- they hardly take up much space.

Post by **jparnold** » Wed May 13, 2009 3:24 pm

There is no problem at all with collecting the MiniDV tapes which I would do anyway as I will NOT reuse tapes after being told once that it is better that you don't re-use tapes (and they are relatively cheap anyway).

What I was considering doing is to start my editing while away. I usually end up just watching TV on most nights and could do some editing instead (after capturing of course). That way I would have my completed movie sooner after returning.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:58 pm

I also have the same netbook as Ken - an Aspire One, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive and an Intel Atom duo core processor.

Now the bad news.......
Although you can install VideoStudio you cannot run it - VideoStudio requires a screen resolution of at least 1024x768
The best you can get on this particular netbook is 1024x600.

Your best bet is to keep the video tapes until you get home, but you can of course transfer any photographs to the netbook and if necessary edit them.
This also has the powerful advantage of warning you if some dust or dirt etc. has got onto your lens so that you can take action straight away rather than ruin several days worth of photography.

Post by **jparnold** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:46 am

Thanks Steve for the advise (screen resolution doesn't support VS).
I was considering buying a Netbook anyway so that I could use the web while on a trip (I currently can only send/receive email via a PDA (pocket PC).
I had thought that maybe I could start editing video as well but if they (Netbooks) don't have a PCMCIA slot and the screen resolution isn't 1024 X 768 then I will have to forget about that.

Your suggestion about checking photos taken is a good one though. I could also resize them (to a size suitable for emailing them) and email some home as well.

Thanks

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:16 am

Just as long as you don't use Adobe Photoshop... The netbook screen resolution is too low for that too. (I've tried!)

However, Photoshop Elements works. I haven't yet tried to install PhotoImpact...

Post by **jparnold** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:26 am

Ken,

I once looked at Adobe Photoshop and it looked too complex for little ol' me.

I 'grew up' on Paint Shop Pro (started with version 6 which came on a PC magazine coverdisk all those years ago) and found that it does everything I want to do - hope it (X2) works on a Netbook (couldn't find minimum screen resolution using a search engine).

Maybe I should consider a small laptop (eg 11" or 12" screen) although they are a fair bit larger and heavier than a netbook.