No firewire! usb 2 ?

**kissedthesky** · 11-10-2004, 06:12 PM

I have a new ish laptop with usb 2 and dvd rw, but no firewire or pcmcia slot! I want to buy a low end camcorder and download to pc to edit(simply) and burn to dvd. Everything points to firewire, but can I use usb 2 without loss of quality? I believe some camcorders have a usb facility but not sure if this can be done. Help! :(

**Marc Peters** · 11-10-2004, 06:23 PM

Kinda crazy that a new laptop came without firewire. What's the make and model?

**kissedthesky** · 11-10-2004, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the reply.
My laptop is an Ei machines bought this year in April from Dixons as a current model. It has a 40gb hdd and 256mb ram with 5 usb2 and a dvd rw. Asked for a laptop that would support a camcorder when I bought this.

**kissedthesky** · 11-10-2004, 06:52 PM

Ei machines 4413

**Marc Peters** · 11-10-2004, 07:05 PM

Says "not specified" under specifications. Helpful. Please don't take this as being rude, but do you know what a firewire socket looks like?

**Mike Thorpe** · 11-10-2004, 07:18 PM

Firewire is pretty much a necessity for DV.

It might be called iEEE1394 though?

The socket may look like this: http://images.auctionworks.com/hi/45/44875/1394-4f2.gif (4 pin, about 5mm wide)

or this:

http://www.cofa.unsw.edu.au/units/re...imac_small.jpg (6 pin, about 15mm )

If you don't have either of those, get yourself a PCMCIA Firewire card, something like this:

http://www.dabs.com/uk/productview?quicklinx=162P

**kissedthesky** · 11-10-2004, 07:31 PM

Thanks for the replys. My manual shows location of firewire(optional!) and it is just a blanking plate. Next, I have no PCMCIA slot either, so cannot use an adaptor.Incredibly it has neither. When I bought the laptop I relied on the salesmans advice who said it had everything I needed. Can I not use the usb 2 skts then?

**Marc Peters** · 11-10-2004, 07:51 PM

Maybe, just maybe, this is where a DVD camcorder might be applicable. Maybe. This is a stab in the dark, but I believe they may have the facility to transfer the MPEG via USB2...

...espicially if you only want simple edits.

**Marc Peters** · 11-10-2004, 08:05 PM

Too lazy to do a search to source in the UK, but http://www.everythingusb.com/news/index/3889.htm

**Mike Thorpe** · 11-10-2004, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by kissedthesky

Thanks for the replys. My manual shows location of firewire(optional!) and it is just a blanking plate. Next, I have no PCMCIA slot either, so cannot use an adaptor.Incredibly it has neither. When I bought the laptop I relied on the salesmans advice who said it had everything I needed. Can I not use the usb 2 skts then?

First of all, go back to Dixons and kick the salesman in his stupid, stupid face.

After getting back from the police station, do like Marc says and have a look at the straight-to-DVD camcorders. It's not as good quality for editing purposes, but even if you can't transfer by USB2, you should be able to put the DVD in your drive and rip the footage off there.