I'm going to get an External hard drive for the old compy.
Problem is, I'm going to need to spend a lot more on one with a Firewire port, because the only reason I'm getting one is to upload my camcorder videos, and Samsung decided to torment is customers by only allowing video transfer through IEEE. I've also got a tight budget.
Anyways, on to my question. Do I need a firewire port on my compy to be able to use the port on the external hard drive? Here's the model I'm getting, just incase my problem is different depending on the type.
Full Version: External Hard drives and Firewire.
I'm not entirely sure it'd be possible to transfer your video directly from your camcorder to an external harddrive. In fact, I'd be willing to bet money that you can't. So yes, you'd need to be able to interface it with your PC, preferably both at the same time as the camera, to save having to copy it from your internal drive to the external one.
On the subject of firewire, that's not uncommon, it's the same for most cameras, the reason being the first generation of USB works at a relativly slow 12Mbps where Firewire works at a comparitivly blinding 400Mbps. USB 2.0 now works at a slightly faster 480Mbps so you're seeing more things using it. In short, it makes more sense use firewire, it's faster (I believe there is a second generation that works at speeds up to 800Mbps). So they're not being awkward, they're being practical.
On the subject of firewire, that's not uncommon, it's the same for most cameras, the reason being the first generation of USB works at a relativly slow 12Mbps where Firewire works at a comparitivly blinding 400Mbps. USB 2.0 now works at a slightly faster 480Mbps so you're seeing more things using it. In short, it makes more sense use firewire, it's faster (I believe there is a second generation that works at speeds up to 800Mbps). So they're not being awkward, they're being practical.
^ What he said.
If you were to plug the camera directly into a hard drive via firewire the only resuly tou're likely to get is the elextronic equivalent of 'very nice, but what exactly do you want me to do with it?
As an aside, people often think of external hard drives as the best thing since sliced bread, while they are often not at all what you want to get. For the price you could get an internal drive and firewire card with some left over a lot of the time. Particularly since firewire is so often included with motherboards that there are plenty of expansion cards going second hand for peanuts.
Installing an extra hard drive is not a difficult or scary thing to do, and can save you a packet. Here's a nice long article about how to do it.
If you were to plug the camera directly into a hard drive via firewire the only resuly tou're likely to get is the elextronic equivalent of 'very nice, but what exactly do you want me to do with it?
As an aside, people often think of external hard drives as the best thing since sliced bread, while they are often not at all what you want to get. For the price you could get an internal drive and firewire card with some left over a lot of the time. Particularly since firewire is so often included with motherboards that there are plenty of expansion cards going second hand for peanuts.
Installing an extra hard drive is not a difficult or scary thing to do, and can save you a packet. Here's a nice long article about how to do it.
You can connect that drive via either Firewire or USB 2.0. Connecting the drive directly to the camera, like everyone said is likely to do _nothing_. The camcorder is most likely not that clever.
As for calling Firewire "IEEE", please don't. IEEE is the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Firewire is IEEE 1394, a standard ratified by the IEEE. If you ask for an IEEE cable people will look at you blankly.
Maybe you want all their members to come together in a big group and pass a video tape along in bucket brigade style, but I doubt that's what you mean.
Anyways, back to the question.
You're going to need a firewire port on the PC. Most firewire cards will have more than one port, so if you get one then you can transfer your videos onto the PC and the other port(s) are available if you want the external hard drive (or do what Fuzzy said and save some money on an internal hard drive, since firewire on the hard drive isn't going to help you anyway).
As for calling Firewire "IEEE", please don't. IEEE is the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Firewire is IEEE 1394, a standard ratified by the IEEE. If you ask for an IEEE cable people will look at you blankly.
Maybe you want all their members to come together in a big group and pass a video tape along in bucket brigade style, but I doubt that's what you mean.
Anyways, back to the question.
You're going to need a firewire port on the PC. Most firewire cards will have more than one port, so if you get one then you can transfer your videos onto the PC and the other port(s) are available if you want the external hard drive (or do what Fuzzy said and save some money on an internal hard drive, since firewire on the hard drive isn't going to help you anyway).
just as an aside do not use the firewire port provided with some audio cards as these tend not to be suitable for video transfer. Also beware filming on Sony dv cams as they have compatibility issues with other dv manufacturers hardware. thats about all i can add to the whole computer video thing that hasnt already been said.
Nope. It's a Samsung.
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