Ok- perhaps a really really stupid question... I bought a firewire card to interface my handycam w/my PC. I bought a cheap card (Dazzle DV-editor SE) and the directions are vague at best. Besides this, I've lost the owners manual for my camcorder. Video comes over the computer just great, but I have no audio. Does audio transmit over the firewire, or is that strictly video and command functions? I'm figuring that I have to run a seperate cable from the camcorder's audio out to the pc soundcard- but I wanted to make sure before I go buy one. The instruction manual gives absolutely no mention to a second wire. Help?

-Hubb

 

yes firewire transfers it all at real time.... meaning audio, video and the power to control the camera with your computer

 

Firewire baby. Its the bomb.

Few things you'll want to check.

#1) What software are you using
#2) What camera do you have
#3) What model of video card?

Now goto the software company website, and MAKE SURE all 3 are compatable. When we got into DV editing for www.goonish.com we made the mistake in getting the wrong videocard, and for our life, couldn't get it to work. We ended up buying a $600 MiroDC30 Capture card, bloody expensive, but is by far one of the best.

You can buy much cheaper, but you want to make sure ALL are compatible, otherwise you'll run into problems. If you need some more help, leave me the answers to the above questions and i'll try and help ya out as much as possible.

 

I have a Sony DCR-TRV120 and I am using the Dazzle DV-Editor SE on Windows ME. Video comes over fine, as do commands from the PC to the camera. Just no audio. Cheap card was only $50 and come to think of it, there was no cable to run from it to the sound card so perhaps I'll just have to run audio seperately. If that's the case, its not a huge loss- I was mostly interested in grabbing still images anyway...

-Hubb

 

jeezus 600 bucks for a freakin firewire card, for that much you could buy a new (older version) g3 iMac and use iMovie (comes with for free) or the industry standard pro editing software Final Cut Pro..... and hell that imac will do DV better than nearly (i do mean nearly, not all) pcs out there, with built in, problem free firewire....
oh well.... thats just what i know.... from a DV Expert i guess you could say.... as i do lots of video work, and of course i use a G4 (DP800mhz).... dont get me wrong though i do use pcs, i own two 1ghz athlon machines anyway....


oy there i go rambling

 

After much research and unanswered phonecalls to tech support, I found an FAQ on the manufacturer's website explaining that 'you will not hear audio while capturing from your camcorder' ... something about saving system resources to avoid corrupting video. Sure enough, I tried actually capturing then playing back & audio comes over clear as a bell. Thanks for trying to help, guys!

-Hubb