Q. Is there any that I can buy that will allow direct uploading to my computer ?
The few ive looked into already seem way too confusing with all the programs they say you have to get to use it for uploading etc...
Are their any ones that are fairly simple ?
The few ive looked into already seem way too confusing with all the programs they say you have to get to use it for uploading etc...
Are their any ones that are fairly simple ?
A. Connect the camcorder's DV port to the computer's firewire port.
Put the camcorder in "Play" mode.
Launch the video editor.
Use the Capture or Import the video from the video editor.
This is about as direct and simple as it gets.
This is the process for miniDV tape based camcorders. High definiton examples include Canon HV40, Canon XHA1, Canon XLH series, Sony HDR-FX7, Sony HVR-HD1000, Sony HDR-FX1000, Sony HVR-A1U, Sony HVR-Z5 and many others.
Assumptions: The computer being used for the importing and editing has a firewire port and a video editor capable of dealing with HDV format video. USB will not work; USB-to-firewire cable/converter/adapter things will not work.
There are a few camcorders that use flash memory:
For the Panasonic AG-HVX200 that uses P2 cards: Use the DV/firewire port to import the video. Or, if you have a laptop with a PCMCIA port, then take the P2 card out of the camcorder and put it in the computer's PCMCIA port. You can either import or copy the DVCPRO HD files. The video editor needs to be able to deal with this file format.
For the JVC GY-HM100 and SD cards: The files are MOV format and can be used by Final Cut directly. Other editors will likely need the files transcoded to a format that other editor can use.
For the Sony HVR-Z7 and SxS compact flash: Use the DV/firewire port to import the video. Or, if you have a card reader that can handle this card, take it out of the camcorder and put it in the card reader. You can either import or copy the video files. The video editor needs to be able to deal with this file format you recorded in - either XDCAM, HDCAM or HDV.
Generally, camcorders equipped with a firewire/DV/IEEE1394 port (they are all the same thing) can also use a specially made external hard drive to record DV/HDV/DVCPRO formats. Focus Enhancements' FireStore line is an example...
++++++++++++++++
Flash memory and hard disc drive consumer-grade camcorders that capture high definition video generally compress the video to MTS (AVCHD) or MOD files. In either case, copy the video files to the computer by using a USB cable to connect the camcorder to the computer. In the case of flash memory where the memory card is removable, you can use a compatible card reader connected to your computer.
For MTS files, launch the AVCHD/MTS file compatible video editor. Either use the import function of the video editor or drag the MTS files to the video editor's capture area.
For MOD files, a transcoder will likely be needed to convert the MOD files to something the video editor can deal with. You can use a compatible card reader connected to your computer... or a USB cable to connect the camera to the computer.
++++++++++++++++++
Digital SLRs that capture high definition video can capture Motion JPEG files to either MOV or AVI files. You might need to transcode these files so your video editor can deal with them.
++++++++++++++++++
Since you did not tell us your budget, computer hardware or video editor you are using, providing you any detail is impossible. The short answer to you question is yes, there are camcorders that capture high definition video that can "upload directly" to your computer - but without more information from you, there is no way for us to know what you need to do to make it so.
Put the camcorder in "Play" mode.
Launch the video editor.
Use the Capture or Import the video from the video editor.
This is about as direct and simple as it gets.
This is the process for miniDV tape based camcorders. High definiton examples include Canon HV40, Canon XHA1, Canon XLH series, Sony HDR-FX7, Sony HVR-HD1000, Sony HDR-FX1000, Sony HVR-A1U, Sony HVR-Z5 and many others.
Assumptions: The computer being used for the importing and editing has a firewire port and a video editor capable of dealing with HDV format video. USB will not work; USB-to-firewire cable/converter/adapter things will not work.
There are a few camcorders that use flash memory:
For the Panasonic AG-HVX200 that uses P2 cards: Use the DV/firewire port to import the video. Or, if you have a laptop with a PCMCIA port, then take the P2 card out of the camcorder and put it in the computer's PCMCIA port. You can either import or copy the DVCPRO HD files. The video editor needs to be able to deal with this file format.
For the JVC GY-HM100 and SD cards: The files are MOV format and can be used by Final Cut directly. Other editors will likely need the files transcoded to a format that other editor can use.
For the Sony HVR-Z7 and SxS compact flash: Use the DV/firewire port to import the video. Or, if you have a card reader that can handle this card, take it out of the camcorder and put it in the card reader. You can either import or copy the video files. The video editor needs to be able to deal with this file format you recorded in - either XDCAM, HDCAM or HDV.
Generally, camcorders equipped with a firewire/DV/IEEE1394 port (they are all the same thing) can also use a specially made external hard drive to record DV/HDV/DVCPRO formats. Focus Enhancements' FireStore line is an example...
++++++++++++++++
Flash memory and hard disc drive consumer-grade camcorders that capture high definition video generally compress the video to MTS (AVCHD) or MOD files. In either case, copy the video files to the computer by using a USB cable to connect the camcorder to the computer. In the case of flash memory where the memory card is removable, you can use a compatible card reader connected to your computer.
For MTS files, launch the AVCHD/MTS file compatible video editor. Either use the import function of the video editor or drag the MTS files to the video editor's capture area.
For MOD files, a transcoder will likely be needed to convert the MOD files to something the video editor can deal with. You can use a compatible card reader connected to your computer... or a USB cable to connect the camera to the computer.
++++++++++++++++++
Digital SLRs that capture high definition video can capture Motion JPEG files to either MOV or AVI files. You might need to transcode these files so your video editor can deal with them.
++++++++++++++++++
Since you did not tell us your budget, computer hardware or video editor you are using, providing you any detail is impossible. The short answer to you question is yes, there are camcorders that capture high definition video that can "upload directly" to your computer - but without more information from you, there is no way for us to know what you need to do to make it so.
High definition camcorder question: how do you watch the videos?
Q. With a standard camcorder you could transfer the videos to DVD or VCR and watch them. Where can you transfer high definition videos and how do you watch them on TV after you have removed them from the camcorder?
A. It depends on the camcorder's recording media and whether you need to watch in high definition.
MiniDV tape: After capturing the video, connect to a computer using a firewire cable (just like a standard definition miniDV tape based camcorder). Import the video using a HDV-friendly video editor. The Windows XP version of MovieMaker cannot handle HDV; the Vista version can - iMovieHD has been dealing with HDV for several years). Edit. Render to a DVD with a DVD authoring tool - just like standard definition. The DVD authoring tool (like WinDVD, Nero or iDVD) will downsample the video from high definition to standard definition and burn the DVD for regular DVD players to play back. Or, if you have a BluRay player or PS3, you can export the high definition video project to a h.264 AVCHD file and burn that to a data DVD - for high definition playback... or, playback in the computer if you can connect the computer to a HDTV with a VGA cable (like my Panasonic plasma) or in some cases, HDMI or even component. Or, I can export the high definition video project back out to the miniDV HDV camcorder's tape - then connect the camcorder to the HDTV with component or HDMI cables. Or, I can export a compressed version and reduce from 1080i/1080p to 720p (h.264) and upload to vimeo.com or YouTube if the file size or length of the video meets their requirements... Or, if I have a "Direct to DVD" box, I can connect the DV port of the camcorder to the firewire/1394 port of the "Direct to DVD" box and burn a downsampled, unedited version. Or, I can connect the analog AV cable to the camcorder and a VCR (or a "Direct to DVD" recorder) and dub a tape (or burn a downsampled, unedited version).
The great thing about miniDV tape is if you don't re-use the tape, you have that digital "archive". Especially handy when you export the finished high definition project back out to the camcorder...
With a hard disc drive or flash memory, when you copy the video files from the camcorder to the computer, your very first step should be to copy those video files to something else - Data DVD or another hard drive - before you start editing the first set you copied over. This "extra step" is needed - as you point out, once the data is copied, the tendency is to delete the files on the camcorder to get ready for the next video capture project. But you really need to make a back up set - and most folks don't do that.
MiniDV tape continues to provide the most flexibility and best video quality and easiest video process flow (especially with the "built-in archive" step... and with the known vibration and high altitude problems hard disc drive camcorders have and the continued relatively high expense of flash memory (one 60 minute miniDV tape is about $3 and holds 63 minutes of 1080i, high definition video - which uses about 44 gig of computer hard drive space), I don't understand how people can think they are getting a better deal with "easier to use" from HDD or flash memory... it just isn't so. MiniDV tape is still king of the hill for video quality, least $/gig, long shelf life archive and process flexibility.
MiniDV tape: After capturing the video, connect to a computer using a firewire cable (just like a standard definition miniDV tape based camcorder). Import the video using a HDV-friendly video editor. The Windows XP version of MovieMaker cannot handle HDV; the Vista version can - iMovieHD has been dealing with HDV for several years). Edit. Render to a DVD with a DVD authoring tool - just like standard definition. The DVD authoring tool (like WinDVD, Nero or iDVD) will downsample the video from high definition to standard definition and burn the DVD for regular DVD players to play back. Or, if you have a BluRay player or PS3, you can export the high definition video project to a h.264 AVCHD file and burn that to a data DVD - for high definition playback... or, playback in the computer if you can connect the computer to a HDTV with a VGA cable (like my Panasonic plasma) or in some cases, HDMI or even component. Or, I can export the high definition video project back out to the miniDV HDV camcorder's tape - then connect the camcorder to the HDTV with component or HDMI cables. Or, I can export a compressed version and reduce from 1080i/1080p to 720p (h.264) and upload to vimeo.com or YouTube if the file size or length of the video meets their requirements... Or, if I have a "Direct to DVD" box, I can connect the DV port of the camcorder to the firewire/1394 port of the "Direct to DVD" box and burn a downsampled, unedited version. Or, I can connect the analog AV cable to the camcorder and a VCR (or a "Direct to DVD" recorder) and dub a tape (or burn a downsampled, unedited version).
The great thing about miniDV tape is if you don't re-use the tape, you have that digital "archive". Especially handy when you export the finished high definition project back out to the camcorder...
With a hard disc drive or flash memory, when you copy the video files from the camcorder to the computer, your very first step should be to copy those video files to something else - Data DVD or another hard drive - before you start editing the first set you copied over. This "extra step" is needed - as you point out, once the data is copied, the tendency is to delete the files on the camcorder to get ready for the next video capture project. But you really need to make a back up set - and most folks don't do that.
MiniDV tape continues to provide the most flexibility and best video quality and easiest video process flow (especially with the "built-in archive" step... and with the known vibration and high altitude problems hard disc drive camcorders have and the continued relatively high expense of flash memory (one 60 minute miniDV tape is about $3 and holds 63 minutes of 1080i, high definition video - which uses about 44 gig of computer hard drive space), I don't understand how people can think they are getting a better deal with "easier to use" from HDD or flash memory... it just isn't so. MiniDV tape is still king of the hill for video quality, least $/gig, long shelf life archive and process flexibility.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
