How to output/1394

[bongoman31]

I would like to output video from my laptop to my Dig.8 camcorder through the 1394 connection. My preference would be to use Nero Showtime, but Windows Movie Maker would be ok. I can do it with the video S output, but that's a pain; I have to special set-up the laptop, and then my camcorder screen becomes my monitor. Everything seems to want to go the other way, from the camcorder to the laptop for capture. Any help appreciated.

[DrP]

If your laptop has enough grunt, you could try making a graph in graphedit that takes the video from a source file (I've had more success using avisynth as the source with directshowsource, converting the video to the right colourspace for the DV encoder and dropping the audio to PCM) runs the video through a DV encoder , converts the audio to PCM (if needed) and then muxes PCM audio + DV video using the DV muxer filter and finally outputting to the camera as a DV device. I use that method occasionally to play material to my TV, it works well enough, but needs a fast CPU.

[Video Dude]

The video has to be DV to be exported to the camera.

If it is DV, then open your DV video software and choose the option to "export to camera" or something like that depending on the software. Most software will ask you if you want to export the timeline or give you an option to pick the DV file from the hard drive. Thats it.

Now if your video is not DV (like mpeg, indeo, etc) then you must convert it to DV before exporting it.

[theReal]

I'm not sure if Win Movie Maker or Nero Showtime can export via firewire at all (never tried it). I know that usually all NLE programs like Premiere (Pro), Avid Express (DV), Pinnacle, Ulead Video Editor have an export to tape function for firewire devices.

The other question would be if your Digi8 camcorder can record from the firewire input. There's a lot of camcorders that won't allow input through IEEE 1394 (but usually you can hack those camcorders in order to enable the input)

[dennisparrott]

The version of Windows Movie Maker I have on my general usage laptop (v5.1) has a "Send to DV camera" option under the "Finish Movie" step. So you could use WMM to do what you want...

dennis

[dennisparrott]

YMMV on the question of whether a Dig8 camcorder can record what the computer tosses at it over Firewire. "The Little Digital Video Book" (Michael Rubin, Peachpit Press) indicated that was a good way to archive your edited movies (as if to say all camcorders w/ Firewire can do it).

I will add that I remember somewhere that I think I read where the European versions of camcorders had that function disabled for some reason. I COULD BE WRONG -- I am not certain it was the Firewire input that was disabled, it could just as easily be one of the analog inputs...

Hook up Windows Movie Maker and try it out...

dennis

[theReal]

I COULD BE WRONG -- I am not certain it was the Firewire input that was disabled, it could just as easily be one of the analog inputs... Usually they disable all inputs, so the device is technically only a camera and not a digital vcr. Digital vcrs cost more custom fees on import, that's why the models with inputs enabled are a little more expensive. However you can enable the inputs via software/hardware on almost every model.