Posted by webpa on 09/13/06 23:05

david@REMOVETHISmylancashire.co.uk wrote:
> I bought a Canon XM2 video camera second hand, but it came without any
> software to transfer video to the computer via firewire.
>
> I managed to download the drivers for USB from the USA Canon website
> but I am now looking for the software to do the firewire transfer. I
> belive this is called the 'Digital Video Solutions Disk' ?
>
> Does anyone know where I can obtain this disk, or if it is needed to
> transfer the video to a computer. I know that I can transfer it via a
> stereo video cable but I want to do a digital transfer.
>
> Many thanks.
>
> David

Couple of innocent remarks:

You don't need any additional software provided you are on a Windows XP
platform. If not, stop reading now.

"Windows Movie Maker" alreadys does it...provided you have a properly
installed "Firewire, IEEE-1394, iLink, etc." port. This port may be on
the Mobo, or it may be an adaptor card. If you don't have a IEEE-1394
port, it will cost you < US$30 for a 3 or 4 port PCI card. There are
many IEEE-1394 video capture utilities other than Win Movie
Maker...some work better, some don't; some are free, some aren't. You
must also have a IEEE-1394 cable with the appropriate connectors for
the camera on one end and the computer on the other...typically "6-pin"
for the computer, and "4-pin" for the camera....a tiny connector that
can be confused with a type of USB connector, but is NOT for USB or
anything else.

The USB software you loaded is NOT useful for transfering video (except
at 1/4 resolution "web video" resolution). Using your camera as a
webcam is some kind of sin, anyway.

You cannot "...transfer it via a stereo video cable..." unless you are
talking about transfering the audio only, or the video only using the
camera's SVideo or composite (analog) output to your computer's analog
video capture card (if it has one) input. In the analog world, video
goes on one cable and audio goes on one or two separate cables.
IEEE-1394 is bi-directional and transfers both audio and video on the
same cable. SVideo connectors have 4 pins, but transfer video ONLY.

It might save you some major grief if you would learn the correct
terminology for what you are trying to do. It is possible to plug a
cable into the wrong place and instantly destroy the camcorder, the
computer, or both. Google and some patience is your friend.

Good luck!

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