Connecting GL1 To Computer

I don't know the camera, but every camera I had, has a firewire connection. What you need is a firewire cord that will have a little plug and a bigger plug. The bigger plug will go into the back of the computer, while the smaller will go somewhere in the camera.

Then it's up to the programs that you have in the computer as to your downloading.

Good luck,

Chris

The XPS 410 does not have a firewire port on it, you'll need to get a firewire add-on card. You should be able to pick one up pretty cheap from any local store that sells computers & computer accessories. You'll be looking for a PCI Firewire card... they go inside the computer, unlike most accessories these days that plug into a usb port, this card will plug directly into the motherboard and add new (firewire) ports to the back of the computer.

Pick up a 4pin to 6pin firewire cable while you're at the store too, you'll need that to connect the camera.

Thanks Will. Btw, would you also happen to know if there are any preinstalled filmmaking programs that come with windows vista, such as would allow me to watch the footage I captured? Or will I have to purchase editing software along with the accessories you prescribed?

Thanks again.

-horseradish.

Vista has Windows Movie Maker pre-installed (or at least it should - it comes with all versions).

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/ec3fff68-e53c-4168-ae74-8557325e57e21033.mspx

Yes, Windows Movie Maker should come preinstalled, and it will let you do most editing tasks you'll be trying to do... The only reason you should ever have to get something else is if you are seeking to do more advanced things (greenscreen work, etc).. But until you have the basics of editing down, there's probably no reason to spend additional money on something like Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere.

Hey. I went and purchased a firewire add-on card and firewire cable, but while preparing to install the card I discovered that my computer actually has an S-video port. Although nothing happened when I connected the camcorder to this port, I wonder if transferring footage to a computer in this fashion is at all an option. Maybe there's something else I have to do to the camcorder/computer in order to transfer through S-video...? Also, a couple of Bestbuy snake-salesmen tried to persuade me that a video capture card (as an alternative to the add-on card) would be worth the extra cost. For additional reasons, I was sure these guys were just trying to make as much money off me as possible. But the thing is, before I go through what might be a tedious process of installing the add-on card, could they have been right? Their point was that, since the GL1 records to miniDV, my computer would therefore be unable to identify the footage I'd captured unless I was to buy a video capture card.

Any thoughts?

-horseradish

They're idiots.

Install the card. It's very easy.. turn off the computer, unplug it from the wall (most newer computers stay 'on' to a certain degree even when powered off) open the case, unscrew or pop out the cover by the PCI slot.. plug the new card into that slot, button the machine back up, and power back on.

Windows will almost certainly automagically recognize the card, and then you'll be able to just plug in the camera, open movie maker and capture video.

The S-Video connection is output only, so no that will not help you.

Well, some "video capture cards" have both analog and digital inputs, like my recently aquired Matrox card. But one certainly would not want to capture analog when using a digital recording medium. That's just additional and unnecessary loss of quality you don't need in your workflow.

But, I agree. Those guys at Best Buy are idiots for what they told you. Like Will said, that S-Video port is most likely output unless it's an All-in-Wonder card from ATI or a TV Tuner card or a specialized capture card like the Matrox RTX series.

Get the Firewire card. You have at least a few computer professionals here who can walk you through every step of the process as Will demonstrated.