Is there a way to just watch my video on my computer without having to capture? I just bought a new computer, it has XP w/ Media Center. I guess with the ability of Media Center to hook to my TV it has a tv tuner card? I tried to hook my camera to the computer using a S-Video connector and then opening Media Center hoping this would work, but it didn't.

I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box when it comes to this sort of thing. Can anyone help with this?

Thanks, Charles

I use AMCap to see the feed from the camera through the FireWire:

http://noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=video

Have you tried MovieMaker? It comes with XP, is an entry level editor, and I'm guessing should allow you to view your tape without making capture decisions.

David Hurdon

I tried Movie Maker but it only has the capture option. I tried to capture about 5 minutes of tape in Movie Maker without any stop. Upon previewing the capture I notice that there were app. 30 different capture files ranging from 5 seconds to around 15 seconds. What causes this?

I've never used its capture function but it sounds like it is using scene detection to break the video into clips whenever the camera stopped shooting. Many consider this a desireable feature, but I wouldn't, unless it can be turned on and off. Don't know if MM2 offers that choice.

David Hurdon

The camera was never stopped on this tape. I turned it on and shot 60 minutes without turning it off. I filmed a set of us playing music in a club. So the camera ran from start to finish of tape.

are you capturing from FireWire or do you use the tuner?

Firewire

It just occured to me, Charles, that I have a device that connects via S-Video and RCAs to my TV, sits on top of it and allows line-of-sight wireless connectivity to my VX2000, so playing a tape sends it to the TV set. I got bored with it quickly and haven't hooked it up in my new digs but they exist and could be a solution for you.
I've thought about the Media Centre route, have it myself on a laptop and did get it to bring cable TV in through the external tuner card supplied with it. But I never got it to send it out to TV and those I know who have use already encoded material, like wmv files in Media Player or the Zoom player. I've also sent encoded files to a digital projector, which suggests doing it to a flat panel device with appropriate inputs would be straightforward, but again, this is not on the fly from the camera. I hope someone steps up with a solution.

David Hurdon

"Is there a way to just watch my video on my computer without having to capture? "

and then you say you're using FireWire.

Have you tried the AMCap I've told you about?
Is the only app I know of that can display a full scrren image coming from the FireWire.