My laptop crashed and looking for options since laptops I have found so far do not have built-in firewire. Is there an external drive or is it best to get a pcma firewire card? My camera is jvc gyhd100u and using pinnacke 10.6. Not sure if pinnacle is comptatible with windows 7 since the new computers have 7. So looking to find an xp laptop to edit using firewire connection.

If I don't go with another laptop, what do you recommend as a desktop? What minimums and then just add external drives ??

Thank you.

Hi Lisa,
I think you will have a hard time finding any computers sold with windows xp these days.
There are (or at least was about a year ago when I checked last time), external harddrives with both usb and firewire connectors. This might be your best option.

Hi Tronde,

I saw some of them listed online but wasn't sure how it would affect things. So to clarify, I could get a basic system with at least 3ghz and then purchase the external drive and firewire the jvc to the external drive? That saves some wear and tear on the computer, too. I have an external drive but not the firewire type. I have not used one with the jvc gy hd100u so wasn't sure about hooking up and it affecting the camera or quality.

Thanks for the help.

Also, just to add in case someone can give me some information about the subject....

The hard-drive failed on my Gateway. Computer place ordered the hard-drive but when they went to install, they could not because the motherboard was bad. They said they tried to install the hard-drive but the usb would not work and then saw the motherboard was bad. I'm thinking of just replacing the motherboard and the internal hard-drive instead of buying another computer. My Gateway has firewire already.

My question is has anyone here in forum replaced their motherboard on a Gateway? If so, did it work for a bit longer after such a fix? Must be less expensive than buying new ie: replacing the motherboard and the internal hard-drive.

Any advice on the matter is appreciated.

Hi, Lisa.......................

a small misunderstanding seems to have occured - you cannot simply connect your camera to an external hard drive and expect anything to happen.

With no intelligence on either end for data transfer purposes they'll just simply sit there staring at each other forever.

By hook or by crook you're going to need a PC with Firewire to do data transfers (from the camera).

Laptop repairs once out of warranty are, here at least, a total waste of money.

By the time you add up the cost of parts (VERY expensive) and labour, it's definately cheaper and better to throw it away and buy new.

If you buy a desktop machine, say a quad core i7 with 4 or 8 gig of memory, you can add a firewire card into the build specs for practically nothing.

Laptops are more problematical, I am not aware of any that are coming out with Firewire as standard (doesn't mean there aren't any, I don't pretend to be right up there on the bleeding edge with this stuff) but it can't be rocket science to add one to the right machine.

I not long ago bought my missus a new HP laptop with the quad core i7 and 8 Gig memory, and it fair wizzes along, though I did specify a 7200 RPM hard drive instead of the standard 5400 rpm.

However, you won't find anything new not running Windows 7, so you'll have to upgrade/ change software for something that will work with 7.

Any help?


CS

Hi Chris,

I was thinking of an external drive that connects to pc but has also a fire wire port for the camera, so all three working together. Have not used any external drive with firewire myself. My current external drive doesn't have that feature.

I was wondering if less expensive to just buy another computer. I had someone else tell me that, also. So that's two votes so far...lol

My broken Gateway has a built-in firewire. It's been a great computer. I used Pinnacle on it and I also used Lightworks, which I like. Think I'll be working more with Lightworks than Pinnacle and if I do I won't have to upgrade my Pinnacle to work with Windows 7, since I read it's version 14 that works with 7. I'm used to XP so going to a windows 7 will be a little different.

I've been shopping around for a new laptop. If perhaps it's 2.0 ghz it will be able to handle HD using Lightworks and get a 1T external hard-drive. Thoughts?

I need to be mobile sometimes so that's the only reason I need to go with a laptop system. Plus, my other laptop did great for editing. I had it for several years now. Too bad it's worn out. I would go desktop if I could.

Thank you for the input.

Confirm that vote for a new Win 7 laptop, quad core i7 processor, 8 gig memory and an internal 7200 rpm drive (anything above that depends on contents of wallet/ purse/ piggy bank).

External drive if you so wish, connection type anything you can get, e - Sata may be faster than Firewire, and, as I said, connecting the camera directly to the external hard drive is not going to achieve anything.

Without the PC in the middle it's a no go.

Good luck with your shopping, but do make a point of ensuring that Firewire is definitely part of the package else you're back to square one.


CS

Hi, Lisa.......................

a small misunderstanding seems to have occured - you cannot simply connect your camera to an external hard drive and expect anything to happen.

With no intelligence on either end for data transfer purposes they'll just simply sit there staring at each other forever.

By hook or by crook you're going to need a PC with Firewire to do data transfers.
CS
It was my understanding that the computer would see the camcorder if it was connected via the external harddrive. Maybe that is not possible since the computer and harddrive would be connected with USB?

Anyway, Chris has some good advice for you, Lisa.

Hi Tronde,

The only external drives I have used have been the USB type with no other options on it just to backup my files. I'm not familiar with the ones that connect by USB and have the Firewire on them. I did look them up on the net but did not see any other info about them other than some pics and prices.

Will continue my search today for a computer. On the net the Acers keep popping up everywhere. Anyone familiar with them? Some of them looked pretty powerful in the specs.

Thanks again.

BTW, the express cards with Firewire that can be added to a laptop slot, are there any special specs I should be watching for to use with the JVC GY-HD100U ?

For high end laptops, I can recommend Sager/Clevo.
You might check out the store Gaming Laptops - XOTIC PC - Gaming Notebooks - Custom Laptops - Custom Notebooks (http://www.xoticpc.com) located in Nebraska.
I bought mine from them, and will do the same next time.

Acer should be quality as far as I know.

Trying out a Sony Vaio today with the JVC GY-HD100U and using Lightworks editing program.

As of this moment, they both are getting along fine. Able to capture footage and it handled the green screen effect rather nicely.

Nice machines the Sony's, however, just to pass on the words of wisdom from the guy we bought our machine from "You're paying a lot for Sony bling, not get up and go".


CS

Any updates here?
My laptop just died and am looking to replace it. I still need firewire but am having trouble finding any new suitable machines with 1394/firewire.
Any suggestions, solutions...in that regard?
I am running Premiere Pro and use "On Location CS3 software.
Any suggestions on laptops would be greatly appreciated. I need a machine that I can travel with and sometimes need to edit on the road. Currently using Production Premium CS3. Will eventually upgrade to CS6.
Thanks very much for any comments, experience...etc.

Jay Webster
WPI/NY

You can try a usb to firewire adapter...

Best bet is a Sager (custom gaming laptops - Welcome to Sager Notebooks (http://www.sagernotebook.com)) as they are one of the few with IEEE1394 on board, anymore. If you can find a laptop with a cardbus slot you can get a firewire card for it (one with the TI chips is often recommended for best compatability), and for this you might try NitroAV (Verge Labs Inc.) (http://www.nitroav.com), their cards come highly recommended.

The usb-to-firewire adapter appears to be a mythical creature, although you can find "adapter cables" on ebay, they don't. Google this and you'll find a lot of disappointed purchasers....

If you are really serious about on the road editing, the 17" Sager workstation offers the nVidia 675 graphics card and just got the 680, with 4 gb ram, but at a price. This would be a good match for Premiere cs 5 or 6 with the Mercury engine. Best wishes!

I have read that the USB to Firewire adapters do not work with camcorders/decks.
Anyone tried that route ?

Here's what I have been able to discover, anyone with other info please jump in:

(1) The "usb to firewire" adapters don't work (but see below). There are legions of people commenting on these who are firmly disappointed in the snake-oil devices they tried.

(2) Even if they did work, most editing systems are looking for dv or hdv log-and-capture on the firewire bus and will not see a USB device in the first place.

(3) Pinnacle (in the process of being spun off by Avid, at the moment) sells an interface device which apparently works only with Pinnacle software, which, it appears, is programmed to recognize a USB signal. It purports to accept firewire, composite, and S-video and output via usb to Pinnacle version 15 editing software. Maybe so. My early experience with their products makes me wary, and at any rate, it is not compatable with my or AFAIK any other NLE, which expects to see a firewire device for capture.

Here's a link: Pinnacle Studio Moviebox Ultimate Collection 8230-10068-41 B&H

If anybody knows of a solution -- and heaven knows, we need one --- I'd love to hear it....