My wife got a Panasonic GS31 for Christmas, and I have been trying a whole bunch of different things to get it to capture DV-quality video on the hard drive from the tape so that I can edit it and burn it onto DVDs for family. The dificulty has been in capturing the video.

I have a USB 2.0 hub on my PC, and a USB cord connecting the DV to the hub. Here are a couple of questions...

1) Panasonic does not provide a CD ROM with the GS31. Instead, they direct you to their website to download drivers. I did so, but when I plugged in my camcorder, Windows labeled it a generic "USB Video Device" utilizing Microsoft drivers released on 7/1/2001. Does this seem right?

2) When trying to use an aftermarket video capture package like Ulead, I am limitted on the "Video Capture Pin" under "Video Capture Properties" to a 320x240 input. This is after establishing that I want a DV file output.

Panasonic has been utterly worthless in helping me - both via the website and a 2 hour call to their help line. Can anyone suggest how I set up my system so that I can download at 30 frames per second, 720X480 , so that I can get DVD-quality video? I have other editting packages like Nero Suite once I get the video on my hard drive. But right now, I can't get much better than 640x480 via MS Movie Maker and 320x240 via Ulead.

Thanks for any help!

Hi Zachary,

Just buy a 1394 firewire card and 1394 cable which will cost you around 10 to 20 dollars and put in your computer and use 1394 cable connect your pc with your cameracord. You have to use 1394 cable to get video data instead of USB2. By using 1394 interface, all your need for your video will be easily filled.

Regards
Leigh

Are you sure I require a firewire setup? A co-worker of mine that has had several DV cameras and pulls video down to his computer all the time says that USB 2.0 is more than adequate to do what I want to do. I am suspecting something is wrong with the Windows drivers, rather than USB 2.0 hardware. Maybe I am wrong...

I am sure that you require a firewire setup to get compressed avi video from minidv tape to your hard disk.

Regards
Leigh

Thanks! I got the Firewire cable and card the other day and have been pulling down video just fine. Any idea as to why Panasonic hardwired in the use of the USB for digital pictures and web cam operation and the DV port for transferring video? My understanding is that other cameras allow you to use both for all of those features.