is USB killing my video quality? or is it my camera?

turndown · 11-22-2006, 04:50 AM

bear with me on this, i hope someone can help.

i use a 300 dollar panasonic mini dv recorder, with some kind of setup ig ot off this guy where i plug my tv cable into my recorder, plug it into this box, and it goes into USB, then i like play my camera and press record/stop on my computer and save clips like that. its in some crappy program called moviestar and i hope someone is familiar with that and can tell me how shitty it really is.

i was wondering, how does firewire plug into your camera, and im pretty sure i need a firewire port on my computer to use it, but what if i do not have one on my computer?

do you think the USB deal im using now is whats killing my quality? all of my videos seem to lose sooo much quality from the camera to production and when i render them in movie star as an mpeg (there are like 30 different mpeg options, or avi but mpeg seems to be the least shitty, and i just choose a random mpeg one they all seem to be real shitty anyways) in moviestar, the audio is always (literally every single movie ive made) 2/3 seconds behind the video, making it sound like shit.

im new to this whole computer video stuff but i have alot of fun filming and love to edit videos so i was hoping someone would have some experience and could help me.

also do you think my camera is decent enough and would have better quality if i used firewire?

lovely? · 11-22-2006, 05:10 AM

no. simple answer. usb does not change the QUALITY of whatever is passing through it, all it does is pass the information along(the whole 'usb1.1' and '2.0' is just the speed at wich the usb wire can handle, not quality) . there are many things to think about besides the usb port, like resolution. if your camcorder recordes at 640/480 than blowing it up on a monitor a 1024/768 will make it look like the toilet after your done using it

jk.

[-0MEGA-] · 11-22-2006, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovely?

no. simple answer. usb does not change the QUALITY of whatever is passing through it, all it does is pass the information along(the whole 'usb1.1' and '2.0' is just the speed at wich the usb wire can handle, not quality) . there are many things to think about besides the usb port, like resolution. if your camcorder recordes at 640/480 than blowing it up on a monitor a 1024/768 will make it look like the toilet after your done using it

jk.

You got it sorta right.

You're using a converter right? You plug your DV camcorder into this little device, which then plugs into the USB port? If so, it's most likely the device which is recording at low resolution.

What you can do is just use the firewire cable (if your computer and camcorder support it), that will give you the best picture quality.

turndown · 11-23-2006, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [-0MEGA-]

You got it sorta right.

You're using a converter right? You plug your DV camcorder into this little device, which then plugs into the USB port? If so, it's most likely the device which is recording at low resolution.

What you can do is just use the firewire cable (if your computer and camcorder support it), that will give you the best picture quality.

exactly, i didnt have a word earlier for "converter," but thats what it is.

how do i know if my camera and computer supports firewire?

im pretty sure my computer does not have a firewire port, is it possible i can install one?

how do i check my camera?

thanks.

[-0MEGA-] · 11-23-2006, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turndown

exactly, i didnt have a word earlier for "converter," but thats what it is.

how do i know if my camera and computer supports firewire?

im pretty sure my computer does not have a firewire port, is it possible i can install one?

how do i check my camera?

thanks.

Do you have a model of the camera?

And yes, you can add a firewire port by purchasing a PCI Firewire card.

lovely? · 11-22-2006, 05:14 AM

sorry for posting another, but maybe i wasnt clear. usb and firewire differ only in speed. firewire is VERY fast and usb is fast too. but no matter what wire you use, the END PICTURE will be unchanged from when you took it with the camera.

Emperor_nero · 11-22-2006, 05:17 AM

lovely?, Have you heard of the edit post button?

lovely? · 11-22-2006, 05:22 AM

yes i have. but i am so sorry for needlessly posting 1 more...... SO sorry... jk

turndown · 11-23-2006, 03:32 AM

from what i know its the lowest model of panasonic there is.
PV-GS19
if that sounds right?

[-0MEGA-] · 11-23-2006, 03:39 AM

It doesn't appear to be one. Do you have the DV cable?

11-22-2006, 04:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
turndown Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: ohio Posts: 31	is USB killing my video quality? or is it my camera? bear with me on this, i hope someone can help. i use a 300 dollar panasonic mini dv recorder, with some kind of setup ig ot off this guy where i plug my tv cable into my recorder, plug it into this box, and it goes into USB, then i like play my camera and press record/stop on my computer and save clips like that. its in some crappy program called moviestar and i hope someone is familiar with that and can tell me how shitty it really is. i was wondering, how does firewire plug into your camera, and im pretty sure i need a firewire port on my computer to use it, but what if i do not have one on my computer? do you think the USB deal im using now is whats killing my quality? all of my videos seem to lose sooo much quality from the camera to production and when i render them in movie star as an mpeg (there are like 30 different mpeg options, or avi but mpeg seems to be the least shitty, and i just choose a random mpeg one they all seem to be real shitty anyways) in moviestar, the audio is always (literally every single movie ive made) 2/3 seconds behind the video, making it sound like shit. im new to this whole computer video stuff but i have alot of fun filming and love to edit videos so i was hoping someone would have some experience and could help me. also do you think my camera is decent enough and would have better quality if i used firewire?

11-22-2006, 05:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
lovely? Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: California Age: 17 Posts: 4,988	no. simple answer. usb does not change the QUALITY of whatever is passing through it, all it does is pass the information along(the whole 'usb1.1' and '2.0' is just the speed at wich the usb wire can handle, not quality) . there are many things to think about besides the usb port, like resolution. if your camcorder recordes at 640/480 than blowing it up on a monitor a 1024/768 will make it look like the toilet after your done using it jk. __________________ Core i5 750 @ 4.2ghz Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R 2x2gb OCZ ddr3 1600mhz Corsair TX650w XFX GTX 260 Black ed. 2 500gb WD Black, 320gb WD Caviar Cooped up nicely in an Antec 900 Last edited by lovely?; 11-22-2006 at 05:12 AM.

11-22-2006, 05:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
lovely? Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: California Age: 17 Posts: 4,988	sorry for posting another, but maybe i wasnt clear. usb and firewire differ only in speed. firewire is VERY fast and usb is fast too. but no matter what wire you use, the END PICTURE will be unchanged from when you took it with the camera. __________________ Core i5 750 @ 4.2ghz Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R 2x2gb OCZ ddr3 1600mhz Corsair TX650w XFX GTX 260 Black ed. 2 500gb WD Black, 320gb WD Caviar Cooped up nicely in an Antec 900

11-22-2006, 05:17 AM	#7 (permalink)
Emperor_nero Diamond Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 127.0.0.1 Posts: 2,315	lovely?, Have you heard of the edit post button? __________________ I play Rugby, and no its not like it's sissy cousin with the pads.

11-22-2006, 05:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
lovely? Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: California Age: 17 Posts: 4,988	yes i have. but i am so sorry for needlessly posting 1 more...... SO sorry... jk __________________ Core i5 750 @ 4.2ghz Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R 2x2gb OCZ ddr3 1600mhz Corsair TX650w XFX GTX 260 Black ed. 2 500gb WD Black, 320gb WD Caviar Cooped up nicely in an Antec 900

11-23-2006, 03:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
turndown Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: ohio Posts: 31	from what i know its the lowest model of panasonic there is. PV-GS19 if that sounds right?

11-23-2006, 03:39 AM	#10 (permalink)
[-0MEGA-] VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Goffstown, NH Age: 21 Posts: 28,957	It doesn't appear to be one. Do you have the DV cable? __________________ Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 4.1GHz Asus Rampage Formula X48 ATI 4870 X2 2GB GDDR5 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 960 300GB Raptor // 2x 750GB Creative SB X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty SilverStone 750W +12V@60A 3DMark06: 22605 www.photosbygeoff.com

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