Does anyone know why the new Hard Disk Drive Camcorders have removed the 1394 Fire Wire connection, in favor of a USB port? I want to use a Fire Store unit to transport footage from a Hard Disk Drive Camcorder from church for home editing. The Camcorder stays at church and I do not have a computer near to download the footage.

Any ideas?

Chris,

Copying video files over USB 2.0 is so much faster than playing video in real time over fire wire, that manufactures probably thought no one would want fire wire any more.
I wonder if you could connect one of those tiny USB Flash drives directly to the camcorder, and transfer video files that way. I guess there would need to be some menu option on the camcorder for doing that. Might be worth investigating.

Ken

FireWire is (almost) exclusively the domain of DV and HDV camcorders - the same formats supported by FireStore.

Hard drive camcorders record neither DV nor HDV so FireWire is unnecessary - USB will suffice for data transfer and is much cheaper. Even if the camcorder had a FireWire interface, it wouldn't work with the FireStore.

John.

FireWire = tape / DV & HDV

USB2.0 = tapeless / AVCHD

That's just the way it is...

Is AVCHD the same quality as raw data from Mini DV? I presently edit sith Sony Vegas, which likes the raw data. Since I don't have another type camera, I don't have an AVCHD file to compare.

Is AVCHD the same quality as raw data from Mini DV? I presently edit sith Sony Vegas, which likes the raw data. Since I don't have another type camera, I don't have an AVCHD file to compare.

miniDV is SD (720x480), AVCHD is HD 1920x1080 or 1280x720. It's in another league altogether.

where can we read more about the AVCHD format? Any 'for dummies/newbies' guides online anywhere?

Is it truly better than SD/HDV in terms of quality AND workflow?

Is it HD quality, at a low price, and good enough for something like a blu ray disc?

Ron - try searching "AVCHD" here on DVi... more than anyone ever wanted to know right in the neighborhood!