Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? at DVinfo.net

Tim Cee · October 2nd, 2011, 09:11 PM

Hey everybody, I use my XHA1 to shoot and a HV30 to capture. All was great until I got a new desktop and it has no firewore port, only USB ports.

Is there an adapter to convert the firewire cable to USB? Or

Can I use the HDMI output on the camera to capture if the PC has a HDMI port?

Are there any other options? Someone told me IOGear has a tower adapter but I can not find this Googling or otherwise so could really use a hand here.

Thanks in advance for the help

Mark Watson · October 2nd, 2011, 09:24 PM

Never seen a firewire to USB adapter.
Since it's a desktop computer, you can add firewire ports by buying a PCI card.

As an example, there's this one for $25 at B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/444538-REG/Belkin_F5U503V_3_Port_FireWire_400_PCI_Host.html
Mark

Tim Cee · October 2nd, 2011, 09:27 PM

Thanks Mark but not into opening the new desktop or too savy about installing this card, is capture via HDMI possible?

Any other sollutions please?

Mark Watson · October 2nd, 2011, 09:40 PM

All my computers with HDMI list this port as an output, not as an input. So I have assumed trying to pipe in some HDMI will not work. As far as an adapter, I don't think so. The firewire is sort of unique in its handling of video info in that it is rated as 400MB/s but effectively it is faster at moving the info than USB due to low overhead in the data transmission. (It's efficient). Does your machine have USB 3 ports?

If you're worried about opening the case due to warranty, that's your call but then think about returning it for a machine with the ports you need already built in.

As far as the actual installation of the card, just make sure (1) you have an available PCI card slot and (2) make sure the card you buy has drivers for whatever OS you're using, such as Windows 7. The rest is gravy, open the case, plug in the card load any drivers (if necessary) and start capturing. Remember to turn off your camera before you connect or disconnect the firewire cable.

Mark

Bryce Comer · October 2nd, 2011, 11:34 PM

Only thing i can think of Tim is something like this.
Studio MovieBox HD
That should get you from your firewire to the computer via USB. I had been looking into one also as my new laptop has no firewire.

Regards,

Bryce

Don Palomaki · October 3rd, 2011, 08:40 AM

What type/make/model Desktop do you have without a IEEE1394 (aka iLink or Firewire) port on it?

Best bet is to add a IEEE 1394 card to it. Just google a bit to be sure the card works with your camcorders. Some use a chip that is a but fussy with video and/or current Windows drivers.

Adding a card is not difficult, and I suspect the box houses (e.g., Best Buy) would do it at a nomibnal cost.

If you have a laptop with PCMCIA slot, you should beable find IEEE 1394 adapters for it.

HDMI capture is not common on PC,s but you can buy adapters - not cheap.

I've not heard of simple Firewire to USB adapters suitable for video capture, and would avoid simple (low cost) solutions as potentially risky. Some NLE came with USB-connected break-out boxes that incldue a firewire port on the box, but they are not cheap. Often they may require you to use their editing program for the capture. If your PC is reasonably main-stream and has a users group forum, see what folks are using there and with what degree of success.

What NLE are yo using?

Tim Cee · October 3rd, 2011, 08:55 AM

The new system is a Dell XPS 8300 with Win 7 64 bit, Intel 7 processor, 12 GB ram. My NLE is Sony Vegas Pro 10

Thanks for the help, any ideas are appreciated greatly!

Bill Watson · October 3rd, 2011, 06:32 PM

Come on Tim. You can do it mate. Buy a Firewire card and plonk it in.
If you don't think you're up for it, get the next door neighbour's 15 year old spotty faced kid to do it for you. :)

Ian Stark · October 4th, 2011, 01:41 AM

I echo other people's sentimenets, DIY! Look it up on YouTube - there are loads of tutorials like this one: Firewire Installation - YouTube

If you're still not comfortable (and there's no shame in that) why not take it to your local PC shop and get them to install a card for you?

>>>Note: When I posted this a few seconds ago I completely forgot that the solution I mentioned needs a firewire port on the pc in order for it to work! I completely forgot that in my case the device was plugged into a second firewire port at the rear of my pc. I've removed that part of the post but left up the remaining (hopefully useful!) part!

Don Palomaki · October 4th, 2011, 05:42 AM

If you can check the oil in your car, you should be able to add a firewire card to the PC.

Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, Input Devices, Add-On Cards, PCI Express to 1394 Card

First feedback on the $22 Rosewill RC-504 card reads:
Rating: 5/5 Fantastic!
Pros: Bought this for my new Dell XPS 8300 (which was advertised as having a firewire port). Took it out of the box, popped it in, turned the computer on...plug and play..nothing else needed. Plugged my digital video camera in and it worked perfectly. Absolutely no complaints...I wish everything in life was that easy!
Cons: None whatsoever.

[However, I have no personal experience with that card or model DELL.]

Chris Hurd · October 4th, 2011, 07:07 AM

It's understandable that a person who might never have opened a computer case before would have some reservation about doing it for the first time, but it is indeed a very simple procedure to do. Literally all it involves is removing a panel from the case with a screwdriver. Some computer cases don't even require a screwdriver. Then it's just a matter of physically plugging in the new card into an open slot. There are plenty of video tutorials on the web about this, and if you watch any of them you'll say "oh, I can do that."

Tim Cee · October 8th, 2011, 07:55 AM

Thanks everyone, I bought a card and will do it myself based on your input. I want to thank everyone for the advice and input, it's why I made DVI home.

Ian Stark · October 8th, 2011, 11:03 AM

Good man! You'll be building your own PCs from components in no time! ;-)

Best of luck Tim, although you won't need any.

Dave Blackhurst · October 10th, 2011, 12:06 AM

FWIW, I taught my kids to do this sort of basic computer stuff... they've been able to use a screwdriver since 18 months... it's not too hard.

You're in the OC, so should have a nearby Fry's (cheap source for computer everything), pick up a card, pop the side cover off the case, stick the card in any available PCI slot, and when you turn it on, most likely the drivers will install themselves and you're in business!

October 2nd, 2011, 09:11 PM	#1
Tim Cee Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 179	Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Hey everybody, I use my XHA1 to shoot and a HV30 to capture. All was great until I got a new desktop and it has no firewore port, only USB ports. Is there an adapter to convert the firewire cable to USB? Or Can I use the HDMI output on the camera to capture if the PC has a HDMI port? Are there any other options? Someone told me IOGear has a tower adapter but I can not find this Googling or otherwise so could really use a hand here. Thanks in advance for the help __________________ www.socalt.com

October 2nd, 2011, 09:24 PM	#2
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Never seen a firewire to USB adapter. Since it's a desktop computer, you can add firewire ports by buying a PCI card. As an example, there's this one for $25 at B&H. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/444538-REG/Belkin_F5U503V_3_Port_FireWire_400_PCI_Host.html Mark

October 2nd, 2011, 09:27 PM	#3
Tim Cee Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 179	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Thanks Mark but not into opening the new desktop or too savy about installing this card, is capture via HDMI possible? Any other sollutions please? __________________ www.socalt.com

October 2nd, 2011, 09:40 PM	#4
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? All my computers with HDMI list this port as an output, not as an input. So I have assumed trying to pipe in some HDMI will not work. As far as an adapter, I don't think so. The firewire is sort of unique in its handling of video info in that it is rated as 400MB/s but effectively it is faster at moving the info than USB due to low overhead in the data transmission. (It's efficient). Does your machine have USB 3 ports? If you're worried about opening the case due to warranty, that's your call but then think about returning it for a machine with the ports you need already built in. As far as the actual installation of the card, just make sure (1) you have an available PCI card slot and (2) make sure the card you buy has drivers for whatever OS you're using, such as Windows 7. The rest is gravy, open the case, plug in the card load any drivers (if necessary) and start capturing. Remember to turn off your camera before you connect or disconnect the firewire cable. Mark

October 2nd, 2011, 11:34 PM	#5
Bryce Comer Trustee Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rossland, British Columbia Posts: 1,024	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Only thing i can think of Tim is something like this. Studio MovieBox HD That should get you from your firewire to the computer via USB. I had been looking into one also as my new laptop has no firewire. Regards, Bryce __________________ There's never enough hours in the day!

October 3rd, 2011, 08:40 AM	#6
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? What type/make/model Desktop do you have without a IEEE1394 (aka iLink or Firewire) port on it? Best bet is to add a IEEE 1394 card to it. Just google a bit to be sure the card works with your camcorders. Some use a chip that is a but fussy with video and/or current Windows drivers. Adding a card is not difficult, and I suspect the box houses (e.g., Best Buy) would do it at a nomibnal cost. If you have a laptop with PCMCIA slot, you should beable find IEEE 1394 adapters for it. HDMI capture is not common on PC,s but you can buy adapters - not cheap. I've not heard of simple Firewire to USB adapters suitable for video capture, and would avoid simple (low cost) solutions as potentially risky. Some NLE came with USB-connected break-out boxes that incldue a firewire port on the box, but they are not cheap. Often they may require you to use their editing program for the capture. If your PC is reasonably main-stream and has a users group forum, see what folks are using there and with what degree of success. What NLE are yo using? __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

October 3rd, 2011, 08:55 AM	#7
Tim Cee Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 179	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? The new system is a Dell XPS 8300 with Win 7 64 bit, Intel 7 processor, 12 GB ram. My NLE is Sony Vegas Pro 10 Thanks for the help, any ideas are appreciated greatly! __________________ www.socalt.com

October 3rd, 2011, 06:32 PM	#8
Bill Watson Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Noosa Queensland Australia Posts: 248	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Come on Tim. You can do it mate. Buy a Firewire card and plonk it in. If you don't think you're up for it, get the next door neighbour's 15 year old spotty faced kid to do it for you. :)

October 4th, 2011, 01:41 AM	#9
Ian Stark Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,237	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? I echo other people's sentimenets, DIY! Look it up on YouTube - there are loads of tutorials like this one: Firewire Installation - YouTube If you're still not comfortable (and there's no shame in that) why not take it to your local PC shop and get them to install a card for you? >>>Note: When I posted this a few seconds ago I completely forgot that the solution I mentioned needs a firewire port on the pc in order for it to work! I completely forgot that in my case the device was plugged into a second firewire port at the rear of my pc. I've removed that part of the post but left up the remaining (hopefully useful!) part! __________________ www.vit-media.com www.classicmachinefilms.co.uk Last edited by Ian Stark; October 4th, 2011 at 01:46 AM. Reason: Utter stupidity

October 4th, 2011, 05:42 AM	#10
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? If you can check the oil in your car, you should be able to add a firewire card to the PC. Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, Input Devices, Add-On Cards, PCI Express to 1394 Card First feedback on the $22 Rosewill RC-504 card reads: Rating: 5/5 Fantastic! Pros: Bought this for my new Dell XPS 8300 (which was advertised as having a firewire port). Took it out of the box, popped it in, turned the computer on...plug and play..nothing else needed. Plugged my digital video camera in and it worked perfectly. Absolutely no complaints...I wish everything in life was that easy! Cons: None whatsoever. [However, I have no personal experience with that card or model DELL.] __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

October 4th, 2011, 07:07 AM	#11
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? It's understandable that a person who might never have opened a computer case before would have some reservation about doing it for the first time, but it is indeed a very simple procedure to do. Literally all it involves is removing a panel from the case with a screwdriver. Some computer cases don't even require a screwdriver. Then it's just a matter of physically plugging in the new card into an open slot. There are plenty of video tutorials on the web about this, and if you watch any of them you'll say "oh, I can do that." __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

October 8th, 2011, 07:55 AM	#12
Tim Cee Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 179	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Thanks everyone, I bought a card and will do it myself based on your input. I want to thank everyone for the advice and input, it's why I made DVI home. __________________ www.socalt.com

October 8th, 2011, 11:03 AM	#13
Ian Stark Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,237	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? Good man! You'll be building your own PCs from components in no time! ;-) Best of luck Tim, although you won't need any. __________________ www.vit-media.com www.classicmachinefilms.co.uk

October 10th, 2011, 12:06 AM	#14
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Firewire to USB blues....Help Please? FWIW, I taught my kids to do this sort of basic computer stuff... they've been able to use a screwdriver since 18 months... it's not too hard. You're in the OC, so should have a nearby Fry's (cheap source for computer everything), pick up a card, pop the side cover off the case, stick the card in any available PCI slot, and when you turn it on, most likely the drivers will install themselves and you're in business!