Firewire INPUT on GZ-HD series?

[Brian Standing]

O.K., maybe this is a dumb question. Say I plug the firewire port out of a JVC GYHD100 into the firewire port of a GZ-HD7, then I press "record" on the GZ-HD7. What happens? Anything?

What if I do it the other way around?

[Manuel Correa]

Hello Brian

As the saying goes, the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

And yours is a good question.

I believe the "firewire" port, or IEEE 1394 or i.Link port as it may be called is only an output port. I have been told that some cameras can also be controlled, that is started and paused via this connection as well when connected to a computer and software that enables this feature. I am not aware if the HD7 supports this feature. As for the HD100 I would assume the same is true, but I do not know for a fact. Maybe someone with more info can chime in.

Now, from where I sit, I don't know if I would want to chance trying this. We are talking about 2 cameras with a total cost of what, maybe around $4000-$5000, and possibly frying the port on one or both units? Repair bill around $400 each, maybe? And I have heard of many people with fried firewire ports on their cameras. How did this happen?

The only reason I say this is because on the audio side of the house, I've seen people fry effects or other audio equipment by accident connecting to what they thought was an input port, but turned out was an output. OUCH!

The signal levels may be low, but I don't know. I would rather see documented info or let someone else be Mr. Wizard.

Just my 2 cents.

The best to you.

[Barry Smith]

Originally Posted by Brian Standing

O.K., maybe this is a dumb question. Say I plug the firewire port out of a JVC GYHD100 into the firewire port of a GZ-HD7, then I press "record" on the GZ-HD7. What happens? Anything?

What if I do it the other way around?

There is no software driver in the firmware to address the 1394 port as an AV input. It functions mainly as an intelligent data transfer link (thus the name i-link).

[Manuel Correa]

Originally Posted by Barry Smith

There is no software driver in the firmware to address the 1394 port as an AV input. It functions mainly as an intelligent data transfer link (thus the name i-link).

Thanks Barry for chiming in.

I was pretty sure it was only an output port to a drive, dvr or pc.

[Claus Bier]

Deck control via Firewire is part of the DV specs.

But hold the horses here for a second: Do I interpret what is said above correctly and there is no way to route the video signal from my editor back through the camera via Firewire and connect a TV to the camera's AV output for monitoring or recording to a VHS tape? That'd be suboptimal....

[Barry Smith]

Originally Posted by Claus Bier

Deck control via Firewire is part of the DV specs.

But hold the horses here for a second: Do I interpret what is said above correctly and there is no way to route the video signal from my editor back through the camera via Firewire and connect a TV to the camera's AV output for monitoring or recording to a VHS tape? That'd be suboptimal....

What is a VHS ?

[Claus Bier]

Sorry, one of my "clients" is a 75 yr. old lady whose technical advancement stopped some 25 years ago when she got a video recorder. But at least, she is better in programming that thing than I would ever be.

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Claus Bier

Deck control via Firewire is part of the DV specs.

But hold the horses here for a second: Do I interpret what is said above correctly and there is no way to route the video signal from my editor back through the camera via Firewire and connect a TV to the camera's AV output for monitoring or recording to a VHS tape? That'd be suboptimal....

The hd7 only outputs from its FW port.

PS: VHS is the analog version of D-VHS and the large size of VHS-C and a close relative to W-VHS. :)