JVC Digi Camcorder Problem

[Mrs_Pegasus]

Hi

I have a JVC GR-DX28EK Digital Camcorder.  I admit to not having done a lot with it until recently, although I have had it since Xmas.

I have used the software that it came it but it saves the file as a IMV file???  Never heard of it!  I wanted to burn it on to DVD but it asks for a CD-ROM so it burns it to that and then I cant actually view it on a DVD player.

Also I cant see to 'see' the camera on the USB port through 'My Computer'.

Any ideas - I am very new to video editing and the ease of the camera is being outweighed by the complex issue of actually downloading the images to a DVD!

Thank you.

[kempie]

I believe that the software which is bundled with your camera (Pixela ImageMixer) will only burn VCD onto CD-R. To burn other formats onto other media you may well need another application. ( Look here ).

That being said *most* DVD players should read CD-R/VCD; you may be unlucky and have one of the few which doesn't. ( here ).

As to not being able to see the camera in 'My Computer', even though it is recognised by ImageMixer, have you tried re-installing the drivers?

[Ralph]

If you're trying to make DVDs from your home video footage, you should really be capturing from your digital tape using Firewire (aka IEEE1394, aka iLink). If you don't have a firewire port on your PC, a PCI card from the likes of Maplin would cost around �20. If you've got a laptop, you'd need a PCMCIA card with Firewire on it which are a bit more expensive at around �35. A local computer fair would be the best bet for this sort of stuff.

As for software, if you're using XP, there is Windows Movie Maker installed by default which is easy to use and will do all the basic stuff, and best thing is it's free. If you don't have this program, then you'll need to get some. The names to look for are Ulead Video Studio, Pinnacle Studio, Adobe Premiere Elements and others. They're all around �40 to �80.

That's what you'd need for DVD quality DVDs (!). The program bundled with the camera working over USB is really only good for email video and the like. The resolution and frame rate is usually lower than DVD quality to keep file sizes small.

[kempie]

Ralph - Are you assuming Mrs_Pegasus is using USB 1.1 because the current standard USB 2.0 operates at 480Mbps (max.) which is faster than Firewire IEEE1394a (400Mbps) and is plenty quick enough for video capture.

For quicker transmission you would need to buy a Firewire 800 IEEE1394b 800Mbps PCI card would cost around �40 (Maplin) and is probably not really required.

[Ralph]

kempie, I'm just going on personal experience. If I capture footage from my camcorder (Sony DCR-PC 105, so not the same) using the USB port and the sony software (which is notoriously rubbish!) the quality is seriously compromised.

I bought the firewire card for �20 from Maplin and a copy of Pinnacle Studio 9 and it is really the best way to do it, software preferences aside. That particular software has three tabs, you capture from the MiniDV tape using firewire on tab 1, edit and add fades and music on tab 2, then burn a dvd on tab 3. The free Microsoft option is just as easy though I've just checked and I can't get it to burn a dvd.

1394a is loads for capturing DV and I can't argue with anything you've said. All I'm saying is that if you want to go the route of sending DVDs to friends or family of your holidays, firewire and some decent (and inexpensive) DV editing software is the way to go.