USB camcorder or Firewire?

Does an iMac/iMovie support a USB camcorder, or is it just a Firewire camcorder? :yinyang:

Thanks for your help,
Nate

should support both
firewire will transfer faster
-chris

I believe it is firewire.

The only camcorders that are usb is the data ones (ie dvd) not the tape ones. You can not transfer video from tape over usb due to "data burst" and no steady information transfer. If you have a choice, always go firewire, its the standard. (I don't think apple supports any form of usb transfer of video in either imovie, final cut, or third party apps like avid)

Can someone please tell me how many pins the latest imacs have on their firewire sockets so I can buy the right cable to connect a sony mini-dv camera?

thanks

blue_dae said:

Can someone please tell me how many pins the latest imacs have on their firewire sockets so I can buy the right cable to connect a sony mini-dv camera?

thanks

Click to expand...

All iMacs G5 and forward have 6-pin Firewire ports, but the new 24-inch iMac also has a 9-pin Firewire port in addition to a 6-pin.

you need 6pin-4pin cable. The camera has a 4pin

oaky, thanks.

Also, many cameras today actually come with the needed cables anyway. At least the ones I have seen do. Just check when you get it and if it doesn't, then just pick up the one you need.

Okay, thanks, Im getting a cam from apple.com

camcorder

just purchased a sony sr30 hdd camcorder cant get it to work in imovie any suggestions

coach_z said:

should support both
firewire will transfer faster
-chris

Click to expand...

That's the hard drve one right, I'm not sure if the hdd cams work with imovie, but try this, when starting imove pick creat new project, then at the bottom click video format and pick mpeg-4, since its not useing tape it can't format under a dv settings, try that it might work