Camcorders Buying Guide
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What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies:
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I BUY?
Although you'll probably be able to drop a tape in your camcorder and start recording as soon as you open the box and charge the battery, before you'll be able to download the video to your computer for editing, you'll have to make sure your PC is set up for a FireWire connection. At best, you'll simply have to buy a FireWire cable; at worst, you'll need to add an internal card to your PC.
Essentials
To copy video from a camcorder to a computer
If your system has a FireWire/IEEE 1394 port, which looks like these...
Four-pin FireWire
Six-pin FireWire
...all you need is a FireWire cable with the matching connectors.
If you don't have a FireWire port, you'll have to add a FireWire adaptor card.
Options
Still photos
Options
Best for which users?
A memory card for saving those photos
Home and holiday filmmaker; trendsetter; business videographer
A card reader for quickly downloading still images to the PC
Home and holiday filmmaker; trendsetter; business videographer
Edit video
Options
Best for which users?
Quick-and-dirty editing software
Home and holiday filmmaker; trendsetter; budget buyer
Professional-quality video-editing software
Independent filmmaker; business videographer
Video display
Independent filmmaker, business videographer
Output video
Options
Best for which users?
CD-recordable drive (for PC-playable AVI and VCD files) and burning software
Home and holiday filmmaker; budget buyer
DVD-recordable drive (for creating discs playable in a PC or in a standalone DVD drive)
Trendsetter; independent filmmaker; business videographer
VCR with S-Video input (if camcorder has S-Video-output connector) to create VHS tapes
Home and holiday filmmaker; business videographer; budget buyer
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