# JVC GR-D30 Digital Video Camera - Connecting to PC & recording to CD



## ernie2 (Jan 25, 2003)

I recently received a JVC GR-D30 Digital Video Camera w/ i.LINK as a birthday/Fathers' day present. I do not have any experience with digital cameras. I would like to save what is on my Mini DV cassette to a disk (CDR/RW for now since I do not have a DVD burner at the moment) via PC. JVC provided MOVIEWOW! software in the packaging. 

I would appreciate any suggestions on saving video/images to CDR. 

Before that, though, I do have some questions that I know someone out there must know the anwers to:

1. What type of connector do I need to connect my camera to my PC (PC is an AuthenticAMD w/ AMD Duron processor)? IEEE 4 to 4 pin 1394 compliant?

2. Is CDR/RW an adeqate media type on which save video/images?

3. Are recorded video/images able to be played on DVD players that are advertised to play CDRs? How does this process work?

Thanks for your time.

ernie2


----------



## Mulderator (Feb 20, 1999)

ernie2 said:


> I recently received a JVC GR-D30 Digital Video Camera w/ i.LINK as a birthday/Fathers' day present. I do not have any experience with digital cameras. I would like to save what is on my Mini DV cassette to a disk (CDR/RW for now since I do not have a DVD burner at the moment) via PC. JVC provided MOVIEWOW! software in the packaging.
> 
> I would appreciate any suggestions on saving video/images to CDR.
> 
> ...


See this thread:

http://forums.techguy.org/t236165.html

1. You will need a firewire card for your PC like the one here:

http://sewelldirect.com/firewirepcicard.asp?

Your video camcorder already came with the correct cable if it is ILink, but the card also comes with the cable. You might already have one installed in your computer.

2 & 3. There are two types of formats: CD-R/RW and CD+R/RW and either is an adeqate media type on which save video/images? The short answer to whether those will play on a DVD is yes, but the caveat is some DVD players play either one or the other format, but not both and some DVD players don't play VCDs (Video CD) at all.

I recommend buying a DVD burner--they are cheap now (I bought one for $85 on sale at Staples)--make sure it supports both formats. You will have less problems with DVDs playing on all DVD recorders (although you sill have the two different formats) and the quality is noticeable better on DVD as compared to VCD, especially on high definition TVs where the imperfections of VCDs are more acute.


----------



## ernie2 (Jan 25, 2003)

Hey there Mulder. Thanks for the advice and the great links. The Firewire card and cable combo sounds like a great deal. There's a good chance I will be purchasing the set in the near future. 

First, however, I'm waiting for JVC to get back to me in regards to possibly connecting my camcorder to my PC via USB since I seem to have many of those ports. They'll probably tell me the same thing you said: buy and install a Firewire card. 

In the meanwhile, I am not familiar with the installation of a Firewire card. If possible, could you list the steps (briefly) of the installation process. As you might have already noticed, I am not as computer savvy as I would like to be, but I'm working on it.

Thanks again.

ernie2


----------

