Streaming on severestreaming.com: PC with firewire

[Brian Davidson]

Hello,

I'm looking to stream with firewire this year. My USB web cam is not going to cut it. What PC laptops do you all use that has firewire or an expansion port for firewire?

Thanks!

 

[John Erwin]

Hi Brian;
Most manufacturers appear to have removed the firewire connector on their consumer products; probably as a measure to reduce costs. I've usually used business class laptops, many of which still have firewire support (like my HP EliteBook 8540p).

You may be able to purchase a firewire expansion card for your laptop (expressport), but some laptops have been omitting those slots as well.

 

[Brian Davidson]

Yea, I can't find any laptop with firewire or expansion card slots. Do you know of any laptops that have card slots? Thanks!

 

[JeffGonzales]

Yea, I can't find any laptop with firewire or expansion card slots. Do you know of any laptops that have card slots? Thanks!

Brian, I use a Dell XPS m1210, It has a firewire port as well as a express card slot, I got a firewire express card and with the firewire i can do up to 3 camaras. Its a great mobil laptop for chasing and does everything i need it to.

You can find a good one on ebay for about $400.

 

[Brian Davidson]

Thanks Jeff! I'm really excited for this year because I will be having a dome camera to stream =)

 

[Matt Tottle]

You can get a pretty good stream into your laptop using a USB capture box if it comes down to it. I'm using one that's probably 15 years old (the disc has Windows 95 drivers on it, no mention of 98) that I found in a clearance bin years ago and just dug out of my junk boxes. All it has is a composite and S-video in. Windows 7 actually had the drivers for it as soon as I plugged it in (which shocked me because I expected to have to hunt around the obscure drivers sites). But hooked up to the S-video on the camcorder, it gives video that works just fine for streaming.

 

[Robert Rohloff]

My Asus G51 has one firewire port and I added a double firewire card in the express card slot. I stream from a Sony Camcorder and down load from a firewire on my main camera. I have not had any problems.