Help Transfering Files

OhMyGosh wrote on 3/30/2011, 7:54 AM
There is someone on another board of mine that I would like to help edit his video into some video tutorials, as all of his past have been just photos. Here is his message and problem:
"I am using a Canon HD camcorder, and using Windows Live Moviemaker. Trying to edit it in segments. One section was 1 hour long and it took nearly 20 minutes for it to load from the downloaded version on the PC to the Windows Live editing....then when I added music to it, it failed...had all the background noise which isn't pleasant to listen to."
Does anyone know of a way, with what he has, that he could get me the footage to edit?? Not sure how much would fit on a DVD (time wise), or something else? Thanks. Cin

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 3/30/2011, 8:11 AM
Which model of Canon is it? (HD can mean hard drive or hi-def.)

How much free, freshly defragmented space is on your C drive?

Is your project on your C drive or a second hard drive? If the latter, has the drive been formatted NTFS, and does it have at least 100 gigs of free, defragmented space?
Tim L wrote on 3/30/2011, 9:21 AM
If "Canon HD" means an HDV (tape) camera like an HV-20/-30/-40, then one hour of footage will be about 13 GB.

If HD is "AVCHD" then one hour of footage will be less than that. Maybe 50% to 70%? But just guessing.

A single layer DVD holds about 4.7 GB. Easiest way is to do this is to go to WalMart and buy a 16 GB USB thumb drive for $25 - $30. Cheap to mail, and durable. And re-useable.

However, you might have to reformat the USB drive as NTFS before trying to copy the files on it, as regular FAT has a 4 GB file size limit. Not sure about FAT32 though.

(And I haven't actually done this myself... just dreaming up possible solutions)
musicvid10 wrote on 3/30/2011, 9:41 AM
You can buy a Hitachi 320GB portable for under $50. Slip it in a padded envelope mail it. No worries.
OhMyGosh wrote on 3/30/2011, 9:44 AM
Thank you Steve. I was just posting his message to me. Not too sure about his computer, camera, or configuration, but 20 minutes to load an hour of footage! Yikes, that sounds like one slow puppy! ;)
Thank you Tim for your help and suggestions as well. I was hoping someone would have a rough idea as to how long vs. how big a video file would be, and that helps. I like your idea of a thumb drive and might suggest that to him. Just wasn't too sure about that reformat part? Will write him and see if I can get more info if needed. :) Cin