How to input

[Billy]

I have a Solitaire Plus with Smart Edit 7 and Arabesk 4. All of the new consumer camcorders seem to use a memory card or a hard drive. They do not appear to have firewire inputs. Looks like usb inputs. I have usb inputs but I do not know how to access them. The only thing in the usb today are the mouse and the keyboard. If I get a new machine, how can I input the video into my Solitaire Plus and have the ability to use auto split. Thanks, Billy

[TimKennelly]

You cannot, not directly at least.

The Gen2 machines are/were great machines in their day, but like all technology, ultimately tech passes them by and they become obsolete.

The new technology that is coming out in today's camcorders was not even invented when the Gen2 machines were designed and built.

That is why MSDE came out with the Gen3 machines, time marches on.

The USB inputs of the Gen2 machines are USB1 and not designed or capable of transmitting at the data rates required to transfer video and audio.

Short of MSUS coming out with some sort of add on converter box or internal upgrade modification you cannot digitally transfer between these solid state cams that have foregone firewire capability.

A work around would be to input to a capable PC and then firewire to the Solitaire from the PC.

I am not sure if even that would maintain the ability to use auto split although I think it would.

[videojim]

Heard at Dallas that Smart Edit 10 is the furthest planned OS to come out on the Gen 2 editors, so far. They were built before USB2, HDMI, etc, and just don't have much of a shelf life for an extended future. Might be a good idea to take the big step and get a Bogart line machine, as they have a longer term future. Check out the trade-in value of your machine toward one, where they are now. As time goes by, that number will drop, I am sure. Having seen the fiascoes with the 2k's and 4k's, I'd say it appears to be a good idea to let the beta testing and early buyers work out the kinks on the 3k and 6k first. Maybe by June . . .
BTW, I have a Handycam, with AVCHD output, which is an acceptable input for the Bogart machines. Takes a LOT of workaround to make it work in Gen 2's.