Short answer: You can think of FireWire simply as a cable used to connect your digital camcorder to your computer.

Medium answer: FireWire is basically a nicer name for IEEE-1394 (also called i.Link).

Long answer: FireWire is a high bandwidth data-transfer format. It can theoretically carry digital data at up to 50-100MBytes per second (or 400-800Mbits).

And the but-wait-there’s-more answer...
FireWire isn’t just for camcorders—it can also be used to connect hard disks and other newer devices. It “daisy-chains” well, so you can plug your external 100GB hard disk into your computer and your new DV camcorder into the external hard disk and everything will work just fine. (And for what it’s worth, for digital video, I’d say FireWire is a preferable format to USB-2: a slightly different alternative which we won’t go into here).
FireWire cables usually have a 4-pin connector that hooks into cameras; and a 6-pin type that plugs into computers.

As far as I’m concerned, FireWire is the technology that really made the digital video revolution explode.

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(For the sake of comparison, a CD-R holds 650-700 MB of data — over an hour of high-quality audio. But video contains much more information than audio; so the same CD-R would only hold a few minutes of DV video.)

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WHAT KIND OF CAMERA SHOULD I GET?
I would not presume to answer that; it depends on your budget and your needs. But I will say two things.

One: while I really like 3-CCD (or “3-chip”) camcorders, and the image quality is certainly better, it’s probably not worth the significant difference in cost for the typical consumer. For home video, stick with 1-chip camcorders and save the money. If, on the other hand, you want video for more serious use (like business projects), 3-chip cameras may well be the way to go.

Two: smaller cameras tend to cost more money than larger ones. And while small is generally a good trend, it also means that (a) the controls are usually harder to get your fingers on; (b) the LCD display that flips out to show you the video is usually smaller (not as useful as a larger screen); and (c) putting in and taking out cassettes is slightly trickier, with the tape slot harder to access.

So while small cameras are light and portable and will probably get more use—they are a little harder to use, trickier to hold steady, and do cost a little more. Try out some in person, and choose based on your own gut feeling.

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ANY CAMERA FEATURES TO LOOK FOR?
I would respectfully suggest that you focus on the basics: easy shooting, easy focus, good optical zoom (10X or better). Ignore digital zoom. Ignore all the fancy digital effects that may be offered—if you want to do effects, do those in your computer after you shoot. I like having an easily-accessible manual exposure control, but many folks are fine with automatic exposure (like that in your typical still camera); in that case, it doesn’t matter how (in)accessible those manual controls are.

Okay, that being said, in my opinion there is an answer. (Get out yer guns!)

The folks behind the Macintosh have done some things that make video particularly accessible for beginners (and efficient for professionals). I know many PC-advocates, professional video types, and in the past year a number have switched over to the Mac, primarily because of the way the Mac does video.

All Apple computers have built-in FireWire, for instance. You don’t need to ask if it works. You don’t need to install a card inside. There is a valid reason why this is important. Windows PCs are aggregations of different manufacturers’ hardware and software. Company X makes the FireWire card (and there are many to choose from) ... Company Y makes the video software (again, lots out there) ... then Company Z repackages the whole thing as a bundle, and slaps its name on the front.

If something isn’t working quite right, Company Z can always point its finger at Company X. Company X will be adamant that their card works, but maybe not with Company Y’s software. And so on. This is even more the case if you’re doing the configuring yourself. In any event, as an end user of something as technically involved as video, you’ll want to minimize the problems and limit the directions you have to run to solve problems.

Apple has handled this smartly. The company that makes the computer includes their choice of FireWire card and designs and sells the video software. It is all built to work together. So not only is the software really good (which is exceptionally important to your experience), but the entire system tends to work together neatly, right out of the box. (The pros call this a “turnkey” system—you simply “turn the key” and it goes, much like a car.) Thus, iMovie, Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro are three excellent reasons to consider the Mac—beginner, intermediate and advanced choices for video editing software. And each with large populations of users, who can share expertise, ideas, etc.

The Mac isn’t necessarily the cheapest solution, however. And many, many PC users are very happy with their PC video solutions. There are excellent software developers (Adobe and Pinnacle, to name just two) creating great software for PCs. But in the present state of the technology, I believe video is perhaps the single best reason to use a Mac over a PC. That is, if you want or need it to be as painless an experience as possible.

That’s just my opinion. So before plunking down your hard-earned dollars, you’ll want to check around with reviewers and online forums (and anyone you know who’s using this stuff) for the latest info on the topic. And most importantly, get your hands on a few systems and try them out for yourself!

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SOFTWARE SUGGESTIONS?
On the Mac: iMovie comes with your computer—try it! And if you really like playing with video, move up to Final Cut Express. It’s about $300 (even cheaper if you’re a student or teacher). Truthfully, only professionals need Final Cut Pro. Skip it until you’ve had a great deal of success with Final Cut Express and need something it doesn’t do, which is unlikely for most consumers. Both are very capable applications.

On the PC: As with the Mac, start with the free (or under $100) software that introduces you to video. I like Pinnacle’s Studio v8, but there are many — from inSync:Speed Razor to Ulead Media Studio. If you like what you’re doing, move up to Adobe Premiere or Pinnacle’s Edition products. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) there are many software vendors of PC video software. And to complicate matters, some companies buy other company’s software and then repackage it, so sometimes you’re looking at two products that seem similar—because, in fact, they are.

For real comparisons, once again, talk to people and read user forums. Choosing software is personal. But a bad choice can make the entire experience lousy—this is unnecessary and unfortunate because, with all the offerings out there, there’s bound to be a choice that’s right for you and your needs.

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I DON’T WANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL, BUT I DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS STUFF. WHERE DO I START?
A number of good books have come out in the past few years. Many are specific to particular software, and a few give a good overview of the concepts and techniques you’ll need to maximize your digital video results.

At the risk of gross self-promotion, you may want to check out my The Little Digital Video Book. It is neither platform- nor software-specific. That’s because ultimately, in spite of the suggestions above, I really don’t care what camera you use or what computer you buy. I’m much more interested in helping you get the most effective use (and have the most fun!) with the gear that you do have, whatever that may be.

Just to give you a taste, Amazon has some online excerpts.

Your second purchase should be a good reference guide on the particular software you use. Peachpit Press makes some excellent comprehensive references (like their Quickstart and Quickpro series), and Pogue Press has some fine ones too (check out their Missing Manual series).

Finally, your third book should be a little training introduction -- not a reference guide so much as a class...And—you guessed it!—I’ve also written two books in this category (Beginner’s Final Cut Pro and Making Movies with Final Cut Express, both from Peachpit Press). But many books could fill this need, and again, you’ll obviously want to choose one that goes with the software you have in mind.

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HOW TIME-CONSUMING IS BEING A “VIDEO HOBBYIST”?
Remember, you’re not getting paid for this stuff. It’s for you. It’s a hobby. So be smart about your time investment. I recommend people start with video projects that can be done in just a few hours in the evening or on a weekend. There is danger is trying too ambitious a project when just starting out. Shoot about 20 minutes of video of something, get it in your computer and edit it for an hour or two, and then make a tape or DVD. It's important to have some fun and success with this before moving on. This is the style of working I advocate in The Little Digital Video Book.

AND MONEY? ISN’T THIS EXPENSIVE?
As far as other hobbies, it’s right in there. And while it’s 10X to 100X cheaper than it was in the past decade, it’s still not “cheap.” A video-ready computer will run about $2000; decent software might be another $300; a special external hard disk (optional) could be $200 more. And most importantly, the digital camcorder will run, let’s say, between $500 and $1200. So, all in all, you could spend $4000 or so getting ready. The good news is that many people already have computers that are video-ready, and that’s a big chunk of the price tag. The camcorder is the other significant expense, but remember, even if you don’t like editing, a camcorder is useful and fun, and I’m certain you wouldn’t be sorry you got a digital camcorder for recording special events.

And while prices will continue to drop over the next few years, I think it will remain a $2000-$4000 investment. Cameras may do more. Computers will get faster. But the manufacturers know what consumers are willing to spend on equipment like this, and they much prefer to incorporate more features for the same price, rather than allowing the price itself to deteriorate.

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ONCE I UNDERSTAND VIDEO, WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT?
Home videos, of course, but also small video projects for school and work. In particular, small business will be massively affected, with individuals creating videos for communication with customers, vendors and employees. You can now easily make streaming videos for the web, or full-blown DVDs.

We are a very video-literate culture—people who don’t read manuals or buy books will often sit down to watch a video. With a camera and software, you can make content that is comparable in many ways to the stuff you see on TV. Video is a great tool. You can do tons with it. That doesn’t mean becoming a professional videographer, but simply someone poised to take advantage of this great new way of communicating.

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WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT HELPING ME? WHO ARE YOU?
Just a guy who has been doing this for a while. Longer than most, in fact.

I spent a number of years introducing Hollywood movie and television professionals to this technology back when it was new.

I wrote the very first textbook on the subject (Nonlinear, now in its fourth edition).

I’ve given lectures to high school students in Beijing and broadcasters in Montreux, and spoken frequently at Macworld conferences and, now, in Apple Stores. And while I admit to being a “Mac” guy, the truth is that video is platform independent, and I’m far more interested in people learning about video than doing it on a Mac. (That being said, Macs sure make it easy for the technophoic!) The Little Digital Video book, for instance, is bundled with Broderbund’s consumer editing software, MovieShop Deluxe, that runs on a PC.

More than anything, I’ve always longed to see what this technology could do in the hands of everyday people. You see, helping to empower people like you with this extraordinary means of communication is, for me, the fulfillment of a career-long dream.

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