Help with Mini DV cable connection to PC

I'm a newbie and have a dumb question

I recently purchased a Panasonic PV-GS 300 MiniDV camcorder and
dutifully read the user's manual but am confused by what I have read.
Panasonic provides a USB 2 cable with accessories, but if you want to
use the DV connection using a Firewire IEEE 1394 cable it must be
purchased separately. I do want to be able to use the Firewire
connection, but the cable that Panasonic sells for this camera is a 4
pin to 4 pin cable. My Compaq PC has a 6 pin input port.

My question is - will the 4 (camcorder) to 6 pin (PC) connection work
satisfactorily or must the two connections be the same for the
transfer to occur?

Thanks for any assistance

 

Now see, if you had properly cross-posted, my answer in the other NG
(rec.video) would have appeared here automatically...

Gino
Purveyor of great advice!

 

will the 4 (camcorder) to 6 pin (PC) connection work

It should work fine. I set up a JVC camcorder that had the 4-pin
connector, and plugged it into a PC with a 6-pin. Worked great.

Couldn't make the USB do a single thing, though. Oh well.

 

Many thanks to Gino and BD for their assistance.

Frank

 

I recently purchased a Panasonic PV-GS 300 MiniDV camcorder and
I believe the 6 pin connection has a power supply which is used at the 4 pin
end.

Dave

 

The two extra pins in the 6-pin version are for power. You would
need 6-pins at BOTH ends in order to "use" the power. The tiny
4-pin version was originally designed for camera use where something
small was needed. Besides, the cameras draw too much power to rely
on the Firewire or USB supply.

 

Thanks RIchard, just spotted the missing "NOT" which should have been in my
reply

Dave