How do I transfer an old camcorder video to pc?

How to transfer video from Panasonic camcorder NV-GS25 to PC (windows XP preferably) ?

• Hi, I have a Panasonic NV-GS 25 camcorder. Following the instructions given in the user manual I encountered following problem. When I connected the camcorder to the PC using the USB cables given, the PC was not detecting the camcorder. It says "Device not found". Please help me resolve this issue, since all my precious videos are on the tapes and I want a backup on my PC. Please note that I have installed the software provided with the camcorder kit, still it doesnt work. Thanks in advance....

• Answer:

  Use a Firewire cable, which does not come with the camcorder. The USB cable is likely for transferring still photos (that's the case with my PV-GS65). Firewire is also referred to as DV, IEEE1394, and iLink. The ONLY difference is the name. They all mean EXACTLY the same thing. If your PC does not have a Firewire port, you'll need to buy a Firewire card, which isn't too expensive. To see whether you already have a Firewire port, look at the images on the following page: http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7607_7-1023271-3.html?tag=bnav Your camcorder likely has a 4-pin port, and likely labels it as "DV."