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How do I connect my camcorder to my laptop?

How can I connect a mini DV camcorder to a laptop that doesn't have firewire or a PCMCIA port?

  • I have a Sony camcorder DCR-TRV11 and a new Toshiba Satellite P755-5385. I can only send video out on the camcorder from the mini DV 4-pin port, otherwise known as i.Link port. This is a firewire IEEE 1394 port on the camcorder. On the laptop, I have one USB 3.0 port, three USB 2.0 ports, and an Ethernet port. I also have an HDMI port, but I believe that is only HDMI out. I am trying to find a way to capture my DV tapes to the laptop and going nowhere. There are i.Link Firewire to USB cables, but they get bad reviews. I also see that Pinnacle Moviebox is an option but I hear it drops frames (anybody else have any experience with it?) I need ideas on how I can get this working. Preferably ideas that have been tried by others and work, but I will also take suggestions of possible untested solutions. Thanks in advance for your help! Chris

  • Answer:

    Firewire is used for transferring video from MiniDV because it supports isochronous mode. This means that the camcorder and the PC agree the bandwidth that's needed and then nothing's allowed to interrupt it. If you're transferring data from mag tape you have to work this way - there's no going back to read data you missed at the first attempt. USB 1 & 2 don't support isochronous mode so it's possible for a higher priority process to interrupt the PC while it's reading the data. Meanwhile, the camcorder carries on regardless... That's why firewire to USB converters don't work. USB 3 *does* support isochronous mode, so, in theory, you could have a firewire to USB 3 converter though I don't know of any. As it stands I think Lare's solution is your best bet, though that could change in the future.

Chris at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Other answers

iLink is continuous streaming digital video. USB is file transfers, they are both "digital" but you can't change formats with just a cable!!! if your situation is truly that dire, then you can still use a USB analog video capture card, preferably one with an s-video connection, that will produce acceptable results but unfortunately not optimal.

lare

A mini dv to usb cable. This is just a digital connection, so once you copy the file to your pc/laptop, the quality is not an issue.

Bongo

As the others go with lare, the results will not be great but adequate RR

Rugratzzzzzzzzzzz

U R in not so good situation.. I have the same problems, so I went out bought me a new laptop that have 1394 input to capture the video. Or do it with your desktop when U can spend about $18 for the 1394 video capture card. Other why, U can transfer all U want, but the quality is not the same. I tried, it just gonna cause more lost time and money. FYI, they invented a small converter box for Mini Dv camera to the box with 1394 and HDMI input to your usb connections, but I can't remember who made it, I searched before I forgot..Still gonna cost some money. Or buy a recorder drive that connect from your camera to the drive instantly...Money involve... Personally, I rather capture it with my desktop for cheapest and it works great, but not so convenience. Another thing is I just hook my camera to my laptop thru 1394 when I shoot my video, so that I don't even need to put on the tape. Straight into my laptop with being transfer. It's easy, but U gotta carry a backpack to hold your laptop. Good luck.. keep trying..

Leon Studio

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