mini dv videocamera question

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Oct 8, 2006 | 07:53 PM

oldfordtrucksrule

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Joined: Dec 2002

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From: Effingham,IL USA

mini dv videocamera question

i have a panasonic mini dv videocamera and want to transfer the digital videotapes i took with it to a dvd or other media. it didnt come with a cd to install on a computor to transfer the video. they want like 200$ or some outragious price for the install cd. needless to say im not gonna pay that. how can i transfer the movies to computor? or u think i can take the tapes to a electronics business and have them do it? any help would b appreciated.

Oct 8, 2006 | 08:48 PM

furball69

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From: Calgary, Canada

YOu can buy a set top dvd recorder (like a VCR) for less than $100.00. I would do that. YOu could probably get one with a hard drive for a couple hunnerd.

Oct 8, 2006 | 10:42 PM

cass0825b

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I went to staples, and bought a Card that is a 6 pin firewire card(this is for my laptop, it would work the same for a desktop) like this one.
http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/st...&cmArea=SEARCH
I think bought a 4 pin to 6 pin to cable. I plugged the 4 pin into the camera, and the 6 pin into the computer. I then used windows movie maker, and import the video to my computer. You can select the file quality, and even edit it. There are better programs, but this on is simple, and was on my computer.

A cable like this
http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/st...&cmArea=SEARCH

Oct 9, 2006 | 04:18 PM

mymechanic'sanidiot

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i'll have to keep an eye on this thread. Just got the wife a Mini-DV for early christmas present.

Oct 9, 2006 | 05:16 PM

furball69

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From: Calgary, Canada

This is very similar to the model I had before I got the Pioneer with the HD.

Daytek dr5102

Depending on how much you want to do with custom menus and post-editing with transitions and such, the set top may or may not be the right choice. If your main concern is archival of the footage then I'd go for the set top box. If you're more into post processing then, you'll definitely want to get a firewire card for your PC and some good software for the editing process.

I like the versatility of the set top unit, cause I can record off cable with it as well and burn stuff to DVD from it. As well, units with a hard drive allow some editing, such as cutting and reordering sections, titling and graphical menu's.