How can I connect a Sony camcorder to my laptop using a 1394 cable?

Question

I've borrowed a camcorder and red 1394 cable, but the small end only connects to either the camcorder or the laptop--the larger, flat end looks like a USB plug but does not fit the port. What goes where?!

Answer 1

You have to have a firewire port installed in your laptop, make sure you have an empty bay.

Answer 2

You computer apparently does not have a firewire port.

If the Sony camcorder uses miniDV tapes, it needs a firewire cable to connect to the firewire port of your computer. Firewire and USB are different. If your computer does not have a firewire 400 port, you can add one.

Firewire, IEEE1394a and i.Link are all the same thing.

Not all traditional Windows computers have firewire ports. All Macs (with the exception of the new Mac Air) have had firewire ports for many years.