How can I put video from my camcorder onto my computer?

Question

I am looking to buy a camcorder and I will need to be able to transfer the video onto my computer. The models I am looking at are : Sony MiniDV Digital Camcorder - Silver (DCRHC52) and JVC Mini DV Digital Camcorder - GRDA30US. They record to mini DV tape, and I can't find out on the net if they have memory cards or not.

Answer 1

Good for you for selecting miniDV tape based camcorders. Because the DV format saves the digital video to tape with the least amount of compression, this provides the best available video quality when compare to other consumber camcorders using different storage media - including hard drive, flash memory and DVD based camcorders.

Video compression = discarded data = reduced video quality which is what you can expect from hard drive, flash memory and DVD based camcorders.

To transfer miniDV tape stored video from the camcorder to your computer, you will use the DV port of the camcorder connected to the firewire port of your computer with a Firewire cable... and with the camcorder in "Play" mode,

If you are using Windows: Launch MovieMaker and "Capture" the video.

If you are using Macintosh: launch iMovieHD and "Import" the video.

Nothing will happen automatically. USB will not work. USB to firewire converter will not work.

Firewire, i.Link and IEEE1394a are all the same thing. You do not need the software that came with the camcorder.

If you have a Mac, you already have a firewire port - you just need to get a cable:

http://shop3.frys.com/product/4338375;js...

If you have a Windows machine, you may need to install a firewire 400 port

http://shop3.frys.com/search?search_type...

and get a firewire cable...

What do you need a memory card in the camcorder for? That will not help in transferring video from the tape.

For the HC62, here is the camcorder manual:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-h...

For the A30, here is the camcorder manual:

http://books.jvcservice.com/booklist.asp...

Neither manual has reference to memory card requirements, sizes supported or photo resolution - so I will say both camcorders do not come with a memory card - and both cameras do not have a slot for a memory card.