How can I transfer videos from my digital camera into my computer?

Question

My digital camera is Panasonic NV-GS5EN. I plugged the USB cord in it and I plugged that cord into the computer but I don't know how to transfer the videos from the camera to the computer. When I turn the camera on it says change to CARD P.B. mode and when I change it says PC Accessing and the computer cannot detect the camera. In the card mode their are pictures not videos so I am also confused with that. Any help would be appreciated

Answer 1

maybe your camera is an old version and ur computer doesnt accept it. you might have put the cord in wrong.

Answer 2

I believe, your cam is miniDV cam - USB connection is only for transferring still pictures. To transfer video, you'll need firewire connection (your cam should have another connector, very similar to the USB, usually just beside it.

Then you need firewire port on computer - if your does not have one, you can buy combo Firewire card + cable for <20$ on eBay or for more money in your local computer/electronics store. If your computer has that port, just go and buy the cable. Look for cable 6-Pin to 4-Pin if you have desktop computer (desktop's firewire card has usually 6 pin connector while the camera always has 4pin) or 4-Pin to 4-Pin if you have laptop with build-in Firewire since laptops usually have the smaller one (just check the computer first:-))

You plug the cam into it, turn on play mode and Windows should find it as a Video Digital Device. Both Windows XP and Vista have Firewire driver included, you do not need extra software.

As for the actual video transfer - you might get some software included with firewire card. If not, you can use windows movie maker (part of every windows). Navigate to "capture" section, choose your cam from pull down list and play the movie and capture. It is real time capture - one hour tape will take one our to capture. Have a huge space on disc - one miniDV tape is 12-13 GB file. You need than to convert it and create DVD (you can use Windows Movie Maker for that as well...)

Takes long time - on dual core 2GB ram computer about 2 and half hours. Longer on slower comp with less memory.

Have fun. john

Answer 3

First dear you need to install the software for your camera on your computer....otherwise the computer won't be able to read from the camera.  Either that or if that camera saves onto a SD card or the likes, just get a 'card reader' and use that to pull the wanted files off the card and onto your computer.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!