How do I download video from camera to DVD-R?

Question

How do I download video from camera to DVD-R?

Answer 1

You have not provided enough information.

If you are going directly from the camcorder to a DVD recorder, connect the camera to the DVD recorder with the analog cables - or with firewire/IEEE1394a/i.Link cable if the camcorder and DVD recorder are so equippped and follow the instructions provided with that DVD recorder.

If you need the video in your computer first, it depends what camera and what computer you have.

If the camcorder uses miniDV or Digital8 tape, it uses the DV port (this is a 4-pin) and connects to the firewire port (not USB) of your computer. If you don't have a firewire port, install one. The port installed on the computer will be most likely 6-pin... but can be 4-pin. It depends what you have or decide to install. You need firewire400 (also known as i.Link or IEEE1394a). USB will only be used for web streaming (if the camcorder has the feature) or for transferring stills. If the firewire port is working correctly, no additional drivers are required.

If the camcorder is hard drive or flash memory based, it should mount using USB and appear as a USB mass storage device. If it does not, you need to install the drivers available on the CD in the box the camera came in or download from the driver from the camcorder manufacturer's support area.

If the camcorder is DVD based, you will need to have a drawer loading DVD drive on your computer and you will rip the DVD with something like HandBrake. If you have only a slot loader or the drive reads only CDs, you need an analog/digital bridge from Pinnacle or Canopus.

If the camera is for taking stills and happens to take highly compressed videos, take the memory card out of the camera and use a card reader to transfer the videos to the computer.