How do I transfer recorded video from ZR850 Camcorder to PC?

Question

I just bought Cannon's ZR860 Digital Camcorder, recorded a video on cassette and now want to transfer to my PC. Not sure what am I missing, but I have USB cable connecting from Camcorder to PC and I am trying to use Windows Movie Maker for this editing project. The computer is not detecting the device. I even tried to see live recording, but the video window does not get activated and I cant click 'Play' on my screen. Please help me.

Answer 1

I, too, have a Canon ZR series camcorder and am unable to transfer to either of the PCs in my house due to the fact that they both don't have FireWire.

You NEED FireWire.  All Macs come with one or two FireWire ports.  Get a Mac--they're the best for editing video.

By the way, the USB connectivity on that camcorder is only for the SD card that you can use to take pictures or lower-quality video.

Answer 2

Read you manual. The section on connecting to a Computer.

You will connect a firewire (IEEE1394a, i.Link, DV) cable to the camcorder's DV (not USB) port to the computer's Firewire (IEEE1394a...) - not USB - port. With the camcorder in "Play" or VCR mode, MovieMaker will "Capture" the video.

USB will not work. You already know this.

No Firewire port on your computer? Add one - unless you have a Macintosh, in which case all of them for about the last 10 years have a Firewire400 port standard (the ONLY exception is the new Mac Air).