How do i convert dvc video tapes into digital media files?

Question

How do i convert dvc video tapes into digital media files?

Answer 1

I presume you mean MiniDV tapes... or perhaps even Digital8 tapes that have the big DVC on the wrapper...

Best would be to use the camcorder that captured that video. You will connect the DV port of the camcorder to the firewire400 port of your computer using a firewire cable. USB will not work.

Firewire400, IEEE1394a, i.LINK and DV are all the same thing. The DV port on a miniDV tape camcorder is ALWAYS 4-pin. The firewire400 port on your computer can be either 4-pin or 6-pin... keep this in mind when you get the firewire cable.

If your computer does not have a firewire port, hopefully it has an expansion slot so you can add one.

Once the firewire port is working and you connect the camcorder, the camcorder needs to be in "Play" or "VCR" mode.

Using Windows, you will "capture" the video with MovieMaker.

Using Macintosh, you will "Import" the video with iMovie.

Edit. Save. Export or Share using whatever file-types and compression you need depending on what you want to do with the finished project.