Saving Video From A DV CAMERA Onto My Computer?

Question

can i do that? i need to know if i can save the video from a mini dv camera onto my computer and then save it as a file. also if i can, can i edit that file just like files from a digital camcorder? will roxio or windows movie maker work for that?

Answer 1

Your dv camcorder needs a firewire connection (ieee 1394) in order to download video, your PC probably did not come with a firewire port, so you will have to buy one and install it, since most computers (except possibly brand new) don't come with a firewire port, your camcorder did not come with a firewire cord so you have to purchase a cord too. Your camcorder did come with a USB cord and that is used for downloading stills from your camcorder.

You can download it to windows movie maker, but I prefer some better software like pinacle studio 11 ultimate, it can do so much more.

Answer 2

Yes. You will get the best quality file if you use a Firewire instead of a USB cable to import the video onto your computer. Importing digital Video through a USB will result in substantial loss of quality. Roxio or Windows Movie Maker will work to edit the video, but I personally recommend Adobe Premiere Elements. It's intuitive, easy to use and works in conjunction with Photoshop Elements.