Capture from DV Tape

[Robert]

Hi all,

I want to capture from mini DV tape, but my current software (not Corel!) requires me to use Firewire. However. my computer only has USB ports. Will Video Studio capture using USB (or do I need to buy a new computer???) My camera has both USB and Firewire outlets.

Thanks

Robert

[Ken Berry]

Sorry, but DV is Firewire-specific. Even if you could capture it via USB, it would at best be streaming quality. There is supposed to be a FireWire to USB cable, but I have no idea how it performs in practice.

If you have a desktop computer with a spare slot on the motherboard, FireWire cards are cheap and easy to install -- or ask your computer shop for help.

[Terfyn]

I had the same problem when I bought my new computer. It is easily solved by installing a Firewire board in your PC. I do suggest not to just buy and fit a Firewire board yourself but work with your Dealer to ensure that the correct drivers are installed and your computer recognises your camera before you part with your cash! My Dealer spent all morning sorting it out but the Firewire now works fine. (First with PinnacleStudio and now with VideoStudio) I mention this because a number of DV users thought it was Video Studio that caused the problems and not the Firewire to computer connection.

Initially I was so concerned that we could not get Firewire to work, I bought a new camera that operates with USB and a SD card. I now have my Canon HV20 on Firewire and my Panasonic HC-V700 on SD card. Both download to VS without any problems.

[Robert]

Ken, Terfyn

Thanks for the responses.

My PC is an all-in-one which makes installing extra cards a bit more troublesome than with a regular desktop.

As a way around my problem I am investigating Firewire to USB converters, but I am having trouble finding someone who has actually used one of these to get a report on how well (or even if) they work. Aah! Back to Google!

Thanks again,

Robert

[BrianCee]

You do not mention which camcorder you have - but most DV camcorders also often have an analogue output of some form - a connection which allows you to connect the camcorder direct to a TV.

You could use that and one of these :- http://www.honestech.com/main/vhs-to-dvd-50-deluxe.asp (or similar) which I use for analogue captures to connect the camera to your computer.

It will not be such good quality as a firewire transfer - but you would probably find the end result acceptable.

....

[Kingston]

There aren't any cables that convert firewire to USB for the purpose of capturing video, so don't waste your money on a plain cable. I do have a Diamond VC500 USB capture device that I can connect my MiniDV camcorder to with the RCA connectors. It's not as good as capturing over firewire, but it's better than nothing. It works very well in Windows 8, and I don't even need to install a driver because Windows 8 already has the correct driver.

[skier-hughes]

There aren't any cables that convert firewire to USB for the purpose of capturing video, so don't waste your money on a plain cable.

Have you ever tried any of them?
I tried to get one to do a review for my site, but they said if I wanted to do that, to buy one, I declined. The reviews seem pretty mixed, but as most people who have things that work don't review/complain then most would seem to work satisfactory. There are also usb/firewire convertor adapters, but again i have no experience of these.

[Kingston]

I haven't tried any of them, just read about them. If I thought there was a chance that they would work, I would have bought one long ago. There has to be more than a cable with a firewire plug on one end and a USB plug on the other.

[Terfyn]

Has anybody tried the Pinnacle Studio Moviebox? This is shown as having a IEEE1394 (Firewire) input and a USB output. It also has Composite and S-Video inputs. I had the Firewire port fitted to my computer and IMO this is the best way to go. But for laptops the Studio Moviebox may be the answer.

[Kingston]

I have the Pinnacle board in my older computer. It has a pci connector. Unfortunately, my new computer requires a pci-e connector. I could never capture analog video with that card using VideoStudio, but the Firewire port on it works, and that's what I used on my old computer to capture over Firewire from my MiniDV camcorder. For my new computer, I bought pci-e Firewire card (Texas Instruments Chip), and that works.

[Terfyn]

The Pinnacle Studio Moviebox is not a board but a free standing box with a Firewire Input and a USB output. There are a number of people who, for various reasons cannot fit a Firewire card. This box looks as if it can convert Firewire to USB. I was asking if anybody has tried it and if it works. We know that Composite to USB is not a problem whereas Firewire to USB is.

I have no problem capturing from my Canon HV20 DV camcorder into VideoStudio - it works OK. The main holdup was getting the right drivers for the transfer. I originally had Pinnacle Studio and my "new" computer had no Firewire port. When the Firewire card was fitted it failed to see the camera and my Dealer spent a morning locating and installing drivers that worked. I could download from DV into Pinnacle and I can now download into VSX5.