Capture DV video, no firewire port

[video_guy]

Hello,

My friend owns a miniDV camcorder and would like to edit video on his computer using it. However, his computer does not have a firewire port and it has no room for expandablitly. He has a Dell Optiplex SX270 which is built like a laptop (so it has no PCI slots to put in a firewire card) and has only USB ports. I keep thinking when he got it two years ago he should have got it with firewire... I can import video from his camera into my computer using the basic firewire cable from camera to PC. Does he have any options of importing DV video into his computer now? And I'm not really thinking he wants to go along the lines of a Dazzle or Pinnacle movie box importing solution as those use composite and s-video imput so the quality wouldn't be as good and these products may not input at correct DV video dimensions (720 x 480). If anyone knows of a solution (maybe a usb to firewire adapter?) it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
video_guy

[edDV]

Maybe a PC card adapter or just get a new mobo. Avoid USB2.

[guns1inger]

SOOL. That system simply isn't built for anything other than office work. To put a cardbus reader in would mean sacrificing the DVD drive. You could consider getting an external USB 2 case for the DVD drive, then putting in a cardbus reader with a firewire card. It becomes a relatively expensive exercise though. I would price up the components, then compare it to a standalone DVD recorder as an alternative option.

[thecoalman]

I can import video from his camera into my computer using the basic firewire cable from camera to PC. Does he have any options of importing DV video into his computer now?

If you want to be a nice guy you can split the video into 4 gb files and burn to disc, transfer to a external USB drive or network the computers together.

[ofbarea]

The Creative Audigy 2 ZS Video Editor may be the solution.

Check this link: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1328320

*** Edited on 4-SEP-2005 ***
Now it appears that there is another option. An Firewire to USB2 cable. Check this Post.