Cam transfer question

[Hal1000]

Newbie question, have Samsung Digital cam, mini dvds. I have been reading this forum and the tech guys forum.
I have a Dell laptop 700m 33 GB harddrive. almost 3 years old.
I'm using MS moviemaker. (well have not had a change yet to use it, can't transfer video) I don't think I have a firewire card installed, so I will pick one up, any recommendation found this on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Startech-Card-IEEE-1394-Firewire-Notebook/dp/B0000512GH/ref=pd_b...6217484&sr=8-1
There were some cheaper ones.
What type of file format is the video on my Digital Cam DVD
I have tryed to use some downloaded software to tranfser the vidoes from the small DVD to my computer with no luck, could not open the video ts file that holds the video clips.
Any recommendations have to try it this way

[classfour]

With my Hitachi DVDCam - of similar vintage - writes to DVD-RAM media, as a .vro extension. I can import the video with any vintage of TDA and see all the individual recordings that are on the disc. Not so with other editors.

If you already have TDA use the source wizard to import the file from the drive. BTW: If the Samsung uses DVD-RAM media, the drive in your laptop must be capable of reading RAM discs. If not - buy the firewire card and rip from the camcorder.

If the camcorder burns to DVD-RW mini-discs - or DVD-R mini discs: You should be able to read the disc from the computer. If it'll play with your DVD Player application: You know the video is there, just locate the program that can work with the disc.

As to the startech: They are cheap, but usually get the job done. The reviews on amazon do look ok.

[Hal1000]

Thanks Classfour, I downloaded the Super software and it workedgreat, I used lots of decorder software before this and none it worked. Noww I have to find a good software editing tool, using MS moviemarker, its free..