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  1. Member
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    I need some help / advice from anyone who has solved this problem. Back in the late 1990's I purchased a pro-sumer TRV900 and have over 100 hours of miniDV tapes recorded from trips taken all over the world. These tapes are coming up on 15-20 years old. I never copied them over to my PC / Laptop because after only a few years of using the camcorder, back when Laptops came with Firewire ports, I was never able to get any laptop to recognize or even acknowledge the camcorder was connected, so I could never capture the video off the tapes. I assumed the Firewire port had suffered from electro-static discharge and was "fried" as I tried two different laptops. At the time I didn't bother me so much as I could still watch the tapes from camcorder to TV. However now I'm getting concerned about the age of the tapes.

    Here is my problem, it's now 2017, I don't have a laptop with a Firewire port, I'd have to buy a used one or a IEEE1394 card for my Windows 10, HP Envy Laptop, I would also have to buy a used camcorder and hope the firewire port works, which based on comments on this forum it seems many people claim their firewire ports have been zapped.

    I see two problems with this course of action, I could buy used laptop, a used camcorder and still have the same problem with the firewire ports not working on one or both, and be no further to solving this problem. I do not want to use the analog ports the quality looks horrendous and sort of defeats the purpose of buying the TRV900 in the first place.
    There is another route to take, anyone tried this let me know: SONY GV-D900 MiniDV Mini DV Player Recorder Video Walkman VCR Deck EX GVD900, it's a bit pricey on eBay close to $400 but f I could be assured that I could get those 100 tapes copied with all 480 lines of resolution I might just swallow the cost.

    Any suggestions from those who have solved this please let me know.
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  2. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    the ONLY way to get full digital copies of the tapes onto your computer is via firewire. that's it. even that sony gv-d900 needs a firewire port on your computer. either bite the bullet and build/buy a computer with a firewire port or send the tapes out to someone still doing dv transfers.
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  3. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    Why a laptop? Firewire is rare these days, especially on a laptop.
    I would go with a used desktop PC and a Firewire card.

    It doesn't need to be an expensive PC as Firewire is just a data transfer.

    And you are probably aware DV is about 13GB/HR, so you need a fair amount
    of hard drive space for storage, not as common on a laptop.

    But others here may have some better suggestions.

    And welcome to our forums.
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  4. Member Bernix's Avatar
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    It is bit overpriced service. 10 bucks per cassete. I have Panasonic NV-GS280 which is obsolete but it has ability to copy miniDV throught usb. The transfer is slower but result is 100% quality. So looks for something like this maybe.
    Or if you have some invaluable cassette then use some service, but god know how they do it. If over firewire or throught analog or whatever.
    So as Redwuz said some computer with firewire is best and cheapest solution for you.

    Bernix
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  5. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Bernix View Post
    It is bit overpriced service. 10 bucks per cassete. I have Panasonic NV-GS280 which is obsolete but it has ability to copy miniDV throught usb. The transfer is slower but result is 100% quality. So looks for something like this maybe.
    Or if you have some invaluable cassette then use some service, but god know how they do it. If over firewire or throught analog or whatever.
    So as Redwuz said some computer with firewire is best and cheapest solution for you.

    Bernix


    you have one of the very few panasonics made that could transfer dv over usb. are there current drivers for it w10 or w8.1?
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  6. Why are you contacting me privately with the same message you posted publicly? I could help you, but am not going to do that because I don't appreciate people thinking that I am some private tutoring service. Sorry to be abrupt, but you shouldn't have sent me a private email before waiting for help in the forum.
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  7. Member Bernix's Avatar
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    you have one of the very few panasonics made that could transfer dv over usb. are there current drivers for it w10 or w8.1?
    I dont know about drivers but I have windows 10 latest update, and even the software is 5 years old, works very well. Its name is sweet movie life and Motion DV studio. I think it is freely on panasonic pages I found it several years ago because I was missing my dvd with it. Just checked it and it works, no driver, just installed software (2012) checked for connected camera. And it works even the latest OS mentioned is Windows Vista. But I have Pal camera.

    Bernix
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  8. You can probably get an old desktop for nearly free. Use your TV as a monitor if you have to. Add a US$25 Firewire card -- be sure it's based on the Texas Instruments chipset for greatest compatibility. Install Windows XP SP2 or newer from any installation disc -- you don't need a product key, updates, etc. Download your tapes with WinDV or DVIO. Copy the resulting DV AVI files to your current computer. Throw out out or give away the old desktop.
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  9. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    An old desktop most likely would only have VGA out unless it had a 3rd party video card that additionally supported DVI, HDMI (new school) or S-Video, Composite (old school). That will affect what monitor you can use, but then 4:3 (vga?) monitors are also cheap cast-offs.

    Otherwise I totally concur with jagabo.

    Scott
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  10. Member
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    Thank you for all the replies. I think I'm going to look for an old desktop for the PC side. I've not seen any suggestions on the camcorder side. I'm about 99% certain the firewire on my Sony TRV900 does not work. On the software side for the PC I've read on this forum that WinDV is a good option for making copies so I'll probably go with that.
    Again thanks in advance for your replies.
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  11. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Scenalizer if you can find it is good, too.

    You may need to find an ebay/craigslist replacement DVcam.

    Scott
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  12. One important thing to remember. When connecting Firewire devices, make sure both are switched off before plugging in the cable. Connecting with both powered on is a sure way of frying the Firewire card.
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  13. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by ChapmanDolly View Post
    One important thing to remember. When connecting Firewire devices, make sure both are switched off before plugging in the cable. Connecting with both powered on is a sure way of frying the Firewire card.


    i wish people wouldn't perpetuate old wive's tales. the 4 pin/4wire firewire port of a camcorder has no power. zero volts go through the cable. no possible way to "fry" a port with a 4 pin to 6 pin cable. the 2 missing wires of a 4 pin are the power in a 6 pin to 6 pin. firewire has always been hot swapable.


    if you did have a seriously mis-wired 4 pin to 6 pin cable the camcorder would be fried as soon as you turned the power on the computer.
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  14. As pointed by jagabo - any card with TI chip will be more than fine.
    Agree with aeadipuss - never had any problem with FW - both devices was powered - works like USB only way better (shame on Apple and Sony for killing FW with insane royalties).
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  15. "i wish people wouldn't perpetuate old wive's tales".

    Not an old wives tale. This was a recommendation by Focusrite when connecting their interfaces.
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  16. Member The_Doman's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Cornucopia View Post
    Scenalizer if you can find it is good, too.
    The ScenalyzerLive! is now free to use.
    http://www.scenalyzer.com/
    It will capture DV from firewire and USB (some Panasonic).

    And the "live" connecting firewire risk was discussed here earlier: miniDV camcorder file transfer issue
    Just why take the risk with your precious DV equipment.
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  17. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    here's the wiring diagram for firewire. camcorders only use 4 pin connectors. so were's the power going to come from to "fry" a port??? even the shells are grounded end to end so no static charge.

    Click image for larger version

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    --
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