Transferring MiniDV content from camera to Windows 10 Laptop

[VideoBurger]

I have several MiniDV tapes and an old Sony DCR TRV8 camcorder. It has an S-Video out, Firewire out, a "Laser Link", button, and a yellow ID-2 audio/video plug.

I own two surface laptops that have only the following inputs: USB 3.0 and USB-C, and an SD Card reader. The camcorder also has an SD Card slot.

I've fallen down the rabbit hole on this already on this.

I know you can't connect the firewire to newer laptops. Windows 10 doesnt support it and most don't even have the input. People with desktops could buy a firewire pci card, but they'd also need old windows. Microsoft rep suggested a "double boot" somethingoranother where you can have both Windows 10 and Windows 7 on your laptop at the same time to address this. But I still don't have a firewire input. Laser Link transmits full quality video to a TV, but how could I do that with a laptop and capture the video lossless? .

Im at a loss. It truly seems like you can not get your MiniDV's onto a windows 10 system anymore.

Can't anyone invent a converter for Firewire? I get that Windows 10 can't handle it, but that's what Converters are for. You handle the conversion there, and then send it to Windows 10 in a lossless compatible format.

Please tell me what hardware I need to buy, and what software I need to buy, to make this happen.

Very much appreciate any help.

[dellsam34]

No need to invent anything it already exists, tons of threads asking the exact same question just search the forum and you will find them.

Lets ask the mods to sticky this under the title: "How to Connect your DV/HDV Camcorder to a Laptop with no Firewire/iLink Port?"
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/396471-help-with-capturing-dv-footage-from-sony-ha...am#post2577576
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/396471-help-with-capturing-dv-footage-from-sony-ha...am#post2577809

[jagabo]

Pinnacle 500-usb:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/391475-Panasonic-DV-GS17-to-laptop#post2537473

When you connect the device with a firewire cable to the camcorder and playback a DV tape, it will transfer the DV stream to the computer via USB cable and control the camcorder functions from within a DV application such as WinDV

Hard to find.

<edit>

It took me so long to find the device (and walk the dog) dellsam34 beat me to it.

</edit>

[usually_quiet]

You should look at the following thread and other recent mini DV threads that dellsam34 linked to in his posts: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/396638-Using-FireWire-to-transfer-mini-DV-tapes-to...PC#post2580343

Firewire cards still work when installed in a Windows 10 desktop although it may be necessary to install Windows Legacy Firewire Drivers.

There are also a few old USB devices from Pinnacle that are supposed to still work with a Windows 10 machine. See: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/391475-Panasonic-DV-GS17-to-laptop#post2537473

[Edit] I got beat twice...

[VideoBurger]

Hahaha. Thank you guys. Sorry. Ive spent the last three weeks searching for simple solutions to this so this is the one time I didn't do the search . Let me read through the replies and write something else super stupid that you guys can laugh at soon.

[dellsam34]

Maybe I should make a thread listing all the potential pinnacle devices that have the capability of transferring firewire data packets over USB and get stickyed, but for that I need to do some research and help from the owners of such devices.

[VideoBurger]

No need to invent anything it already exists

Okay so i did this like 4-5 years ago using a Pinnacle. But the video quality was degraded during transfer. It was not good at all. It didnt start out HD or anything, but what I got as far as video files on my computer almost looked 480 quality.

Also, when I googled a pinnacle recently, I was told it would not work with Windows 10. Its good to know it actually will. Thanks guys and gals.

[Cornucopia]

Ummm, dv IS 480 quality.

Scott

[VideoBurger]

Ummm, dv IS 480 quality.

Scott

Told you I'd say something new that was stupid.

Okay rephrasing: Video quality was degraded.

Audience: "How degraded was it?"

VideoBurger: "It was so degraded that it seemed like it was [insert number less than 480] quality!"

-B-

[jagabo]

What program did you use to capture? Did you capture as DV AVI or some other codec/container? If you used Windows Movie Maker it may have saved the file as a low quality WMV file. Some other programs may have saved as MPEG 2 in an MPG container, h.264 in an MP4 container, etc. Those will degrade the quality too.

[dellsam34]

Told you I'd say something new that was stupid.

Okay rephrasing: Video quality was degraded.

Audience: "How degraded was it?"

VideoBurger: "It was so degraded that it seemed like it was [insert number less than 480] quality!"

-B-

Not when you use ScenalyzerLive, Maybe Pinnacle software back in the day when hard drives were only few GB's by default converts AVI to MPEG-2 on the fly to produce small files, That's why we have third party software.

[VideoBurger]

Not when you use ScenalyzerLive, Maybe Pinnacle software back in the day when hard drives were only few GB's by default converts AVI to MPEG-2 on the fly to produce small files, That's why we have third party software.

Awesome. Thanks so much everyone. Was getting very bummed out that no such converter existed. I actually posted on another video forum and just got snarky comments about how "life isnt as easy as you want it to be sometimes".

You guys were actually helpful.

[Cornucopia]

Btw, fyi FireWire = ieee 1394 = iLink (not laser link). All the same thing.

Scott

[VideoBurger]

Ok one problem guys.

Where do I buy a 500 online? Can't find one anywhere.

EDIT: Found a Pinnacle 700 USB. Would that work?

hi

EDIT 2: The guy wont ship the thing for a month. Any suggestions finding a 500?

EDIT 3: Hey Dellsam - do I need to buy any cables? Does the 500/700 come with a firewire to go into the camcorder?

Do I need to buy a cable to go from the pinnacle to the laptop?

[dellsam34]

Yah, It is not made anymore, you will have to keep an eye on a used one and due to this pandemic you may have to wait even longer.

Here is one

[VideoBurger]

Yah, It is not made anymore, you will have to keep an eye on a used one and due to this pandemic you may have to wait even longer.

Here is one

Hey Dellsam - do I need to buy any cables? Does the 500/700 come with a firewire to go into the camcorder?

Do I need to buy a cable to go from the pinnacle to the laptop?

EDIT: That is a PCI card for a PCI slot. Doesn't look like the Pinnacle Studio 500 USB device (?).

[dellsam34]

Look again, He is selling both with all the cables, You seem to have a problem of glossing over things and not taking the time to read thoroughly.

[VideoBurger]

Look again, He is selling both with all the cables, You seem to have a problem of glossing over things and not taking the time to read thoroughly.

You linked me to a page with multiple photos of a PCI card. All it said was "and 500". Naturally I assumed you linked me to something I can't use. A PCI card that for some reason was also called a "500". And yeah I saw it had cables but what good will that do me since I have a laptop and can't use a PCI card?

Later I saw that nearly 6 pictures in, it also comes with the actual 500 device. That was extremely confusing.

It does not reflect that I don't read.

I still would like to know if the 700 I found "in general" comes with cables or not. I already bought it. Ill ask the seller.

[VideoBurger]

Look again, He is selling both with all the cables, You seem to have a problem of glossing over things and not taking the time to read thoroughly.

I also asked you if a 700 would work just as well. No actual response to that question yet. This is why I repeat myself

[dellsam34]

I don't know if the 700 will work or not I don't own one, You will have to ask sellers such questions as well as accessories and cables, this is used stuff you get what the seller is describing. You have to search, read and ask questions before you buy anything.