What is the modern solution for backing up MinDV tapes?

[pandy]

Long story short - instead desktop buy notebook with FW or one allowing for easy FW integration

Hindsight is 20/20. Are there notebooks with FW? How will you integrate FW into a notebook? I wish PC Card format was resurrected.

Once again - you can buy cheaply notebook with embedded FireWire - provided link for Lenovo already - cost of notebook with working FW interface is within 50$ or buy notebook supporting PC Card - IMHO this is less risky than searching for USB/Thunderbolt based solution.

I would consider such notebook as "smart FireWire" card also older OS may help. Of course you may search for other approach if like to be tester.

[rgr]

Does this just mean that my particular USB-to-Firewire cable won't work (maybe a different mapping of the mini-Firewire port pins on the camcorder to the USB port pins on the PC is needed), but that a different one will work? Or is there a standard mapping of mini-Firewire to USB that's supported by all camcorders that support DV stream over USB?

This adapter will not work. For it to work, the camera must support a FireWire->USB adapter. It is written on the packaging which camera it supports.