Problem Sony DCR-TRV25 connection to Windows 8 Dell laptop

I'm having trouble finding any help with connecting my Sony MiniDv camcorder to my Dell Windows 8.1 laptop. I don't have a firewire port on my laptop, which is what I used to use on my old desktop pc. I tried installing the xp driver on here to get it to recognize the camera but it won't install the old software. Does anybody have any solutions? There's got a to be a way to simply connect a camera to a new laptop.