Hi there, Look, I'm a newbie when it comes to something like this. I have a Samsung SCD23 digital Camcorder which records video in DV tape..I just wanted to ask how can i transfer all the videos from tape PC?? Also what is a Firewire..?? I admire this sites moderators thus came here...plz help.
This question has been asked here about a million times But no problem: answered you quetion yourself, by using a Firewire connection. Firewire is standardized connection between digital equipment (like USB). The standard is described in the standard IEEE1394. Almost every camcorder (certainly Digital8 and miniDV camcorders) have a Firewire connection which they use for output of video and audio. Usually they are referred to as DV connection; Sony also uses the name "iLink". Such a Firewire connection has a couple of very nice features. First the digital video is transferred exactly as it is stored on tape, so you have no loss of quality at all. Secondly, you can also use the Firewire connection to control the camcorder (this is called "Device Control"). This means that if you connect it to your PC and you use a program that knows how to handle this, you can command your camcorder from your PC to fastforward, rewind, play, pause, stop, record etc. You can even do things that you can not do with the buttons on your camcorder, like playing backwards, playing slow motion, stepping frame by frame etc. If your PC doesn't have a Firewire connection you can buy cards plus cable for as low as $15. They are simple to install and don't need any driver. After installation turn on your PC and it is installed automatically. Then it is just a matter of connecting the camcorder, start your capturing program and start capturing your footage.
I have a question too, what if the camera doesn't have a Firewire port? It only has a DV out. What do I do then?
Your video camera has a firewire output port. It, like Sony video camcorders, is called iLink. Your firewire output port is a 4 pin, and if you have a firewire input, on your computer, it is probably a 6 pin port. You need to purchase a firewire cable, with a 4 pin plug on one end, and the plug on the end needs to be whatever is on your computer. Don't buy a cheap firewire cable. Oops, I responded to Kakarot7, and the video camcorder that he/she has.
Most likely the port that is called DV-out on your camcorder IS a Firewire connection. Does it look like this? http://public.online.ksu.edu/support/kyc/images/laptop/firewire.jpg
I know for a fact if the camcorder says dv out then it is indeed a firewire connection. The only question then is if it is a 4-pin or 6-pin but chances are its a 4. Basically plug the camcorder in and put it into play mode and then use your editing software to capture.
i am also having this same problem, my camera only has the white and yellow jacks, is their any possible way to transfer this to my comptuer?
LOL though I don't know the answer to the question I do know most Manuals assume you know more about the product than a newbie. That is why this is such a good site most give direct an understandable answers. Sorry I don't know the answer as I am a newbie myself to camcorders but ignore the manual comment an wait someone will help.
If your camera only has these outputs then the camera can only output in analog which means you will need some form of video capture device. It is like the output on most video games or DVD/VCR players. It can connect to your TV because a TV has a tuner to receive those analog radio signals but most computers do not do this without additional hardware. Before I went digital I used a Dazzle video capture device which plugged into my USB port and gave me analog RF input. The quality was miserable since it's an analog capture, but if that's all you have then that's all you can do. Other options include getting a DVR (a set top DVD recorder or a set top Hard Disk recorder like Tivo) These will have analog in and will capture your signal and you'll end up with some kind of digital format, but then you have to get it off the device onto the computer. I use a DVD recorder which will recorde like a VCR but onto Rewritable DVD's which can then be put into the computer and converted like any other DVD. Good luck
