Copying Mini DV to PC

Osem · 20-05-2008, 12:50

Not sure this is the best place for this question but .....

.... I want to purchase a cheap MiniDV camcorder for occasional use but would like to be able to transfer the footage obtained to my PC and onto discs. I am a novice in this area but believe that this is not necessarily a straightforward task (easier with Hard Drive & Flash Memory Camorders). The Camcorder I want to buy is a JVC GRD820 (c. Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£140) and my PC (spec as shown below) has both 4 pole and 6 pole firewire connections plus Nero Vision Express 3 and Windows Moviemaker. Am I set to go with this PC setup
and camcorder?

I'm not into complicated editing but just want to be able to produce simple home video footage on disc. I believe that copying from Mini DV to PC has to be done in real time (bit slow but hey...) but one question which does intrigue me is whether several short clips recorded on a given tape later be identified, separated and labelled via the PC so that when they are on disc they can be stored and/or accessed individually by the viewer?

I'm sure there are many other considerations I haven't thought of yet so any other feedback on this subject would be most welcome.

TVM!!

Oh... I also have a Panasonic DMRE55EB DVD recorder which has audio/video and S Video inputs for a camcorder so would using these be a simpler alternative to get the stuff on DVD and then into the PC for possible editing at a later date?

cheers

Delta Whiskey · 20-05-2008, 13:12

It should come with basic PC editing software (my Canon mv800 had a SE verion of ULEAD Videostudio). Using the DV output > Firewire connection you can control the camera from within the software (FF, rewind etc). It does allow for faster than real time but I'm not sure if your Celeron is up to that, my P4 3gig Shuttle box was only marginally faster. I use VideoReDo http://www.videoredo.com/en/index.htm to edit the resulting .mpg, it allows me to top and tail and edit out unwanted footage also you can save out individual sections for later reconstruction in something like Videostudio if you want titles and fades etc.

20-05-2008, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

Am I set to go with this PC setup
and camcorder?

Pretty much same set up as me Osem, including camera!
Yeah, you'll be right with WMM. I wanted to do a bit more so went for Adobe Premiere Elements which also makes the chapters, converts and burns, but for basic transfer and editing, WMM will do you. Just make the separate clips yourself and save each of them. They'll become the DVD chapters then Nero will (presumably) burn for you with chapters (sorry, never used it).

Best way - trial and error! Make a few coasters and have a play about.
The real time grab is easy, it's the conversion and whatnot that takes the time.

HTH

Osem · 20-05-2008, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by kryogenik

Pretty much same set up as me Osem, including camera!
Yeah, you'll be right with WMM. I wanted to do a bit more so went for Adobe Premiere Elements which also makes the chapters, converts and burns, but for basic transfer and editing, WMM will do you. Just make the separate clips yourself and save each of them. They'll become the DVD chapters then Nero will (presumably) burn for you with chapters (sorry, never used it).

Best way - trial and error! Make a few coasters and have a play about.
The real time grab is easy, it's the conversion and whatnot that takes the time.

HTH

Cheers guys !

What do you think of the camera btw?

20-05-2008, 14:06

It's not *exactly* the same model mate, but not far off - yeah, it's great.

More than capable of the job.

Halcyon · 20-05-2008, 23:18

Using a mini DV and tranfering to Pc is not copmlicated at all.
Juatp lug a firewire cable from the camcorder to the Pc and switch on the camera to play mode.
It should auto find the device and ask you what you want to do.
If you have already got an editing program installed it will prompt you to open it up and capture the video on to the H.D.
You can also use Movie Maker to capture video footage and that is bundled with Windows.

You'l end up with one big video file on your hard drive. Most software will organise it and break it down into clips (eg, everytime you pressed stop when you were filming).
You then drag your clips onto a timeline and arrange them as you wish.
Follow the programs instructions and click burn and you have yourself a DVD.
You can do all of that within MovieMaker.

Osem · 21-05-2008, 14:06

Thanks for that. I have downloaded a copy of the camcorder's manual and it appears to have av and firewire out connections but doesn't come supplied with a firewire cable. Can I just buy one of these or do I need to get a specific cable from JVC?

21-05-2008, 14:26

Just buy one mate. They're universal, just get the connections right.
From memory, it needs to be a iLink connection (camera) to firewire (PC).

Like THIS

Osem · 21-05-2008, 14:46

I note that the leads shown in the JVC manual have 'core filters' at both ends whereas many I've seen since your post don't - is this important?

Thanks

21-05-2008, 15:06

I just use firewire capture as avi and convert to vob with winavi thats it. I will be using more sophisticated software when the bothered occurs in me

21-05-2008, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

I note that the leads shown in the JVC manual have 'core filters' at both ends whereas many I've seen since your post don't - is this important?

Thanks

Mine doesn't have filters & I've never had any probs with interference.

Osem · 21-05-2008, 15:39

TVM!

Halcyon · 21-05-2008, 18:19

Firewire cables are also known as Ilink or IEE1394 cables.

You most likely need a firewire cable with these 4 pin and 6 pin ends:

Eah Dunno · 21-02-2010, 22:33

Hi guys - I'm new to this so please be gentle

I am having nothing but problems transfering mini dv to my pc.

I thought it was meant to be easy

Can anyone help

I have a Sony DCR-PC1E camcorder and I believe the correct firewire cable and card installed within my pc. I am fairly pc literate but I cannot get my head round this problem.

Whenever I try to transfer the data from the camcorder to my pc the end result is that the machines performance is reduced to a crawling pace. It seems completely random if the machine will "See" the camcorder at all. Even if it does any transfer programme that I use (Windows Movie Maker or Studio 12) slow, then die, and I then have the program not responding window.

I've tried updating the drivers, through a third party website as the Sony support pages were painfully inadequate, tried different programs and even tried two different pc's!

I am at the end of my patience to be honest.

Can anyone help or offer some advice PLEASE ??

I'm running Windows XP with 2GB of memory if that's any use

Scrubbs · 21-02-2010, 22:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eah Dunno

Hi guys - I'm new to this so please be gentle

I am having nothing but problems transfering mini dv to my pc.

I thought it was meant to be easy

Can anyone help

I have a Sony DCR-PC1E camcorder and I believe the correct firewire cable and card installed within my pc. I am fairly pc literate but I cannot get my head round this problem.

Whenever I try to transfer the data from the camcorder to my pc the end result is that the machines performance is reduced to a crawling pace. It seems completely random if the machine will "See" the camcorder at all. Even if it does any transfer programme that I use (Windows Movie Maker or Studio 12) slow, then die, and I then have the program not responding window.

I've tried updating the drivers, through a third party website as the Sony support pages were painfully inadequate, tried different programs and even tried two different pc's!

I am at the end of my patience to be honest.

Can anyone help or offer some advice PLEASE ??

I'm running Windows XP with 2GB of memory if that's any use

It could be a device conflict? check the properties of the card under device manager