clever video camera people

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noname

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I have lots of videos that I want to show people however, my video camera is old school. It uses a mini dv (little tape thing). How do I get this onto the computer (and therefore youtube)? I know it can be done because I sent a mini dv to a music man once and he e-mailed me video clips from the tapes I sent him. :confused:

I've been reading stuff online about firewire cables but they are all american and I don't have a firewire port on my laptop.

It will annoy me if I have to go to a shop everytime I use the video camera because videos are so useful. :mad:

HELP. PRETTY PLEASE!!!! :)
 
Ah! I had the same problem and the lovely people at Maplin Electronics sorted me out.

What I've got is an Express Card IEEE 1394a 2 Port (only know that cause I'm looking it at as I type :)). It looks like long thin metal plate that slots into the side of our laptop. The USB cable that came with the video slots into back of the the card and hey presto up and running. Take your camera along to the shop with you with a note of your PC/laptop make/model and they'll sort you out.

I think it cost me about £30 for the express card but without it as you say, can't get the film off the camera so pretty pointless.
 
Sarah jane - its the mini video tape thing that goes in the video camera.

Ludi doodi - thats what I thought but my laptop doesn't seem to have a slot for the card???
 
noname said:
Sarah jane - its the mini video tape thing that goes in the video camera.

Ludi doodi - thats what I thought but my laptop doesn't seem to have a slot for the card???
Click to expand...

This is what worked for me http://www.amazon.co.uk/ClimaxDigit...GTVO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338122315&sr=8-2

You connect this to your USB and then plug the camera into via what you would connect to telly with. It was a while ago think I then down loaded to a standard video programme sony of similar and uploaded videos to you tube from there.
 
A easy low tech way - but the quality won't be as good is to play it on your TV and record with your digital camera (if you have one) Its a quick and dirty way.
 
ooooo that cable looks interesting. Waddling off to get camera and tv cable to see if it could potentially attach! :o

Good idea diesel dog but don't have a digital video camera otherwise I could avoid using mini dv altogether.
 
noname said:
Ludi doodi - thats what I thought but my laptop doesn't seem to have a slot for the card???
Click to expand...

Mine had a little black plastic "key" type filler in the slot - just pulled it out. Might not be that obvious. The gap was wider than the card, just need to make sure its tucked up closely to the far left hand side. Maplin were really helpful so might be worth taking everything into your local shop.

The card popdosh has linked to is like the one I use.
 
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If you post the make and model numbers of your lap top and camera, maybe someone could look them up and let you know what to do? There are a lot of user manuals on the Internet these days.
 
The laptop is an advent 5431 on windows vista. The camera is a panosonic but I'm not sure which model as its at my parents. Will pick up it tomo and get the details. Absolutely no sign of a slot for one of those cards to go in. I think its all supposed to be built in?!!! Wierd, would have thought it would have a firewire port.

Panosonic manual is a nightmare, the instructions weren't very good when I first got it. I don't think they translate from japanese very well.
 
Thank you clever people! I have just found a slot for a card in the manky laptop that previous housemate used for downloading *coughs* videos. So have purchased card and firewire cable. Failing that I'll go for the snazzy cable that sarah jane recomended. Annoyingly I have just found a firewire port in work laptop but it doesn't have movie maker and it won't let me download it (damned administrator!!).

Thanks mucho for the help. Will post a link if I ever manage it!.
 
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