How to Transfer Moive from Tape to Harddisk?

[weekh]

I've a video cam that records on tape. How do I transfer the video from the tape to my computer?
Any special hardware and software?

[n0d3]

How old is it? If you have the drivers that allows it to interface with the computer, you just need a capturing programme. E.g. Windows Movie Maker. If its the old analog type you need a capture card.

[hondasleeper]

This is what I did for my dad. Had an old Sanyo video camera, hooked it up to his DVD recorder, transfered the tape to DVD. Then, which I haven't tried yet, you can take the DVD stick it into your computer and if you have an editing software you can transfer it from there.

No too sure if that'll work for you but I am sure there are other alternatives.

Good luck!!!

[euphoria]

Get a firewire card if its DV if not get a basic analogue capturing card both will come with the software(most of them)

[leeter]

Yup, nowadays DVD-player have built in firewire port and function to record on DVD, just get the firewire cable, and start capturing ur old memories to DVDs.

Or alternatively you can get a firewire PCI (nowadays PCs usually have on-board firewire) use the port, hook it to ur videocam, get the correct software, and you are off transfering it.

for PC i used Dr Dix or Pinnacle studio 9 (think got spelling error here)

[weekh]

Do u think the mac ibook has the necessary port and software? My video cam has a DV socket but doesn't come with any software.

[CY_OH]

Originally Posted by weekh Do u think the mac ibook has the necessary port and software? My video cam has a DV socket but doesn't come with any software.

I believe macs have firewire as standard, unlike pc. Use a 4-6 pin firewire and try using iMovie to transfer.

[unseen]

I believe having firewire alone is not enough.

You can't "transfer" over like a file unlike DVD. It's in tape, so it's basically analogue. I believe you need to play the tape and capture it via some software/capture card.

I've no idea what's the DV socket, but I think they should give you a cable to connect to your computer, if needed/supported. You hafta check if it has either an output to firewire port, or it's out to normal RCA plug.
firewire port looks something like this...
|-----\
| ---- >
|-----/

if it's firewire, pray there's some driver out there. if it's not, think you gotta get a capture card/device.

[theRBK]

the usual port called the DV socket is a 4pin firewire port...and as CY OH has stated, Macs with iMovie should be able to capture the video...

[Cactus jACK]

Originally Posted by weekh Do u think the mac ibook has the necessary port and software? My video cam has a DV socket but doesn't come with any software.

as CY_OH and theRBK mentioned, iMovies should be able to handle the downloading of your DV tape to your iBook (just make sure you have the correct firewire) - it will create various short videos based on breaks in your video recording. if you did not break up your recording, it would still break it into more manageable parts for the movie editing.

going forward, i would imagine that you would either want it to be in a DVD, VCD, or mpeg. after editing in iMovies, i usually use iDVD to render into DVD, i think Toast can create mpegs and burn VCDs for you.

[weekh]

Originally Posted by Cactus jACK going forward, i would imagine that you would either want it to be in a DVD, VCD, or mpeg. after editing in iMovies, i usually use iDVD to render into DVD, i think Toast can create mpegs and burn VCDs for you.

As my ibook does not have a DVD burner, does that mean iDVD is useless to me since i cannot use the program to burn the video into DVD / VCD?

Where can i get Toast?

[Cactus jACK]

Originally Posted by weekh As my ibook does not have a DVD burner, does that mean iDVD is useless to me since i cannot use the program to burn the video into DVD / VCD?

sorry, forgot about that... haven't done this in a while... no super drive, no need for iDVD.

iirc, iMovie HD can "share" to mpeg or quicktime, can also "Export to CD".

Originally Posted by weekh Where can i get Toast?

come to think of it, think you don't nec need toast, although toast is a really good programme for CD burning on macs. you can get it in any apple shop.

[weekh]

Originally Posted by Cactus jACK iirc, iMovie HD can "share" to mpeg or quicktime, can also "Export to CD".

How to export to CD or share? Don't see these functions in iMoive.

[Cactus jACK]

Originally Posted by weekh How to export to CD or share? Don't see these functions in iMoive.

using iMovie HD (updated in iLife'05) - "Share" and "Export Project to CD" are under the "File" top menu bar.

hope this helps.