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Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Tarzan (Competent) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 13:52

Hi,
I have a Sony Mini DV camcorder, from which I transfer movies to my Dell Laptop, using a Firewire cable connected to the laptop`s PCI slot.

I`ll be buying a new laptop soon, and am currently shopping around. I find, to my dismay, that none of the new crop of laptops seem to have a PCI slot! Or, for that matter, a Firewire port. The salespeople are not of much help either.

What are my options - is there any device that converts Firewire to Usb 2? I don`t want to buy a new camcorder - this one works fine.

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

xfg (Elite Donator) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 14:08

Is there a socket to connect it to a TV? If so get one of these or similar.






www.soundalikes.com ~*~ glitterkat.stumbleupon.com

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

bowfer (Elite) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 14:11

You can buy firewire to USB hubs for not much money.
I would assume that would work?

hub

This item was edited on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 15:13

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Ben Franklin (Reviewer) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 14:23

If the new computers don`t have Firewire 400, do they have 800? You could get a 400 to 800 adapter and transfer that way.



"Why should YOU go to jail for a crime someone else noticed?" - Bob Loblaw

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Tarzan (Competent) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 19:01

Appreciate the quick response, guys.
The hub looks like the perfect solution.
The USB cap also looks viable, but would the quality be lower than that via Firewire?

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Ben Franklin (Reviewer) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 19:49

It` been a while since I`ve done this as I always go via firewire at the very least, because experience with USB previously is that it doesn`t send a digital video signal. USB2 might be a different story, but I really couldn`t say whether it will or won`t work.



"Why should YOU go to jail for a crime someone else noticed?" - Bob Loblaw

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Ben Franklin (Reviewer) posted this on Tuesday, 8th June 2010, 20:05

Is it possible for you to show us the computers you are looking at? That might be an easier way to find a solution.



"Why should YOU go to jail for a crime someone else noticed?" - Bob Loblaw

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Miles (Elite Donator) posted this on Wednesday, 9th June 2010, 07:09

Interesting product Bowf...when I looked a few years ago I`m sure no-one made such a device.

I`d also be a little hesitant about relying on USB2 for video transfer. Firewire may be technically slower on paper (400Mb/s) but the transfer speed is far more consistent than USB2 (480Mb/s).

RE: Mini DV to Laptop without Firewire?

Tarzan (Competent) posted this on Wednesday, 9th June 2010, 16:05

Ben,
I`m looking at buying either the Sony EB1E0E or the HP G62. Similar specs and price, but no Firewire or PCIMCIA slot on either.

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