How to Transfer Video From a Camcorder to a PC Using a FireWire

By eHow Electronics Editor

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After you’re done shooting your video, next comes transferring your video from your camcorder to your computer. The most efficient way is with an IEEE 1394 cable, commonly called FireWire that transfers in digital. So, the video quality is sharper and crisper than from an analog camcorder.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

camcorder
computer
IEEE 1394 cable
video editing software

Step1

Check out the specs of your camcorder and computer, to see the kind of connection you need to transfer video to your PC. Most Macs and some PCs come with IEEE 1395 cable ports. Check for the port.

Step2

Install a PCI card if your computer does not support IEEE 1394, so you will be able to use the IEEE 1394 cable. You can find one at an electronics store.

Step3

Shop for video editing software if you want to edit your video. Find out what kind of file format your video editing software is compatible with. File formats are avi, mpg, mov, moov, movie or qt.

Step4

Make sure the computer and the camera are on. Plug the cable into your video camera. It should be labeled to make this step easier.

Step5

Plug the other end of the cable into the computer in the appropriate slot. This will vary depending on the model. It is usually located on the side or the back of the computer. Your computer should automatically detect your camcorder.

Step6

Open the footage in your video editing software and capture it if you plan on editing it. If you just want to put the video on your PC, just save it to your hard drive as an avi file.

Step7

Use your video editing software. Make all editing changes. If you need help, read the tutorials in the software.

Step8

Copy the digital video to a DVD when you are done.

Tips & Warnings

If you don’t see an IEEE 1394 port, use the Windows "device manager" to find out if it is installed.
If you are using Windows XP, then you will have the software to capture video with the Windows Movie Maker program. If you have an older Windows, you will need to buy video editing software.
You will need a lot of storage space on your computer because video files tend to take up a lot of space.