How to Record Video to a USB Flash Drive

Flash drives can be handy little storage devices when you need to save or move a file.

Recording video can refer to plenty of different devices and methods, but the end result when you're recording video on a computer is that you transfer video from one device to storage space on your computer. In this case, the storage space is going to be a flash drive, which is a small portable storage device (also referred to as a "thumb drive") that plugs into your USB port.

Things You'll Need

• Video cables from your device to your computer
• Windows Movie Maker

Instructions

1. Connect your video device (be it a camera, VCR or other device that is compatible) to your computer. There are primarily three types of cords that will be used to connect your device to the computer. An S-Video cord, a USB cord or composite cords (there are pictures of all these cords in the Resources). When you figure out which cord you need that goes from the device to the computer, connect the device to the computer and turn on both the computer and video device.

2. Launch Windows Movie Maker by clicking on "Start," "All Programs" and "Windows Movie Maker."

3. Wait for Windows Movie Maker to load, and when it does, click on the "Record" icon on the toolbar at the top of the Windows Movie Maker window. It will look like a little red dot icon. When you click this, the "Record" dialog window will open. Choose what quality you want to record your video in by clicking on the drop-down menu next to "Setting."

4. Start playing your movie on your video device and then click on the button labeled "Record" in the Windows Movie Maker record dialog box. Windows Movie Maker will then record the video that is playing from your video device.

5. Wait for your video to finish playing, then click on the "Stop" button under the words "Digital video camera controls." The stop button looks like a square icon. When you click on "Stop," a window will appear asking you where you want to save your recorded video.

6. Navigate to your flash drive in the "Save" window. Then, assign your recorded video a name. Finally, click on the "Save" button, and Windows Movie Maker will save your recorded video to your flash drive.

References

• Microsoft Support: Recording Video into Windows Movie Maker (Part 1 of 3)

Resources

• Picture of S-Video Cord
• USB Cord
• Composite Cords