need to get footage from mini DV tapes to PC laptop w/o firewire port?

[whatsabudget]

The cameras I have access to for shooting are mini DV cameras (1 Canon / 1 Sony) but the computer I have to edit on doesn't have a firewire port. It has an hdmi port. Any one have any advice?

Saw an firewire to hdmi adapter, but the reviews all seem focused on getting video from a Mac to a TV. Not really what I was looking for. Please help....

[Zensteve]

Just looking at my Canon HV40 tape camcorder. It has an HDMI Out on it. Maybe it's possible to connect the camera that way? Dunno. I've never done that; always with the FireWire.

Obvious option is give deck/camera to a friend who has a computer with FireWire. Since you'll be backing up to an external harddrive anyway (right? ), drop off the harddrive, deck/camera & tapes. Or do it yourself there, and have friend make you a sammich each hour. Good friend.

Oh, make sure the external drive has a USB port on it... so you can plug it into your laptop afterwards.

[PaulGriffith]

Yeah, you need a FireWire port to capture. That HDMI port is 99% likely to be an output only.

Are you on a desktop? You can pick up a FireWire card for like $10. If you have a PCMCIA expansion on your laptop you can likely do it there too.

Finally, if you absolutely can't put FireWire on your computer or borrow time on one with FireWire, they have USB capture devices. You'll greatly hurt the quality of your video though, it'll go out of the camera analog composite, into a converter box that will reencode it waaaay more compressed than DVD to meet USB's bandwidth.

[John@Bophe]

Originally Posted by PaulGriffith

Yeah, you need a FireWire port to capture.

Are you on a desktop? You can pick up a FireWire card for like $10. If you have a PCMCIA expansion on your laptop you can likely do it there too.

Agreed. Look into buying a Firewire interface for your computer. Like this
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...5866&CatId=510

[whatsabudget]

Thanks for the advice! Seems like the card for my desktop would be the cheapest/easiest solution. Though that sammich making friend suggestion was certainly appealing.

Really appreciate the insights.

[whatsabudget]

Got the card. Got the footage! Looking fan-fucking-tastic! Thanks again for all the advice and help. You guys are truly a lifeline.

[Zensteve]

Originally Posted by whatsabudget

Got the card. Got the footage! Looking fan-fucking-tastic! Thanks again for all the advice and help. You guys are truly a lifeline.

You know you'll be cursing us in seven days, when we rip your edit apart... right?

Heh.. just kidding.

Get that film done!

[whatsabudget]

Originally Posted by Zensteve

You know you'll be cursing us in seven days, when we rip your edit apart... right?

Heh.. just kidding.

Get that film done!

Rip away! My strengths are the writing and directing. Editing is a role I have been forced to play by circumstance, so any critiques would just be humbly agreed with. lol! Especially given our lack of proper sound equipment, I was just happy it all turned out audible.