Help with MiniDV tapes, move video to PC (1 Viewer)

[rick6668]

I have a Canon ZR20 MiniDV camcorder that I used to capture videos of my kids from 12-5 years ago. I have about 20 miniDV tapes with recorded video and It has been all sitting in the closet for a while. Pulled it out today and watched one tape with my family. It played all the way through perfectly. Video of my son's first birthday and my dad (who has since passed away) playing with him.

When it was done I rewound the tape, and the camcorder stopped abruptly and had me eject the tape, the tape was caught inside the camcorder. I managed to remove it, and although it was damaged, I was able to wind it back in. I then tried to rewind it again and it rewound for a little while and then the same thing happened again. I was finally able to rewind it completely.

I took another tape and rewound and had the same issue again. I am afraid to use it again for fear of screwing up more tapes.

Does anyone have any advice on a new camcorder to get for these tapes? I would also like to capture this video to my PC and eventually move to DVD so I don't have to worry about problems with these tapes again.

.

Anyone with experience on transfering these tapes to digital please let me know what you recommend. I've done some googling, and some have recommended the Pinnacle Movie Box. From what I read, you still need to use the camcorder to move the video. I could really use some recommendations. I'm really worried I'm going to lose this video now.

Thanks

 

[Franknbeans]

I just started doing this with my collection of, oddly enough, about 20 mini-DV tapes. I moved them from an older Sony mini-cam circa 2004 to my Mac. I wasn't sure it could be done because the Sony manual didn't provide much support for moving them to a Mac and all of the support drivers that came with it were for Windows. The key was getting the right cable. A 4-pin to a FireWire and I was good to go using IMovie. It recognizes the camera and imports the tape in real time and even stores them by date. It is really cool because I have the kids from pretty much birth to now (ages 9 and 7). I also have some footage of my Dad from 5 years ago shortly before his death.

I also had an issue with one of my tapes being caught up with my camera but thankfully it hasn't happened again and I'm about halfway through all of the transfers.

 

[Franknbeans]

My other advice would be to google anything you can about your camera and the problems you have been having with it. Chances are you are nit alone and there might be a reasonable solution.

I know because a few years back while attending the Bruins Stanley Cup parade I dropped mine and lost the ability to film early in the proceedings. When I got home I googles about the issue I was having and was able to re-set the camera so that it works properly ever since. Saved me some coin and hassle.

 

[belljr]

I have a Canon ZR20 MiniDV camcorder that I used to capture videos of my kids from 12-5 years ago. I have about 20 miniDV tapes with recorded video and It has been all sitting in the closet for a while. Pulled it out today and watched one tape with my family. It played all the way through perfectly. Video of my son's first birthday and my dad (who has since passed away) playing with him.

When it was done I rewound the tape, and the camcorder stopped abruptly and had me eject the tape, the tape was caught inside the camcorder. I managed to remove it, and although it was damaged, I was able to wind it back in. I then tried to rewind it again and it rewound for a little while and then the same thing happened again. I was finally able to rewind it completely.

I took another tape and rewound and had the same issue again. I am afraid to use it again for fear of screwing up more tapes.

Does anyone have any advice on a new camcorder to get for these tapes? I would also like to capture this video to my PC and eventually move to DVD so I don't have to worry about problems with these tapes again.

.

Anyone with experience on transfering these tapes to digital please let me know what you recommend. I've done some googling, and some have recommended the Pinnacle Movie Box. From what I read, you still need to use the camcorder to move the video. I could really use some recommendations. I'm really worried I'm going to lose this video now.

Thanks

hmm. My old camera allows me to capture from camera to pc. Does the software that came with the pc have updates?

 

[Mario Kart]

I have a Canon miniDV that I have not used in some time. When I did use it though, I had no problems moving the stuff to my Apple.

Check out used camera places to see if they have any miniDV players hanging around. Craigslist might help but a camera store... I would trust more. I wouldn't use yours again just to be on the safe side. Or, you can always pay someone to move the video to a CD or something.

 

[rick6668]

I just started doing this with my collection of, oddly enough, about 20 mini-DV tapes. I moved them from an older Sony mini-cam circa 2004 to my Mac. I wasn't sure it could be done because the Sony manual didn't provide much support for moving them to a Mac and all of the support drivers that came with it were for Windows. The key was getting the right cable. A 4-pin to a FireWire and I was good to go using IMovie. It recognizes the camera and imports the tape in real time and even stores them by date. It is really cool because I have the kids from pretty much birth to now (ages 9 and 7). I also have some footage of my Dad from 5 years ago shortly before his death.

I also had an issue with one of my tapes being caught up with my camera but thankfully it hasn't happened again and I'm about halfway through all of the transfers.

Do you have a firewire port on your PC? I don't have one on my laptop.

 

[Franknbeans]

I do but it's a Mac pro