Trying to get MiniDV footage from a sony handycam onto a computer

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danfresh36

Member
Hello,

I have some footage on mini DV tapes and a Sony camcorder that plays these tapes. I am trying to get this onto a macbook pro. I see some cable out there like firewire 400 to USB but am not sure the computer will see this footage. I have adobe premier also. Does anyone have ideas the easiest or best way to do this?

thank you for any advice
dan
 
No cable that claims a firewire-to-USB conversion is going to work.

The only thing that will work is if your MacBook Pro has a firewire port. If it doesn't, your next option is to find a desktop computer with a firewire port. Connect an external USB drive to the desktop computer. Capture your footage to the external drive. Then take the drive and connect it to your MacBook Pro.

There is no other way to get Mini DV footage into a computer that does not have a firewire port. No converter. No workaround.

Sorry.
 
What is the model of your MacBook Pro? Does it not have a Thunderbolt port? It will be identified by a little 'lightning bolt' icon beside it.

If it does, then you may be able to connect your camera to that port via a firewire or Thunderbolt cable, and capture your footage.

This link contains an image identifying the various ports on a MacBook.

https://scottbw.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/ports.png
 
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Or does it have an ExpressCard/34 port? If so, you may be able to find a firewire ExpressCard and install it, giving you the firewire ports you need.
 
Try this. Get a Firewire cable that fits your camera that has a full size FW400 port on the other end. Plug that FW400 cable into an external hard drive that has both FW400 and FW800. Then use a FW800 cable to a FW800 to Thunderbolt adapter to plug in your Mac. Essentially using the external drive as a bridge.
 
gkantziper said:
Try this. Get a Firewire cable that fits your camera that has a full size FW400 port on the other end. Plug that FW400 cable into an external hard drive that has both FW400 and FW800. Then use a FW800 cable to a FW800 to Thunderbolt adapter to plug in your Mac. Essentially using the external drive as a bridge.
Click to expand...

Or connect a firewire400-to-firewire800 adapting cable to a firewire800-to-Thunderbolt adapting cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Clear-IEEE-1...4&sr=8-3&keywords=firewire+400+to+thunderbolt

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Thunde...4&sr=8-1&keywords=firewire+400+to+thunderbolt

All this assumes, of course, that you have a working Thunderbolt port on your MacBook Pro.
 
paulears said:
I routinely connect my firewire equipped camera to my MacBook with the firewire 400/800 cable. Like this one. https://www.amazon.co.uk/FireWire-Gold-Plated-1-5m-Cable-IEEE/dp/B0044M0CWQ/ref=pd_bxgy_147_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HRBXRHZ5N8WPRMR9EF7S

If you need a 4 pin firewire, then that version is available too. Or, an adaptor.
Click to expand...

Yes, if your MacBook Pro has a firewire connector, then getting the camera connected to it for transfer is pretty straightforward.

However, if it doesn't have a firewire connector, then it becomes much more challenging.
 
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