Transferring video from DV tapes?

[the_randomizer]

So, I borrowed my dad's DV-cam the other day (a JVC GR-D350u from 2007) that he never used for some reason. Well, I tested it and it does indeed work just fine, so I decided to record some footage of me and my mom playing with a friend's pet. Well, the problem is, it uses digital video tapes and requires a dv-cable with a firewire/IEEE1394 port in order to be transferred from the video cam to the PC. The other problem is many motherboards don't come with firewire ports anymore, making the transfer somewhat more cumbersome.

What I want to know is, what would be the easiest/cheapest solution to transfer the video intact? Would I need to use a DVD player with a firewire port and burn it on a disc, a DV to USB cable so I can actually plug it in...? Or would I need to go to some place that does video conversion to DVD/SD like Walmart or Costco? Thanks!

 

[trumpet-205]

Cheapest solution is to use a firewire expansion card. There are some DVD players that have firewire port but these days they are expensive.

 

[the_randomizer]

Cheapest solution is to use a firewire expansion card. There are some DVD players that have firewire port but these days they are expensive.

Bollocks. That's what I was afraid of. I think I'll go to Walmart or something since I rarely use the video cam; I would rarely use the firewire expansion card to be honest.

 

[the_randomizer]

trumpet-205

The thing is, I'll obviously need a PCI card and a means of capturing the video (probably Media Player Classic), and the right kind of dv cable to go from the camera to the card. The thing is, how will I know the card and cable I get will be the right one? (Firewire 400/800, etc). I see many cards that are bundled with firewire cables that go from the device to the card, but I don't want to spend money and have it not work or be the wrong kind of firewire. I believe the input is four pin.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815265002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815166033

Any suggestions on how I should go about this without spending a crap load of money? I know some DVD players have IEEE1394 ports, but not many do. Thanks!

 

[trumpet-205]

tl

Firewire uses backward compatible signal, meaning the only thing different is the cable itself (like USB 3.0).

I looked over the DV manual, and it appears it uses 4-pin Firewire connector. Both Firewire PCI card you have listed will work with your DV. You just need a 4-pin to 4-pin Firewire cable. 6-pin to 4-pin cable will work too.

It has been long since I did video editing from a Firewire DV, but software like Windows Movie Maker or WinDV can export video as AVI files. You can then use other video editing software to edit them.

 

[the_randomizer]

Firewire uses backward compatible signal, meaning the only thing different is the cable itself (like USB 3.0).

I looked over the DV manual, and it appears it uses 4-pin Firewire connector. Both Firewire PCI card you have listed will work with your DV. You just need a 4-pin to 4-pin Firewire cable. 6-pin to 4-pin cable will work too.

It has been long since I did video editing from a Firewire DV, but software like Windows Movie Maker or WinDV can export video as AVI files. You can then use other video editing software to edit them.

Ah, so either of those cards have the six-pin inputs? Also found a cable that goes from four pin to six pin, just to play it safe Thanks again The good thing is it will be pretty inexpensive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186004

 

[trumpet-205]

Ah, so either of those cards have the six-pin inputs? Also found a cable that goes from four pin to six pin, just to play it safe Thanks again The good thing is it will be pretty inexpensive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186004

Yep, it's all good.

 

[the_randomizer]

Yep, it's all good.

Good, because there aren't any places where I live that can covert without having to pay $20 or some crap like that!

 

[the_randomizer]

trumpet-205 Bit of a conundrum. So, I can import the video just fine with perfect audio, deinterlacing and for the most part, looks just pretty decent. However, I am getting a crap load of screen tearing and is very distracting. Are there any ways around that, like using a program that doesn't cost money?

I'm using VirtualDub and the filters to help with noise reduction, deinterlacing, etc, but the tearing is very annoying and I can't find a filter to remove it.

 

[pwsincd]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-Metre-...able-Lead-For-Camera-PC-Mp3-Mp4-/220954235068 cant ya just DV to USB it with something like this ?

 

[the_randomizer]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-Metre-...able-Lead-For-Camera-PC-Mp3-Mp4-/220954235068 cant ya just DV to USB it with something like this ?

Already got the card and installed it, (it was only $10 and installed without a hitch). Already got the video exported and all that jazz, the problem is there is tearing in the video, akin to how monitors look without v-sync or triple buffering enabled. The interlacing issue is gone, but there is noise and tearing in the video. Just a heads up, I don't want to spend any more money than I need to in order for this to work. I think the problem is I used VirtualDub to capture and decode the video. The video is captured fine, the problem is the software, as firewire is fast enough to transfer and is ideal for DV cameras. I doubt DV to USB would work all that great TBH.

 

[pwsincd]

http://windv.mourek.cz/

 

[the_randomizer]

http://windv.mourek.cz/

Oh wow! Thanks! I'll give that a shot (not now, roommate's asleep lol) Looks like this one will have a smoother framerate (no dropped frames) and my PC is more than powerful enough to do all the rendering.

 

[trumpet-205]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-Metre-...able-Lead-For-Camera-PC-Mp3-Mp4-/220954235068 cant ya just DV to USB it with something like this ?

That cable is a fake. You cannot convert Firewire to USB back and forward. Two completely different signals.It will never work.

 

[the_randomizer]

That cable is a fake. You cannot convert Firewire to USB back and forward. Two completely different signals.It will never work.

I know as it wouldn't transfer well, if at all, but what can I do about the shaking video. No matter what program I use, it's always a little jittery and tears. I guess it's not as bad as it could have been, and people seem to like the video. Here's the video, you can see the tearing. Hell, it's probably the way it's going to be until I can afford an inexpensive camera, many of which can record in HD. Again, it's a lot better than when I originally extracted it.

 

[trumpet-205]

Did you give it a try with WInDV?

 

[the_randomizer]

Did you give it a try with WInDV?

Yup. But the tearing still happens even in that, though the video itself is a lot clearer and has no interlacing issues, so that program is definite a huge improvement over VirtualDub. I think it's just the nature of the DV format itself and that I can only do so much to it. People don't seem bothered by it, but I am lol

This video was made before I found out about WinDV but damn I sound like a noob. This is the first time I ever messed with this kinda stuff (transferring DV to PC).

 

[pwsincd]

That cable is a fake. You cannot convert Firewire to USB back and forward. Two completely different signals.It will never work.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t..._nkw=firewire+to+usb+cable&_sacat=0&_from=R40

so all these are fake also ?

 

[the_randomizer]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1311.R3.TR4.TRC0.A0.Xfirewire to usb&_nkw=firewire to usb cable&_sacat=0&_from=R40

so all these are fake also ?

It has a very high transfer rate and the manual explicitly states only IEEE1394 can be used. USB isn't fast enough for that kind of data transfer. For videos, IEEE1394 is a must if you want it to be without issues.

But please, I'm trying to find out ways to reduce the tearing. Did no one actually look at the video to see what I was talking about?

 

[trumpet-205]

Yup. But the tearing still happens even in that, though the video itself is a lot clearer and has no interlacing issues, so that program is definite a huge improvement over VirtualDub. I think it's just the nature of the DV format itself and that I can only do so much to it. People don't seem bothered by it, but I am lol

This video was made before I found out about WinDV but damn I sound like a noob. This is the first time I ever messed with this kinda stuff (transferring DV to PC).

Okay if you export it to a video file (AVI/MP4/MKV), can you open it under MPC-HC and paste Mediainfo under Properties?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1311.R3.TR4.TRC0.A0.Xfirewire to usb&_nkw=firewire to usb cable&_sacat=0&_from=R40

so all these are fake also ?

All fake. This isn't DVI to HDMI, or HDMI to Micro-HDMI where the signal is the same that a simple cable is all you need.

Firewire and USB are two completely different signals, there is NO such thing as simple cable conversion. These sellers know there are a lot of uneducated people who will fall for this scam.