How to transfer video from computer to miniDV tape?

[nuyezhae]

Hello everyone,

I need to transfer a 7-min edited video from my computer (iMac running Leopard) to a miniDV tape (using SONY HDR-HC3) for a project. Truth be told, I'm pretty new to videography and I'm having trouble finding information on how to do the transfer.

Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks in advance!

- nuyezhae

 

[chanxj]

Use a firewire cable, plug in to laptop then camcorder. Go to ur editing software and choose something like print to tape or something like that.

 

[khtee]

connect the camcorder with firewire cable to the PC. Use Abobe premiere or Pinnacle Studio.
There is a option to play and preview to your Camcorder. Just start the record in the camcorder will do.

 

[takethree]

Be aware that most minidv camcorders in Singapore only have firewire out and not firewire in. This means you can only capture from camcorder to PC and not the other way around. Usually those which have both in and out are more expensive but you really have to check with the camcorder model first. Even within the same camcorder model can have different firewire options.

 

[nuyezhae]

To chanxj, khtee, and takethree,

Thanks for your suggestions and advice. Based on these info, I did a little more web digging.

As mentioned before, I'm still new to videography and has yet to acquire professional video editing softwares such as Adobe Premiere, Pinnacle Studio, or Final Cut Pro. Hence, for my project, I did my editing in iMovie '08, since it came pre-installed with my iMac. And I've just learnt today (after some googling) that Apple had dropped the 'export to videocam' feature from this latest version of iMovie. So, to work around the situation, I'll have to:

1. Export a full-quality movie of the edited video in iMovie '08
2. Download and install iMovie HD 6 (the previous version of iMovie)
3. Import the full-quality movie into iMovie HD 6
4. Export to videocam with firewire connection, using iMovie HD 6

Just sharing my findings here, hopefully it'll be useful to others who might come to similar situation.

 

[takethree]

To chanxj, khtee, and takethree,

Thanks for your suggestions and advice. Based on these info, I did a little more web digging.

As mentioned before, I'm still new to videography and has yet to acquire professional video editing softwares such as Adobe Premiere, Pinnacle Studio, or Final Cut Pro. Hence, for my project, I did my editing in iMovie '08, since it came pre-installed with my iMac. And I've just learnt today (after some googling) that Apple had dropped the 'export to videocam' feature from this latest version of iMovie. So, to work around the situation, I'll have to:

1. Export a full-quality movie of the edited video in iMovie '08
2. Download and install iMovie HD 6 (the previous version of iMovie)
3. Import the full-quality movie into iMovie HD 6
4. Export to videocam with firewire connection, using iMovie HD 6

Just sharing my findings here, hopefully it'll be useful to others who might come to similar situation.

Let us know how it goes.

A little googling on your camcorder model shows that this doesn't have firewire input so no.4 may not be possible. But then again different regions have different firewire options even within the same model so better to check your camcorder manual.

 

[nuyezhae]

Hi takethree,

Thanks for the advice. Fortunately, my camera has a 'copy from VCR' capability using Firewire, which means data input to camera is possible. I've just did an export to miniDV and the video quality is similar from what I can see. The only issue to note is that iMovie HD had to re-encode the movie before sending the data to the miniDV.

I'm just glad my movie is only 7-mins long, otherwise, it would had been really frustrating.