Windows 10 won't recognize ZR85 Camcorder to copy Mini DV tapes to computer

[zephyr424]

Hi. My Windows 10 pc won't recognize my ZR85 camcorder. The camcorder has an ifc-300pcu cable included in the box. The "port" on the camera is listed simply as a "USB Terminal" in the manual. One end of the cable plugs into the computer's USB port, while the other end looks proprietary Canon. The manual also says this cable gives the ability to "download images from a memory card to a computer". So it appears it was never meant to transfer the Mini DV tapes to a computer. Is that correct? If not, how would I go about transferrring the video to my computer? I know some people do it through a 4 pin firewire cable after installing a firewire card in the computer's pci slot, but the only port on the camera is the one the ifc-300pcu cable connects to. Is that port the same as a firewire 4 pin connector? It doesn't look the same as a firewire port. If not, is there any other way to transfer the Mini DV tape's contents to a Windows 10 computer? Thanks for any help you can provide. 

[Nick2020 · Accepted solution]

Hi zephyr424,

Thanks for checking in with us. You will need to use a FireWire 400 cable, also known as IEEE 1394, to download video from the camera. The port on the camera is on the front and lists as a DV terminal.

If your computer does not have a FireWire port you'll need to get an I/O accessory with a FireWire 400 port that can then connect to whatever ports are on your computer. The port on the camera is a 4-pin port, and your computer or I/O device may have a 4-pin or 6-pin FireWire port, so you would then get a FireWire cable that matches the port you're using.

[zephyr424]

Just wanted to follow up on this topic. 

I purchased a Firewire card with the VIA chip, which is necessary for Windows to recognize the Z85 camcorder. Yes, a cable came with the card, but it didn't work to have Windows 10 recognize my Canon Z85 camcorder in order to copy the mini dv tapes to my computer.

On Amazon,I purchased the 'Cable Builders' Firewire 400 6 pin to 4 pin IEEE 1394 cable, as well as installed the IEEE host controller *legacy* driver for Windows 10 in order for the camera to be recognized under Imaging Devices in Windows Device Manager. To install the driver, you need to follow the instructions on this link:

https://www.studio1productions.com/Articles/Firewire-1.htm

Then, after installing Windows Movie Maker, it worked like a charm copying the Mini DV videos to my computer in the avi format.