what camcorder can i get to transfer minidv tapes to windows 10 computer?

[dduran1210]

i need a camcorder to transfer old home movies on minidv tapes.  I have an old Panasonic that they say is

too old and they don't have drivers for it anymore.   so i need a camcorder that WILL allow me to download

the drivers needed to connect to my windows 10 computer.

any suggestions?  

[rs-eos · Accepted solution]

Others will probably chime in regarding capture cards that possibly may work with your Panasonic.  I would think though that if the Panosonic cam is connected to the capture card via a Firewire cable, then you shouldn't need any specific drivers on your PC for that cam.  Just any drivers to work with the capture card.

Having said that, depending upon how much footage you have, it may be cheaper/easier to have a service transcode the footage and supply you with digital files you can directly import/download to your computer.

[dduran1210]

Thank you for the help.  I will search for those camcorders.  I have 5-6 cassettes that are full

of old home movies.  I bought firewire card..hooked up the camcorder and ......nothing...installed

the required OHS something driver...but nothing works....took to computer repair shop....couldn't get

it to work either.   said  Win 10 ok,  firewire card working....plugged in another camera and THAT one  worked ok......only I can't afford it.   lol.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Exactly what RS-EOS said.  How many tapes, how much footage are we talking about?

I can recommend a FW capture card if necessary. $22 is all it costs but again might just be easier for you to hire it done. 

[dduran1210]

hi....thanks for the help.   Are these camcorders you listed? 

[kvbarkley]

Any firewire camera that outputs DV should work. I think you only need camcorder drivers for USB transfer, not DV over firewire. The big problem is finding software that will read the DV stream. Adobe dropped support, so do it soon!

[dduran1210]

my computer repair pros said:    NO!  DO NOT GET CAMCORDER for usb   said they did NOT work and

are nothing but problems.   Advised me to get DV  and firewire card ....i did and it worked on another

camcorder but not mine.   said my camcorder may have a bad plug.

[normadel]

All the MiniDV cameras I've ever seen will only transfer videos via Firewire. Not USB. Their USB capabilities are for transferring stills only.

The problem with transferring videos by Firewire is finding software to do it, and of course, a computer with Firewire..  Windows XP had it built-in (Windows Movie Maker). Microsoft offered a free add-on called Windows Essentials 2012, for later Windows versions, that had Movie Maker and other stuff . It's not available from Microsoft anymore. Either find an XP computer, or search for a download of Windows Essentials 2012.

[dduran1210]

thanks for the tip

[kvbarkley]

I might be confused between miniDV and Digital8, but my Sony's can do it:

And of course, this has nothing to do with anything Canon offers now.