Scott - Thank you and well done. In the end I was successful but not before nearly giving up due to a Thunderbolt 3 Windows issue. My camera (Sony HVR-A1U) appeared to connect successfully but no software (WinDV, HDV Split, Adobe Premiere) recognized it. I almost gave up. The solution was to run the Thunderbolt Software (just click Start, Thunderbolt); if you have Thunderbolt 3 you'll have the software on your PC. The software displays device(s) connected via Thunderbolt 3. My camcorder was listed but with the message, "The Thunderbolt device you are using is not certified for PC use." The fix was to (1) Run the Thunderbolt Software; (2) In the system tray, right-click the Thunderbolt icon (3) Click Settings (4) Clear the checkbox that says "Only allow Thunderbolt Devices that have been certified for PC."
Thanks for providing the detailed solution which fixed your problem. I know some other people had similar problems and your solution sounds like the correct fix.
Yep that worked for me, Thank you very much. Sony HDR-TD20V Camera, HP ZBook Studio G5, Windows 10. I also installed the 1394_OHCI_LegacyDriver but no evidence of it actually being installed. Adobe Premiere 2019 can see it but not control the camera, But WinDV can control the camera and preview the video as it comes in. Works great. (I do also have an old Win7 Laptop with a firewire port for a backup).
In WIndows 11 the Thunderbolt Control Center app has a setting for connected devices that appears to default to 'Do Not Connect'. Changing this to 'Always connect' results in Pinnacle Studio being able to capture video data from my Canon GL2 MiniDV digital camcorder.
This is the only RUclips video I have found that enables me to go out and purchase exactly the cables and adapters to transfer mini DV tape from my Sony P120 cam to my Lenovo P1 laptop. I’ve removed the four pin to 6 pin adapter and gone straight for the four pin to FireWire 800 cable plus the two Apple adapters. Seriously hoping that this works !
@@avanmeijgaarden It did ! I have the 2 Apple adapters and the one Firewire 800 to 400 cable and have been able to control my old camcorder from within Adobe Premiere Pro. Very happy :-)
@@saxfantastic9925 I know I'm replying 9 months after your post, but this is very helpful as I came to the same conclusion viewing Scott's video. I will proceed to purchase just the three cables/adapters. Thank you!
The videos inspired me to save all my DV-tapes on my Windows 11 PC and DVD's. Bought the Apple devices, connector and cable. Didn't work with the suggested software but I decided to check further and found that I had to install the drivers for my Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port, just Googled Thunderbolt and found the drivers. After installing the drivers my Sony DCR-HC96 was detected by the PC and WIN-DV. I was also pleased to see that my old Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 found the camera and that I could control the camera from within Premiere Pro, Thank you for inspiring me!.
update for anyone who is in the same predicament that I find myself in. i need to connect a dinosaur scanner to a new windows PC. the new PC only has a USB C 3.1 Gen2 port which thanks to Scott we know is incompatible with firewire since its not a thunderbolt port. replacing PC or scanner would cost thousands of dollars since we have to do this for 8 machines. however if you are using a desktop they do have slots to add ports in the back. I have ordered a PCIe connected firewire port thingymajig. When it arrives I will test and update here on whether this is a valid solution or not. New laptops, both windows and mac, often have thunderbolt ports so this is really for if you have to connect device to a desktop.
I am a long time M-audio 610 user, which is a solid soundcard that ended selling at 2013. It uses 1394A the 6pin one. Its such a powerful yet compact soundcard with 24bit-192khz HiRes DSP mixing with 6in10out which is kinda crazy. Nowadays their newest similar product is M-Track Duo, which has only 48Khz, 2-channel USB Audio Interface with 2 Combo Inputs. I can't believe they are stepping back on the product capability, its unreal. Anyway, your video saved my 610 so now I dont need to buy another worse product just for that USB connection. Cheers
Can confirm this works with my Sony DCR-TRV250E, filming on Digital 8. I connected it with WinDV and it is fully recognised. Plug and Play, didn't seem to have any driver issues. HDVSplit didn't recognise the camera, but that could be because it is DV standard and not HDV. Opened it in WinDV and no issues whatsoever. Time to Transfer my tapes - properly! Thank you again for such a thorough and easy to follow video.
@@Starsdealer Yes, from what I can Google, that camera is MiniDV. Meaning it captures digital video (similar to our phones recording) and saves it to tape. I'm pretty sure that model will follow the same process as this video. You should have a square little output plug. My outlet has 'DV' above it on my camera and a lowercase 'i' next to it. Sony referred to FireWire as 'iLink'.
If this works, I may put you in my will. Seriously, I have been fumbling around trying to figure this out myself and then found your awesome video. Super well organized and gets right to it. Will take me a bit to get all this together. I'll try and post an update. Thanks again!
Like a previous commenter, I wanted to confirm that this process works in Feb 2024. Thanks! I was able to purchase a reconditioned camcorder of the same brand that I had. My touchscreen was broken, so I was able to buy a camera on eBay and use my existing cables. Cost was a little over $100. I also purchase a PCI FireWire card that was recommended in this video. Since I already had a FireWire cable, I didn’t need the special Apple to Thunderbolt connection shown in the video. I have a pretty old PC running Windows 10 Home, but it recognized the FireWire card immediately and works great. WinDV works great and it actually split my miniDV tape into a bunch of individual files, using the dates that were initially recorded, making it a lot easier to edit them together. (So a tape from Christmas 2006 was labeled 06-12-25, with additional numbers added since I had multiple clips on the same day.) I then processed the AVI files into MP4s using Handbrake, which worked like a charm. And I also followed the advice to use the VLC player, which easily opens the AVI and MP4 files as well as many more formats. Once I was able to digitize the tapes, I used Microsoft’s free video editing software, ClipChamp, which seems to be the successor to Moviemaker, which I used back in the day. Thanks again for posting this!
Great video. Though, the only thing I'd recommend against is re-encoding the video, which will always result in lower-quality video (when going from 'lossy' to 'lossy'). Memory is cheap, why not keep the original? If you prefer a more widely supported container, like 'MPEG' or 'MKV', a free program called 'Xmedia Recode' can 'copy' the video and audio into those containers without actually converting anything.
Thank you! Worked for me after your tip of updating the thunderbolt drivers for my Dell laptop. Using 4 pin to 9 pin firewire cable from my Sony DCR-PC100 Mini DV Camcorder to the two Apple Thunderbolt adapters into the USB-C Thunderport port on my Dell laptop. Using Win DV software to capture into .avi files. Currently on my 10th Mini DV Tape!
Scott, I spent hours going through videos that were either Mac-centric or assumed my PC was old enough that I could install a PCI capture board. Thank you for this. I got the Apple products from Craigslist to save a pile of money, so I'm sorry that I didn't use your affiliate link. My camera is an Canon HV30, and my PC, a brand new Windows 10 desktop with a Thunderbolt 3 port. At first the computer complained a lot about the adapters, and it wouldn't recognise the camera. Finally, I did a clean boot, waited a couple of minutes, plugged in the first Thunderbolt adapter (TB3 to TB2), waited a minute, plugged in the second Thunderbolt adapter (TB2 to FW800), and then the rest of the adapters and wires. Then I turned on the camera, and it was recognised. WOOO WOOO WOOOOOOO! Scenalyzer could control my camera, but it couldn't recognise the video output. Premiere Pro could capture, but could not show a preview while capturing, and the software documentation acknowledges this. HDV Split (demoed in this video) would not show a preview like it does in your video. I decided that I was not going to waste any more time with codecs, as long as the captured files would play, which they do. I recommend getting a head cleaning tape and using it first (10 seconds only!), if your camera has been sitting around for years. Thank you very much for this video, Sott!
Yeah, the problem I've noticed is that while all Macs on the market have Thunderbolt 3 ports, not many Windows PCs do. It's just like how for much of the 2000s all Macs on the market had FireWire ports while many Windows PCs did not (but you could often upgrade the towers or ExpressCard-equipped laptops with a FireWire card to achieve this.)
@@ScottSchramm Question still remains. How would I know that the USBC port on my Windows is actually a Thunderbolt connection. I have the same cable hook up that you described hooked to my Mac, and I had to buy Final Cut Pro to get it to work, I want to make sure that I am able to hook it up to Windows 10 OR my Windows 11... I am sure that there is a way to determine that in the Device Manager??
@@BillsCountry If you have Thunderbolt, then it would be listed in the Device Manager. If you don't see the Thunderbolt controller then you don't have Thunderbolt.
I see you have recommended pci cards on your amazon. I have pretty much all the different laptops. Should I install one of the pci card adapters in to my 12th gen intel desktop or does it also not process? I also have the m1 mac book air. So, do you recommend the adapter approach or pci approach? Thanks for continuing to make videos on this subject! I really appreciate it Scott.
I’ve heard mixed results on the PCIe cards working with the newer generation. On the other hand, since you have a Mac I would go that route that the dongles still work even with M1 Mac. I have another video on my channel showing that working.
Thank you for posting a very modern how-to video for this process. Lots of dongles but your setup definitely works for laptops that have this functional USB-C port
I recently bought an Mbox pro interface for a ridiculous low price and the catch was that it only has firewire 400 input. your video is really helpful but these apple adatpers cost like 40$ each!
This was perfect. I have a Canon ZR950. I bought most of the suggested items but only needed three: Tripp Lite FireWire 800 IEEE 1394b Hi-speed Cable (9pin/4pin) 6-ft.(F019-006) black Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter Was able to import using Power Director.
Ok so i messed up , looks like i missed the part where u said needs to be thunderbolt 3 port on laptap ... Looks like mine is just usb c 🤦 so the laptop wont recognise the device . Is there any way to convert the thunderbolt 3 to standard usb c or have i just thrown £60 down the toilet ?
Great video! I was struggling trying to find the right connectors. Crossing fingers my minidv camcorder can still connect. It's an awesome little device and still works great!
I recently acquired an HP Envy 13 with a thunderbolt 3 connection and have had an HDR-FX7 video camera for a few years. The items your recommended are being shipped from Amazon and hopefully I selected the right link so you will get credit. Thank you for sharing.
I'm finally building a new daily driver pc after using my 2012 built pc till now. I had thought I might be retiring it but I rely on firewire capture regularly, and looking at the daisy chain you put together makes me think that old pc won't be retiring anytime soon because it supports it natively.
Thanks Scott. I use a desktop PC with firewire card to capture with Magix. Your solution for the MAC works fine on my new Macbook Pro. This was really helpfull! This solution works also for Digital 8 camera's. For analogue captures I use the Canopus ADVC110 connected to PC or Mac via firewire.
@@FreshAirRules I have no need for this. I capture AVI on the desktop PC and MOV on the Macbook Pro. Captured files are written direct to connected (customers) external drives.
If you have a desktop you can get a PCIe Firewire card, just make sure you get the TI chipset, that's the only one that worked well for me. Windows 10 found the card right away so I didn't have to install any special drivers. I was able to capture Sony Digital 8 tapes using Adobe premiere. Magix Video Edit or Vegas as also good options for your editing. Thanks again for this video it's great to know there is a solution for laptops now. There are still a lot of useful Firewire devices out there folks might still have, audio interfaces and camcorders for example.
Actually I have had the exact opposite experience in Windows 10. TI chipsets will work only on about 10% of the devices, and VIA chipsets will work on 90% of the devices. But it may vary with different devices/types of devices. I tried mainly audio interfaces and cameras.
After months of failed tries with over the counter solutions (Elgato), this worked to perfection first try! Thank you so much. Old Sony camcorder full of videos can now be saved or uploaded. Found every cable at Microcenter in one trip, too.
Thanks for that Scott. I got my 2 Apple adapters today. I will use it for Audio, but will also try it with Audio. I have an old Audio interface with FireWire but no USB. BTW, the Startech TB3 -> TB2 adapters work very well, I have two of them which I use with ThunderBolt 2 Audio interfaces on my laptop and desktop computers. Very reliable so far, touch wood. A bit more expensive than the Apple version.
did you get your firewire audio interface to work? im struggling with Saffire pro 24 dsp and have the adapters on my USB-C but my interface wont start or turn on .. i dont know what to do
To be honest I haven't tried yet. I plugged the old Motu Firewire device into my new Motu Thunderbolt device via ADAT and that works fine. So not using Firewire any more - but I did test it with a Firewire video camera - that works.
If you guys have a regular windows desktop, just buy a FireWire PCI card, I believe it’s much cheaper compared to 4 separate cables including APPLE branded ones. For a laptop it’s a lifesaver though, nice video.
Hi Scott! I have an older Sony HVR-Z1E and was wondering if this process will maintain the same audio quality that the camera captures from its XLR shotgun mic setup, or will I have to use additional software. This video earned you a sub from me!
Maybe I'm missing it in the video but I don't hear you mention firewire PCi cards but you have them linked in the description. Do I need one if I'm using the cable combination you use in the video? I don't see why i should seeing as the cable that is connecting to my PC is a thunderbolt C. Apologies if you already stated this somewhere
I added the links to the PCI cards after making the video because some viewers had desktop computers and wanted a solution. If you already have Thunderbolt 3, then you are correct, you only need the adapters and cables like I shown in the video, you would not need the PCI cards.
Thank you, I've been looking for someone to covert mini DV into PC, but my question is, my computer is kinda old too, I only have UBS outlet, will this work on a computer that only have UBS outlet?
Regular USB 2.0/3.0 will not work. You need either Thunderbolt or FireWire. If you only have a few tapes, it may be easier for you to send them to a 3rd party service and have them do the capture.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! Wouldn't have managed without this vid. HDV Split only supports Canon camera's, but luckily WinDV works perfectly, even though it can't control the camera itself.
i agree with robbie c thank you for bringing me back to sanity! dude i just got this samsung mini dvsc-d353 and truly after the joy came the wtf do i do now freak out. Also, for converting on Mac would I use the same programs? Do you have the same video for Mac users? thank youuuuuu
Here is a similar video for Mac users: ruclips.net/video/UW2Bbn_OjNA/видео.html You can just use iMovie for capturing the videos, you shouldn't need any special codecs as iMovie will export to MPEG4 built in.
Thank you so much for this video! We are trying to connect a microscope camera with a 9-pin (800) FireWire to a laptop just like the one you have here. Do you think this would still work if we go straight from the FireWire 800 to the thunderbolt adaptors (essentially the latter half of the chain) ?
Yes, it should still work (connection-wise) but you may need to check if the microscope requires any special drivers or software and if they are compatible with newer operating systems.
I just bought old ThinkPad laptop with firewire port, windows 10, for 100$ Then just installed WinDV software, plug in camera with cable (4 pin male to 4 pin male) then press play on camera and reboot laptop and launch WinDV software and it captures your video. Biggest pain in the ass was figuring everything out and understanding how this old tech works, but at least I've learned something, don't know if I'm gonna need this knowledge but at least I have my old videos digitalized.
Thank you for creating your video and providing all the links and information. I have a Sony DCR-HC96 which can accept NTSC signals. It was broken so I sent it for repair. My first video I digitized was on a VHS tape from around 1985. I have many many more tapes of various formats to go. I'm using a slightly old Dell Precision 7520.
Scott, I ran into a new problem. I have 6 8MM Sony DVR tapes from a camera that only has RCA outputs, one for video one for audio. I know from your previous work that many "converters" do not work. That being the case, what is the best way to get these onto my computer? Transfer to DVD recorder or is there a better solution?
Thank you so much! I am going to test using WinDV. Mac OS broke the option to import via Firewiare with the latest update... All I want to do is get my old tapes digitized before it's too late.
Good..what is the model of Dell notebbok that you use in this video?..I would like your advice: which is the best notebook between this Dell and the Lenovo Thinkpad T490 to acquire from minidv with these two Apple thunderbolt-firewire adapters?..Many thanks
Dell Latitude 7490. The “best” option would actually be something older that has FireWire on board so you don’t need the adapters. Watch my latest video for more info on that approach.
My HP laptop does not have Thunderbolt, but I have a spare Dell Thuderbolt dock. Would I be able to use your chain of cables/adapters into this dock, then connect the HDMI cable from the dock to the laptop (as if it were a monitor)?
Your Dell Thunderbolt dock would not work either since your laptop does not have Thunderbolt. Some Thunderbolt docks and also run in a limited mode via USB-C, but even if that was the case, the Thunderbolt passthrough would not work unless your laptop had Thunderbolt as well.
@@ScottSchramm I now have a Thunderbolt 3 laptop and all the cables. The Thunderbolt software knows I have connected a device, but HDV Split doesn't recognize it. This camcorder is mini-DV - which other software should I use?
Hello Scott, I'm trying to get videos from a 20 y/o miniDV camcorder onto my computer - I found the manual online and I saw that there is a disk driver that comes with it. Does that mean that even if I buy all these adapters, I still won't be able to get the videos out because my PC won't recognize it? I can't find the driver in question anywhere online.
I previously used firewire to import analog video through a Digital 8 camcorder and I also used it for Live video as well. Will this adaptor work for those two things?
Hi Scott, thank you for the great how to video. Just have one quick question for you. I'm using HDVSplit as you recommended but I'm having some issues with it. I have the exact same set up as you show with the same camera Canon HV40 but I'm not getting exact copies of my tapes. An hour tape will go until the end but the actual recording will stop at about half hour. What am I doing wrong?
I have a Panasonic GS400 miniDV camera. Luckily I can connect the USB for transfer of the video. In fact the manual lists both USB and Fire wire as options for video capture. I don't have a firewire port on pc so I used usb. My questions is there a difference between the quality? I mean is the USB capturing at the same quality as the firewire? It's sort of bugging me a little. Really helpful video. Thanks.
You seem to have one of the very few camcorders that can do video over USB! It looks like Panasonic is making that work by some kind of "video stream" driver. My guess is that it is lowering the quality to QVGA (320x240) as that is what the specifications list for the webcam mode. If you are after the highest/original quality video, I would use FireWire. Otherwise if you are happy with the quality that USB mode is giving you then stick with that.
@@ScottSchramm Thanks for the prompt reply! Now interestingly within the cameras menu system it does ask whether I wanted to use the USB for Webcam or for Motion DV. Obviously I picked the latter since I never use it as a webcam. Using Premiere Pro, I captured the footage to the native miniDV resolution 720x576 (PAL) at 25fps. It's possible it might be upscaling it but I doubt it since I'm not changing any settings and it's automatically detecting this resolution. Also it's worth noting it only provided a USB Cable inside the box.
I've just gone ahead and tested the webcam for the first time ever. It records at 320 x 240 and the quality between this and the Motion DV USB capture is quite obvious. So I suspect the USB is outputting at the full resolution but I suppose there maybe other factors that could be involved between the USB or FireWire capture which impacts the quality...etc.(?). Maybe you can answer that? Also I forgot to mention that the NV-GS400 requires a USB 2.0 connection. If I recall USB 2.0 was competing quite close with FireWire.
@@MigData Correct USB and FireWire are very close in specs. I explained a little bit more about this in one of my other videos: ruclips.net/video/0EhzlqH9fMo/видео.html. Basically USB 2.0 is a little bit faster, but there is a lot of overhead which makes bad for real-time applications like capturing video streams. My guess is the special driver/software from Panasonic is allowing for a "buffer" and then it is using the CPU to process it as the buffer fills. Kind of like how anti-skip CD players work.
@@ScottSchramm Great, thanks for that information! Yes I think it seems likely it's doing that. I'll check out your other work. Do you have any videos of improving the quality of miniDV footage so it looks better on HD televisions?
Thank you for explaining this so well. I was getting overwhelmed with all the talk of gadgets that convert to usb. Do you have a suggestion for converting vhs?
Some Digital8/MiniDV camcorders had an analog pass through feature that worked great for this. You would connect your VCR’s output to the input of the camcorder and then from the camcorders FireWire to the computer and that would digitize the signal for the computer to capture. You would need to find an old camcorder with this feature or buy a capture card with the yellow/white/red RCA connections (called composite) to do that.
Hi Scott! I contacted Asus support. I'm the gentleman that used the connections that you recommended which worked with your setup but not with mine. As a refresh, I have a brand new Asus laptop, Windows 10 Home, Thunderbolt 4 port. Sony Handycam Hi8 Digital 8 with miniDV port. When I plug all of the connections into my computer, I get a blue screen and it shows an error that says TbtBusDrv.sys. Asus couldn't help. They said it's the configuration of cables or compatibility issue with camcorder leading to port. I tested an iPhone 13 and it does work in Thunderbolt 4 and shows it's identification name on laptop. Here is a new report for you to see what you think: when I have the Thunderbolt 3 adapter plugged in by itself there is no error and the computer does not shut down. As soon as I put the Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter into the Thunderbolt 3 adapter and plug into laptop, the error occurs. So it looks like it's not the camcorder or the cables leading up to the first adapter. It appears to be the second adapter which is the Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter that is creating some type of problem. Do you think it's a defect in the TB 2 to 3 Apple adaptor or do you think this computer is having a problem with any TB connector that is a 2 or lower (which it shouldn't according to specs)? And do you recommend any other connections or tests to see if I can make this work some other way with other adapters or whatever you suggest? Thank you again for all of your time I know that you are not doing this for a living to answer my questions but I certainly appreciate any advice!
So if you connect the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C plug) to Thunderbolt 1 or 2 adapter (Mini DisplayPort plug) that is fine...but when when you attach the Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter it blue screens? If so, then there are two possible outcomes: either that second adapter is faulty (not likely) or there is a driver issue on your laptop (most likely). Every time I've heard people say they blue screens it is because of drivers. The default FireWire driver in Windows 10 should be fine although some people have had more luck with a "legacy FireWire driver" which I've never had to use, so not sure on that. But it sounds like your Intel Thunderbolt controller has having troubles reading the FireWire adapter and that is why it is blue screening. Look in my video description and read through #2 in the troubleshooting section. If you already have the latest driver you can try uninstalling and reinstalling it, and checking any settings in your BIOS and within Windows. Good luck!
Hi I have all cables and adapters connected to my Thunderbolt 4 but I’m getting the blue screen of death with SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED on Windows 11 every time. Do I need to set options on my new laptop or download a driver/ software? The laptop is not recognizing my Sony Mini DV at all. Do you know what might be the issue here?
Been researching what to buy from your laptop list as I have a 12th gen CPU that won't work. Of the two PCs in your list I noticed the HP has a 4-pin firewire port and though it is not as good (specwise) as the Dell, the Dell has the Thunderbolt 3 connection which requires the multi-adapter approach and one of those adapters is not available anymore (unless ordered through ebay from Japan). I am thinking the 4-pin firewire on the HP will allow me to connect directly from my Sony handycam using the cable it came with (4-pin to 4-pin). What do you think?
PC's with FireWire ports on board may be the best option since it doesn't require the adapters. You can always use it to capture the video, then transfer it to a flash drive or external hard drive and the edit it on a more modern system.
WOW thanks for such a speedy reply @@ScottSchramm didn't expect that! I did buy the HP in your list from Amazon, actually I had an HP similar years ago with the onboard firewire and captured directly to the computer then edited using Premier. Just been awhile :-) It is well worth the $228! Thanks again for the reply and your helpful videos on your channel!
Great, informative video, thanks! There is another option for recording DV video (and not only DV, but also, for example, recording from a VHS cassette) on a computer running Windows. There are external cards for capturing video signals via HDMI and transmitting the signal to the USB3 port of the computer. Uncle Ali sells these capture cards for less than the cost of the required adapter cable from a well-known company. For recording, the OBS Studio program is used, for example. This is an option for recording video from the HDMI output to the USB3 input. This option does not make sense if we already have a saved video file. But if we have a VHS video cassette, and a VHS or Super VHS video recorder, then using a 3 RCA, CVBS to HDMI converter, and an HDMI to USB3 converter, it becomes possible to capture video from a VHS tape. The cost of the first and second converters is slightly lower than the cost of the required cables - adapters. Of course, this topic has already been discussed on RUclips, and there are many videos. As for the option described by the author of this video, I have already found the necessary cables on sale, and I want to try this option. Moreover, I have a Panasonic NV-MX500 video camera and miniDV cassettes.
Most camcorders do not have an HDMI output. Mine does because it shoots in HDV but I still wouldn't rely on it. The HDMI capture will remain digital, but there still may be a little quality loss vs capturing the stream directly. It would depend on the quality/bitrate the capture card supports. To give a different example, lets say you wanted to save my RUclips video. You could play it full screen while using screen recording software, or you could use a RUclips downloader and just save the video directly. The quality will be better by downloading it directly vs screen recording it. The same kind of thing would apply here. Doing it direct with FireWire will save the original data from the tape directly vs capturing the playback of it over HDMI.
Hey Scott, I have two fairly new laptops from this year but I’m not sure if they only have usb-c or not. Both laptops only have that “ss” logo next to the port. If so, why do the newer laptops only have usb-c? My first laptop is an “Asus” and the second is a “hp”. Any advice?
SS means super speed and is used to denote a USB 3.0 port, so it’s not Thunderbolt. As far as why these laptops don’t have Thunderbolt, it’s probably because they are not higher-end models. Usually Thunderbolt is a premium feature and costs more. When buying a laptop I always recommend paying extra for one with Thunderbolt because it unlocks many capabilities that would otherwise be limited without it.
Is this cable with its adapters backwards compatible with usb 4? So does the thunderbolt 3 end works in a usb 4 port? I have a new AMD laptop with usb 4 and I want to connect a firewire 400 device to it. Would it work?
Great explanation and video. I purchased the two Apple adapters and used a miniDV firewire to firewire 400 capture. But I cannot make it work. In your video you have firewire 800 cable too - and a converter from miniDV to firewire 800 and a firewire 800 to firewire 400 to connect to the apple device. Do you really need that? I use a miniDV to firewire 400 which I connect directly into the Apple adapter.
@@ScottSchramm thanks. As I do not need more cables I presume my DV-firewire cable is an 800 firewire into DV in the Sony Camcorder. It turns out that my Lenovo laptop crashes hard each time I cannot the Apple thunderbolt 3 adapter. Working on that. Merry Christmas
There are zero other adapters. The Apple one is the only one that works. If you can't find anyone selling the adapters new, then look for a used one on eBay.
@@ScottSchramm Thanks! Although what I ended up doing instead was to buy an old 24" 2008 iMac for $20 off Facebook marketplace, less than the cost of the adapters :) Had a Firewire 400 port right on it, no need for any adapter
Ok so is there a way to do it without using USB C on a laptop? I wanna use my USB on my PC instead, but everyone only ever does it on a laptop. So is there a different adapter I could try?
I tried 3 software versions (above) and only HDV did not work. Is there a driver I should download? I have a Canon ZR 45MC. Also my tapes are stopping after a minute or two. The mini dv tapes are old so I should assume its the age of the tape? Thanks.
Tape might be bad if they consistently have that problem. Only way to troubleshoot is try a different camcorder for playback or a different computer. Also your camcorder is not HD so the HDV split app won’t work for you. Try WinDV. Link in the description.
Items from Amazon bought with your references due today, Scott. I am hoping that I don't have too many issues with Windows 10/11 trying to get video onto the new desktop that I built (ASUS MB z690-A). Prior windows version worked OK with Adobe and other Video download software, but windows 10 was a PITA accepting firewire download.
I’d an old pcmia card adapter fed from a 2-port FireWire dongle, but that was at least a 20-year-old solution, the bespoke edge connectors mean that unless you’re retaining a particularly old, slow, laptop or PC then they’re scrap. So when I needed to archive some DV tapes with the minimum of editorial fuss your demo seemed like a good, albeit more expensive, route to success. The USB dongle I’ve also tried for VHS tape (or video and stereo cable inputs) was effective in capturing the images but doesn’t have the auto-segmentation aspect in the software like the Mac FireWire protocols.
You can certainly use the analog output from the camcorder and a USB capture device like you used but you will be loosing quality compared to doing it digitally with the FireWire and adapters.
Just tested and yes, that does appear. Under ""IEEE 1394 host controller" it lists "LSI 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller" with a driver by Microsoft dated 6/21/2006.
Awesome video so far, I have been wondering the exact topic. And well I now have the Apple adapters I don't have a Windows computer with a thunderbolt port yet so have been unable to test. My theory was always yes as long as it's not a USB-C port witches the same port used with thunderbolt. And Sony used to call it "iLink" as well. They're also used to exist a DV video to USB capture adapter cable, it had a lump in the middle with essentially a Scan converter and USB Capture chip. I have a lot of Firewire peripherals that aren't DV video as in hard drives (USB 1.1 and 2.0 was so slow in real world use) and I came into contact with a lot of audio interfaces. So they were mandatory adapters to add to my collection of Apple dongle's, I originally got them for compatibility with my former work computer and now I'm saving up for another apple 12 your laptop.
I have a JVC GR-D850U miniDv camcorder. I am trying to transfer video to computer. It does have a DV port on camcorder. My camcorder seems to work other than the LCD screen lighting up so I can press play etc.. I am wondering if it's possible to still transfer data from the miniDVs to computer without using the LCD screen?
Yes it will still be possible as the video will be displayed on the computer and you shouldn’t need the built in screen. Alternatively if you do need to access the menus of your camcorder you can use the analog output connected to a TV. Just don’t use that for video capture as it will be reduced quality.
Hi Scott, I have been struggling for days, trying to make the connection work between my old Panasonic Digital Video Camcorder (PV-GS59) and my computer (Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Series). This video of yours, I feel is the closest to solving my problem. But my concern is the ports, which seem different from the ones on your computer. With what I have, will I be able to accomplish what I need to do ( I have at least a dozen MiniDV tapes to transfer)?
Hello! I have only a usb-c .... is it possible to find a solution? I have buy all the cable in this video. Is it possible to buy an adaptor Thunderbolt to HDMI? Thanks a lot!
Do you know of any cheap Mini DV camcorders that have the 4-pin Mini FireWire port that I could buy second-hand? Thank you so much for this video - I've been asked by a family member to digitise some old Mini DV tapes and didn't know what equipment/cables/software I'd need to do it...until now! 😄
Hi, do you think this method works with THUNERBOLT 4 version too ? I need to taKe a GAMING LAPTOP ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 17 ( with THUNDERBOLT 4 PORT) , but i have a canopus ADVc 300 firewire card ( this card capture from composite to avi DV via Firewire 400 - and a panasonic diga EX99 v hdd / vhs / dvd recorder) , and i know it works fine ONLY with a Firewire port ( native or on pci/ pciesxpress port on PC) with Texas instrument drivers... ..thanks a lot
Question: My laptop only has regular USB. No Thunderbolt USB-C inputs. How do I attach a vintage 1393 Firewire 400 device [e.g. Mini Dv camcorder-DVD player-recorder] to my Windows laptop? Which cables, drivers, video app, card etc would I need to capture video ? I used to have everything Mac 10 years ago, so no issues. But now it's back to Windows.
Hi, do you know if this couple of cables could work for Focusrite Liquid Mix 32 too ? It is an external audio Dsp processor usable with a vst plugin in Daw as Cubase and other ones, Thanks
He Scott, I followed all you instructions in you great video. I got all the cables, drivers and software .. When I connect the cables my laptop says : The functionality of you Thunderbolt-device could be limited ? .. I checked the drivers ( all seems ok .. no errors ). The laptop does not see my Sony digital 8 handycam in play mode .. I tried different software .. nothing helps .. Ik think I got stuck on the first part cable .. Working with a HP ENVY Windows 10 laptop .. any ideas ? It is taking weeks now .. and no more options ..
Yo please please if you could answer cause I just bought a cam. This may be stupid but can you use all the adapters you did just at the end add a usb c to usb to an actual pc. Or there’s just no way around me needing to install a FireWire port to my motherboard
@@ScottSchramm thank you for the quick response too but idk if my graphic card is big enough where it blocks that slot but I don’t have the slots for them so Im gonna have to change my motherboard
Would it be possible to use this cam as a ''web cam'' with obs for exemple? I have an old HVX200 with Firewire 400 4 pin port. Could I use it as my streaming camera? I dont have HDMI output
Hi, great tip !! I use on Windows 10 on my PCs a Focusrite Liquid Mix 32 on Firewire 400 port (worked with Windows 11 too..). About its power supply no problem (it can use the voltage by the cable or by its external power supply). Do you know it this device can work with windows 11 with your tips and without latency/stability/sync issues ? Have a nice day
You said it worked with Windows 11, so I'm not sure why you are asking me if it works with Windows 11. I do have an updated video here: ruclips.net/video/yT0oDYbqwwk/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/u3OIcw4QH1w/видео.html
Thanks for this video, I understand the principle but still some ambiguities. I have purchased an older Hasselbvlad camera H4D31 and it has a FireWire 800 connection how do I get it connected to my Windows PC with a USB C port.... I have a FireWire 800/800 connection with an adapter to Apple Tunderbolt but I don't have that connection. So what/what steps should/can I take to connect my device to my PC.
Great video. I read in some of the postings that a requirement is to have a USB-C style Thunderbolt 3 port on the laptop. Just double checking ... I recently purchased a Lenovo 81X1 and it has a USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port. I know the data transfer speeds are different (40 GBPS for Thunderbolt 3 vs 5 GBPS for USB-C 3.1 Gen 1). Before I purchase any of the adapters and cables to try to make this work on my new machine, It seems all the connections would be the same. It ultimately comes down to Thunderbolt vs USB-C 3.1 Gen 1. If you could add any insight as to why the USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 would not work, I would appreciate any and all feedback. Thanks.
Correct, its not about the amount of speed. FireWire only uses 400mbit/s or 800mbit/s which is far below 5gbit/s or 40gbit/s. The difference is the way USB connects to the chipset of the computer. Thunderbolt connects via PCI lanes directly to the motherboard which is what FireWire needs to operate. Wikipedia goes into more details on the specifics but at a high level, the thing to know is that even though the ports will physically connect together (with USB-C), the protocols they use to communicate are not compatible unless it is a Thunderbolt port.
So how did you do please? I need to plug the thunderbolt 2 or fireware cable on my pc but i have just the usb-c gen 2, it's up to 10gb/s i think, I'm looking for something but didn't find nothing, please help me!
Hi Scott .. Thanks for the video. I have biought all the adapaters you mention but I am still |NOT seeing the video on my Intel Nuck 13 PC. I've tried all he capture programmes you mention but I've had no luck. Is there anything else I could try? The camcorder is a JVC GRDX ans is about 16 years old
Looks like your PC uses an Intel 13th gen processor that doesn't seem to be backwards compatible. I made a video about this situation here: ruclips.net/video/u3OIcw4QH1w/видео.html
Thanks for the informative video. My handyman has a micro HDMI output. Some laptops have this same input. Would this work for transferring video to the laptop and then the cloud?
Hey, will this method and equipment work with a Canon XL1 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder? That's the only older camera I got right now, and it has a firewire port.
Hey, so I got the Thunderbolts, the Firewire cables, and the 400 mini to full adapter. They all work... sort of. The adapter is a bit too loose though, where I constantly have to keep my hand on it and pressed in so it doesn't wobble. Any tips?
Also, I ended up getting an 800 to 400 mini cable because I thought that would solve the issue. Turns out, it didn't, because I didn't now the "800 TO 400" actually meant something. Is there a way this can still work?
I got the two Apple adapters but then somehow ordered a FireWire 800 direct to mini DV (ieee) cable. Should it work with just the two adapters and one FW to miniDV cable?
Hi Scott! My new Alienware X17 has what is described as a thunder bolt 4 port. I want to connect a DV camcorder to capture video. Will this solution also work for Thunderbolt 4, or only Thunderbolt 3? Thanks!!
Great video Scott! May I ask if the USB type-C port (which I have) does the works like the thunderbolt? Also, my sony handycam has already a DV OUT firewire port then I guess I wouldn't need the first mini adaptor which you used, correct? Many Thanks
@@ScottSchramm Thanks for your answer. I guess I wasn't understood. I want to use everything you describe in your video to do live and not to copy an image to the laptop.
My aunt just gave me an old Ultra mini portable disk that has an USB-B port and (2) 1394 slots. It's working fine with just the USB-B port cable to USB-A. I would like to know would the 1394 port be a faster connection than the USB-B port or is there no difference in connection speed among the ports?
Just want to say that this still works in 2022. I’ve successfully connected my M-Audio FireWire 1814 using this method..!! Thanks..!!
I’m trying to do a M-Audio Profire 2626, praying this works too!
@@cupofsun It should..!!
Man I think my laptop can't do this
Worked on windows 10 ?
@@gregormarszalkowski5436 Yes it does..
Scott - Thank you and well done. In the end I was successful but not before nearly giving up due to a Thunderbolt 3 Windows issue. My camera (Sony HVR-A1U) appeared to connect successfully but no software (WinDV, HDV Split, Adobe Premiere) recognized it. I almost gave up. The solution was to run the Thunderbolt Software (just click Start, Thunderbolt); if you have Thunderbolt 3 you'll have the software on your PC. The software displays device(s) connected via Thunderbolt 3. My camcorder was listed but with the message, "The Thunderbolt device you are using is not certified for PC use." The fix was to (1) Run the Thunderbolt Software; (2) In the system tray, right-click the Thunderbolt icon (3) Click Settings (4) Clear the checkbox that says "Only allow Thunderbolt Devices that have been certified for PC."
Thanks for providing the detailed solution which fixed your problem. I know some other people had similar problems and your solution sounds like the correct fix.
Yep that worked for me, Thank you very much. Sony HDR-TD20V Camera, HP ZBook Studio G5, Windows 10. I also installed the 1394_OHCI_LegacyDriver but no evidence of it actually being installed. Adobe Premiere 2019 can see it but not control the camera, But WinDV can control the camera and preview the video as it comes in. Works great. (I do also have an old Win7 Laptop with a firewire port for a backup).
In WIndows 11 the Thunderbolt Control Center app has a setting for connected devices that appears to default to 'Do Not Connect'. Changing this to 'Always connect' results in Pinnacle Studio being able to capture video data from my Canon GL2 MiniDV digital camcorder.
This is the only RUclips video I have found that enables me to go out and purchase exactly the cables and adapters to transfer mini DV tape from my Sony P120 cam to my Lenovo P1 laptop. I’ve removed the four pin to 6 pin adapter and gone straight for the four pin to FireWire 800 cable plus the two Apple adapters. Seriously hoping that this works !
Did it work? I was thinking of doing the same.
@@avanmeijgaarden It did ! I have the 2 Apple adapters and the one Firewire 800 to 400 cable and have been able to control my old camcorder from within Adobe Premiere Pro. Very happy :-)
@@saxfantastic9925 I know I'm replying 9 months after your post, but this is very helpful as I came to the same conclusion viewing Scott's video. I will proceed to purchase just the three cables/adapters. Thank you!
@@psychoprof1966 It all worked perfectly and im so happy with the solution
The videos inspired me to save all my DV-tapes on my Windows 11 PC and DVD's. Bought the Apple devices, connector and cable. Didn't work with the suggested software but I decided to check further and found that I had to install the drivers for my Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port, just Googled Thunderbolt and found the drivers. After installing the drivers my Sony DCR-HC96 was detected by the PC and WIN-DV. I was also pleased to see that my old Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 found the camera and that I could control the camera from within Premiere Pro, Thank you for inspiring me!.
Awesome. You just answered a question I've been struggling with for weeks. Nicely done and I'm more than happy to use your affiliate links.
you just prevented me from wasting money on a solution that would not have worked, so thank you good sir
update for anyone who is in the same predicament that I find myself in. i need to connect a dinosaur scanner to a new windows PC. the new PC only has a USB C 3.1 Gen2 port which thanks to Scott we know is incompatible with firewire since its not a thunderbolt port. replacing PC or scanner would cost thousands of dollars since we have to do this for 8 machines. however if you are using a desktop they do have slots to add ports in the back. I have ordered a PCIe connected firewire port thingymajig. When it arrives I will test and update here on whether this is a valid solution or not. New laptops, both windows and mac, often have thunderbolt ports so this is really for if you have to connect device to a desktop.
I am a long time M-audio 610 user, which is a solid soundcard that ended selling at 2013. It uses 1394A the 6pin one. Its such a powerful yet compact soundcard with 24bit-192khz HiRes DSP mixing with 6in10out which is kinda crazy. Nowadays their newest similar product is M-Track Duo, which has only 48Khz, 2-channel USB Audio Interface with 2 Combo Inputs. I can't believe they are stepping back on the product capability, its unreal. Anyway, your video saved my 610 so now I dont need to buy another worse product just for that USB connection. Cheers
Can confirm this works with my Sony DCR-TRV250E, filming on Digital 8. I connected it with WinDV and it is fully recognised. Plug and Play, didn't seem to have any driver issues. HDVSplit didn't recognise the camera, but that could be because it is DV standard and not HDV. Opened it in WinDV and no issues whatsoever. Time to Transfer my tapes - properly!
Thank you again for such a thorough and easy to follow video.
Hey man i wanna ask a question ,i have sony dcr hc 36 ,is that camera have a same thing like in this video for transferring the file
@@Starsdealer Yes, from what I can Google, that camera is MiniDV. Meaning it captures digital video (similar to our phones recording) and saves it to tape. I'm pretty sure that model will follow the same process as this video. You should have a square little output plug. My outlet has 'DV' above it on my camera and a lowercase 'i' next to it. Sony referred to FireWire as 'iLink'.
@@willsvideos5742 thxyou man for answering
If this works, I may put you in my will. Seriously, I have been fumbling around trying to figure this out myself and then found your awesome video. Super well organized and gets right to it. Will take me a bit to get all this together. I'll try and post an update. Thanks again!
Same! Lol
It worked for me
Worked for me, too.
any updates?
Like a previous commenter, I wanted to confirm that this process works in Feb 2024. Thanks! I was able to purchase a reconditioned camcorder of the same brand that I had. My touchscreen was broken, so I was able to buy a camera on eBay and use my existing cables. Cost was a little over $100. I also purchase a PCI FireWire card that was recommended in this video. Since I already had a FireWire cable, I didn’t need the special Apple to Thunderbolt connection shown in the video. I have a pretty old PC running Windows 10 Home, but it recognized the FireWire card immediately and works great.
WinDV works great and it actually split my miniDV tape into a bunch of individual files, using the dates that were initially recorded, making it a lot easier to edit them together. (So a tape from Christmas 2006 was labeled 06-12-25, with additional numbers added since I had multiple clips on the same day.)
I then processed the AVI files into MP4s using Handbrake, which worked like a charm. And I also followed the advice to use the VLC player, which easily opens the AVI and MP4 files as well as many more formats.
Once I was able to digitize the tapes, I used Microsoft’s free video editing software, ClipChamp, which seems to be the successor to Moviemaker, which I used back in the day.
Thanks again for posting this!
Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to post about your success!
i connected my hdv camcorder but my laptop isn't picking it up i have all the cables mentioned above as can not understand why it doesn't
work
Great video. Though, the only thing I'd recommend against is re-encoding the video, which will always result in lower-quality video (when going from 'lossy' to 'lossy'). Memory is cheap, why not keep the original? If you prefer a more widely supported container, like 'MPEG' or 'MKV', a free program called 'Xmedia Recode' can 'copy' the video and audio into those containers without actually converting anything.
Thank you! Worked for me after your tip of updating the thunderbolt drivers for my Dell laptop. Using 4 pin to 9 pin firewire cable from my Sony DCR-PC100 Mini DV Camcorder to the two Apple Thunderbolt adapters into the USB-C Thunderport port on my Dell laptop. Using Win DV software to capture into .avi files. Currently on my 10th Mini DV Tape!
Scott, I spent hours going through videos that were either Mac-centric or assumed my PC was old enough that I could install a PCI capture board. Thank you for this.
I got the Apple products from Craigslist to save a pile of money, so I'm sorry that I didn't use your affiliate link.
My camera is an Canon HV30, and my PC, a brand new Windows 10 desktop with a Thunderbolt 3 port. At first the computer complained a lot about the adapters, and it wouldn't recognise the camera. Finally, I did a clean boot, waited a couple of minutes, plugged in the first Thunderbolt adapter (TB3 to TB2), waited a minute, plugged in the second Thunderbolt adapter (TB2 to FW800), and then the rest of the adapters and wires. Then I turned on the camera, and it was recognised. WOOO WOOO WOOOOOOO!
Scenalyzer could control my camera, but it couldn't recognise the video output. Premiere Pro could capture, but could not show a preview while capturing, and the software documentation acknowledges this. HDV Split (demoed in this video) would not show a preview like it does in your video. I decided that I was not going to waste any more time with codecs, as long as the captured files would play, which they do.
I recommend getting a head cleaning tape and using it first (10 seconds only!), if your camera has been sitting around for years.
Thank you very much for this video, Sott!
Awesome, I'm glad this video helped you!
@@ScottSchramm Hi thanks for your videos...... my laptop only has USB Super Speed. Is this port no good ? Thanks for any info
@@andrewclarke9467 No, that will not work with FireWire. Check my newer videos for some alternatives.
@@ScottSchramm thanks I will have a look through 👍🏻
Amazing explenation, but please - will it works even if I have just USB 3.1 ? Or do I have to need some more adapters ?
It will not work, it needs to Thunderbolt. This is explained in the video.
Yeah, the problem I've noticed is that while all Macs on the market have Thunderbolt 3 ports, not many Windows PCs do. It's just like how for much of the 2000s all Macs on the market had FireWire ports while many Windows PCs did not (but you could often upgrade the towers or ExpressCard-equipped laptops with a FireWire card to achieve this.)
Most business laptops have Thunderbolt because its used for high performance docking stations.
@@ScottSchramm Ok here's a good question.. Are the Thunderbolt connections the same as the USBC ports? I know they use the same type of connector..
@@BillsCountry Thunderbolt can be USB-C, but USB-C can NOT be Thunderbolt.
@@ScottSchramm Question still remains. How would I know that the USBC port on my Windows is actually a Thunderbolt connection. I have the same cable hook up that you described hooked to my Mac, and I had to buy Final Cut Pro to get it to work, I want to make sure that I am able to hook it up to Windows 10 OR my Windows 11... I am sure that there is a way to determine that in the Device Manager??
@@BillsCountry If you have Thunderbolt, then it would be listed in the Device Manager. If you don't see the Thunderbolt controller then you don't have Thunderbolt.
I see you have recommended pci cards on your amazon. I have pretty much all the different laptops. Should I install one of the pci card adapters in to my 12th gen intel desktop or does it also not process? I also have the m1 mac book air. So, do you recommend the adapter approach or pci approach? Thanks for continuing to make videos on this subject! I really appreciate it Scott.
I’ve heard mixed results on the PCIe cards working with the newer generation. On the other hand, since you have a Mac I would go that route that the dongles still work even with M1 Mac. I have another video on my channel showing that working.
Thank you for posting a very modern how-to video for this process. Lots of dongles but your setup definitely works for laptops that have this functional USB-C port
Hey Mark, how did you manage to do it with only a usb-c port in your computer? I thought you needed a thunderbolt 3 port?
Hello Mark How did you managed to do this? I hav usb-c wiuth thunderbolt 3 but it doesn't work
@@maradin9319 I ended up using my desktop with a firewire card since I don't have a laptop with the right port.
I recently bought an Mbox pro interface for a ridiculous low price and the catch was that it only has firewire 400 input. your video is really helpful but these apple adatpers cost like 40$ each!
This was perfect. I have a Canon ZR950. I bought most of the suggested items but only needed three:
Tripp Lite FireWire 800 IEEE 1394b Hi-speed Cable (9pin/4pin) 6-ft.(F019-006) black
Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter
Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter
Was able to import using Power Director.
Ok so i messed up , looks like i missed the part where u said needs to be thunderbolt 3 port on laptap ... Looks like mine is just usb c 🤦 so the laptop wont recognise the device . Is there any way to convert the thunderbolt 3 to standard usb c or have i just thrown £60 down the toilet ?
There is no other way. You need Thunderbolt.
Great video! I was struggling trying to find the right connectors. Crossing fingers my minidv camcorder can still connect. It's an awesome little device and still works great!
I recently acquired an HP Envy 13 with a thunderbolt 3 connection and have had an HDR-FX7 video camera for a few years. The items your recommended are being shipped from Amazon and hopefully I selected the right link so you will get credit. Thank you for sharing.
How did it go?
Any update?
@@kas2388 I'm good! Now learning how to download and edit. Thanks for your help.
Sony's version was called "i.Link". You got i-triple-e from "IEEE 1394", which is the actual interface standard.
Finally someone shows The cables and type of connections! Ty! Thats what i need! The problem is that stuff is só expensive ( The adaptors)
Thank you. I have a vx2100e sitting around for more than a decade, I will repair it and give it a try.
have work for you ?
@@wrenchvx8376 sorry for late reply, no it spoilt unfortunately.
²
I'm finally building a new daily driver pc after using my 2012 built pc till now. I had thought I might be retiring it but I rely on firewire capture regularly, and looking at the daisy chain you put together makes me think that old pc won't be retiring anytime soon because it supports it natively.
Thanks Scott. I use a desktop PC with firewire card to capture with Magix. Your solution for the MAC works fine on my new Macbook Pro. This was really helpfull! This solution works also for Digital 8 camera's. For analogue captures I use the Canopus ADVC110 connected to PC or Mac via firewire.
Could you network the two together to transfer data?
@@FreshAirRules I have no need for this. I capture AVI on the desktop PC and MOV on the Macbook Pro. Captured files are written direct to connected (customers) external drives.
If you have a desktop you can get a PCIe Firewire card, just make sure you get the TI chipset, that's the only one that worked well for me. Windows 10 found the card right away so I didn't have to install any special drivers. I was able to capture Sony Digital 8 tapes using Adobe premiere. Magix Video Edit or Vegas as also good options for your editing. Thanks again for this video it's great to know there is a solution for laptops now. There are still a lot of useful Firewire devices out there folks might still have, audio interfaces and camcorders for example.
Actually I have had the exact opposite experience in Windows 10. TI chipsets will work only on about 10% of the devices, and VIA chipsets will work on 90% of the devices. But it may vary with different devices/types of devices. I tried mainly audio interfaces and cameras.
Thanks - this worked great for me connecting my MOTU 828 mkII FW to a new Dell Precision running Windows 10!
i´ve a MOTU 828 mkII in W10, what adapters used ? Please. the 2 conversors of video?
Came looking for a comment on the motu 896hd mkI. I hope this works.
After months of failed tries with over the counter solutions (Elgato), this worked to perfection first try! Thank you so much.
Old Sony camcorder full of videos can now be saved or uploaded.
Found every cable at Microcenter in one trip, too.
So you did it without genuine Apple cables/adapters?
@@FreshAirRules used genuine.
Thanks for that Scott. I got my 2 Apple adapters today. I will use it for Audio, but will also try it with Audio. I have an old Audio interface with FireWire but no USB. BTW, the Startech TB3 -> TB2 adapters work very well, I have two of them which I use with ThunderBolt 2 Audio interfaces on my laptop and desktop computers. Very reliable so far, touch wood. A bit more expensive than the Apple version.
did you get your firewire audio interface to work? im struggling with Saffire pro 24 dsp and have the adapters on my USB-C but my interface wont start or turn on .. i dont know what to do
To be honest I haven't tried yet. I plugged the old Motu Firewire device into my new Motu Thunderbolt device via ADAT and that works fine. So not using Firewire any more - but I did test it with a Firewire video camera - that works.
If you guys have a regular windows desktop, just buy a FireWire PCI card, I believe it’s much cheaper compared to 4 separate cables including APPLE branded ones. For a laptop it’s a lifesaver though, nice video.
Hi Scott! I have an older Sony HVR-Z1E and was wondering if this process will maintain the same audio quality that the camera captures from its XLR shotgun mic setup, or will I have to use additional software.
This video earned you a sub from me!
Yes, whatever quality the camera is capable of will be sent over the FireWire. It’s the highest quality available.
Maybe I'm missing it in the video but I don't hear you mention firewire PCi cards but you have them linked in the description. Do I need one if I'm using the cable combination you use in the video? I don't see why i should seeing as the cable that is connecting to my PC is a thunderbolt C. Apologies if you already stated this somewhere
I added the links to the PCI cards after making the video because some viewers had desktop computers and wanted a solution. If you already have Thunderbolt 3, then you are correct, you only need the adapters and cables like I shown in the video, you would not need the PCI cards.
Thanks man, this works! I’ve been trying to do this for a long time and I’m finally able to transfer my DV footage to my pc.
Do you know if this works for all camcorders like the trv900, vx1000 etc...?
Great explanation, thanks! QUESTION: Is there any loss of video / audio quality when we connect all these adapters / cables?
The digital signal is simply passed through, so there is no loss or compression.
Going to give this a whirl. Wish me luck! I'll let you know how I get on - thank you!!
So far I only needed three of the wires to connect successfully - the two apple cords, and the firewire to miniplug cable...
Is there a way to do this on a PC that doesn't have Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ?
My PC only has USB 3 ports
No
Thank you, I've been looking for someone to covert mini DV into PC, but my question is, my computer is kinda old too, I only have UBS outlet, will this work on a computer that only have UBS outlet?
Regular USB 2.0/3.0 will not work. You need either Thunderbolt or FireWire. If you only have a few tapes, it may be easier for you to send them to a 3rd party service and have them do the capture.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! Wouldn't have managed without this vid. HDV Split only supports Canon camera's, but luckily WinDV works perfectly, even though it can't control the camera itself.
i agree with robbie c thank you for bringing me back to sanity! dude i just got this samsung mini dvsc-d353 and truly after the joy came the wtf do i do now freak out. Also, for converting on Mac would I use the same programs? Do you have the same video for Mac users? thank youuuuuu
Here is a similar video for Mac users: ruclips.net/video/UW2Bbn_OjNA/видео.html You can just use iMovie for capturing the videos, you shouldn't need any special codecs as iMovie will export to MPEG4 built in.
Thank you so much for this video! We are trying to connect a microscope camera with a 9-pin (800) FireWire to a laptop just like the one you have here. Do you think this would still work if we go straight from the FireWire 800 to the thunderbolt adaptors (essentially the latter half of the chain) ?
Yes, it should still work (connection-wise) but you may need to check if the microscope requires any special drivers or software and if they are compatible with newer operating systems.
I just bought old ThinkPad laptop with firewire port, windows 10, for 100$
Then just installed WinDV software, plug in camera with cable (4 pin male to 4 pin male) then press play on camera and reboot laptop and launch WinDV software and it captures your video.
Biggest pain in the ass was figuring everything out and understanding how this old tech works, but at least I've learned something, don't know if I'm gonna need this knowledge but at least I have my old videos digitalized.
Old ThinkPads are great for these kind of projects!
IT WORKS!!!! Seconding the comment about checking your Thunderbolt settings.
Thank you for creating your video and providing all the links and information. I have a Sony DCR-HC96 which can accept NTSC signals. It was broken so I sent it for repair. My first video I digitized was on a VHS tape from around 1985. I have many many more tapes of various formats to go. I'm using a slightly old Dell Precision 7520.
You're a lifesaver and a memory saver! This worked like a charm. I used your affiliate links so hopefully you get a little $$ for your efforts.
for over 15 years ive just been buying emac's for the sole purpose of capturing dv
this iis way more elegant
Holy mackerel, this video is very well made! This solved virtually all the questions I had
I'm wondering whether if the driver you mentioned does support 60i/50i recording or it only capped at 30 frames.
The driver does not limit that. Your camcorder is what decides the frame rate.
Scott, I ran into a new problem. I have 6 8MM Sony DVR tapes from a camera that only has RCA outputs, one for video one for audio. I know from your previous work that many "converters" do not work. That being the case, what is the best way to get these onto my computer? Transfer to DVD recorder or is there a better solution?
The only way is to use one of those analog capture devices, or get a Digital8 camcorder with FireWire
Thank you so much! I am going to test using WinDV. Mac OS broke the option to import via Firewiare with the latest update... All I want to do is get my old tapes digitized before it's too late.
Good..what is the model of Dell notebbok that you use in this video?..I would like your advice: which is the best notebook between this Dell and the Lenovo Thinkpad T490 to acquire from minidv with these two Apple thunderbolt-firewire adapters?..Many thanks
Dell Latitude 7490. The “best” option would actually be something older that has FireWire on board so you don’t need the adapters. Watch my latest video for more info on that approach.
My HP laptop does not have Thunderbolt, but I have a spare Dell Thuderbolt dock. Would I be able to use your chain of cables/adapters into this dock, then connect the HDMI cable from the dock to the laptop (as if it were a monitor)?
Your Dell Thunderbolt dock would not work either since your laptop does not have Thunderbolt. Some Thunderbolt docks and also run in a limited mode via USB-C, but even if that was the case, the Thunderbolt passthrough would not work unless your laptop had Thunderbolt as well.
@@ScottSchramm I now have a Thunderbolt 3 laptop and all the cables. The Thunderbolt software knows I have connected a device, but HDV Split doesn't recognize it. This camcorder is mini-DV - which other software should I use?
never mind - Win DV works!
Hello Scott,
I'm trying to get videos from a 20 y/o miniDV camcorder onto my computer - I found the manual
online and I saw that there is a disk driver that comes with it. Does that mean that
even if I buy all these adapters, I still won't be able to get the videos out because my
PC won't recognize it? I can't find the driver in question anywhere online.
You don’t need any drivers
I previously used firewire to import analog video through a Digital 8 camcorder and I also used it for Live video as well. Will this adaptor work for those two things?
Yes
@@ScottSchramm Thank You Scott
Thank you for this very informative and clear video and for listing the links for us! Makes things so much easier.
Hi Scott, thank you for the great how to video. Just have one quick question for you. I'm using HDVSplit as you recommended but I'm having some issues with it. I have the exact same set up as you show with the same camera Canon HV40 but I'm not getting exact copies of my tapes. An hour tape will go until the end but the actual recording will stop at about half hour. What am I doing wrong?
Could be corrupted time code on the tapes. May try doing the capture in smaller chunks.
@@ScottSchramm thank you for getting back so quickly.
I have a Panasonic GS400 miniDV camera. Luckily I can connect the USB for transfer of the video. In fact the manual lists both USB and Fire wire as options for video capture. I don't have a firewire port on pc so I used usb. My questions is there a difference between the quality? I mean is the USB capturing at the same quality as the firewire? It's sort of bugging me a little.
Really helpful video. Thanks.
You seem to have one of the very few camcorders that can do video over USB! It looks like Panasonic is making that work by some kind of "video stream" driver. My guess is that it is lowering the quality to QVGA (320x240) as that is what the specifications list for the webcam mode. If you are after the highest/original quality video, I would use FireWire. Otherwise if you are happy with the quality that USB mode is giving you then stick with that.
@@ScottSchramm Thanks for the prompt reply! Now interestingly within the cameras menu system it does ask whether I wanted to use the USB for Webcam or for Motion DV. Obviously I picked the latter since I never use it as a webcam. Using Premiere Pro, I captured the footage to the native miniDV resolution 720x576 (PAL) at 25fps. It's possible it might be upscaling it but I doubt it since I'm not changing any settings and it's automatically detecting this resolution. Also it's worth noting it only provided a USB Cable inside the box.
I've just gone ahead and tested the webcam for the first time ever. It records at 320 x 240 and the quality between this and the Motion DV USB capture is quite obvious. So I suspect the USB is outputting at the full resolution but I suppose there maybe other factors that could be involved between the USB or FireWire capture which impacts the quality...etc.(?). Maybe you can answer that? Also I forgot to mention that the NV-GS400 requires a USB 2.0 connection. If I recall USB 2.0 was competing quite close with FireWire.
@@MigData Correct USB and FireWire are very close in specs. I explained a little bit more about this in one of my other videos: ruclips.net/video/0EhzlqH9fMo/видео.html. Basically USB 2.0 is a little bit faster, but there is a lot of overhead which makes bad for real-time applications like capturing video streams. My guess is the special driver/software from Panasonic is allowing for a "buffer" and then it is using the CPU to process it as the buffer fills. Kind of like how anti-skip CD players work.
@@ScottSchramm Great, thanks for that information! Yes I think it seems likely it's doing that. I'll check out your other work. Do you have any videos of improving the quality of miniDV footage so it looks better on HD televisions?
Thank you for explaining this so well. I was getting overwhelmed with all the talk of gadgets that convert to usb. Do you have a suggestion for converting vhs?
Some Digital8/MiniDV camcorders had an analog pass through feature that worked great for this. You would connect your VCR’s output to the input of the camcorder and then from the camcorders FireWire to the computer and that would digitize the signal for the computer to capture. You would need to find an old camcorder with this feature or buy a capture card with the yellow/white/red RCA connections (called composite) to do that.
Hi Scott! I contacted Asus support. I'm the gentleman that used the connections that you recommended which worked with your setup but not with mine. As a refresh, I have a brand new Asus laptop, Windows 10 Home, Thunderbolt 4 port. Sony Handycam Hi8 Digital 8 with miniDV port. When I plug all of the connections into my computer, I get a blue screen and it shows an error that says TbtBusDrv.sys. Asus couldn't help. They said it's the configuration of cables or compatibility issue with camcorder leading to port. I tested an iPhone 13 and it does work in Thunderbolt 4 and shows it's identification name on laptop. Here is a new report for you to see what you think: when I have the Thunderbolt 3 adapter plugged in by itself there is no error and the computer does not shut down. As soon as I put the Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter into the Thunderbolt 3 adapter and plug into laptop, the error occurs. So it looks like it's not the camcorder or the cables leading up to the first adapter. It appears to be the second adapter which is the Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter that is creating some type of problem. Do you think it's a defect in the TB 2 to 3 Apple adaptor or do you think this computer is having a problem with any TB connector that is a 2 or lower (which it shouldn't according to specs)? And do you recommend any other connections or tests to see if I can make this work some other way with other adapters or whatever you suggest? Thank you again for all of your time I know that you are not doing this for a living to answer my questions but I certainly appreciate any advice!
So if you connect the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C plug) to Thunderbolt 1 or 2 adapter (Mini DisplayPort plug) that is fine...but when when you attach the Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter it blue screens? If so, then there are two possible outcomes: either that second adapter is faulty (not likely) or there is a driver issue on your laptop (most likely). Every time I've heard people say they blue screens it is because of drivers. The default FireWire driver in Windows 10 should be fine although some people have had more luck with a "legacy FireWire driver" which I've never had to use, so not sure on that. But it sounds like your Intel Thunderbolt controller has having troubles reading the FireWire adapter and that is why it is blue screening. Look in my video description and read through #2 in the troubleshooting section. If you already have the latest driver you can try uninstalling and reinstalling it, and checking any settings in your BIOS and within Windows. Good luck!
Hi
I have all cables and adapters connected to my Thunderbolt 4 but I’m getting the blue screen of death with SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED on Windows 11 every time. Do I need to set options on my new laptop or download a driver/ software? The laptop is not recognizing my Sony Mini DV at all. Do you know what might be the issue here?
Please read the troubleshooting section in my video description.
Been researching what to buy from your laptop list as I have a 12th gen CPU that won't work. Of the two PCs in your list I noticed the HP has a 4-pin firewire port and though it is not as good (specwise) as the Dell, the Dell has the Thunderbolt 3 connection which requires the multi-adapter approach and one of those adapters is not available anymore (unless ordered through ebay from Japan). I am thinking the 4-pin firewire on the HP will allow me to connect directly from my Sony handycam using the cable it came with (4-pin to 4-pin). What do you think?
PC's with FireWire ports on board may be the best option since it doesn't require the adapters. You can always use it to capture the video, then transfer it to a flash drive or external hard drive and the edit it on a more modern system.
WOW thanks for such a speedy reply @@ScottSchramm didn't expect that! I did buy the HP in your list from Amazon, actually I had an HP similar years ago with the onboard firewire and captured directly to the computer then edited using Premier. Just been awhile :-) It is well worth the $228! Thanks again for the reply and your helpful videos on your channel!
@@auklandca Awesome, thanks for using my link and hope everything works out for you!
Great, informative video, thanks!
There is another option for recording DV video (and not only DV, but also, for example, recording from a VHS cassette) on a computer running Windows.
There are external cards for capturing video signals via HDMI and transmitting the signal to the USB3 port of the computer. Uncle Ali sells these capture cards for less than the cost of the required adapter cable from a well-known company. For recording, the OBS Studio program is used, for example. This is an option for recording video from the HDMI output to the USB3 input. This option does not make sense if we already have a saved video file.
But if we have a VHS video cassette, and a VHS or Super VHS video recorder, then using a 3 RCA, CVBS to HDMI converter, and an HDMI to USB3 converter, it becomes possible to capture video from a VHS tape. The cost of the first and second converters is slightly lower than the cost of the required cables - adapters. Of course, this topic has already been discussed on RUclips, and there are many videos. As for the option described by the author of this video, I have already found the necessary cables on sale, and I want to try this option. Moreover, I have a Panasonic NV-MX500 video camera and miniDV cassettes.
Most camcorders do not have an HDMI output. Mine does because it shoots in HDV but I still wouldn't rely on it. The HDMI capture will remain digital, but there still may be a little quality loss vs capturing the stream directly. It would depend on the quality/bitrate the capture card supports. To give a different example, lets say you wanted to save my RUclips video. You could play it full screen while using screen recording software, or you could use a RUclips downloader and just save the video directly. The quality will be better by downloading it directly vs screen recording it. The same kind of thing would apply here. Doing it direct with FireWire will save the original data from the tape directly vs capturing the playback of it over HDMI.
Hey Scott, I have two fairly new laptops from this year but I’m not sure if they only have usb-c or not. Both laptops only have that “ss” logo next to the port. If so, why do the newer laptops only have usb-c? My first laptop is an “Asus” and the second is a “hp”. Any advice?
SS means super speed and is used to denote a USB 3.0 port, so it’s not Thunderbolt. As far as why these laptops don’t have Thunderbolt, it’s probably because they are not higher-end models. Usually Thunderbolt is a premium feature and costs more. When buying a laptop I always recommend paying extra for one with Thunderbolt because it unlocks many capabilities that would otherwise be limited without it.
@@ScottSchramm that makes sense. Preciate you getting back to me! 👍🏼
Is this cable with its adapters backwards compatible with usb 4? So does the thunderbolt 3 end works in a usb 4 port? I have a new AMD laptop with usb 4 and I want to connect a firewire 400 device to it. Would it work?
I'm honestly not sure as I have not tested that so I do not want to mislead you. If you give it a try, please let us know if it worked or not!
Great explanation and video.
I purchased the two Apple adapters and used a miniDV firewire to firewire 400 capture. But I cannot make it work.
In your video you have firewire 800 cable too - and a converter from miniDV to firewire 800 and a firewire 800 to firewire 400 to connect to the apple device. Do you really need that?
I use a miniDV to firewire 400 which I connect directly into the Apple adapter.
The Apple adapter has FireWire 800. So you need a 800 to 400 mini cable. It’s the third link in my video description.
@@ScottSchramm thanks. As I do not need more cables I presume my DV-firewire cable is an 800 firewire into DV in the Sony Camcorder.
It turns out that my Lenovo laptop crashes hard each time I cannot the Apple thunderbolt 3 adapter. Working on that.
Merry Christmas
Very useful. I just watched the video, haven't tried anything yet, but got answers to a few questions I was struggling with
The Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter (MD464) is now discontinued as of early December 2023. Can you suggest an alternative adapter?
There are zero other adapters. The Apple one is the only one that works. If you can't find anyone selling the adapters new, then look for a used one on eBay.
Hurry, Amazon has the FireWire adapter back in stock: amzn.to/47fYX4J
@@ScottSchramm Thanks! Although what I ended up doing instead was to buy an old 24" 2008 iMac for $20 off Facebook marketplace, less than the cost of the adapters :) Had a Firewire 400 port right on it, no need for any adapter
@@ScottSchramm Welp, I missed it :-/
@@Curtis-q4s That's a good way to go. In fact, I'm about to make a new video dealing the options for using an old computer instead of a newer one.
Ok so is there a way to do it without using USB C on a laptop?
I wanna use my USB on my PC instead, but everyone only ever does it on a laptop. So is there a different adapter I could try?
If by PC you mean a desktop, then you can get a PCIe card. Check the links in my video description.
Thank you so much! This is very helpful. Quick question - I assume this will work with thunderbolt 4?
Cheers!
Yes, the same process will work with Thunderbolt 4
I tried 3 software versions (above) and only HDV did not work. Is there a driver I should download? I have a Canon ZR 45MC. Also my tapes are stopping after a minute or two. The mini dv tapes are old so I should assume its the age of the tape? Thanks.
Tape might be bad if they consistently have that problem. Only way to troubleshoot is try a different camcorder for playback or a different computer. Also your camcorder is not HD so the HDV split app won’t work for you. Try WinDV. Link in the description.
Hi Scott, will this work with Thunderbolt 4?
Yes
@@ScottSchramm Thank you Scott. I am purchasing the cables and adapters (Apple) from Amazon today.
Items from Amazon bought with your references due today, Scott. I am hoping that I don't have too many issues with Windows 10/11 trying to get video onto the new desktop that I built (ASUS MB z690-A). Prior windows version worked OK with Adobe and other Video download software, but windows 10 was a PITA accepting firewire download.
I’d an old pcmia card adapter fed from a 2-port FireWire dongle, but that was at least a 20-year-old solution, the bespoke edge connectors mean that unless you’re retaining a particularly old, slow, laptop or PC then they’re scrap. So when I needed to archive some DV tapes with the minimum of editorial fuss your demo seemed like a good, albeit more expensive, route to success. The USB dongle I’ve also tried for VHS tape (or video and stereo cable inputs) was effective in capturing the images but doesn’t have the auto-segmentation aspect in the software like the Mac FireWire protocols.
You can certainly use the analog output from the camcorder and a USB capture device like you used but you will be loosing quality compared to doing it digitally with the FireWire and adapters.
New cables out there have FireWire 1394 to USBc, just wondering if this would work or is there something special going on inside those Apple adapters?
Can you please provide a link to the cable you are referring to? I doubt it would work but I will take a look at it.
Any chance you can connect the adapters to your PC without the camera attached as well? Does "IEEE 1394 host controller" show up under device manager?
Just tested and yes, that does appear. Under ""IEEE 1394 host controller" it lists "LSI 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller" with a driver by Microsoft dated 6/21/2006.
Awesome video so far, I have been wondering the exact topic.
And well I now have the Apple adapters I don't have a Windows computer with a thunderbolt port yet so have been unable to test.
My theory was always yes as long as it's not a USB-C port witches the same port used with thunderbolt.
And Sony used to call it "iLink" as well.
They're also used to exist a DV video to USB capture adapter cable, it had a lump in the middle with essentially a Scan converter and USB Capture chip.
I have a lot of Firewire peripherals that aren't DV video as in hard drives (USB 1.1 and 2.0 was so slow in real world use) and I came into contact with a lot of audio interfaces. So they were mandatory adapters to add to my collection of Apple dongle's, I originally got them for compatibility with my former work computer and now I'm saving up for another apple 12 your laptop.
I have a JVC GR-D850U miniDv camcorder. I am trying to transfer video to computer. It does have a DV port on camcorder. My camcorder seems to work other than the LCD screen lighting up so I can press play etc.. I am wondering if it's possible to still transfer data from the miniDVs to computer without using the LCD screen?
Yes it will still be possible as the video will be displayed on the computer and you shouldn’t need the built in screen. Alternatively if you do need to access the menus of your camcorder you can use the analog output connected to a TV. Just don’t use that for video capture as it will be reduced quality.
Hi Scott, I have been struggling for days, trying to make the connection work between my old Panasonic Digital Video Camcorder (PV-GS59) and my computer (Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Series). This video of yours, I feel is the closest to solving my problem. But my concern is the ports, which seem different from the ones on your computer. With what I have, will I be able to accomplish what I need to do ( I have at least a dozen MiniDV tapes to transfer)?
If you have Thunderbolt on your laptop then you should be fine.
I have this exact camera and a new laptop pc that has no firewire. How did it go?
Hello! I have only a usb-c .... is it possible to find a solution? I have buy all the cable in this video. Is it possible to buy an adaptor Thunderbolt to HDMI? Thanks a lot!
I clearly explained in the video that there is no solution for USB-C. It needs to be Thunderbolt.
Do you know of any cheap Mini DV camcorders that have the 4-pin Mini FireWire port that I could buy second-hand?
Thank you so much for this video - I've been asked by a family member to digitise some old Mini DV tapes and didn't know what equipment/cables/software I'd need to do it...until now! 😄
Check eBay. Pretty much every camcorder that takes miniDV will have a FireWire connection.
Hi, do you think this method works with THUNERBOLT 4 version too ? I need to taKe a GAMING LAPTOP ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 17 ( with THUNDERBOLT 4 PORT) , but i have a canopus ADVc 300 firewire card ( this card capture from composite to avi DV via Firewire 400 - and a panasonic diga EX99 v hdd / vhs / dvd recorder) , and i know it works fine ONLY with a Firewire port ( native or on pci/ pciesxpress port on PC) with Texas instrument drivers... ..thanks a lot
Same process will work with Thunderbolt 4
Question: My laptop only has regular USB. No Thunderbolt USB-C inputs. How do I attach a vintage 1393 Firewire 400 device [e.g. Mini Dv camcorder-DVD player-recorder] to my Windows laptop? Which cables, drivers, video app, card etc would I need to capture video ? I used to have everything Mac 10 years ago, so no issues. But now it's back to Windows.
It's not compatible with USB-A. Go back to Mac as they all have Thunderbolt these days and would work.
Hi, do you know if this couple of cables could work for Focusrite Liquid Mix 32 too ? It is an external audio Dsp processor usable with a vst plugin in Daw as Cubase and other ones, Thanks
Give this a watch: ruclips.net/video/0EhzlqH9fMo/видео.html
He Scott, I followed all you instructions in you great video. I got all the cables, drivers and software .. When I connect the cables my laptop says : The functionality of you Thunderbolt-device could be limited ? .. I checked the drivers ( all seems ok .. no errors ). The laptop does not see my Sony digital 8 handycam in play mode .. I tried different software .. nothing helps .. Ik think I got stuck on the first part cable .. Working with a HP ENVY Windows 10 laptop .. any ideas ? It is taking weeks now .. and no more options ..
Check your bios for any thunderbolt settings. Also the Intel thunderbolt app to make sure the security is off and the data connection is allowed
Yo please please if you could answer cause I just bought a cam. This may be stupid but can you use all the adapters you did just at the end add a usb c to usb to an actual pc. Or there’s just no way around me needing to install a FireWire port to my motherboard
You can't convert it to the older style USB-A port but if you have a desktop, you can add a PCI or PCIe card: amzn.to/3DGUBq9
@@ScottSchramm thank you for the quick response too but idk if my graphic card is big enough where it blocks that slot but I don’t have the slots for them so Im gonna have to change my motherboard
So again, if it’s just a usb c Port (not usb C AND thunderbolt 3) this method won’t work?
Correct
Would it be possible to use this cam as a ''web cam'' with obs for exemple? I have an old HVX200 with Firewire 400 4 pin port. Could I use it as my streaming camera? I dont have HDMI output
I don't think this is possible unless the manufacture has some software or driver to make that possible. Worth a try though.
it Used be possible for a firewire device to act as a WebCam but That was dependent on both the device and computer software.
Hi, great tip !! I use on Windows 10 on my PCs a Focusrite Liquid Mix 32 on Firewire 400 port (worked with Windows 11 too..). About its power supply no problem (it can use the voltage by the cable or by its external power supply). Do you know it this device can work with windows 11 with your tips and without latency/stability/sync issues ? Have a nice day
You said it worked with Windows 11, so I'm not sure why you are asking me if it works with Windows 11. I do have an updated video here: ruclips.net/video/yT0oDYbqwwk/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/u3OIcw4QH1w/видео.html
Thanks for this video, I understand the principle but still some ambiguities. I have purchased an older Hasselbvlad camera H4D31 and it has a FireWire 800 connection how do I get it connected to my Windows PC with a USB C port.... I have a FireWire 800/800 connection with an adapter to Apple Tunderbolt but I don't have that connection. So what/what steps should/can I take to connect my device to my PC.
Great video. I read in some of the postings that a requirement is to have a USB-C style Thunderbolt 3 port on the laptop. Just double checking ...
I recently purchased a Lenovo 81X1 and it has a USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port. I know the data transfer speeds are different (40 GBPS for Thunderbolt 3 vs 5 GBPS for USB-C 3.1 Gen 1). Before I purchase any of the adapters and cables to try to make this work on my new machine, It seems all the connections would be the same. It ultimately comes down to Thunderbolt vs USB-C 3.1 Gen 1. If you could add any insight as to why the USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 would not work, I would appreciate any and all feedback. Thanks.
Correct, its not about the amount of speed. FireWire only uses 400mbit/s or 800mbit/s which is far below 5gbit/s or 40gbit/s. The difference is the way USB connects to the chipset of the computer. Thunderbolt connects via PCI lanes directly to the motherboard which is what FireWire needs to operate. Wikipedia goes into more details on the specifics but at a high level, the thing to know is that even though the ports will physically connect together (with USB-C), the protocols they use to communicate are not compatible unless it is a Thunderbolt port.
@@ScottSchramm Thank you for the quick response.
So how did you do please? I need to plug the thunderbolt 2 or fireware cable on my pc but i have just the usb-c gen 2, it's up to 10gb/s i think, I'm looking for something but didn't find nothing, please help me!
Hi Scott .. Thanks for the video. I have biought all the adapaters you mention but I am still |NOT seeing the video on my Intel Nuck 13 PC. I've tried all he capture programmes you mention but I've had no luck. Is there anything else I could try? The camcorder is a JVC GRDX ans is about 16 years old
Looks like your PC uses an Intel 13th gen processor that doesn't seem to be backwards compatible. I made a video about this situation here: ruclips.net/video/u3OIcw4QH1w/видео.html
thanks for your help, I bought the 2 Apple cables and the firewire
Thanks for the informative video. My handyman has a micro HDMI output. Some laptops have this same input. Would this work for transferring video to the laptop and then the cloud?
No, those two things are not compatible.
Hey, will this method and equipment work with a Canon XL1 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder? That's the only older camera I got right now, and it has a firewire port.
Yes, it will work with that camcorder.
@@ScottSchramm awesome. Thanks.
Hey, so I got the Thunderbolts, the Firewire cables, and the 400 mini to full adapter. They all work... sort of. The adapter is a bit too loose though, where I constantly have to keep my hand on it and pressed in so it doesn't wobble. Any tips?
Also, I ended up getting an 800 to 400 mini cable because I thought that would solve the issue. Turns out, it didn't, because I didn't now the "800 TO 400" actually meant something. Is there a way this can still work?
@@JoelKellenProductions Sounds like the port or cable is bad if its too loose. And FireWire is bidirectional.....the data can go both ways.
I got the two Apple adapters but then somehow ordered a FireWire 800 direct to mini DV (ieee) cable. Should it work with just the two adapters and one FW to miniDV cable?
Yes that will work
Hi Scott! My new Alienware X17 has what is described as a thunder bolt 4 port. I want to connect a DV camcorder to capture video. Will this solution also work for Thunderbolt 4, or only Thunderbolt 3? Thanks!!
Yes! This same solution will work for Thunderbolt 4 as well!
@@ScottSchramm Thanks!!
A quick question. Is it possible to use such a camera with this cable connection to streem from OBS?
It doesn't look like OBS supports FireWire camcorders: obsproject.com/forum/threads/dv-cameras-are-not-supported.53012/
Great video Scott! May I ask if the USB type-C port (which I have) does the works like the thunderbolt? Also, my sony handycam has already a DV OUT firewire port then I guess I wouldn't need the first mini adaptor which you used, correct? Many Thanks
You either need a newer laptop with Thunderbolt or an older laptop with FireWire.
@@ScottSchramm Thanks!!!
Can I use all this with obs to live stream? My camera is Canon XH A1. Thanks
obsproject.com/forum/threads/dv-cameras-are-not-supported.53012/
@@ScottSchramm Thanks for your answer. I guess I wasn't understood. I want to use everything you describe in your video to do live and not to copy an image to the laptop.
@@studiomagictv Sorry, I'm not sure if that is possible.
My aunt just gave me an old Ultra mini portable disk that has an USB-B port and (2) 1394 slots. It's working fine with just the USB-B port cable to USB-A. I would like to know would the 1394 port be a faster connection than the USB-B port or is there no difference in connection speed among the ports?
Yes, it will be a little faster. Play this video at 1:40 for an explanation why: ruclips.net/video/0EhzlqH9fMo/видео.html