If you are taking your first steps into video editing on your computer, or simply want to be able to put a clip up on YouTube, you must digitize your footage by transferring it from your tape to your computer. There are several things you will need to successfully accomplish this task, including computer with a video card, a fire wire and a device to connect to your computer with the tape, such as a Mini-DV camera or a playback deck. Read on to learn more about download a mini DVD to a computer.
Instructions
1. Insert your tape into your camera or playback deck. Make sure your tape is rewound. You may also choose to cue the tape to the correct spot, or you can do that within your editing program.
2. Open your editing program, such as Adobe Premiere or iMovie. Locate your video capture commands. These commands are likely under your “File” menu, and then “Capture” or “Import.”
3. Connect your camera to your computer utilizing your fire wire. The fire wire port on your PC will look like a small vertical, rectangular shaped port. The location of the connector point on your camera will vary. Refer to your camera’s instruction manual if you need to. Once connected, turn the power on your camera to VCR mode. If correctly connected, your editing program will recognized your capture device is online.
4. Locate the controls within your capture window. They will resemble any basic playback controls, such as Record, Play, Stop, Forward and Rewind. You can use these controls to cue your tape to the exact location of the footage you want to capture. You will likely want to give your self several frames or even a full second of lead time both before and after your segment.
5. Press your “Record” button when you are ready. Your tape will begin playing and any footage on the tape while “Recording” is in progress will be digitized to your computer.
6. Press “Stop” when you have reached the end of your segment. You editing program should prompt you to name and save your footage at this time. More advanced programs have “logging” capabilities where you can type in notes or keywords on the clip you have captured.
Tags: your camera, your computer, editing program, your tape, fire wire
