Transfer video from camera to computer

[Pghpooh]

HI
Last night I was at a family get together and was talking to my nephew. We talked about video cameras (his) and he was saying he wished there was a way to get the video from the camera to his computer.
I know there are add on video cards that you install in the computer that when you plug in the svhs or composite video you can copy that video to your pc.
It has been several years since I last built a pc and I have fallen behind technology.
Is there a add on unit that plugs into a usb channel that can be used as a interface to get the video from the camera to the pc??
I did a quick search at the Newegg web site and found a lot of different devices and got confused.
My nephew would need something with a interface and the software to do some basic editing. He never mentioned the manufacturer of the camera,, a he said is that it uses the mini dvd disk. He uses the camera to record family events and a few sporting events such as wrestling and football lthat his kids are involved in.
I guess to sum it up he needs a interface and some editing software. I know he has 3 Dell laptops and a Dell desktop.
Any and all suggestions are needed!! LOL
Thanks
Pghpooh

 

[Fardringle]

Most video cameras made in the last 10 years have an PC interface built in. It might be USB or Firewire (or possibly something else), but you simply plug the cable that came with the camera into the camera and then inot the appropriate connection on te PC (USB or Firewire). Use the software that came with the camera (or something else like Windows Movie Maker) to copy the video to the computer. If the camera uses a mini DVD, I can almost guarantee that it has a PC connection as well. If you can post the brand name and model number of the camera, I can be more specific about the connection type and software that you will want to use to transfer the video to the computer.

 

[Pghpooh]

Fardringle:
Nephew just sent this.
Sony Handycam - DCR-DVD92
I did a quick chech by googlling the model number and found a review that said the camera did not have a usb port.
Looks like I need a lot of help!
Thanks
Pghpooh

 

[Fardringle]

You are correct. That model does not have any way to connect the camera directly to a PC. Your brother is going to have to put the Mini DVD discs directly into his PC's DVD drive and then use a DVD ripping program to convert the video to AVI or WMV (or whatever your preferred format is) for editing.

 

[Pghpooh]

HI
I did a quick look at the instructions for the camera and found that the disk has to be finalized so it can be read on a pc. Gonna ask my nephew if he is doing this. Just looking real fast I think different disks need to be finalized different ways.
dvd-r is one way while dvd-rw is done a different way.
Will go back and do more reading.

Out of curiosity,, can you suggest any third party software and or if my nephew would want a interface because he has 3 laptops and a desktop and the interface would give some versitility or freedom to use different pc's.
Thanks
Pghpooh