Knowing how to capture video with Movie Maker or iMovie has many useful benefits. The term "video capture" refers to the transfer of analog video from a camera such as a Digital Video Camera (DV) or a Video Home System (VHS). During the process, the analog video is "captured" and converted into a digital file. This new digital copy of the analog videotape can be edited, transferred to a CD or DVD, published on the Internet, or viewed from your computer. Many of the analog recording devices manufactured in recent years support DV pass-through technology, which allows users to capture video files without installing specialized video capture hardware components. In this article, you will learn how to capture video from a DV camera, using a FireWire (IEEE 1394) cable, Windows Movie Maker and Apple iMovie, and. You will also learn how to use DV pass-through technology on a DV camera to capture video from other analog devices, such as a VCR.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Capture a Video with Movie Maker
Step 1. Connect the DV camera to your PC
Find the FireWire, or an IEEE 1394 port, on your device and insert the FireWire cable. Plug the other end of the FireWire cable into a free USB port on your computer.
Step 2. Set your camera to VCR mode
Set your DV camera to VCR / VST mode. Click Import Video in the AutoPlay dialog that opens automatically when the DV camera is connected.
Step 3. Name your video file and select a file location
Enter a name for the video file in the Name field and select a location on your hard drive to save your video.
Step 4. Choose a format for your video
Choose a format for your video from the list of options and click next.
Step 5. Capture the video file
Click "Import all videotape to my computer" and click next. The menu will show you a progress bar and notify you once the conversion is complete. A digital copy of your analog video will be saved in the specified location.
Method 2 of 3: Convert an Analog Video to Digital Video with Movie Maker
Step 1. Change the DV camera setting to DV pass-through option
Select the DV pass-through setup option on your camera to enable the analog video to digital video conversion function.
Step 2. Connect your analog video camera to your DV camera, using a composite video connection or an S-Video connection
Step 3. Import the analog video on your computer
The DV camera will now convert the analog video tape to digital video from the same connected camera and you can import it to your computer using the recording function of Windows Movie Maker.
- Set the DV camera to VCR / VST mode.
- Click Import video in the autoplay dialog.
- Enter a name in the Name field.
- Choose a format for the video.
- Choose a location on your hard drive to save the video.
- Click "Import the entire videotape to my computer" and click next. After the conversion is complete, a digital copy of the converted analog video will be saved to the previously selected location.
Method 3 of 3: Convert Analog Video to Digital Video Using a DV Camera and iMovie
Step 1. Import an analog video into iMovie
Set the DV camera to VST / VCR mode and connect it to your computer using a FireWire cable. The import window will open automatically.
Step 2. Convert the file
Click Import, making sure the switch on the left side of the import window is set to Automatic. Select a location to save the project using the Save option from the pop-up menu. Enter a name for the project in the Create new event field and click OK. The conversion from analog to digital format is now complete.