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Will a JVC GR-DA30 MiniDV Camcorder work without a deck (video deck)? - I've been meaning to buy a camcorder for the longest time and I am very familiar with because I am in a class that is solely on film making... etc. I do not have much money at hand and I know MiniDVs are good camcorders. The thing is I don't have enough to buy a deck, so would I be able to get the video out of the camera without it? Through USB?

Best Answer: Answering your questions in order... Yes. Yes. No. Importing DV-format video from a miniDV tape based camcorder means connecting the camcorder's DV port (not USB) to your computer's firewire port (not USB) with a firewire cable. Firewire, IEEE1394, DV and i.LINK are all the same thing. Not USB. USB won't work. USB-to-firewire cable/adapter/hub/converter things won't work. Since you did not tell us which computer, we have no way to know if it has a firewire port or an available expansion slot so you can add one. If you somehow magically and accidentally get USB streaming to actually work (most don't), that video will not be DV-quality, but a highly compressed low quality version of the video. MiniDV tape decks are expensive - they connect to a computer the same way - using firewire. - Little Dog

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