Subject says it. I want to convert some old VHS and BETA tapes to DVD for a family member. I have an old JVC consumer camera that I'm missing the power adapter that I know has the function. I also have 3 HV40 cams so if I can use one of those it would be ideal.

It might be simpler to just buy one of the many converters that are on the market (plug one end into the player with analog connections and then plug the other into your computer usb port). The device will convert the tapes to a modern codec.

Like this (but there are many that will do the job):

Amazon.com: Diamond VC500 One Touch Video Capture Device: Electronics

Yes - see page 71 of the User manual.

Is the USB OK for transferring video? I always thought that you need a firewire for this.

stelios

If you do it the way shown in the manual you are first recording the external analog source to MiniDV in the camera in DV mode. You then would have to capture that tape using firewire in the same manner as if you had "filmed" in DV.

The reference to USB above pertains to an external device that takes your analog video from the external source, converts it, and then sends it over to the computer using a USB connection between the device (not the HV40) and computer.

The USB connection on the HV40 is only for still images recorded on the media card.

I'm not buying anything extra to do this. I'm converting a bunch of tapes for a family member and we haven't discussed payment. I'm doing it as a favor in my spare time assuming that I'll most likely be offered some compensation when I'm finished.

I don't want to capture to tape and then to PC. I have an old JVC single chip cam that does pass through and just needed to get the power supply which was at a different location. I've been using that method and have transferred about half of the tapes so far with no problems. I was just going to use the Canon if it was possible because I didn't know when I was going to get the power supply for the other camera back.

The pass through takes the analog in from the VCR and passes it to the computer via firewire in one step. There is no need to record and then capture.

That won't actually work on the HV-40 (just tried it). As soon as you connect a FireWire cable, the camera expects a digital input to record and the analogue input is disconnected. (Yes, I hot plugged the FireWire and the world has not ended - the FireWire input still works).

So, strictly speaking, it is not a pass through like the earlier DV cameras had. Sorry if I mislead you, but I always want a tape backup when I digitise my old analogue footage, so I hadn't noticed that until Bruce's post.

I just tried the pass through with the HV40 and it does work, but is a little tricky. I have to go to the menu and select AV>DV to ON each time I start the camera because it resets to the default OFF position.

I also found that with the software I am using (Premiere Pro CS 5.0) I had to set the device control to OFF otherwise when I hit the record button to capture it would activate the record button on the camcorder, which would reset the AV>DV to OFF again.

So, its a little tricky, but it does work with the HV40 for me.

Good luck, Lloyd