Help getting Video off a Camera onto my linux desktop...

[soloingbastard]

O.k. I am currently in possession of some old school Sony Handycam DCR-HC42E Pal, i believe it was bought somewhere back in 2001 or something in Hong Kong, so i doubt there will be problems with it being too new or w/e.

I am fairly tech savvy, compared to the vast majority anyway, i was able to install and configure wireless drivers for some realy rubbish Belkin F5D7050, however on a linux level still fairly noob, so do your best to keep it simple.

I've tried to get the Camera DV off from the Tape onto the computer, ofcourse to no avail. What do i need? I've got a cable with the USB sign, whether its USB or firewire i don't know, what is the diffrence even? Could one of you somehow get me started on how to get the video down? that would be very usefull. I've tried installing KIno etc.. I get a problem which means it doesnt work or something, If i could have a step for step get started help on what to do, i should get most of it done. Thanks a lot.

[WarraWarra]

WIll fire up my dv cam a bit later and get / make some sort of a guide for you.

Mine has to be in DV mode with a option = tv=on for a extenal out or something to have the out port to tv active otherwise it does not send signal via this or in the right mode.
Firewire "1394" is the way to go for video but depending on the camera the usb is only for still / memory card part of it , differs from device to device.
Firewire looks like a rechtangle with one side rounded = 6 pin or the 4 pin = small square or a funky figure 8 with 1 side straight.
Usb = rechtangle and flat almost or small = rechtangle with slanted sides so top part is wider than bottom if I remember correctly.

kino / Cinelerra both work if camera is in playback mode and not recording mode depending if yours have this but might work either way.
Some of them act as a vhs type device in playback mode ie: still camera / sd card reader device / camera / video camera / vhs / tape drive device and all glued together + interacting during recording mode or something like this and spilt appart during playback and acting as seperate but glued together parts for say video transfer.

Maybe you can get a online manual for it if possible as this would help to get the correct settings for video transfer.

Might first want to get it working in windows if you have a copy and then use it in Linux just to make sure everything works as this should limit bug's / things that can go wrong.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t136884.html

Will post how I get mine to work in a bit / next 48 hours about.

Firewire:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop_imag ... 0987a8.jpg

USB:
http://www.pictureline.com/images/mediu ... able-1.jpg