Import Video in Windows Vista

How to import video from a Digital Video (DV) camcorder to a computer using the video import wizard included with Windows Vista.

Introduction

Most video cameras come with a Digital Video (DV) output that connects your video camera to your computer via a Firewire connection. Windows Vista comes with everything you need to import (or capture) video on your computer, edit the video, and burn it on DVD.

This guide covers importing video to your computer from your DV output on your video camera.

Connect Your Video Camera

What you need: In order for you to connect your video camera to the computer you need a video camera with a DV output (usually a Firewire connection), a firewire cable to connect the video camera to your computer, and a Firewire port or card on your computer.

Make sure your video camera is turned off first.

Connect the camera via a Firewire cable to your computer.

Once the video camera is connected to your computer, turn the video camera on.

Note: Make sure the video camera is turned on with the player selected instead of the recorder. The DV output will only activate if the player is selected on most video camcorders. See the video cameras manual if you need help with this.

Import Video Wizard

Name, Location, and File Type

When you turn your video camera on Windows Vista will automatically recognize it and open the Import Video wizard.

The first thing you need to do is give the video you are about to import a name.

The second thing is choosing a location to save the imported video in. By default the wizard will save the file in the Videos folder inside your My Documents folder. If you want to change the location of the file, click Browse and pick the new location of the video file.

The third thing you need to do is tell the video import wizard which format you want to import the video in. By default it imports the video in uncompressed (.avi) video. This is the highest quality video and I highly recommend using this format. One hour of uncompressed video will take up around 13 Gigabytes of hard drive space, so make sure your computer has enough space for the video.

If your computer doesn’t have lots of hard drive space or you just want to import the video to keep on your computer there are other smaller video formats to choose from.

You can change the format of the video import by dropping down the menu next to Format. You have three video formats to choose from.

Audio Video Interleaved (single file): This is the original uncompressed video straight off the camera. This format takes about 13 Gigabytes per hour of hard drive space. When this type of video is opened in Windows Movie Maker it’s automatically split into scenes for easy editing.

I would use this format to create DVDs and keep an archive of important home videos and things like that.

Windows Media Video (single file): Microsoft’s video format. It’s slightly compressed and takes around 2 Gigabytes per hour of video on your hard drive.

I would only use this for keeping video on your computer that isn’t important because the quality is slightly degraded from compression.

Windows Media Video (one file per scene): This is exactly the same as the Windows Media Video format above but it’s automatically split at the end of every scene and saved as separate files for you. Think of a scene as the video between when you pressed record and then stopped that recording on your video camera.

This is great for if you want to edit the video later. All the clips are separated for you.

Note: You can edit any of these video formats in Windows Movie Maker and save it in many different video formats and sizes. I recommend importing your video in the highest available format and editing the video in a lower format later.

Click Next when you’ve chosen the video format you want to import the video in.

What Type of Import

Now the import video wizard asks you how you want to import the video to your computer. You have three options.

Import the entire videotape to my computer: This option will rewind the videotape and capture the entire video automatically.

If you choose to import the entire videotape the window above will popup when you click Next. You can see a preview of the video while it’s being imported but you won’t hear the sound. Once the video has been imported it will be saved in the location you chose earlier.

Import the entire videotape and then burn it to DVD: This option will rewind the videotape, capture the entire video, and then burn it to a DVD.

If you choose to import the video then burn it to DVD without any editing give the DVD a name and press Next.

Note: Make sure a blank DVD is in your DVD burner. The computer will import the video and burn it on a DVD.

Only import parts of the videotape to my computer: This option lets you choose which parts of the videotape to import on your computer.

If you choose to import parts of the videotape on your computer you’ll see the window shown above.

To control the camera simply press the rewind, play, fast forward, pause, or stop buttons. The computer will control the camera.

When you’ve found the part of the tape you want to import video from, click the Start Video Import button. Click the Stop Video Import button to stop the import.

The video clips you’ve imported will be saved in the location you chose earlier.

Still need help? Ask Your Computer Question Now.

niels Says:
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Thanks for the guide. The major drawback with Vista is that it is not compatible with many, if not most, camcorders. My Sony worked fine with Windows XP but is suddenly not compatible with Windows Vista…
Brent Trahan Says:
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I bet if you checked with Sony they would have an updated driver for your camera that works with Vista.
Devon Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
None of the options outlined above are available with my Sony camcorder (Micor MV - DCR-IP55) during the import and I have only been able to access the wizard through MovieMaker. I am limited to importing the entire tape in high def format, and I get a lot of hung-up or frozen sections of the footage during the import. Is there a way to access the import wizard outside of MovieMaker?
Jessie Says:
June 6th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I have a Sony handycam DCR-TRV280. I have had a while and I have never been able to use it on my Dell computer with windows vista home premium. The computer does not recognize the camcorder. Unable to review, burn, transmit or anything. Please help! I don’t know if I’m doing or not doing something that is causeing this. Thank You! Jessie
Brent Trahan Says:
June 9th, 2008 at 6:43 am
@ Jessie

Do you turn your camcorder on and set it to the playback setting? Most cameras won’t transmit their video until you turn them on the video player mode.
Pancho.QV Says:
July 14th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I have exactly the same problem as Jessie! I also have a Sony handycam DCR-TRV280 and a Dell Inspiron 6400.

And yes, i did turn my camcorder and set it to the playback setting. I don’t know what to do. The only info i have is that the camera shows a message saying “DV IN” when the cable is connected both to the computer and to the camera..

thanks
Brent Trahan Says:
July 15th, 2008 at 6:18 am
I would check with Sony on this problem guys.