I need to convert some mini dv tapes onto my computer, and I don't know what button to push or cable to use. This is for a movie project due Wednesday, and I really need help!

To transfer the recordings from your Samsung SC D353 Mini DV tape to your computer, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. Connect the camcorder to your computer: Use a FireWire (also called IEEE 1394) cable to connect your Samsung SC D353 Mini DV camcorder to your computer. Most computers have a FireWire port, but if yours doesn't, you can purchase a FireWire adapter card.
2. Turn on the camcorder: Turn on your Samsung camcorder and set it to VCR mode.
3. Open the video capture software: On your computer, open the video capture software that came with your operating system (e.g. Windows Movie Maker, iMovie on Mac) or a third-party video capture software (e.g. Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro) that supports Mini DV tape.
4. Start recording: In the video capture software, select the option to capture video from a DV device. Click the Record button in the software and then press Play on the camcorder to begin playing the Mini DV tape. The video should be captured and recorded onto your computer.
5. Save the video: Once the video has been captured, you can edit it if necessary and then save it to your computer in the desired format.

Note: If you do not have the original video capture software, it is recommended that you search and download compatible software before beginning the transfer process. Additionally, make sure your computer has enough storage to store the transferred files.

You must connect using a firewire cable to the camera firewire port and computer. Firewire may also be called iLink or IEEE1394a.
Open Windows Movie Maker for PCs or iMovie using a Mac.
Any other video editing application will also work.

You need a firewire cable and a firewire card on your computer if it doesn't already have a firewire connector.

Then you'll need a capture software if you don't have windows movie maker.

Hope you can start making movies soon! :)

Connect the camera to the Mac with the firewire cable.
Open iMovie and capture the required footage.
Send the iMovie project to iDVD and burn a disc.

This type of camera usually downloads better with a Firewire (DV) connection. Some mini-DV cameras only use the USB connection (if they have one) for stills and can only download video by Firewire. This is because you have to play the tape into the computer, not just copy a file. The way it works on my computer, the camera is controlled by the computer software.

Most PCs have a USB port, but no Firewire port. Macs often have a Firewire port but may not have USB. As most Windows PCs do not come with this interface, you might need to fit an add-on Firewire interface card. This will come with a driver for the card.

Whether this will work with Windows 7, I am not sure. My Mini-DV camera, using a Firewire cable, didn't need any camera driver loaded to the computer, just the movie editor that came with Windows XP.

for to import from the Sony handy-cam you need a firewire cable ..not a rca..this one will only help you see the video on a tv ...but you will not be able to import them into computer ...
just ask at the store..and take the camera with you ..
another thing the camera may support even a usb cable that may be available in the box that it came with (infact the iLink cable should be there too )
so ..this is a link to a video I use to explain in detail the procedure to import fom minitape of sony handycam.
.http://www.5min.com/Video/Windows-Movie-Maker---import-from-a-DV-tape-6876
after have them into the windows movie maker..just drag them to the story board..(join them if you need) ..and save them by finishing movie...and save to computer ..in best for computer mode...after that just burn them to **** ..using Nero ..or if they are small enough to get into a cd ...use window feature for burning ..

Product called EasyCap, for about 15 bucks, "can be found online" Has USB plug. Use your cable that has the 3.5 pin that goes out to rca cable, yellow, white and red. EasyCap has the RCA to USB then to computer. Use Windows Movie Maker, comes with XP & Vista, capture while playing from there. I just converted about 20 full tapes from one cannon mini 8 and 15 from a jvc dv onto a TB drive.

DV-PC Recorder is a Windows XP only application that enables you to record images and sound on the tape in the camcorder and on the computer's hard disk by connecting a camcorder equipped with the DV CONTROL function to a computer using an IEEE1394 (DV) cable. DV-PC Recorder has the following features. 1. You can record movies simultaneously on your computer's hard disk and on the tape by pressing the start/stop button on the camcorder. 2. It enables long, continuous recordings, which you cannot achieve with the tape alone. (Approximately four and a half hour's worth of recording will fit on a 60GB hard disk.) 3. You can start editing the movies on the computer right after recording, as the images and sound are saved on the computer's hard disk. (Optional editing software is required to edit movies) 4. You can record movies on the tape in the camcorder and on the computer's hard disk by controlling the DV-PC Recorder from your computer.