We were duped! When we all bought our fancy new MiniDV cameras and recorded 100's of hours of family memories, they didn't tell us how hard it would be to watch them! BUT here we are, stuck with dozens of lonely tapes stuck in shoe boxes.
If you haven't read "The Top 4 Ways to Capture Tapes to a Mac", read the article here.
What are your options to get a camera?
Your have two options, both not ideal but they work. (ask about cables and power cords)
- Buy a used camera on eBay or Craigslist. I've bought four of them from each option. They range from $50-120. Just search for "MiniDV camera". (you can even sell the camera back when you're done)
- Borrow a camera from a friend or neighbor, you'll only need the camera for 2-3 days.
Here is a graphic that shows the cables to connect to a modern Mac.
Links to buy cables:
- Firewire (IEEE 1394 9 Pin to 4 Pin) Buy on Amazon.
- Apple Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter. Buy on Amazon