Firewire to mini usb?

[extanker59]

Trying to transfer home VHS movies to the computer before they are too old. iMovie needs the input to be via firewire on my iMac. I have an old Honestech VHS to DVD (for windows). I thought, perhaps, I could use the box to input the signal from my VHS recorder to the iMac. But the output from the box is mini usb. I have a mini usb to larger usb cable but iMovie doesn't see it.
Can this be done like this or do I need to buy new? BTW my operating system is 10.4.11 with iMovie HD 6.0.3

 

[simsaladimbamba]

There is no way to convert the USB signal to Firewire. You either get drivers for this device to make it work in Mac OS X, if possible, or if you have an Intel Mac or another PC, use Windows to capture the video and get that into iMovie or you may have to get a Mac OS X compatible capture device like the Elgato video capture product.
You may have to import the captured video into iMovie though, regardless of what method you will find working, as those capture devices might not be detected by iMovie 6.

Use the QuickTime format (.mov) with the Apple Intermediate Codec if possible, otherwise iMovie might not recognise the files.

 

[extanker59]

Thanks. I was afraid of that. Good to know for sure though.

 

[martinX]

Four ways of getting VHS into your Mac:
using a DV camera with analog in to either capture to DV tape or use as a bridge

• Canopus ADVC110
• VHS/DVD recorder, then do something with the VOBs on the DVD (either buy the MPEG2 component and use MPEG streamclip to convert to, say, MOVs using the DV codec or use Handbrake {free} to convert to MP4)
• El Gato video capture device