Reddit reviews Cmple - 6FT FireWire IEEE 1394 Cable/iLink 6 Pin to 4 Pin Male to Male DV Cable 4-Pin to 6-Pin FireWire Cable Cord - 6 Feet Black
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Cmple 4-Pin/6-Pin 400 Mbps FireWire Cable attaches a device with a four-pin port, such as a digital camcorder, to your computer's six-pin port at a rate of up to 400 Mbps.Ideal for existing digital devices such as scanners, printers, memory card readers, cameras, DV camcorders and iPods Complies with the latest IEEE 1394 standards for reducing radio frequency and electromagnetic interference.Error-free data transmissions via molded-strain relief and PVC overmolding. Provides extreme-velocity data-transfer rates via twisted-pair construction and maximum speed with no data loss.Offers compatibility with PC, Apple FireWire and Sony i.LINK devices. Provides data transfer rates up to 400 MbpsPackage Include: Cmple FireWire IEEE 1394 Cable (6pin to 4pin) – 6 Feet, Black
If you can find a working "Canon MiniDV Camcorder ZR50MC," I can assure you the bottom two methods will work. It is super important that you get a miniDV camera that supports SP/LP and ESP/ELP (the one listed above does)- the two tapes on the right have the "SP/LP" symbol on them and getting a regular miniDV camcorder that can only record in "SP" won't be able to read the tapes if they're recorded in LP or any of the other formats. The one I listed is the same miniDV camera that I use from time to time to back up old family videos and have a vintage/home-style look for newer videos.
Best Method (for Best Quality)-
If you're lucky and they're all recorded in SP (which would be the most "convenient"), then you can connect the miniDV camcorder to an old MAC laptop that has a firewire port (now a discontinued port).
You would need this cable, should you use the same camcorder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00403XML2/ref=psdc_3236443011_t2_B000SMZDIY
SP stands for "standard play," which is the highest quality mode for these tapes and the one that can actually be read by the old Mac laptops. Old tech needs old tech. It be like that sometimes.
Then, you'll have to transfer them into iMovie, put them into the timeline, arrange them, and finally export the final clip/s.
Other Method (Lower Quality):
If they're all recorded in LP or "extended" SP/LP modes, then you're gonna have to use a capture device like an Elgato that connects to the standard RCA plugs from the miniDV (yellow, red, & white). This is because LP and extended SP/LP are different formats that can't be read through the Firewire port, or anything, really. They'll only be read by the camcorder, playing on the little screen or acting as a VCR to transmit it to your television. You can also use this method with the Elgato capturing device for the regular SP mode if you don't have an old MAC, but it will lower the quality. This is because you're basically recording a recording.
I hope this helped! I had a struggle learning all of this the hard way. Elgato really is one of the best ways to go if you can't do the first method.