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How to convert a digital movie file to a Mini-DV?

I'm taking a cinema class at a local community college, and they have very limited resources. The teacher insists that we bring our films that we shoot into the class to screen on mini DV. No dvds, no digital copies, nothing, not even if we provide the dvd player. We HAVE to bring everything in on Mini-DV. The camcorder I am using to shoot (we have to use our own equipment) is plain digital and I will just upload the files to my computer, mpeg or avi. How do I convert these to mini dv? Is there any services that will do this for me? I live in Los Angeles area. I can only seem to find the reverse (mini dv to digital) and I need digital to Mini-DV. Yes it's stone age. I just need to do this so I can get an A in my class. 10 Points for best answer! Thanks.

Hi Lexa:

Some of fellow Contributor RugRatz's suggestions are good, but why don't you explore the semi-obvious solution and ask a fellow-student to "dub" (using a FireWire cable) your camcorder footage or your computer-file copy over to their miniDV camcorder?

Since all tape-format dubs require "real time" to copy (unlike pure digital camcorder files which just "copy" or drag & drop almost-instantly), you'll need to budget the time before class or other convenient times for your new "study buddy" to copy your video project(s).

Just be sure to supply your own blank miniDV tapes, and be polite & offer to pay them a "nuisance fee" or treat them to lunch for the trouble.

The other thing to do is to double-check with the campus library's Media Services department (or whatever the college calls its Audio Visual resource department) and ask if there's any miniDV VCR decks or camcorders that you can use or have their staff perform the transfer with. (You say that there are "very limited resources", but obviously your teacher has access to a miniDV deck or camcorder for your class screenings! Worst case, ASK your teacher about scheduling dub-time.)

As far as FireWire cabling & info (budget $10-$20 for the correct cable), see Wikipedia's excellent article with photos and details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394

hope this helps,
--Dennis C.

VidCon 2011 - Why Im Not There.

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