Cheapest way to Firewire/IEEE1394 on Windows 7?

[CudaMan]

The goal is to capture old video from my dinosaur Digital8 camcorder.

From my research the ~$3 Firewire-to-USB adapters are fundamentally flawed because of the different ways data is delivered between those two standards. Don't know why anyone sells them.

Are the $10-15 PCI-e cards like this one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y4DNXNA) any good? Can I assume cables are interchangeable? For example my Digital8 camcorder has the small (4-pin) connectors, but most Firewire cards seem to have only the larger ports. I'd assume it's as easy as buying a different cable. Couple extra bucks at Monoprice.

[FaultyMario]

I've used this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815166018&cm_re=rosewill_firewire_card-_-15-166-018-_-Product) for a couple of years.

For an external audio interface. No problems so far.

Cables can be expensive-ish and/if proprietary.

[thesameguy]

Firewire PCI cards are pretty well established at this point. I doubt any of them would give much trouble.

[CudaMan]

Done. Found one for <$8 shipped, arriving Monday, with a cable. If it doesn't work, no big deal.

[Yw-slayer]

Yeah, some people spend more than that amount on Starbucks everyday.