Importing video from your home video camera is very easy with Windows Live Photo Gallery.  Most current home video cameras have a firewire connection  that you can use to connect your camera directly to your computer.  Even better, this connection provides a very fast transfer.  You can transfer the entire video or just a part of it, if you wish.

By default, Windows Live Photo Gallery stores the videos you import in the Videos (or My Videos in XP) folder.

Here's how you do it:

Connect your video camera to your computer using the Firewire port and a firewire cable.  This port is sometimes called a 1384 or i.Link port. 

Next, turn your camera on and switch it to Playback mode.  Windows should automatically detect your camera.  If this is the first time that you've connected it to your computer, you might have to wait while it installs the appropriate drivers.

In Windows Live Photo Gallery, select the File menu, and click Import from a camera or scanner.

Next, you can choose to Import the entire video, or just parts of it. 

If you choose to import the entire video, you can click More Options to change import settings.  Windows Live Photo Gallery can detect multiple clips in videos (option not available for HD video) and import each clip as a separate file.

To choose which parts of the video you'd like to import, select that option, and change any settings such as import location, file types, etc.  Click ok and then click Next.  In the import window, you will be presented with VCR-style controls to find the clips you'd like to use.  Go to the beginning of the clip you wish to import and click Import.  Once you've reached the end of the desired clip, click Stop.  You also have the option of stopping after a specific amount of time.  Repeat this process for each clip.  When you are done, click Finish.

 Next: Import Files From a Scanner