Sony Camcorder to PC

[Charan]

Hello guys, I borrowed my friends Sony Camcorder Model DCR-HC42E, I need to transfer the video from it to the PC, have the camcorder dock with me to connect it to the PC , but I do not have the software , I am unaware about which software to use for the purpose.
Vista detects it as Sony Camcorder, but windows movie maker cannot detect the cam. I will be thankfull if you guys help me get the software quick.
Thanks

[shift]

Use Ulead Video Studio 11. Its shareware but can use for 30 days

does your camcorder comes with PCI capture card?

[jatt]

by which mean you want to capture dv on pc i mean are you using usb or firewire cable.
for editing and to capturing you can use pinnacle video studio is best.

[sam9s]

To capture through a camcorder the best means is via firewire, your PC should have an inbuild firewire port else you can buy a firewire card for less than 400 bucks. For a brief explanation on video capturing kindly refer my below 2 threads. I hope the threads would clear some of your doubts.

Camcorder USB to Firewire to Video Capture/Editing: Possible?


IEEE 1394 Which one to buy 4 SAMSUNG Handy

[Charan]

First off sorry for the late reply. thanks for sharing the info.
I found that the camcorder wont work with vista. I have to use XP instead. The camcorder doc has a usb interface so im stuck with it, I dont have any interest in buying a firewire PCI card cause I just want to transfer three tapes. doesnt sony have its own video capture/transfer software?

On a second thought.. does any one convert the DV tapes to VCD/DVD for a fee? that will be great cause I dont have to do it myself. I dont mind spending 100-200 bucks/tape for the conversion

[sam9s]

Originally Posted by Charan

First off sorry for the late reply. thanks for sharing the info.
I found that the camcorder wont work with vista. I have to use XP instead. The camcorder doc has a usb interface so im stuck with it, I dont have any interest in buying a firewire PCI card cause I just want to transfer three tapes. doesnt sony have its own video capture/transfer software?

On a second thought.. does any one convert the DV tapes to VCD/DVD for a fee? that will be great cause I dont have to do it myself. I dont mind spending 100-200 bucks/tape for the conversion

Ok you wana transfer via USB, you gotta make sue of two things.....your system has the USB 2.0 HIGH SPEED support coz except that you wont be able to transfer video. Second you have the handycamm drivers coz USB detection would require the drivers. Firewire on the other hand does not have any such problem, transfer speed is more than enough for a video and you dont need any drives for Firewire to work.

Sony does have their own capture applications but nobody uses it.......dunno why.....anyhow for capturing the best application if u did read my suggested post is WinDV, or if you dont want to WinDV for whatever reasons u can use the good old WMM embeded in XP itself. Finally I dont think anybody would convert DV Tapes for FREE unless you have a "jaan pehchaan". Most commercial photographes do this conversion business, charge anything between 200-500.....some charge even more. I on the other hand do it my self all the way from capturing, editing demuxing and creating the final DVD with my own choise of menus and background music.....

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by Charan

I found that the camcorder wont work with vista. I have to use XP instead. The camcorder doc has a usb interface so im stuck with it, I dont have any interest in buying a firewire PCI card cause I just want to transfer three tapes. doesnt sony have its own video capture/transfer software?

Uncle!! When did you return??

You can't transfer video via USB no matter. So unless you buy a firewire card, forget about transfering video.

Originally Posted by sam9s

Ok you wana transfer via USB, you gotta make sue of two things.....your system has the USB 2.0 HIGH SPEED support coz except that you wont be able to transfer video. Second you have the handycamm drivers coz USB detection would require the drivers.

AFAIK, USB can't be used to transfer video in DV camcorders, no matter what version of USB it is. USB is used only to transfer photos and/or use the camcorder as a webcam.

Uncle, you better buy a firewire cable (will cost about 150 bucks) and connect the camcorder to your laptop. You can use Windows movie maker to transfer video and burn DVD/VCDs.

[sam9s]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

Uncle!! When did you return??

You can't transfer video via USB no matter. So unless you buy a firewire card, forget about transfering video.


AFAIK, USB can't be used to transfer video in DV camcorders, no matter what version of USB it is. USB is used only to transfer photos and/or use the camcorder as a webcam.

Uncle, you better buy a firewire cable (will cost about 150 bucks) and connect the camcorder to your laptop. You can use Windows movie maker to transfer video and burn DVD/VCDs.

Nope you can transfer video from USB, albeit with lot of hinderence, few I mentioned above.
Other being low quality (MPEG1) CIF Stream. You can even do a HQ DV transfer IF your camcorder supports DV transfer over USB 2. Only few camcorders do the HQ transfer over USB2 and that too with proprietary software and drivers supplied with the camcorder. If he is adament to use USB let him try, else yes FireWire is the most convenient and far better way to capture video. And now that its only 150 bucks these days, charan I think you should go for a firewire card, the cable comes along with it (I hope so coz may be just to cut the cost now they do not supply the cable)....... I got my card (for my old computer) for 400 bucks with the cable.

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by sam9s

Nope you can transfer video from USB, albeit with lot of hinderence, few I mentioned above.
Other being low quality (MPEG1) CIF Stream. You can even do a HQ DV transfer IF your camcorder supports DV transfer over USB 2. Only few camcorders do the HQ transfer over USB2 and that too with proprietary software and drivers supplied with the camcorder. If he is adament to use USB let him try, else yes FireWire is the most convenient and far better way to capture video. And now that its only 150 bucks these days, charan I think you should go for a firewire card, the cable comes along with it (I hope so coz may be just to cut the cost now they do not supply the cable)....... I got my card (for my old computer) for 400 bucks with the cable.

Yes, only "some" camcorders support video over usb 2.0. And AFAIK none of the sony products do. Anyways, its worth a try.

BTW iirc his laptop has firewire. All he needs to get is a firewire cable with the mini-jack.

[Charan]

@sam9s first off .. I didnt mention I wanted the conversion for FREE.. I dont expect any work to be done for free.. All I wanted is professional work for a nominal fee

Thanks for your valuable feedback

Any way my laptop has firewire port the smaller tiny one .. I will buy the firewire cable as it might come in handy in future . its good to know that I dont have to have drivers for transfering via firewire

offtopic:
@Infra_red_kid...... I was alway here.. but no one knew abt it .. except one member

BTW is your secret still a secret? Stop calling me uncle or else the secret will be out .. Muhahahaha...

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by Charan

Any way my laptop has firewire port the smaller tiny one ..

Yep, but the firewire with the mini connector. You should get it for 150-odd bucks at s.p.road.

Originally Posted by Charan

offtopic:
@Infra_red_kid...... I was alway here.. but no one knew abt it .. except one member

BTW is your secret still a secret? Stop calling me uncle or else the secret will be out .. Muhahahaha...

Always there? Banned?! Whatever... husssshhh... not the secret, plz! I'll be a good kid now