How do I get the video off my camera and onto the pc?

aliasojo

Sony handicam thing joined by cable to pc. (Dont know what the cable is called....it's the one with the 3 ends..red/yellow/white).

The front of my pc has these connectors so it's plugged in there.

Dont have any Sony software or anything. Do I particularly need it?

I see in Vista there is a 'make dvd' option....but I dont know how to get the video onto the pc to start with.

Suggestions please?

lrr_2

have a look in "my computer" and see if it has shown up there

espresso

It sounds like you are using the wrong lead. Normally to transfer you would use a USB or Firewire cable between the handycam and the PC.

savemoney

The lead OP mentions maybe for playback only Read and white audio, yellow video

aliasojo

Ok...just tried a usb cable instead, still doesn't show up in my computer.

Tried importing the video in windows movie maker but it doesn't see the camera which is plugged in and on.

lrr_2

(in vista help on pc)

Make sure your DV camera is connected to an [URL="mshelp://windows/?id=ca65903e-162a-4f27-8570-3792a301b71b#gtmt_ieee_1394_def"]IEEE 1394[/URL] connection or a USB 2.0 connection, and then set the camera mode to play recorded video (often labeled VTR or VCR on a DV camera).
In the Autoplay dialog box that displays when you turn on the DV camera, click Import Video.
In the Name box, type a name for the video file or files that you will create, import, and then save to your computer.
Choose a location to save your video file from the Import to list, or click Browse to choose another location.
In the Format list, choose one of the following video file formats for the new video file, and then click Next:If you want to create a single file using the filetype that your digital video device uses by default, such as an AVI or DV-AVI file, choose Audio Video Interleaved (single file).
If you want to create a single Windows Media Video (WMV) file containing all of the information on the video tape, choose Windows Media Video File (single file).
If you want to create a WMV file for every clip on the videotape, choose Windows Media Video (one file per scene).
Click Import the entire videotape to my computer, and then click Next.
If you want to stop importing video before the end of the videotape, click Stop, and then click Yes.Click Finish.

I use the coloured leads to transfer directly to DVD with my DVD recorder connected to the TV.

Hope this helps

aliasojo

Right tried that too. There is a small amount of memory in the camera and if I select 'memory' on the camera...then the options box you mentioned above, opens up. There is a 5 second video clip on the memory stick that I can access but that's it.

If I select VCR, then nothing happens. The video on the tape is still not being recognised, the camera is not being 'seen' at all.

Bit stumped tbh.


Ok...just found a setting on the handycam....'enable usb'...tired that and it worked. Only problem is windows needs a driver for the new found hardware...will go look on sony site.

lrr_2

Havent tried this myself to be honest as seems to much of a hassle and put stuff directly onto DVD however would be good to get the use out of the windows movie maker though. What happens when you play the camcorder, nothing?

aliasojo

Nope nothing happens.

Just visited sony site and there's no driver for vista 64...only vista 32. Page states 'some' camcorders will not be recognised by vista. Typical...I have one of those.

Will go try all this on old XP laptop and see if that works. There's a driver download for xp.

Wonder if in theory I could get the video off the camcorder onto the xp laptop...then transfer this to the main vista pc. I'm assuming a video file is a video file no matter what OS is in use?

lrr_2

"Ok...just found a setting on the handycam....'enable usb'...tired that and it worked. Only problem is windows needs a driver for the new found hardware...will go look on sony site."

Just out of curiosity where did you find this menu?

aliasojo

Camcorder set to 'vcr'. In lcd screen there is the usual 'stop' 'play' etc icons....there's also an 'FN' (function?) icon.

Select that, then menu, then setup menu. In the setup menu bit, there is a 'usb stream' option. Default setting is off...highlight 'on' and pc will find the camcorder.

It can do sod all with it mind you unless it has the right drivers....but at least it sees it. :rolleyes: