Best software for USB capture from sony dcr-pc105e handycam

[Reggie]

Hello all, I have been given the task of transferring some video footage from a sony handycam onto DVD, I can cope with the authoring side of things once I've got the footage on the PC, but which is the best software to use for getting there in the first place? I don't have the drivers/software disc that came with the camera, everything else was in the box, just no software or drivers, and the guy who owns the camera can't find it anywhere (doesn't own a PC so a software CD wasn't top of his list!).

I have taken a look at Main Concept, but I'm wondering if it is actually downgrading the video quality as it's converting to mpg on the fly?

Can anyone suggest any (preferably free and good quality) software that will transfer the data via USB? I guess that MainConcept isn't really the right way to go, I know I have to get it to an mpg type format before I can turn it into a DVD but would prefer to multipass encode the video rather than capture on the fly.

[daamon]

Hi Reggie,

The common consensus is to transfer from a DV cam via firewire and not USB as USB seems to be more problematic (USB 1 is too slow, and USB 2 seems to have some problems).

If the handycam doesn't have a DV out, you may want to look into passing it through something like a Canopus ADVC-100 or a DataVideo DAC-100. These take in analog signals and convert to and pass out DV via firewire.

For "capturing" from a fierwire source, look into DVIO, AVI_IO, VirtualDub, Scenalyzer Live.

Hope that helps...

[jeanl]

For "capturing" from a fierwire source, look into DVIO, AVI_IO, VirtualDub, Scenalyzer Live.

not to forget (lightweight and free) WinDV of course!

[Reggie]

Yup, after reading through the forums and the net (1st search didn't yield any results so I asked on the forum) I found that most places didn't recommend USB cos of the crap quality you are likely to squeeze down a usb 1.1 cable cos of bandwidth issues. Damn, didn't really want to start fiddling with firewire, don't have it installed on either of my main PC's although both boards have firewire onboard. I had hoped that the device was USB2 and thought that it might have been as I hadn't experienced any dropped frames using main concept to capture, but quality was cruddy. I guess I have to bite the bullet and borrow a 6 to 4 pin firewire cable from work tomorrow looks like I'll be installing winDV tomorrow, another new app. to learn......

Thanks for the heads up guys, most appreciated

[daamon]

Firewire is a breeze - either use your onboard or drop in a PCI card (dirt cheap). Hook up your cam to PC with your (borrowed) cable and use something intuitive like WinDV or others (as above - some a bit more feature laden but no less good for the job) and you're away!

Thanks for the heads up guys, most appreciated

No problem. Glad to have been of help.

[jeanl]

like I'll be installing winDV tomorrow, another new app. to learn......

Learning WinDV will take you at least 5mn!!
you'll find a few pointers on how to set some parameters in one of my posts here,
http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=239647
as well as in many guides...
Jeanl