Any solution for Handycam / Windows 7 driver problem?

[tedmarx38]

As some made clear last night I'm no techno wizard so advance apologies for any forthcoming ignorance.

I saw other threads about the above and wonder if any available software can overcome the lack of a Sony driver. The issue: I have a number of miniDV tapes recorded by my Sony Handcam miniDV digital camcorder. I'm using Windows 7 and my pc won't recognize the camcorder. There's no driver available on the Sony website or other website that overcomes this -- I've tried a number of suggested approaches.

My question: can software such as Roxio Creator help me get around this issue? I assume not but figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

[tedmarx38]

oh...I'm connecting the pc and camcorder via USB cable.

[julitomg]

oh...I'm connecting the pc and camcorder via USB cable.

The problem is you can´t transfer miniDV to PC via USB, you need a firewire port and a firewire cable (4 to 6)

[tedmarx38]

Thanks. This specific camera has a feature outlined in the users manual supposedly supportive of using USB for that, but maybe that was grandiose thinking on Sony's part. Anyway, looks like the pro I plan to use for this will be doubling his check because I need to send him these tapes now in addition to the ones I'd originally planned to have him do for me (those being from a broken Video8 unit).

[usually_quiet]

I have read that some Sony video cameras do have USB ports that can be used along with the manufacturer's drivers and software to copy recordings to a PC. If the camera has a FireWire port and the Windows7 PC has a firewire port, that connection can also be used to transfer files.

Windows 7 includes generic FireWire drivers and it isn't hard to install a firewire add-on card to add a FireWire port to a desktop PC that doesn't have one. Most FireWire add-on cards are inexpensive and available from online retailers. Adding a FireWire port to a laptop isn't always possible. Firewire to USB cables will not work with cameras. The only way to add FireWire to a laptop is via an ExpressCard, but most laptops no longer have an ExpressCard slot.