Sony HandyCam Stolen, How to Get Footage from Leftover Tapes

[sturmie]

i had a Sony HandyCam that was stolen about a week ago (anyone seen it? ), but i still have a few tapes of stuff i'd like to capture w/ my new AIW 7500 card. problem is, i have no way to play the tapes...is there an adapter i could get to play the tapes in a normal VCR? luckily, my wedding ceremony and reception were shot w/ my dad's Sony DCR-TRV530 camera and still have that...the only footage i really lost was the stuff we shot in the limo on the way over to the reception ....the footage i want to capture from these tapes i still have is from the rehearsal, which would be nice to have.

fyi, i tried these tapes in the TRV530 and they don't play.


thanks for any help...sturmie

[Tommyknocker]

You could see if you can rent another camera like the one you had stolen.

[hiflyact]

Is it a Digital 8 tape? You might be able to find an adapter at Best Buy or Radio Shack maybe even online, eBay - that you could drop the tape into and then play it in your VCR.

[sturmie]

i'll have to look tonite and see what model the tapes are. the only thing i remember about the camera offhand, is that it's a "HandyCam"...i have the box still at home so i can get the exact model # then. it really ticks me off that it was stolen (on my wedding day)...i shoulda kept a better eye on the bag (my cell phone was in there too), but w/ 2 other weddings going on at the same club, it was quite a bit hectic.

oh well, i barely used that camera and was gonna upgrade some time in the next year anyway. as for the cell, i'm just upset i lost all my #'s...u know how it goes w/ a cell, u never know anyone's number off the top of ur head.

sturmie

i'll post more info tonight.

[sturmie]

aiight, here's what i got:

STOLEN/LOST CAMERA
Sony HandyCam model CCD-TR83

LEFTOVER TAPES
8MM video cassette tape
Video8 MP120

the DCR-TRV530 that i'm currently borrowing uses "Hi8 (120 Video Hi8/60 Digital8)" tapes and can't seem to play the ones from the HandyCam. are there adapters for my leftover tapes out there for use in a VCR so that i can capture that footage and archive it?


thanks....sturmie

[handyguy]

Thats odd. Hi8 should be able to play 8's. My Sony does. Did you check to see if there is a setting you need to do?

[houtx67]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune.

If you can't find another more practical solution (or someone you know with a compatible camera) and are willing, email me and we can discuss me converting the whole tape (in unedited form) to DVD with my Panasonic DVD recorder (I don't have a capture card). You can then edit your own DVD later on your computer. This offer is only to you to help you out and there is no charge beyond the actual cost of any materials or postage.

I hope you can find a solution more convenient for you though.

[sturmie]

@handyguy

well, it doesn't play em right now, but i'll check for a setting when i get home tonite.

@houtx67

thanks for the offer...i will let u know.

sturmie

[Roundabout]

As a former Sony Service Center employee, I worked on Sony products for years - and AFAIK, all Digital8 Camcorders such as the one you are trying to use are backwards compatible with 8mm MP (metal particle) tape and Hi8 tapes. There should not be any settings, although I didn't repair the model you have - I don't recall any other models having special settings for record/PB of Hi8 or 8mm tapes. When you say it won't play it, do you mean there is no playback at all, or the tape runs, but there is no video? What about audio? Can you see any video in the Viewfinder? Are you sure you hooked up the output cables properly? On some models there is a switch to change the RCA jacks from being input to being for output (they did this to save space as well as money, because you normally don't need to do both input and output at the same time). Check it all out and see.

[Roundabout]

After checking, the unit you have, the DCR-TRV530, in fact is capable to play back your "regular" 8mm tapes. You can go to this website (Sony's) and download an owner's manual for reference if you can't get it to work. One thing I noticed is that you may have to change the video output in the menu to have composite video output instead of, for example, DV out. Could be the reason you don't see any video.
Here's the link: http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/dvimag/digital8/Digital%20Camcorders%20Query_1.html

[sturmie]

@Roundabout

actually, i rewound the older tapes all the way and they seem to play fine (and capture thru the FW cable). i must have had it at the very end of the footage or just a dead spot on the tape.

thanks for all ur responses...i appreciate it.

sturmie