Pass through won't work.

[crissrudd4554]

Hi this is my first post. I just got a Sony DCR-TRV530 video camera. I'm trying to use the pass through option so I can convert my VHS tapes to digital. I set the AV/DV option on the camera on and made the right connections but I only get a the sound of the video no video signal. Also a horrible buzzing occurs when the camera is connected to my VCR. I unplugged and replugged the AV cable a few times and the image appeared on the camera for about half a second before going blue again. Can someone help me???

[gll99]

Your camera will respect copy protection schemes that existed at the time it was manufactured which are sent by the playing device. You will need a vcr that doesn't send the macrovision flag / signal to the camera.

[The_Doman]

Also a horrible buzzing occurs when the camera is connected to my VCR. I unplugged and replugged the AV cable a few times and the image appeared on the camera for about half a second before going blue again.

That sure not sounds right, does the same cable/connection work correctly for output when playing back something from the camcorder? Just to verify if there is no short circuit somewhere?
Also you could try another stable video source (VCR tuner signal?) to test.

I am using here a (PAL) DCTRV-120, which has the analog input/passthrough enabled by default.

[gll99]

If it's not a commercial tape or a macrovision issue then I'd suspect the av cable. If you are using a 3 to 1 cable they are not all the same. Make sure you use the one that came with the camera. I have a few of those so they are easy to mix up but some are wired backwards and the audio and video pins are crossed so that would cause the buzz you hear since you'd be sending a video signal to one of the audio pins. If you are using the original cable then check to make sure you didn't cross the audio and video at the vcr. From what you say it looks like when you unplug and replug at the camera the proper contact is made temporarily as you insert the pin but video contact is lost as you push the pin in deeper.

The buzzing sounds indicates the audio and video wires are crossed either by you or by using the wrong cable or the cable is shorting.

[crissrudd4554]

If it's not a commercial tape or a macrovision issue then I'd suspect the av cable. If you are using a 3 to 1 cable they are not all the same. Make sure you use the one that came with the camera. I have a few of those so they are easy to mix up but some are wired backwards and the audio and video pins are crossed so that would cause the buzz you hear since you'd be sending a video signal to one of the audio pins. If you are using the original cable then check to make sure you didn't cross the audio and video at the vcr. From what you say it looks like when you unplug and replug at the camera the proper contact is made temporarily as you insert the pin but video contact is lost as you push the pin in deeper.

The buzzing sounds indicates the audio and video wires are crossed either by you or by using the wrong cable or the cable is shorting.

The buzzing occurs even when the tape is not playing so perhaps it is the cable. I purchased the camera online but it did not include the original AV cable (it was a used camera). So I had to purchase the cable separately. The cable does fit the camera though.

[gll99]

If it's not a commercial tape or a macrovision issue then I'd suspect the av cable. If you are using a 3 to 1 cable they are not all the same. Make sure you use the one that came with the camera. I have a few of those so they are easy to mix up but some are wired backwards and the audio and video pins are crossed so that would cause the buzz you hear since you'd be sending a video signal to one of the audio pins. If you are using the original cable then check to make sure you didn't cross the audio and video at the vcr. From what you say it looks like when you unplug and replug at the camera the proper contact is made temporarily as you insert the pin but video contact is lost as you push the pin in deeper.

The buzzing sounds indicates the audio and video wires are crossed either by you or by using the wrong cable or the cable is shorting.

The buzzing occurs even when the tape is not playing so perhaps it is the cable. I purchased the camera online but it did not include the original AV cable (it was a used camera). So I had to purchase the cable separately. The cable does fit the camera though.

At the VCR end as usual the cable would be red and white rca connectors to carry audio and yellow the video. If you look at the end with the single metal tip you''ll notice there are multiple sections separated by plastic / rubber rings. Normally the internals are connected such that 1 is the video, the other 2 carry the audio and the other a ground. This is where they can be wired differently depending on the device. They mostly all look the same so it's hard to tell. All you can do is test.

You might still be able to use the cable unless it is defective. Don't hook up the audio at all to the VCR at first. You already know it buzzes when you attach the yellow tip rca connector to the video out jack of the vcr so try the white one instead just by itself. Run a test. If don't have video then try the red one in the yellow port on the vcr and test that too. If you still don't have video then something else is wrong. If either the red or white works then obviously the other 2 are the audio. All you have to do is find out which one carries the right audio signal and which carries the left audio signal. Do a test cap with only 1 audio cable connected and listen to it on your computer. Listen closely it should be obvious which side is playing and which side is silent. The rest should be easy but just remember how you hooked them up for future reference.

[The_Doman]

I purchased the camera online but it did not include the original AV cable (it was a used camera). So I had to purchase the cable separately. The cable does fit the camera though.

Common problem using a cable which seems to fit but not working as expected.
See: VCR -> DV Camcorder -> PC Capture Issues

But as said you need the correct Sony type camcorder AV cable to make the right connection.
This type of plug/cable:



When using the S-Video connection on the camcorder you then only use the audio RCA connections.

[crissrudd4554]

This is the cable I purchased.

[crissrudd4554]

Also my problem isn't getting the video to the computer. Its getting the video to show up on my camera. As I've said before the video will show up for a brief second on the camera when I replug the AV cable but then the screen goes blue again. And yes the buzzing occurs when I plug in the yellow chord.

[gll99]

Also my problem isn't getting the video to the computer. Its getting the video to show up on my camera. As I've said before the video will show up for a brief second on the camera when I replug the AV cable but then the screen goes blue again. And yes the buzzing occurs when I plug in the yellow chord.

Read my previous comment again. Try the red end wire in the yellow vcr plug by itself and see if you get video. If not try the white. It looks like the cable you bought is not properly wired for your camera but you might be able to use it if you ignore the colour and manually match the cables yourself.

[sanlyn]

Don't you need the red-white-yellow for input from a VCR, an then an iLink cable for output? Or maybe your SONY is different from the older ones I once worked with.

[turk690]

It looks like the cable you bought is not properly wired for your camera but you might be able to use it if you ignore the colour and manually match the cables yourself.

You can only mix-and-match and try repositioning the plugs on RCA end of the cable differently if the ground or common is the same on the 1/8" plug end for all and any such 4-way 1/8" mini-plug to male RCA plug cable. But they are not. For any of Sony's D8/Hi8 camcorders, on the 1/8" end, if the tip is 1, then progressively ring 2, 3, 4, the correct arrangement starting with tip is (1)left audio, (2)video, (3)ground or common, (4)right audio. Right audio is the ring on the plug closest to the plastic base, but this is ground (!) on an exact-looking connector for use with a Canon DV-camcorder (which OP presumably bought, which will not work correctly, as he finds out). With that, one can't simply strip and rewire the RCA plugs without a hefty measure of imagination and patience thrown in, on top of dexterity with a multitester, soldering iron, mini-cutter, & heat-shrink tubing. It's tough because there is absolutely no way to know if it's the correct one on viewing a pic of the lot on ebay.

[gll99]

It looks like the cable you bought is not properly wired for your camera but you might be able to use it if you ignore the colour and manually match the cables yourself.

You can only mix-and-match and try repositioning the plugs on RCA end of the cable differently if the ground or common is the same on the 1/8" plug end for all and any such 4-way 1/8" mini-plug to male RCA plug cable. But they are not. For any of Sony's D8/Hi8 camcorders, on the 1/8" end, if the tip is 1, then progressively ring 2, 3, 4, the correct arrangement starting with tip is (1)left audio, (2)video, (3)ground or common, (4)right audio. Right audio is the ring on the plug closest to the plastic base, but this is ground (!) on an exact-looking connector for use with a Canon DV-camcorder (which OP presumably bought, which will not work correctly, as he finds out). With that, one can't simply strip and rewire the RCA plugs without a hefty measure of imagination and patience thrown in, on top of dexterity with a multitester, soldering iron, mini-cutter, & heat-shrink tubing. It's tough because there is absolutely no way to know if it's the correct one on viewing a pic of the lot on ebay.

I wasn't sure of the exact pin structure of his cable that's why I said he might be able to use it. I've been able to mix and match a few odd ones from my collection of similar cables over the years with other devices so I thought it's worth trying in case it works but I too was concerned about the ground being in its expected location. It's the only one you can't select at the input / vcr end. It should be easy for him to find out right away by testing though.

I thought I could check using my Sony DV DCR-HC30 but unfortunately it uses a proprietary av tip at the camcorder end so I couldn't really perform a more suitable test for the op. On end the tip looks like 3/4 of a circle cut flat at the bottom with 5 small pins just above the flat end. I have nothing else that matches that. Our other 3 8mm camcorders, 2 portable dvd players with in/out features, mini video players, cameras and much more etc.. all use the standard looking 4 section 1/8" pin at one end. I know for a fact that some of those don't match exactly on colours but the ground is ok. Leave it to Sony to make things difficult.

[turk690]

I thought I could check using my Sony DV DCR-HC30 but unfortunately it uses a proprietary av tip at the camcorder end so I couldn't really perform a more suitable test for the op. On end the tip looks like 3/4 of a circle cut flat at the bottom with 5 small pins just above the flat end. I have nothing else that matches that. Our other 3 8mm camcorders, 2 portable dvd players with in/out features, mini video players, cameras and much more etc.. all use the standard looking 4 section 1/8" pin at one end. I know for a fact that some of those don't match exactly on colours but the ground is ok. Leave it to Sony to make things difficult.

You are right about wretched Sony. The half-moon 10-pin thing is its current connector-du-jour, one of which I had to cut open to bring out the wires for LANC. This connector provides AV and LANC remote, but not with the same connector (you have to buy two, one specifically wired for AV out, another for remote). Placing the camcorder on a boom (HDR-CX550), I had to have both from the same connector at the same time. Not wanting to pay $30 for a fancy one on ebay, I just made my own.
Anyway, for anyone still interested in comparing wiring connections for OP's original problem, if tip is 1, Sony's 1/8" mini-plug is 1Left audio, 2Video, 3Ground, 4Right audio. For the rest of the world that still uses the same cable, (camcorders, TVs, media players, DVD players, Canon, Panasonic, etc.) it is 1Right audio, 2Video, 3Left audio, 4Ground.

[The_Doman]

This is the cable I purchased.

That cable sure looks allright, i bought several of those for use with my Sony D8 camcorder.
Also what i read they are listed as being compatble with most (older) camcorders including canon.
Probably better now to verify the correct working of the cable first by using it for playback from your camcorder to a TV/Monitor.
If that is verified working then it should work the other way around too.
Possible then something is wrong with the connection to the VCR (how is it connected)?
Also you could test with another video source?

[xenakis]

I had a similar sound when capturing via AVDV passthrough:

Setup is VCR composite to AVT-8710 TBC (for video only) to Sony DCR HC96 to firewire. I had good audio/visual sync and quality, but I had a audible feedback sound that was cycling buzz in background, approx 2-3 cycles per second. I assumed that it was connections...Resolved with basic stuff:

- Replacing VCR composite out to TBC video cable to one with more shielding
- Re-routing the power cabling more than 5 inches from the A/V cables
- Ensuring the A/V to/from VCR and Sony was straight and matched orientation of other cable - wasn't twisted or braided with video cable.

Complete resolution, no feedback at all. Just making sure that other people following the thread have done the basics