Sony Digital Handycam Digital 8

[Fairhope]

A friend of mine has asked me transfer some digital tape to a DVD for her. When she gave me the tape, it was the larger size digital tape - not the mini tape my camcorder uses.

So I had to ask her for the camera as well to transfer the tape to my harddrive.

Here's the problem, my Canon ZR-45 came with a CD to load the driver for the firewire. Her camera, a Sony Digital Handycam Digital 8, has no CD for a driver. It does have a driver for the USB, but I believe that is only for transfer of pictures and not video.

The Sony website does not have any drivers for a firewire for this particular camera. I plugged the camera into my computer, but the computer does not recognize it.

The CD that did come with the camera has some sort of software called ImageMixer. I don't know if this would allow me to capture from her camera. I really don't want to install software if I don't have to.

Does anyone have any experience with this camera? Can anyone tell me what I need to do to have my computer recognize it?

Thanks,

[sitlet]

if you have windows xp, it will automatically recognize ANY firewire camera that you plug into it. you do not need any drivers for capture. you can use any capture program to capture dv avi. if you dont have any on your computer, i would suggest DVIO or WinDV. they are both free and work very well.

[Fairhope]

Thanks for the reply. I have Windows XP and thought the same thing - that Windows should automatically recognize the device. Somehow, mine is not. Maybe it's the software I capture with - Pinnacle Studio - that won't recognize the camera.

I'll try WinDV and see if I can capture using that.

Thanks again for your help.

[Fairhope]

I've been messing around with this for a couple of hours now and still cannot get XP to recognize this camcorder. Just to make sure it was the camcorder, I plugged my Canon into the firewire and the computer recognized it immediately - but when I plug the Sony Handycam in, nothing.

I went into device manager and tried to install new hardware and even went into the cameras/scanners area, but couldn't find the Sony Handycam listed anywhere.

I swear I've done everything right. Made sure the camera was switched to VCR, made sure the firewire was connected to the computer and the camera. I even tried the other inputs on the firewire card. But no luck.

Does anybody have any other suggestions?

Thanks

[indolikaa]

You may have a menu option on the camcorder that has to be activated to allow a DV/Firewire transfer...

On mine, you have to put the camcorder in VTR mode, then press MENU, then select the 'VTR Set' submenu, then go down to the 'A/V->DV' option and turn it on.

[FulciLives]

Something like what Indolikka just told you is something that surely would be in the manual that came with the cam.

If you can't get it from your friend you might be able to download a PDF manual for the cam from the SONY website.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Fairhope]

Thank you, indolikaa, for the additional tips. I'll try the menu tonight and see if there is any type of AV->DV switch for the firewire.

In the meantime, I'll look for a pdf manual on Sony's site to see if it mentions anything about a menu switch as per FulciLives recommended.

Thanks,

[victor010170]

I have Sony digital camcorder dcr-trv350. Here is what I do

1. Use menu button on Sony cam to set-up dv-> out.
2. I use firewire connect cam to pc (of course you have to have firewire port)
3. Once you turn the cam to VCR, your pc-xp window automatically recognize. (You will see additional small window pop-up)

4. Open windv. (Make sure to read the instruction of how to use it) I use windv, ulead video 7, and also Image mixer. I decide to go with ulead video 7.

5. Push play on cam (do not use play button on the window. You will have audio problem like others users had encoounted)

6. Immediately select cature on windv.

7. Go get a beer and watch it runs.

Keep in mind that windv will tranfer more than one dv-avi file if the video is higher than 4 gb. You have to use other software to put them together. This problem will also occur in image mixer. Ulead will transfer whole movie in one big dv-avi file. I like it. Keep in mind other softwares out there might able to perform as Ulead or better.

Good luck.

[Fairhope]

Sorry to keep bothering everone on this.

I located a .pdf manual for the camcorder and did a quick review. It does indicated a menu item to select for A/V -> DV OUT. However, this if you connect a VCR to the camcorder to output the digital signal to your computer. I guess what you guys call a "pass-thru".

Would this also be used to output the actual Digital HI8 tape that is already in the camcorder to the computer? I recall when I connected the camcorder to my computer last night, the LCD screen indicated DV In. I guess what I need is DV Out - but I don't believe I need the A/V out since it is already in digital format.

Either way, I'll try it tonight. Thanks again for all your help.

[Fairhope]

Victor:

That is what I needed to know. Thank you very much. It looks like the root of my problem was I did not have the camcorder's menu set up for DV Out.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Again, thanks to everyone. I've learned everything from this site and the many helpful folks who graciously give their expertise and knowledge on these subjects.

[Fairhope]

Well, everyone, it did not work. I found the menu item to be able to switch the camera to AV/DV->Out, but XP would still not recognize it.

I've done a little more research and found something else out that might be the problem. I was hoping you guys could give me your opinion.

Apparently, this type camera can handle Digital8 and HI8 tapes. I pulled the tape out and noticed that my friend is using a HI8 tape. I'm assuming this type of tape is not digital and I'm concluding that this is why XP is not recognizing the camera. Maybe the firewire is recognizing this as an analog tape and, therefore, XP is not recognizing the camera.

This is a long shot - and I am by no means an expert concerning digital vs. analog - but it's the only conclusion I can come up with.

Do you guys agree or am I way off base here?

[JustPlainDon]

Fairhope,

I've got a Sony Digital8 camcorder and it wouldn't matter if the tape were recorded in analog or digital. The camcorder will convert analog to digital without any problem via the firewire/i.link port (at least on the older model that I have). Also a digital 8 and a Hi8 tape are the same. The difference is how the video is stored on the tape (analog or digital). In analog mode you will typically have 2 hours. In digital mode you will have 1 hour.

Is there a chance that the actual port is bad on the camcorder? If you are using the same cables for your camcorder and your friend's camcorder you have eliminated that there is a problem with your computer, the firewire port or the cable. Has your friend ever actually used the port to capture video via firewire?

Good luck,
Don

[indolikaa]

Have you tried using another Firewire cable, to eliminate the possibility of your cable being bad?

[andie41]

XP should, as previously stated, automatically recognize the Sony. My suspicion is a bad wirewire cable or port on the Sony. My Sony Digital 8 will sometimes drop the connection (or fail to make connection) if the cable moves slightlyin the port. The pins are extremely small and fragile. Try gently holding and moving the plug into the camera and see if it is recognized - XP should indicate a sound.

[victor010170]

Fairhope

Will u able to see the video through the cam viewfinder and/or lcd screen. If not, ur cam won't work on that type of tape. It u do, what software do u use? WHen u turn on the cam to vcr, and your pc recognize it. That tells me there is nothing wrong with cable. I guess. Check the software set-up in your pc.

Good luck again.

[Fairhope]

Thanks for all the replies. The firewire cable is good as I can hook up my Canon camcorder and the system will recognize it. It's just when I substitute my friend's camcorder, the Sony, that it will not recognize it.

JustPlainDon and Andie41 may have the answer - that the Sony camcorder's input for the firewire is bad. I don't know at this point and I'm ready to go the easy route - I think I'm just going to do a passthru with my Canon camcorder from my friend's camcorder.

I could have done that all along, it's just I'm the kind of person that wants to know why XP will not recognize the Sony.

I'll try Andie41's suggestion of slowly putting the firewire into the receptacle of the Sony and see if I can get XP to beep prior to hooking both camcorders together.

Thanks for everyones input.

[DVD_Ripper]

As an alternative, if you have an analog capture device, is to capture signal via the composite out / SVideo ports on the Sony.

[Fairhope]

I do have an analog capture device that I used to use all the time. But I learned about the pass-thru method on this site and it has worked much better for me. I get much fewer dropped frames, if any at all, when I hook my VCR up to my Canon camcorder and then into my computer.

What I was planning on doing was the same, but use my friend's camcorder as the VCR and run it through my Canon and into my computer.

I wish I knew someone close by who had a firewire hook up on his computer to see if this Sony would be recognized on another PC. I guess I could call the IT department here at work. They've always got the good stuff.

[victor010170]

Fairhope

I just remembered one thing. It was happened to me as well. My pc did not recognize my Sony until I install the disk into my pc. Was it because my pc did not have the sony code to recognize before? I don't know but once I install sony dics into pc, the video transfer fine.

[Fairhope]

Well, I've got nothing else to lose. I'll install the software tonight and see what happens.

I'll let you know tomorrow.

Thanks

[turk690]

One other thing to try is to see if the Sony and the Canon recognize EACH other. Instead of passing through the analogue out of the Sony to the Canon why not first try to dub FireWire-to-FireWire by connecting the two FireWire ports of both camcorders with a 4-pin-to-4-pin cable, configuring both camcorders' menus appropriately, loading tapes, then hitting play on the Sony and record on the Canon? This procedure should once and for all indicate whether or not the Sony's FireWire port is defective.

[Fairhope]

Victor:

I loaded the software over the weekend, but it did not help. XP would still not recognize the Sony camcorder.

Turk690:

I'll try your suggestion tonight. Like you said, at least that would determine if the firewire port on the Sony camcorder is defective.

Thanks - I'll report back tomorrow.

[Fairhope]

Wait a minute, Turk:

My firewire is a 4 pin, but the ends are not identical. One is shaped like a bullet which plugs into the computer and the other end is extremely small which plugs into the camcorder.

To dub camcorder to camcorder, I would need a firewire with both ends being the extremely small plug. Do they make these?

[DVD_Ripper]

I wish I knew someone close by who had a firewire hook up on his computer to see if this Sony would be recognized on another PC. I guess I could call the IT department here at work. They've always got the good stuff.

It does.. I have a Sony D8 with iLink (1394) and connect it via Firewire and it is recognized (device manager denotes)

Make sure you are plugging into iLink connector and not USB (Yea I know, stupid suggesstion)

[turk690]

Available are the three sorts of combinations of FireWire cables: 4-pin to 4-pin, 6-pin to 6-pin, and 4-pin to 6-pin (the 'bullet-shaped' is 6-pin and the 'extremely small plug' is 4-pin). With not much real estate on camcorder bodies 4-pin is naturally used there. Sturdier and bigger stuff like hard drives and heavy-duty scanners usually have 6-pin. FireWire cards on the PC usually only have 6-pin, although some have 4-pin (like certain Canopus capture cards). There is no telling what FireWire equipment needing certain connections I might come up with and so I always have one of each cable type ready. Bigger computer stores will sell them.

[victor010170]

FYI

Circuit city sells firewire from digital cam to pc. There is no need to worry about pin # and conversion. They warranty it will connect from cam to pc. I bought it and had no problem.

[Fairhope]

Thanks, Victor - but I've already got a firewire to connect the cam to the PC. What I was looking to do was connect the cam to another cam which I know will be recognized by my PC.

Turk's comments were right on the money. Firewire's for cam to PC have a 6 pin on one end (for the PC) and a 4 pin on the other end (for the cam). To connect a cam to a cam, you have to purchase a firewire with a 4 pin on both ends.

But, I'm a cheap SOB and didn't want to spend the $10 to purchase a 4 pin firewire which I would probably only use once. So what I did was use S-Video cable to connect both cams together for the video feed and an audio wire to connect both cams for the audio. I then connected my cam to the PC via the firewire and did a "pass-thru". Worked fine. Just a lot of work when my PC should have recognized my friend's camera.

I can only assume my friend's camera has a bad firewire port like Andie41 and Turk690 suggested.

[DeeKnow]

it certainly sounds like the Sony has a bad FW port

[stsurbrook]

One thing that someone else mentioned was that the Sony MUST be switched to "VTR" or the computer will not recognize the camera. I had the same problem and, sure enough, I still had it on record.

Scott

[victor010170]

As always, read the manual before doing any thing. Thanks for update.