Hello All, I need alittle assistance/advice with a Sony Cam

[venomva]

Ok, I just have a Sony Handy HI 8 Cam from a friend to video my kids and she doesn't have her install CD or anything and can't find them. It has USB and from what she says when she would use it she hooked it up through the USB to rip (or whatever) off the cam to the Hard Drive and then edit it.

I have checked on Sony's site and they don't offer the software or anything. So my question is what software could I possibly use to rip it off the cam via USB and edit it?

BTW I don't have any type of capture card or anything like most of you all do.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Venom

[Ziffelpig]

I hook my Hi8 cam up to the composite jacks(audio)and S-video on my vcr(camcorder) and record to ultra high grade vhs tapes.
I then transfer to PC using my hauppage PVR-250 and Honestech software. I am sure there are better/faster/easier ways to do this(firewire).
Since Sony developed firewire technology,(I know Apple computer was the originator but Sony saw and developed the DV potential) your friend probably has a firewire card installed for direct transfer from Sony cam to PC.

[hech54]

Usually a USB connection is for the pictures that are stored on a video camera. Firewire is for video.
If it really is only a Hi8 camera...not a Digital8 camera...you may be out of luck....I don't ever recall seeing a Hi8 with Firewire.

[crjackson]

Sony software does allow for transfer using a usb port. I have a Digita8 and I can transfer using either usb or firewire. I don't know if the software would recognize a Hi8 only camera, but send me a private message and I'll see if I can help you in a week or so. I very busy with wedding plans right now so allow some time for a replay.

[thecoalman]

Look to see if it's digital 8 or Hi-8. If it's hi-8 you need a capture card. If it's digital 8 use the firewire connection also known as i-link or 1394 (it will probably be labled i-link). You will need a firewire port on your computer and a firewire cable. Firewire PCI cards can be purchased for as little as $15. You can use the USB connection if present but many people have trouble transferring with USB, it wouldn' t hurt to try. Shouldn't be any drivers required, plug and play. Any capture software should suffice, Micosoft Moviemaker will work but I would suggest using something else. Look under the tools section for some freeware capture apps.

[venomva]

Thanks for all the replies guys. It is actually Hi-8 and she said that she did in fact use the USB to transfer the movie from camcorder to PC. But again she can't seem to find the install CD(s) that came with it. In the tools section I have looked for capture devices and I'm not sure which one I should get.....any suggestions?

crjackson> Thanks, I will send you a PM now and wait for your reply.

Thanks again everyone.

[thecoalman]

If it's hi-8 it's analog which requires a capture card. Guess it's possible to be some kind of weird hybrid but that would make no sense because it would require a DV encoder which is exactly what a digital 8 cam has. I guess it could also be for some other function. Have you looked to confirm that it does in fact have a usb port or other type of port.

Also note that hi-8 and digital 8 cams use the same tape, they are cross compatible. The only diffewrence is the way that it's stored on the tape.

How about a model number, I'll look it up for you.

[venomva]

If it's hi-8 it's analog which requires a capture card. Guess it's possible to be some kind of weird hybrid but that would make no sense because it would require a DV encoder which is exactly what a digital 8 cam has. I guess it could also be for some other function. Have you looked to confirm that it does in fact have a usb port or other type of port.

Also note that hi-8 and digital 8 cams use the same tape, they are cross compatible. The only diffewrence is the way that it's stored on the tape.

How about a model number, I'll look it up for you.

Sony Handycam Vision CCD-TRV608 says on the box video HI8

I was looking on the net for the USB drivers and found some but it didn't work so I'm unable to use any of the capture freeware in the tools sec.

Thanks for helping thecoolman,

Venom

[Tommyknocker]

If it's hi-8 it's analog which requires a capture card. Guess it's possible to be some kind of weird hybrid but that would make no sense because it would require a DV encoder which is exactly what a digital 8 cam has. I guess it could also be for some other function. Have you looked to confirm that it does in fact have a usb port or other type of port.

Also note that hi-8 and digital 8 cams use the same tape, they are cross compatible. The only diffewrence is the way that it's stored on the tape.

How about a model number, I'll look it up for you.

Sony Handycam Vision CCD-TRV608 says on the box video HI8

I was looking on the net for the USB drivers and found some but it didn't work so I'm unable to use any of the capture freeware in the tools sec.

Thanks for helping thecoolman,

Venom

Email me, maybe I can help.

[Webster]

Sony Handycam Vision CCD-TRV608

info/review on this camera:

http://www.hometheaterspot.com/html/reviews/techreview.php?rev=11

http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/ss5/home/handycamrtmcamcorders/hi8tmcamcorders/cc...08_specs.shtml


try to get the USB cable from sony, part number VMC-14UMB for $14.99 under the cable & connectors.

website = http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_AccessoryCate...ar_3=CCDTRV608

You will need to have the software for streaming the video via USB. There is no way around it.

[thecoalman]

Look it up under software and drivers under the sony support.

[gshelley61]

I think the Sony USB output is only for Memory Stick stills and low-res (low quality) camera and videotape image streaming. That's how my Digital8 USB port works...

Full quality Hi-8 video images will probably need to be captured using the s-video or composite output as coalman has suggested.

[thecoalman]

I think the Sony USB output is only for Memory Stick stills and low-res (low quality) camera and videotape image streaming. That's how my Digital8 USB port works...

Full quality Hi-8 video images will probably need to be captured using the s-video or composite output as coalman has suggested.

That's along the lines that I was thinking, the cam is fairly cheap at least compared to D8 standards. Probably made prior to D8 until some engineer thought of encoding the video directly to tape.

Capture card choices are to say the least many. If you want to start out cheap go with a Leadtek 2000xp expert, comes with everthing you need except the cables. Starts at about $45 and does more than capture analog, has a TV/FM tuner etc. If your looking for something better Canopus ADVC-100. I don't have any experience with the Canopus but will shortly, from the comments I've read on here it's an excellent device.