Article ID : 00172974 / Last Modified : 04/eleven/2021

How to transfer DV or Digital8 videos to your PC

The information is for Windows PCs only. Using a Mac? Find out how to import from record-based cameras with iMovie .

It tin be useful to transfer video footage from your Sony Handycam to a PC for editing, storing and sharing. Even so, Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 don't support Sony's USB streaming feature so here are two alternative ways to save DV or Digital8 video footage on to a computer.

Option i: Using PlayMemories Home

Selection 2: Using Windows Alive Photo Gallery


Option 1: Using PlayMemories Home

You can import videos with Sony's PlayMemories Abode, a PC application that allows y'all to easily import, organize and edit photos and videos. They can so exist viewed on a big screen Television or another device, shared online and saved to disk. If you lot don't already accept it, information technology'due south bachelor here: Download PlayMemories Domicile

  1. Connect your camcorder to a power source - make sure you apply the Ac adaptor
  2. Select Play/Edit mode by toggling the power switch (refer to the user guide for more details)
  3. Choose Hard disk or standard definition if your camcorder features HD (high definition) image quality. The menu settings will depend on the format of the recorded videos and the format you want to use for importing. If y'all're unsure how to change settings, refer to your user guide. Videos will be imported in HD (high definition) quality when y'all import videos in HDV format, and in STD (standard definition) quality when you import videos in DV format. Here's a handy table:

    record import table

  4. Insert a recorded cassette into your camcorder
  5. Open the PlayMemories Home software on the computer
  6. Plug your camcorder into the computer by connecting the HDV/DV jack or DV jack on your camcorder to the i.LINK input of the computer with a suitable cable. To avert static shocks damaging your camcorder, plug the cable into the reckoner first. (Annotation: i.LINK is besides known as Firewire or IEEE 1394; if your PC doesn't have ane of these inputs, adaptors and addition cards are widely bachelor)

    i.Link cable
    An i.LINK cable

    i.LINK port
    An i.LINK port

  7. Start importing. The Import from Tape window should be displayed on your computer screen.

    To import automatically:
    Confirm that the Import from the starting time of the tape radio push button is checked, then click Import.

    To import manually:
    1. Display the scene you want to beginning the import from in the monitor window using the Device Control buttons
    2. Brand sure the Import from the current tape position button is checked, so click Import

  8. To stop the import procedure, click the Stop Import push. If in that location is more than 10 minutes of blank tape, importing will stop automatically

Troubleshooting

If during import the reckoner freezes or fails to recognise your camcorder, unplug the camcorder, restart the computer and echo the process above from Step 5. The post-obit issues can cause this problem:

  • Changing the VCR HDV/DV and i.LINK CONV settings on the camcorder'due south STANDARD SET carte du jour while connected with an i.LINK cable
  • Changing the REC FORMAT setting on the camcorder'south STANDARD SET menu while continued with an i.LINK cable and with the power switch set to Photographic camera-TAPE
  • Adjusting the power switch of your camcorder while connected with an i.LINK cablevision
  • Trying to use a computer which doesn't support the video betoken formats on the LCD screen of your camcorder brandish (HDV or DV)

Option two: Using Windows Live Photo Gallery

You can import videos using Windows Alive Photo Gallery. You tin can then edit them, save them and share them with Windows Live Movie Maker.

Annotation: Videos cannot be imported directly from an counterpart camcorder (such as Video8 or Hi8) to your computer when using Windows Alive Photo Gallery. To do this, you will need an counterpart capture device on your reckoner. These catechumen analogue audio and video to a digital format that tin exist imported past a computer, and are widely available.

  1. Connect your camcorder to a power source - brand certain you utilise the AC adaptor
  2. Plug your camcorder into the computer by connecting the HDV/DV jack or DV jack on your camcorder to the i.LINK input of the computer with a suitable cable. To avoid static shocks dissentious your camcorder, plug the cable into the computer first.
    (Note: i.LINK is also known as Firewire or IEEE 1394; if your PC doesn't have one of these inputs, adaptors and improver cards are widely available)

    i.Link cable
    An i.LINK cable

    i.LINK port
    An i.LINK port

  3. If y'all are using Windows vii, install the correct driver . If your PC is running Windows Vista or Windows 8, continue to the next step
  4. Turn on the camcorder and insert the videotape that y'all desire to transfer
  5. Select Play/Edit mode by toggling the power switch (refer to the user guide for more details)
  6. If the Autoplay dialog box appears after you turn on the camcorder, select Import video using Windows Live Photo Gallery. If Import Video opens instead, go to the side by side pace
  7. On the Import Video page, type a proper name for the new video file in the Name box. Select Choose the parts of the video to import then select Next
  8. Use the controls on your camcorder (or its remote control) to cue the tape to the part where you want to start importing video, so press the play button to begin playing the tape
  9. On the page labelled Use the camcorder controls to find the scene you want, and click Import, click Import
  10. To terminate importing videos, click Stop
  11. Repeat steps 5 to 7 for each part of the videotape that you desire to import
  12. When yous've finished importing videos, click Finish. The imported video will be saved as one video file on your calculator and will appear in Windows Live Photo Gallery
  13. To add the video into Windows Live Movie Maker and then you can edit it, click the video file in Windows Live Photo Gallery, click Make, and and so click Make a movie

Notation: You can also import video straight into Windows Live Moving picture Maker without using Windows Live Photograph Gallery. Later on connecting your camcorder, open Windows Live Movie Maker, click the Moving-picture show Maker push button, and then click Import from device

Installing the right commuter (Windows seven only)

Note: If your PC runs Windows Vista or Windows 8, yous won't need to do this.
One time your camcorder is connected, you will need to verify that the proper driver has been selected by Windows seven.

Windows 7 comes with two i.LINK/IEEE 1394 drivers; a new one and a legacy one. For video capture, you volition need to employ the legacy commuter. Simply follow these stride-by-step instructions to make sure the right one is installed.

  • Click Start
  • Click on Control Panel
  • Click on Device Managing director
    (Note: If yous don't see Device Managing director listed, click on View By: Category on the top right side of the Control Panel window. And then click on Large Icons. Y'all should now have a list of items in the Control Panel. Click on Device Manager. )

    device manager

  • Under Device Manager, look downward the list for IEEE 1394 Omnibus Host Controllers and double-click it. It should display something like 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller. If it has the word (Legacy) after information technology, you are already ready up; just exit and go to Stride 4 in Option 2: Using Windows Live Photo Gallery
  • Next, double-click the 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller. A window will pop up maxim 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller Properties
  • Click on the Driver Tab, then click on Update Commuter
  • Select Scan my computer for driver software and then select select Let me selection from a listing of device drivers on my computer. It will bring up a listing of drivers
  • Click on 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy) then click Next. Make sure y'all select the one with (Legacy) after it.
  • It volition install the 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy), so say Windows has successfully updated your driver software.
  • Click on the Close button and close all other open windows.

Reboot your computer. You will at present exist able to import video via the i.LINK/FireWire/IEEE 1394 port. Go along with Pace 4 in Pick ii: Using Windows Live Photo Gallery

Troubleshooting

  • From time to time (for instance after installating updates) Windows 7 may switch back to the original 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller driver. If you lot notice that the IEEE 1394 device is transferring slowly and/or is not recognised anymore repeat the above steps and re-install the (Legacy) driver.
  • If yous are still unable to import videos later on you lot have switched the driver to (Legacy), the problem may be hardware-related. The problem could be with the port itself on the camcorder or computer, or a defective cable. Try swapping leads or using a dissimilar port if possible.

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