topic Betreff: transfering dv tapes to pc in General chat

transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 17:15:30 GMT

I have an old PC350E camcorder with lots of old holiday movies on DV tapes. It still plays ok and I can view the movies on the screen on the camera.

I want to download them to my PC but have not had any success.

I have downloaded PlayMemories Home and connected the camcorder to my computer with an S video lead to a USB port.

I can’t get the software to recognise the camcorder or transfer any movies to my computer. Do I need a special lead or other software?

Thanks,

Steve

Betreff: transfering dv tapes to pc

Peter_S. — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 18:23:42 GMT

Hi,

If you would like to transfer your videos to your PC you need to connect the camcorder via iLINK (IEEE1394).

Most likely you need an adapter to achieve this.

Cheers

Peter

Betreff: transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 12:15:32 GMT

Thanks for your help Peter. Unfortunately, the only iLINK (IEEE1394) connection is located in the handycam docking station which I don’t have.

The only output sockets on the camera body are an A/V jack and an S Video port. I have used an adapter to convert each of these outputs to a USB cable but my computer does not recognise the camera and nothing shows on my computer when I play back the video to it.

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

Win_88 — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 14:25:53 GMT

Using adapters isn't recommended since they don't work most of the time. A direct USB connection is most optimal. I found the supplied USB cable being sold separately by EET: https://www.eetgroup.com/en-gb/182957941-sony-connection-cable-usb-wid-w125181091

Win_88

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 17:23:54 GMT

Hi, Win_88 Thanks for your response. The problem I have is there are only two outlet sockets on the camera which are an A/V jack and an S Video port. The cables I used to connect to my win 10 computer are:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Female-Adapter-Ancable-6-Inch-Splitter/dp/B07SR1HH87/ref=pd_lpo_23_img_0/258-1681127-3657347?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07SR1HH87&pd_rd_r=003a9cc4-dc8e-46da-a7ec-db3de2367894&pd_rd_w=KGUdX&pd_rd_wg=lMjdM&pf_rd_p=7b8e3b03-1439-4489-abd4-4a138cf4eca6&pf_rd_r=6MS0ZD3RCF2FDS525G2F&psc=1&refRID=6MS0ZD3RCF2FDS525G2F

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coomoors-S-Video-Component-Adapter-Mini-DIN-Black/dp/B072QDCG1H/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2EU3FQJKF1QOS&dchild=1&keywords=svideo+to+rca&qid=1605632806&s=electronics&sprefix=s+video+to+rca%2Celectronics%2C156&sr=1-6

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-iGreely-Splitter-Composite-Adapter-USB-3RCA/dp/B0722KNZRB/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2BKQOWWQECTKW&dchild=1&keywords=usb+to+rca+cable&qid=1605632906&s=electronics&sprefix=usb+to+rca%2Celectronics%2C173&sr=1-3

The first two were connected to the usb cable.

I would be grateful for any other ideas you have as I have lots of mini dv tapes of holidays dating back to 1999.

Steve

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

Blencogo — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 23:21:27 GMT

The signal out of your camcorder using an AV Cable is an analogue signal and your computer’s USB input requires a digital signal. This means these adapter cables will not work.

Unless you have a digital iLink connection, you cannot transfer direct to your computer’s USB and you need additional hardware to convert the analogue output to a digital signal your computer can record.

Search Amazon for ‘USB Video Capture Device’. Here is an example:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/External-USB-Video-Capture-Card/dp/B008F0SARC

These used to be about £10 but they seem to have gone up - try another supplier.

You will need a 3.5mm male jack to 3X RCA male from the camera to the capture device.

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

Blencogo — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 23:29:28 GMT

Here’s a cheaper one:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08FTK7TVM

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 12:18:51 GMT

Thanks for your response Blencogo. I have just got one of these from Amazon. I have successfully installed the usb driver and VHS software but cannot get it to work. I do get sound but only see a blue flashing screen

https://www.amazon.co.uk/External-USB-Video-Capture-Card/dp/B008F0SARC

Not sure if its faulty or not installed correctly or not compatible with the camcorder output.

I would be grateful for any other ideas.

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

Blencogo — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 10:24:27 GMT

Hi Steve

That’s strange. Have you tried both video connections separately - s-video or the yellow composite video?

What video editing software comes with this device?

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:06:55 GMT

I have tried both video connectors separately, the s video and the yellow av jack.

The software is:

honestech VHS to DVD 4.0 SE

version 4.0.45

The camcorder is working ok as it plays on the small lcd screen.

I did get a video USB converter from ebay previously and it did not work either. But as it only cost £5.99, I thought it may have been poor quality / probably faulty and I returned it. It was :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VHS-to-Digital-Converter-USB-2-0-Video-Capture-Card-for-XP-Vista-Win-7-8-10/224204221137?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Is it possible that this is a digital camera? If you go to this Amazon page:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DCR-PC350-DCR-PC350E-Digital-Camcorder/dp/B0002K78NK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pl_foot_top?ie=UTF8

and click on the available from these sellers button there is one for sale described as a Digital Camcorder. If so I don't know if the output would be digital or analoge.

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

Notsonyfanatall — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 14:30:00 GMT

Hi.

I mean how can it be so difficult for big names like Sony to not care about milions av people worldwide that have used SONY camera for taking family memorries in many many years and suddely all those memmories which are in form av DV kassetts should stay in boxes somewhere and maybe lost in some years.

I mean what the hack?? How cant Sony design a simple dings that we can buy for some resonable money and like a walkman put the DV kassett in and easy watch the films on TV?

Shame on you SONY!!!

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 15:09:00 GMT

Hi, do you still have your Handycam? If so I can tell you how I managed to do it.

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

HannahEd01 — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 15:56:48 GMT

Hi, if you have your camera you can connect it to your computer with a fire wire iLINK (IEEE1394) and transfer the videos.

Re: transfering dv tapes to pc

sleeksteve — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 12:13:57 GMT

I finally had success using this device from Amazon.

External USB Video Capture Card - August VGB100 - Transfer VHS Home Videos to PC / Capture Xbox 360 and PS3 Gameplay / S-Video and Composite In

It is a USB device which comes with a software CD, which also contains basic editing software. You can get cheaper ones but I bought this one from August as you get support from their website. I had to contact them and they told me how to change the settings before I could get it to work properly. I also had to download an updated software version from their website.

I connected it to my camera through the S video socket for video and the av jack for the sound.

It took a lot of perseverance but was well worth the effort to see my old videos.

(I had to use this method because there is no fire wire iLINK IEEE1394 socket on my camera, it is in the docking station which I no longer have)