Camcorder Query

RJH · 08 June 2006, 20:33

Here's a question for all you experts out there with camcorders. I have an early Sony DVD camcorder which is great but cannot be edited with Windows Moviemaker on the PC as DVD is not a recognised editable format. My question is, can I get any software to convert it into something editable or am I going to have to replace it with a camera with another format and if so what would be the best format. All advice gratefully received.

Cheers
RJH

Gray · 08 June 2006, 21:08

I use a sony DV camcorder. The video is easily transferable to computer with great quality. Works fine with Windows Movie Maker and other such apps.

RJH · 08 June 2006, 21:11

Thanks. What does a DV camera record onto - tape or a type of memory card?

Alex Brown · 08 June 2006, 21:20

A DV Camcorder records onto DV tapes. However, if you have a 'mini-dv' socket on your camcorder, it's likely that you'll be able to extract the video directly from the camcorder to the computer using a firewire socket on your computer if you have one of them.

What model camcorder do you have exactly?

There are applications around that extract DVD video onto 'AVI' format which can be editted in movie maker, but the majority of them are not cheap.

-Alex

J S · 08 June 2006, 21:22

The DV cameras record onto a tape

There is a piece of software called imtoo mpeg enconder which converts most formats into AVI, MPEG, DivX, WMV, MP4, MOV, RM, H.264, 3GP, PSP, iPod, CD, MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, M4A, APE, FLAC, OGG which movie maker will recognise.

I think you can download it for free here

http://www.imtoo.com/mpeg-encoder.html

James

RJH · 08 June 2006, 21:28

Its a Sony DVD 91E. One of the early ones and I don't think it has a firewire socket - although I'm not sure I would recognise it and to make matters worse I have lost the manual!

Gray · 08 June 2006, 22:17

Firewire socket would like like a USB port. As far as i know there are two sizes of firewire so its likely to be small if on the vid cam. Where as USB is rectangular, Firewire has curved corners at one end on the larger size and the for the smaller size on of the long edges is a kinda u shape. Hope that makes sense!

My budget was limited when i got my camcorder. Ive got Sony DCR-HC22E. does what i need it to do and comes with a fantastic cradle for it to sit in and charge whilst copying the tape on to the computer through the DV link.

Richard B · 08 June 2006, 22:36

I went through exactly this process last year! I bought a Sony DCR-DVD202E which I didn't get on with at all. Fortunately I had gone in to Dixons at Heathrow, told them what I wanted it to do, and asked for their recommendation, so getting a replacement was straightforward. I now have a Sony DCR-HC90E

Anyway, for digital editing there's only one recording media type - mini DV. It's a very small tape, about 70mm x 50mm x 15mm typically recording 60-90 minutes of video in a digital format. And there's only one method of transfer to PC - Firewire. Confusingly, Firewire is also known as iLink or DV in/out (some camcorders are out only) or IEEE1392. No DVD camcorders that I've seen have this interface.

Avoid hard disk camcorders (unless they've improved hugely!) and avoid using USB for video transfer.

I tried a couple of shareware applications for converting DVD video to .wmv but they were appalling!

RJH · 09 June 2006, 05:49

Many thanks Richard and everybody. I have now learned more with this thread than countless trips to PC world / Jessops / hours on the internet etc! I don't know why I didn't think of this before

RJH

Tim M · 09 June 2006, 08:38

Quote:

avoid using USB for video transfer

Is the quality of the video less good when done by USB than Firewire?
Ive got a Sony mini DV camera (cant remember the model number). I always use the USB socket (dont have firewire on my puter) and Ive never been very impressed with the quality - can only "download" it at very low resolution. There don't seem to be any options for making it better in the Sony Software. Is the solution to get a Firewire card?

Richard B · 09 June 2006, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

Is the quality of the video less good when done by USB than Firewire?

The short answer is yes, to the best of my knowledge. I guess that it's anticipating USB1.1 standard.

The other problem is that not all video applications support download by USB. The Sony software does, but it's poo! I can't remember if Windows Movie Maker supports both USB and iLink/Firewire, but I'm fairly sure that Adobe Premiere doesn't.

I would definitely get a firewire card, I don't think they are very expensive from Misco or Ebuyer.

Gray · 09 June 2006, 10:07

I have a firewire card for the back of your PC if anyone wants it. Cost of postage and packaging and enough for a few drinks would cover it i reckon! I bought it not realising I already had the ports. Doh! If you want more info on it PM me and ill dig it out the cupboard.

I have tried copying video from the camcorder using USB, before i got computer with firewire, and it was crap. Really grainy and absolutely no quality. Firewire is far superior!

Hugh Jardon · 13 November 2007, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard B

I went through exactly this process last year! I bought a Sony DCR-DVD202E which I didn't get on with at all. Fortunately I had gone in to Dixons at Heathrow, told them what I wanted it to do, and asked for their recommendation, so getting a replacement was straightforward. I now have a Sony DCR-HC90E

Anyway, for digital editing there's only one recording media type - mini DV. It's a very small tape, about 70mm x 50mm x 15mm typically recording 60-90 minutes of video in a digital format. And there's only one method of transfer to PC - Firewire. Confusingly, Firewire is also known as iLink or DV in/out (some camcorders are out only) or IEEE1392. No DVD camcorders that I've seen have this interface.

Avoid hard disk camcorders (unless they've improved hugely!) and avoid using USB for video transfer.

I tried a couple of shareware applications for converting DVD video to .wmv but they were appalling!

i purchased a replacement jvc hard disk cam corder a couple of weeks ago, best thing i have purchased in a while, very very simple and quick to transfer vid to pc in next to no time, no more dicking around with those 1 hr digital tapes.

DJL · 14 November 2007, 00:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

i purchased a replacement jvc hard disk cam corder a couple of weeks ago, best thing i have purchased in a while, very very simple and quick to transfer vid to pc in next to no time, no more dicking around with those 1 hr digital tapes.

Thats the way the industry is moving - broadcast HD cameras are now recording to solid state media. It makes editing much quicker, saves waiting for hours of tape to be transfered to computer.

The problem with harddisk and solid state recording is one of archiving. DV tapes will last for ages. Unless you've got a tape backup device for your computer, all solid state/HDD footage is likely to end up on DVD/CD, which is much less reliable than tape.

The broadcast industry is having the same problem - a DigiBeta tape is much easier to store than GB's worth of data stuck on some computer somewhere.

Biggles · 14 November 2007, 01:12

I don't agree. The hard disk will soon rule the world.

As long as you have two hard disks copying each other then you are never going to lose data.

In my house all music is now on hard drive and most films are on harddrive in a standard recording stae. At the moment I'm trying to work out how to record HD.

For me Cd's and DVDs are nearly dead.

IPOD has replaced any sort of music. And soon I hope to have all films or telly stored on a couple of hard drives in the middle of the house that anyone can access.

Anyone want to buy some CD/DVD storage boxes ?

A little tip when buying HD drives. Never buy the latest and greatest. and try (I haven't done this yet) to buy your matching hard drives from different companies.

Next thing is to get a car that can access HD music.

Biggles · 14 November 2007, 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

I don't agree. The hard disk will soon rule the world.

That is until solid state catches up. And that is a very long way away for the the consumer.

Tony · 14 November 2007, 05:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

I don't agree. The hard disk will soon rule the world.

As long as you have two hard disks copying each other then you are never going to lose data.

In my house all music is now on hard drive and most films are on harddrive in a standard recording stae. At the moment I'm trying to work out how to record HD.

For me Cd's and DVDs are nearly dead.

IPOD has replaced any sort of music. And soon I hope to have all films or telly stored on a couple of hard drives in the middle of the house that anyone can access.

Anyone want to buy some CD/DVD storage boxes ?

A little tip when buying HD drives. Never buy the latest and greatest. and try (I haven't done this yet) to buy your matching hard drives from different companies.

Next thing is to get a car that can access HD music.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-DIN-CAR-2-5-...QQcmdZViewItem

Biggles · 14 November 2007, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-DIN-CAR-2-5-...QQcmdZViewItem

Now thats the business.

RJH · 14 November 2007, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh Jardon

i purchased a replacement jvc hard disk cam corder a couple of weeks ago, best thing i have purchased in a while, very very simple and quick to transfer vid to pc in next to no time, no more dicking around with those 1 hr digital tapes.

Presumably, when you say transfer, do you include editing - with XP or Vista?