Help! Sound buzzing problem with Hi8 transfer!

carlo44 · 13-10-2009, 1:01 PM

Would be ever so grateful if anyone could help me with this saga.

Have been trying to digitise my Sony Hi8 Handycam tapes for a while. It has an S-Video and AV out jackplug socket, presumably for the sound. First of all I used a USB Ezcap device, with U-Lead software. Video is fine, but on playback the sound is ruined by a very loud buzzing through the speakers, on whatever pc/laptop I use to play it back on. Thinking it was a faulty device, I bought a dedicated PCI video grabber card (TX Hollywood), with neoDVD software, and exactly the same thing is happening! Have tried every setting possible, reducing recording level volume etc, with no success. I use an S-Video cable between camcorder and pc, and a jackplug sound cable from camcorder to line in on the souncard. You do get sound, but there's the loud buzzing over it. When I tried the USB Ezcap, sound and video went through that.

The strangest thing is, on the pc that I do the editing, I am using a monitor with built in speakers and the buzzing is not there; however, if I copy the MPEG file and play it on anything else the buzzing returns. I also notice that if I plug speakers directly into the camcorder there's buzzing.

Anyone have any clues before I go tatally mad? Perhaps my camcorder is faulty!

nvingo · 13-10-2009, 1:29 PM

What is the model number of the Sony Hi8 camcorder?

My guess is that the AV jack on the camcorder is a combined audio and (composite) video connector. This is probably a four or five contact connector.
The buzzing you hear is because the use of an incorrect audio jack (three-contact) is touching the video contact and the video signal is interfering with the audio.
You need to obtain the correct AV lead for the camcorder, which has the AV jack one end to either scart plug (you'll then need an adapter for the PC) or three RCA-phono plugs (Yellow-video, Red-audio right, White-audio left). You can of course leave the video plug unattached, as you are using the separate S-video cable.
Be aware the configuration for the four-contact jack is not standard, you will have to specify use with your camcorder at the time of purchase.

carlo44 · 13-10-2009, 6:22 PM

Interesting, thanks for that.

Model is a Sony Handycam CCD-TRV59E.

It has S-Video socket and AV out jackplug socket, which I thought was audio only. You thibk then this smaller socket could be all I need with the correct lead?

Thanks, Carl

**senu** · 13-10-2009, 7:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlo44

It has S-Video socket and AV out jackplug socket, which I thought was audio only.

It isnt

nvingo · 13-10-2009, 7:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlo44

It has S-Video socket and AV out jackplug socket, which I thought was audio only. You thibk then this smaller socket could be all I need with the correct lead?

The video signal quality will still benefit from your using the separate S-video lead and only the audio connectors on the AV lead.

**senu** · 13-10-2009, 8:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvingo

The video signal quality will still benefit from your using the separate S-video lead and only the audio connectors on the AV lead.

Correct , do get a half decent s-video cable though. they are a tad finicky

carlo44 · 13-10-2009, 9:07 PM

Cheers for the replies, I'll do some more fiddling with it.

the craziest thing I find is that these video files will play through the monitor speakers without buzzing, but put them on any other pc or laptop and they won't. Even on the machine that they do play OK on, swap it's speakers for heavier duty ones and the problem starts again!