Which Sony Camcorder has analogue input and dv in/out?

digitalnemesis · 14-07-2005, 2:40 PM

I've been looking at the Sony DCR-HC series.

I'm thinking about buying the Sony DCR-HC39 but I'm not sure if it has analogue inputs so that I can use it to transfer (digitise) old video tapes onto my PC. Which Sony Camcorder allows this and also has dv in/out?

Thanks

digitalnemesis · 14-07-2005, 2:54 PM

I've looked around the internet and found this JVC model: http://www.jvc.co.uk/product.php?id=GR-DX97EK

Looks like it has analogue inputs. Do you think this would allow me to transfer my old video tapes to my pc?

Also, I'm not sure what the "Digital Colour NightScope" feature means.

MarkE19 · 14-07-2005, 3:07 PM

I had a quick look at the Sony.co.uk web site and the following camcorders are listed as having AV-in enabled:

HC-32E
HC-42E

The HC-49E does not list if it has AV-in enabled in its specs.
If a camcorder has AV-in enabled, then it will also have DV-in enabled.

All digital camcorders are poor in low light conditions, therefore most makers will have something similar to "Digital Colour NightScope" to allow filming in very low light conditions. Some are very poor and others are not too bad, depending on what you are after. Just don't expect the results to be that good!

Mark.

digitalnemesis · 14-07-2005, 3:13 PM

Thanks for the reply. So with analogue inputs can I connect my

VCR>Camcorder>PC

and digitise my old tapes like an analogue capture device?

digitalnemesis · 14-07-2005, 3:18 PM

I've been looking at the JVC manual for the camcorder here: http://www.jvc.co.uk/files/instructi...t1246-001b.pdf

I'm not sure if it allows "passthrough" analogue to digital conversion to my pc.

MarkE19 · 14-07-2005, 3:49 PM

Some camcorders will allow direct to PC capture of a connected analogue device. Others will make you record to a DV tape before you can capture, but I think this is not the normal way.
To do the analogue capture you will work exactly as if captureing a DV tape except you need to disable device control as the cam will not control the VCR etc. Also due to this it will be easier to just capture the whole tape as a single file, rather than individual scenes as you would from DV.

Mark.

digitalnemesis · 15-07-2005, 7:39 PM

I ended up buying the Sony HC42E, very pleased with it