SONY dcr-109e - hard disk/dvd

[peekay1000]

Hi guys
Not sure i am posting in the right area but looking at past threads it looks about right!!
Over the last 4 years I have amassed enough footage on mini-dv disk to be concerned about losing it now! I tried to load up the software from sony so i could transfer the footage from tape to the computer hard disk and then back it up either to an external hard disk or dvd disks. However the software disk is warped and will not load onto my pc(or 3 other pc's i have tried it on). So i started to hunt around for software downloads but none of it is that simple and have been unable to find the complete software anywhere, just upgrades or parts of the package. The dvd title is Sony Picture Package.
However what i did find is lots of reviews warning people away from using picture package saying it is unreliable at best and at worst resulted in lots of people losing all their video/pictures.

So my question is what is the best (in your learned opinions) software to use to transfer tape/footage from the camera to the hard disk/dvd for backup and possibly some minor editing. Some have suggested Sony Vegas? Others mentioned Adobe but I can't remember the software name? Also the other problem i have is that my pc doesn't recognize or doesn't allow me to connect the camera to the pc via usb and the driver software is stuck on the aforementioned warped CD. i have tried downloading the software from Sony but to date i have not been able to get it to work?

Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, help on this would be VERY much appreciated.

Regards

[glesgaguyav]

Seems your biggest problem is getting the PC to recognise the camera after that the Worlds your Oyster as far as importing the footage, you don't mention what OP system your using but I would have thought that if it's USB then most modern systems would recognise the camera without specific drivers, if this is not the case then Sony are making a big mistake, loose or damage your CD and the camera is usless

[peekay1000]

the operating system is XP or Vista - i have tried on both - neither system recognises the camera - sayd it is searching for drivers but to no avail. If i can get system to recogise camera what is the easiest software to use to get the footage downloaded from the tape to the computer hard drive?
Thanks again
Paul

[glesgaguyav]

Presume you mean Disk not Tape, Ulead and Pinnacle both do entry level NLE's or once you have the camera recognised by the PC then you could also try Windows internal Moviemaker.
I would have thought that Vista or XP should recognise the camera without specific drivers or If they don't then Sony should allow you to download them from their site.
I have found that software provided by the cam makers is generally provided as a convenience and not a nessecity, I personally never use it.

[redsox_mark]

It is a DV tape camcorder, so you need to capture using Firewire. You can use any editing software for this, even Windows Movie maker. You don't need any special drivers.

[peekay1000]

ok this is where in my readings of other posts confused me and now i am confused again!!!
glesgaguyav - thanks for the reply - It is a dv tape and i am trying to somehow copy that tape into mpeg or avi format so it can be stored/edited/played through my pc. I had assumed it would be quite a laborious task of playing the tapes from start to finish whilst the computer picked up the information via a usb cable.

redsox_mark - again thanks for the reply, You mentioned i would need to a firewire cable to transfer the video across. However i do not have a firewire card on the pc and nor does there seem to be a firewire port on the camera. Actually the only cabling provided with the camera is a usb cable. i assume a fire wire port is different to a usb cable? also why would a firewire cable be needed?

Thanks

[glesgaguyav]

We're all getting confused now

Iam not familliar with the camera, but if it's "tape" based then you will as Redsox said need a firewire cable and card (not expensive) and your cam will certainly hav firewire/dv output, (check the manual)
If it's a HDD cam then it will use the USB to export the clips.

You need the firewire cable to transfer it's the only way to do it.

[redsox_mark]

What is confusing is that the model number is incomplete, and the post talks of tapes and discs.

Is your camcorder a DCR-PC109E (Mini DV), or a DCR-DVD109E (a DVD cam).

If it is a PC109E it does have a Firewire port, and that is what you need to use.

If it is a DVD109, then simply make copies of the disc, or copy it to HDD.

[peekay1000]

Dear all
Many thanks for the help - the model number is DCR-PC109e.
I have gotten myself in a muddle over this and i think the main reason is my lack of understanding of firewire - i had assumed (wrongly) that firewire was a big plug/socket as is used on the first IPods, which I have now learned is 6 pin. I did not realize that there is also a 4 pin firewire cable. I have now discovered i have probably wasted a lot of your time! Sorry.

But for what its worth I just came across this website which explains everything very clearly, for people like me that is

http://www.simplydv.co.uk/infobase/about_firewire.html

thanks again

paul

[glesgaguyav]

No time wasted, that's what the forums are for, to help and learn from each other