Sony digital 8 capture problems

[jimmymac2213]

I have been given a friends Sony Digital 8, DCR-TRV140E handycam which has a video of my brothers wedding on it.

I only have the USB lead for the camera to connect to my PC but i am having problems with capturing the video within. The Camera has been set to USB stream mode and I have tried various programs to capture said video.

Pixela and pinnacle both seem to stop capturing video after approx 2 minutes, the audio seems to continue to be picked up but no video after that. Ulead managed to capture all of the video but picked up no sound.

Can anyone advise me on where the problem might be, is it an issue with USB capture and I might be better getting an Svideo output instead?

thanks in advance for any help

[redsox_mark]

If you are using USB (USB stream mode), even if you do get it to work the quality will be poor.
As with DV camcorders, with Digital 8 you should capture using Ilink/Firewire.

[jimmymac2213]

so would that be a lead that goes from the Svideo port on the camera to firewire? or from DV out to firewire? Also will that provide audio down the same line or will i need to have an audio out cable to the soundcard in my pc too?

[jimmymac2213]

ok i see after checking around its the DV out to 6 pin firewire that i need, will try and pick one up from maplins tonight, cheers

[redsox_mark]

Yes - from the DVout on the camcorder (probably 4 pin) to your PC (generally 6 pin for desktop, 4 pin for laptop).
Audio and video will be transferred digitially to your PC over this.

[jimmymac2213]

magic, hopefully all will go to plan, cheers for your help

[tomd84]

Digital 8's are normally 4 pin I had problems using any other software apart from the one from sony using the USB when i had one of these

[senu]

That has not been my experience ( I didnt get any software from Sony anyway)
Use firewire and every software which supports firewire capture should work with it as it is in fact a DV camcorder.
Also like them they tend to sport the smaller 4 pin firewire ports
I have one (TRV 620 ) and have used it with virtually every software around ( Adobe Premiere and Elements Sony Vegas, Avid Liquid and Pinnacle Studio and Ulead Video Studio )

[redsox_mark]

I agree, Digital 8 uses the DV codec - in terms of content/format, it is the same as DV. The only difference is the size/format of the physical tape (which the editing application won't see). To the editing application, it's just DV.

[tomd84]

Originally Posted by senu

That has not been my experience ( I didnt get any software from Sony anyway)
Use firewire and every software which supports firewire capture should work with it as it is in fact a DV camcorder.
Also like them they tend to sport the smaller 4 pin firewire ports
I have one (TRV 620 ) and have used it with virtually every software around ( Adobe Premiere and Elements Sony Vegas, Avid Liquid and Pinnacle Studio and Ulead Video Studio )

Sorry i ment using the USB with the sony! you can use anything with the DV with it!

[redsox_mark]

Ah.. yes I agree with that!