iLink issue with Sony Handycam and win 7

rojgelf

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I've been just building up a library of HDV material on mini dv discs and finally got around to start transferring these to PC, and it seems I've been blissfully ignorant of the iLink / firewire / 1394 issues that I'm finding whilst googling. Would love to hear from anyone who got this fixed.

Well a recent mobo upgrade and my sony handycam can be seen by windows, but my new corel videostudio x5 just hangs when I try and select video capture source. I did work with same cable and cam on old PC (can't remember if with XP or vista, last file I recorded was 2008!) with videostudio 11.5 and onboard 1394. I'm now using an old 1394 PCI card, which win 7 installs fine, not tried reverting to legacy driver yet (as suggest via google).

I did order a pci-e 1394 card but have cancelled it whilst I try a few other things, seems the card might be the issue really as lot of users with different cards seem to get same issue. As an aside will pci-e give me faster transfer than my pci card (I know 400 is limit but can pci make that?).

My kit :
Sony HDR HC3E Handycam
NEC 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller
4pin to 6pin Firewire cable
Windows 7 64bit
corel videostudio x5
 
A bit puzzled, didn't you use firewire to capture the original DTV tape content to .AVI files and save these on discs. Or was there a HDV camera recording to discs ? I've never seen one :confused:

Firewire would normally only be required to capture video recorded to a linear recording medium like tape.
 
My camcorder records to minidv tapes in hdv format. Only was to get off is via ilink from camcorder to pc.
 
Hi Rojgelf. I just upgraded few months ago my whole PC to i7 and all the bells and whistles and also have an older Sony Mini DV. I have not had any issues at all transferring the tapes via 1394 to PC. (had the same 4 to 6 pin cable too for like years too). Running Win7 64 Ultimate and using the on motherboard 1394 interface (Asus motherboard). I also have a very old creative audigy platinum Ex I think it is in the PC which also has a 1394 input and have also used that to grab the files direct from the camera. Never had to do anything special - it just has always worked. Software wise - Windows movie maker, Sony Vegas, Ulead DVD movie factory and even Nero 11 suite can all grab from the Mini DV tape. Only a few weeks ago I used Sony Vegas to clean up some poor recordings of Mini Dv tapes so I know it still works. Only thing I do notice these days with the faster PC is I don't get any dropped frames during the transfer but that's down to performace of the PC. Not sure what to recommend but just wanted to let you know that I've had no issues and wish you Good luck.
 
Hi Rojgelf. I just upgraded few months ago my whole PC to i7 and all the bells and whistles and also have an older Sony Mini DV. I have not had any issues at all transferring the tapes via 1394 to PC. (had the same 4 to 6 pin cable too for like years too). Running Win7 64 Ultimate and using the on motherboard 1394 interface (Asus motherboard). I also have a very old creative audigy platinum Ex I think it is in the PC which also has a 1394 input and have also used that to grab the files direct from the camera. Never had to do anything special - it just has always worked. Software wise - Windows movie maker, Sony Vegas, Ulead DVD movie factory and even Nero 11 suite can all grab from the Mini DV tape. Only a few weeks ago I used Sony Vegas to clean up some poor recordings of Mini Dv tapes so I know it still works. Only thing I do notice these days with the faster PC is I don't get any dropped frames during the transfer but that's down to performace of the PC. Not sure what to recommend but just wanted to let you know that I've had no issues and wish you Good luck.

Thanks, my first suspicion was the PCI card, old mobo had 1394 onboard, new one (asus fm1 with a6 3650) doesn't. I've been converting DV footage to DVD using my old sony dvd recorder over ilink (doesn't do hdv) so pretty sure the camera and cable is ok.

Strangely the iLink on computer does recognize and install correct drivers for sony hc3 camcorder, but just doesn't work properly when capturing within video studio. I sold old mobo at weekend or I would try that again.
 
My camcorder records to minidv tapes in hdv format. Only was to get off is via ilink from camcorder to pc.

It's your OP that confuses

I've been just building up a library of HDV material on mini dv discs

Simply wondered how you managed to transfer content recorded on a tape to disc without a working firewire port :confused:
 
Rojgelf.
I did a quick google for the problem and there does seem to be an issue with the 64 bit drivers - however I have fresh Win7 64 install and not had the problems - must be that I'm lucky. Most posters suggested changing the 1394 drivers to the legacy OHCI drivers but I see you have those aleady. I'm not at my main PC so can't tell you what drivers I have there at this time. Maybe it's a problem with Corel side of things? Have you tried using Windows Live movie maker to see if you can at least get Windows to import anything. At the start / search just type in movie maker and it should find it. Once in the live movie maker you should be able to File, Import from device and select the Sony as source. I guess importing a small clip would at least test the Windows side of things and then if succesful then you could follow up with Corel.

EDIT**
Also take a look at the following link. It suggests using the LEGACY driver. The one you say you have has NEC as the prefix - maybe that's the issue?
http://www.studio1productions.com/Articles/Firewire-1.htm
Cheers, Graeme.
 
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EDIT**
Also take a look at the following link. It suggests using the LEGACY driver. The one you say you have has NEC as the prefix - maybe that's the issue?
Fixing Firewire Problems in Windows 7 - David Knarr
Cheers, Graeme.

Thanks I found the legacy driver tip yesterday but only had time to try it this morning, and it works! Maybe as your 1394 is built into the mobo you have new drivers, my pci card is very old.

All seems good now, just in time as my lcd on my camcorder looks like its finally packed in, hence why I've finally started to copy digitise these tapes!
 
Good to hear - I think I only have a couple more Mini DV tapes to transfer across and you you reminded me to get this done - so I guess that's what I'll be doing later today. Cheers, Graeme
 
Good to hear - I think I only have a couple more Mini DV tapes to transfer across and you you reminded me to get this done - so I guess that's what I'll be doing later today. Cheers, Graeme

I've got about 40 to do, and it looks like my camcorder LCD is no longer touch sensitive, at least my PC can now rewind and record media (and Camcorder is set to HDV out and not DV), just in time!

What to move to next? Not using this so much now, we can both record HD movies on our phones and briefly had a small tosh camelio for our last holiday (water proof and was fun). Only the sony cam takes decent movies indoors though. I think a smaller HD camcorder is needed, but not a miniDV one. Does one with a HDD and records in AVCHD simply involve copying movie files to PC? Preferably with USB3.
 
An hdd camcorder I guess connects via USB but I doubt they are USB3 at the camcorder end (but I could be wrong). That was one of my reasons for heading to a camcorder with an SD card - can just unplug that and put into the card reader for easy transfer. I'd suggest though making a new thread for camcorder advice - There are many threads related to PC spec when dealing with HD video so may also be worth reading through those too. Cheers, Graeme
 
No point in usb3 for a HD camcorder using flash memory.

The fastest class10 SD cards have a read speed of about 10MB/second. USB2 can handle up to 60MB/second.

The hdd drives in camcorders probably aren't much different to SD cards. No need for an ultra fast one especially as they use more power.
 
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An hdd camcorder I guess connects via USB but I doubt they are USB3 at the camcorder end (but I could be wrong). That was one of my reasons for heading to a camcorder with an SD card - can just unplug that and put into the card reader for easy transfer. I'd suggest though making a new thread for camcorder advice - There are many threads related to PC spec when dealing with HD video so may also be worth reading through those too. Cheers, Graeme

Thanks, I will do, I have quite a few DV tapes to convert first though so I'd better crack on with that!
 
Ok 30 tapes converted and 10 to go, but now my handycam is giving a C:31:23 error when I insert tape, its says to reinsert but it doesn't clear error. Its seems its a problem with the mechanism. Anyone got any suggestions (apart from whacking it which is all google came up with)?
 
Ok 30 tapes converted and 10 to go, but now my handycam is giving a C:31:23 error when I insert tape, its says to reinsert but it doesn't clear error. Its seems its a problem with the mechanism. Anyone got any suggestions (apart from whacking it which is all google came up with)?

Anyone? I got a ballpark estimate from CPES of £150, so it seems that or buy a new camera, a used one as I'm assuming on the sony hdr-hc3 / 5 / 7 / 9 support HDV on a miniDV tape? If buying a new camera I would not get a miniDV one, so once these tapes are archived I would potentially not need to use this camera again.
 

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