Capture Sony 4 pin firewire to USB?

monoparadox wrote on 2/11/2017, 12:26 PM

It's been awhile since I've pulled some clips from my old Sony DV tapes. In the meantime, I've a new computer without a firewire port. Has anyone had any luck with Windows 10 using a firewire/usb wire to capture from a Sony camcorder or deck (I have a GVD-900 and a DSR-11)??  Will Vegas recognize the device? I can't even think of the name of the old capture/logging program from Germany that many had (aha, Scenalyzer, and I do buried somewhere, I think).  Any help or easy solutions appreciated.

-- tom

Comments

ushere wrote on 2/11/2017, 4:24 PM

had the same problem - bought a $8 firewire card and used legacy drivers. problem solved.

monoparadox wrote on 2/11/2017, 5:50 PM

had the same problem - bought a $8 firewire card and used legacy drivers. problem solved.


Yup, looks like the way to go. I scrounged around and found a card in an old cpu but wrong bus :-(

Thanks!

ushere wrote on 2/11/2017, 7:51 PM

life's like that isn't it? ;-(

NickHope wrote on 2/11/2017, 8:56 PM

If my memory serves me correctly, I was happier working with the earlier, simpler sclive20030728.zip and not the later sclive20051129.zip. I see http://scenalyzer.com/ is still distributing an even later version. I could let you have a copy of the earlier one if the later one is not to your liking. Just send me a PM.

JJKizak wrote on 2/17/2017, 6:36 PM

I wish some brilliant people would come up with solutions to using old stuff and old drivers in new computers. I had to purchase a new app to run an old Epson scanner in my machine.

JJK

ushere wrote on 2/18/2017, 4:49 PM

how will manufacturers keep selling us stuff if we can keep on using the old!?

and it's rare that you find anyone developing drivers for older stuff either. like you i found some for my old canon flatbed scanner, but none for my old epson film scanner.

 

JJKizak wrote on 2/18/2017, 6:11 PM

how will manufacturers keep selling us stuff if we can keep on using the old!?

and it's rare that you find anyone developing drivers for older stuff either. like you i found some for my old canon flatbed scanner, but none for my old epson film scanner.

 


Try Vuescan. Not sure about the spelling.

JJK

ushere wrote on 2/19/2017, 5:05 AM

i dl'ed vuscan a while back, it sort of worked intermittently but was really more trouble than it was worth. have an old laptop running 7 which is called into duty when all else fails ;-(

DelCallo wrote on 9/16/2017, 8:48 AM

had the same problem - bought a $8 firewire card and used legacy drivers. problem solved.


What sort of firewire card did you purchase. I used to spend a lot of time with video, multi-cam captures of my children in their performances. Since they're grown with families and musical careers of their own, they don't need dear old dad's home-brewed video solutions (nor can dear old dad get to their performances, LOL).

Just the same, I value my old analogue 8mm, hi-8, and DV8 captures, and having "moved on" from my trusty PCs of the past, with their internal firewire cards, I'm struggling with finding a way to get firewire into my laptop.

When I search on external firewire cards, they are all more than $8, but that doesn't bother me so much as the fact that the ones that pop up on my screen appear to be internal cards that need to be installed into my machine. Is that the meaning of "external" in this context?

If so, then did you take something out of your laptop to install the card? What component did you replace.

I used to spend a lot of time under the hood of my PC, but, other than to replace a hard drive or battery, have little experience working with my laptop.

I know this is a relatively old thread, but it seems silly for me to start a new one when this one is so sharply focused on my needs.

I've been much into still photography lately and so out of video that I didn't even know that Sony had sold its Creative Software products. I currently have Vegas Pro 10, and will likely stay with it until such time as I have a reason to upgrade. FWIW, I started shooting video with a Sony CCDV 220, then upgraded to the one of the smaller Sony Hi-8 camcorders, then a TRV103 DV8, and finally, for fun, a used CCDV5000.

Both of the expensive large units (CCDV220 and 5000) seem to have rotted in their cases. Neither ever acted up during use, but now neither will play, record, or display. The mic cover on one fell off in crumbs when I took it out of the case. I paid more for the CCDV220 than I've ever paid for any other camera (video or still), so, although the technology is ancient, I was disappointed to see it stop working in that way. Guess I am spoiled by still cameras that seem never to wear out. OTOH, the two Handycams work as when new. The DV8 is the one I use(d) for playback and transfer to PC (now to my laptop). When my first grandchild was born, my wife surprised me with a Sony an HDR CX360 HD AVCHD Handycam (I lover her for thinking of me, but wish she hadn't made this purchase without me). It is a fine example of how much more we get in technology these days for much less money, but also a clear example of how consumer tastes have changed over the years. SD acquisition eliminates the time consuming need to capture, and, of course, Vegas handles the resultant files without a glitch. But the unit's only acquisition route is through the lens. There are no line inputs of any sort on this camcorder, a real let down for me.

For kicks, I had picked up one of those Vidcap VHS to USB converters to transfer my wife's VHS tapes from her years as a music teacher, and its performance is perfectly fine on my Windows 10 laptop, although I know that I am compromising quality, even on the transfer of the non-digital 8mm tapes played back on my TRV103.

Sorry for being so lengthy in this post, but I am happy to invest some dollars and whatever time is necessary to transfer these priceless memories properly.

Any suggestions most welcome.

My first post in this forum since its transfer to Magix.

DelCallo

 

 

Former user wrote on 9/16/2017, 2:46 PM

There are no good firewire "external" cards. I have seen claims of firewire to usb but have never heard of one that works. If your laptop does not have firewire then you are stuck with USB cards for capturing from the analog ports.

DelCallo wrote on 9/23/2017, 11:15 AM

Analog to USB is just a waste. I could probably live with the quality loss of the video, but the jumping and jittering are unbearable. I have resurrected one of my old PCs running XP, loaded up Vegas 6.0, and am capturing away properly.

That old PC has no internet connectivity, so activating my copy of 6.0 has been a problem. Magix wants a Computer ID number to complete offline activation. I can't find the number, but if I figure out how to either search on this forum or start a fresh post, I'll put something up on that subject.

I've read posts from others seeking the Computer ID, but have yet to find an answer.

At least I can capture for now.

Thanks for the replies.

Caruso (formerly Del back in the days)

Former user wrote on 9/23/2017, 11:30 AM

Maybe you can open Vidcap without running Vegas.