Firewire capture from Sony DV Camcorder DCR-PC1E

andyrpsmith wrote on 11/24/2020, 9:46 AM

I believe there is a legacy firewire driver on the web somewhere. I remember when I archived all mine I had to find this driver as windows tried to use its own which did not work with my canopus converter.

andyrpsmith wrote on 11/24/2020, 9:47 AM

How do I install the Firewire 1394 Legacy Driver in Windows 10?

Download the Microsoft Firewire 1394 Legacy Driver Installer

Double-click to run the 1394_OHCI_LegacyDriver.msi file. This will extract the drivers to: C:\Program Files (x86)\1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy)\

Open the folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy)\X64_driver\

Right-click on Legacy1394.inf and choose Install to install the drivers

Press the Windows Key + R

Type devmgmt.msc

Click OK

In Device Manager, expand IEEE 1394 Bus Host Controllers

Right-click on 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller

Click Update Driver Software

Click Browse my computer for driver software

Click Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer

Click 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy)

Click Next

(When Windows has finished installing the driver) click Close

andyrpsmith wrote on 11/24/2020, 9:48 AM

https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/c/d/6cdafba0-054a-44fa-b627-bc1f1e1c6772/1394_ohci_legacydriver.msi

Link to driver download - hope this may help

Bob-Astill wrote on 11/24/2020, 10:16 AM

Thank you Andy, yes I've tried those.....sadly it still doesn't work....

andyrpsmith wrote on 11/24/2020, 11:18 AM

Bob have you tried:

1) running in various compatibility modes

2) finding other legacy drivers for windows 7,8

Former user wrote on 11/24/2020, 11:28 AM

Make sure you have actually selected the Legacy Driver, installing it alone does not make any changes.

Bob-Astill wrote on 11/25/2020, 10:07 AM

On the capture screen I get a message No device detected and all transport controls greyed out

Have tried the legacy drivers but sadly to no avail. I'm not sure how to run it in compatibility modes...thought about installing the old Sony Vegas 13 I had in 2013 but the login has expired and I don't have the old login code...So I think I will have to give up on firewire capture....I know the resolution isn't up to todays' standards but the tapes have Holidays in USA and Canada on them and perhaps one day the power of digital will be available to enhance the tapes before they disintegrate.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions

Regards Bob

Bob have you tried:

1) running in various compatibility modes

2) finding other legacy drivers for windows 7,8

David-Knarr wrote on 11/26/2020, 12:28 AM

Bob, check out this article at https://www.studio1productions.com/Articles/Firewire-1.htm

I just updated the article a few days ago. Read the article and follow the steps by step instructions. That should get you working. If you have any problems the click on the Contact Us button near the top of the page and drop me an email. I will be happy to help you get it working.

Dave

David-Knarr wrote on 11/26/2020, 12:54 AM

Bob, one more thing remove the card with the TI chipset and put back in the card with the VIA chipseti. In testing over a dozen Firewire cards the I have found the cards with the VIA chipset work better than the To chipset cards when running Windows 10.

Also, try each Firewire port on the card and also try different Firewire cables. I first tried using an couple of expensive Belkin cables but they would make ana connection to the camera. A cheap cable worked fine.

Another thing is after you have the Firewire card installed and you have selected the Legacy driver, connect the camera and power it on. Then go back in Device Manager and look for Imaging Device, it should list your camera or capture device. If it does not show up, then try a different cable and also make sure the cable is plugged in all the way.

I am running Vegas Pro 18 and Vegas Movie Studio 16 and I can capture video with no problems.

Dave

JN- wrote on 11/26/2020, 6:36 AM

@David-Knarr Thats a super article.

Bob-Astill wrote on 11/26/2020, 10:21 AM

Bob, one more thing remove the card with the TI chipset and put back in the card with the VIA chipseti. In testing over a dozen Firewire cards the I have found the cards with the VIA chipset work better than the To chipset cards when running Windows 10.

Also, try each Firewire port on the card and also try different Firewire cables. I first tried using an couple of expensive Belkin cables but they would make ana connection to the camera. A cheap cable worked fine.

Another thing is after you have the Firewire card installed and you have selected the Legacy driver, connect the camera and power it on. Then go back in Device Manager and look for Imaging Device, it should list your camera or capture device. If it does not show up, then try a different cable and also make sure the cable is plugged in all the way.

I am running Vegas Pro 18 and Vegas Movie Studio 16 and I can capture video with no problems.

Dave

David thank you....followed your instructions and I must have used the 32 bit driver, any way installed the 64 bit driver and no recognition in device manager or Vegas Capture, then tried a different cable and switched on the camcorder and DONG instantly recognised SUCCESS one happy chap!

Even using the TI chipset card!

So THANK YOU everyone for your help

Regards Bob

Musicvid wrote on 11/26/2020, 10:52 AM

Yes @David-Knarr, thanks for the updated information on a nagging subject.

Once a user has a connection, and the camcorder is recognized in Vegas Vidcap, this first thing one must do is to turn off Device Control.

David-Knarr wrote on 11/26/2020, 2:20 PM

Glad the article was helpful and got you working, Bob.

Musicvid, yes I forgot to mention turning off Device Control. I will added it to the article tomorrow.

I am working on a few more updates to the article later tonight. Hopefully, I will have it done to upload tomorrow sometime.

Dave

Musicvid wrote on 11/26/2020, 7:40 PM

Be sure and submit it in the Tutorials section, where it will be seen by many.

Bob-Astill wrote on 11/27/2020, 7:47 AM

Be sure and submit it in the Tutorials section, where it will be seen by many.

I have added the URL to the Tutorials section, hope this is what you mean? Regards Bob

vkmast wrote on 11/27/2020, 7:51 AM

@Bob-Astill yes. Your tutorial is currently "waiting for authorization". Actually I thought it was from @David-Knarr... I think he should submit it himself.

Bob-Astill wrote on 11/27/2020, 10:11 AM

Yes, I think so too and am happy with that

Regards Bob

Bob-Astill wrote on 11/27/2020, 11:48 AM

@Bob-Astill yes. Your tutorial is currently "waiting for authorization". Actually I thought it was from @David-Knarr... I think he should submit it himself.

BTW your link doesn't work.......

David-Knarr wrote on 11/27/2020, 12:26 PM

Bob and VKmast, I will post it to the tutorial section later this weekend. I just posted an update to the article at 4:00am EST to my website. I though of a couple of more things that I want to add to the Firewire article, so I will do that later today. One thing I want to add is how to do video capture with Vegas Pro and Movie Studio.

Dave

studio-4 wrote on 6/2/2021, 4:23 PM

I debated whether to start a new thread with a more generic, search-friendly title (e.g., "FireWire IEEE-1394 PCIe cards"), but since the information here is pretty complete, I'll just add to this thread.

My thanks to David Knarr at studio1productions.com for writing that very detailed and helpful FireWire article (and also to andyrpsmith for his write-up in this thread). I followed the studio1 article to the letter, then promptly sent my TI-chipped StarTech PCIe FireWire adapter back to B+H today since I couldn't get Windows' device manager to recognize it.

Following the article's recommendations for a VIA-chipped card, among the many generic brands on Amazon, I chose the "Godshark PCIe 3-port" FireWIre PCIe card (below) for $15.99, which arrives today:

I'm super-excited to see whether my Windows 10 machine recognizes the new card since I have a bunch of DVCAM raw footage from past short films I'd love to re-visit and re-cut (all shot on a Sony DSR450 2/3" DVCAM camera). I haven't viewed the footage since I edited them in Sony Vegas way back in 2006.

Shortly after that project, I moved to all-macOS machines and only just got back to Vegas a few days ago. I loved Vegas back then, and am so happy to have a system running Vegas again now. Its ease-of-use is simply unmatched.

Will also be looking forward to archiving/digitizing the pile of Sony DCR-VX1000 miniDV tapes I have, going all the way back to 1995. At the time, I didn't have a dedicated ingest-deck, but now I have a Sony DSR11 and can't wait to see all of my old footage.