That's a HDV cam, correct? You need to make sure you are using the Vegas Internal Capture program (there should be a dialog box to select when you pick the capture button).

Also, is the camera in HDV capture mode (as opposed to DV). You'll need to check the manual to see if it has that option.

Be sure the cam is in HDV, not "Auto"
Be sure you're using the HDV/SDI capture utility
Be sure you've got the Sony DVHS drivers loaded
Use 1394, NOT USB for capture.

I have an HC7, no problems, so I'm confident it's compatible with Vegas 7.

"I have an HC7, no problems, so I'm confident it's compatible with Vegas 7."

Sorry... don't mean to highjack the thread, but how do you find the HC7? I have the HC3 and wonder if it's worth upgrading.

Thanks.

The HC7 is better in low light by a long shot, and has audio inputs. Outside of those features, I'm not sure it's worthy of upgrade, unless you're doing a lot of still photography; significant improvements have been made to accomodate stills on a card.

I remoted in to my PC from work. I see I left the "external" checkbox checked in the Preferences dialog. (In hindsight, I thought the directions said "check", instead of "clear" the checkbox. That's probably it.

So far, I am thrilled with the low-light performance.


Dan

but how do you find the HC7? I have the HC3 and wonder if it's worth upgrading.

Spot,

Have you seen the new HC7 review on camcorderinfo.com?
HC7 Review

I trust your judgement, and generally find camcorderinfo.com reviews to be reliable, so I'm puzzled by their review. They say when talking about low light performance "Imagine our disappointment, albeit unsurprised disappointment, that HDR-HC7 performed so much worse than last year’s HDR-HC3."

I have the HC1 and have used the HC3... I recommended the HC7 to others based on my experience with them and faith that the HC7 would be even better... now I'm worried I may have given bad advice.

Mark

If you have an HC3 (I do) and you have your HC7, put them side by side in auto mode, and shoot at a bright object. notice which one not only exposes correctly more quickly, but which one has the better image.
Now shoot a subject in a dark room lit by candle, and you'll see the same result; the HC7 is less grainy, and more robust than the HC3. The HC1 was bette than the HC3/5/7, but it's more money, discontinued. For some reason, it's the cam everyone compares the HC7 to in many reviews when they're very far apart in design, cost, and features. The HC1 was a consumer vesion of the professional HVR A1U. There is no professional counterpart to the HC3/5/7

Spot,

Thanks - it is the HC3 vs. HC7 I'm most interested in... I only mentioned the HC1 as that is what I have. I've used an HC3, I don't have an HC7. In giving advice to someone shopping for their first camcorder I assumed the HC7 would be better than the HC3 (which is what your experience indicates). It is just that for some reason camcorderinfo.com says the opposite, they say the HC7 is much worse than the HC3 in low light.

I'll have to try and borrow a HC7 to see for myself I guess...

Mark

One thing the comments section highlighted is the fact that , during the test, they turned off the "auto-30fps" feature in the menu, on the premise that they wanted to compare at the normal 60 rate. On this point I'd agree; there is definitely a compromise made when switching from 60 to 30. The motion artifacts are significantly more visible.

By the way, the HC3 can also do 30, but you have to manually select it.

Hi spot. I'm evaluating this cam and can only capture in DV.

- changed it to HDV not auto, good
- using 1394, DV capture works fine

Problems:

- what is a HDV/SDI capture utility?
- can't find DVHS drivers anywhere so far...

Thank you.

I have the HC3 as well as the HC7, and the HC7 works fine in Vegas7.... just make sure you're using the INTERNAL (hdv) capture utility.

The HC7 is better in low light.... depending on which way you look at it ( I find it better anyway) I think the general confusion is that they tend to handle low light a bit differently. The HC3 softens out on low light so the image is no longer sharp... but there is less grain that way. The HC7 on the other hand tries NOT to soften out. The result is a sharper picture, but more grain.

The HC7 is a great cam but I agree with Spot.... there is no dire need to upgrade from the HC3.... in terms of options anyway. The still cam is better in the HC7, but for me that's not really an issue since I have a fairly good quality still cam already.

If you don't get the box that asks you whether you want the external or internal capture how can you determine or switch from one to the other? V7d