Video Capture Question - please help!

NeilRShah wrote on 11/27/2005, 3:48 PM
I recently upgraded to Vegas 5.0 and I have a Sony Digital Camera (DCR-IP55 if that helps any). When I connect the camera to my computer with a USB cable - vidcap recognizes it and everything, it's just really low quality. So I tried plugging it in with firewire - and windows XP made the beep noise, and the blue screen changed from "Connect video device" to "Preview is turned off." and all the navigation buttons are turned off. Is there a driver I need to download, or does anyone else have any ideas as to how I can get this to work?
Thanks in advance for any posts to this comment. I really appreciate it!
Neil

Comments

B.Verlik wrote on 11/27/2005, 3:52 PM
As others will probably say, Firewire is the way to transfer digital video to your P.C. USB is for using your digital camera as a Web-cam (or mpg capture). It's no good for transfer of digital video. You'll need a firewire card and of course your camcorder must have a firewire port too.
NeilRShah wrote on 11/27/2005, 3:56 PM
Agreed - I am trying to capture with firewire for just that reason - the quality was just too low otherwise. All the above problems are with the firewire cable.
johnmeyer wrote on 11/27/2005, 5:10 PM
USB will not work. Firewire is the ONLY way it will work. Are you certain that you have a Firewire connection on your computer?

Right-click on your My Computer icon. Select the Hardware tab. Then select Device Manager. If you have a Firewire (1394) card installed in your computer, you will see an item that says "IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers" or something similar. If you don't see anything that includes the "1394" number, then your computer needs to be upgraded with a 1394/Firewire card.
epirb wrote on 11/27/2005, 5:23 PM
Have you made sure that "enable device control " is on and checked?
NeilRShah wrote on 11/27/2005, 6:25 PM
Yes - I do certainly have a 1394 firewire connection, and firewire is working for other devices. It's very weird - because the computer obviously recognizes the computer, as the XP "beep" happens, just like when you connect any other device. Since this happens - and the fact that the screen changes from "please connect device" to "preview is turned off" whenever i connect the camera - it seems to me that the program IS recognizing the fact that the camera is plugged in, however - there is something else that is causing the camera not to show up.
Under "hardware manager" the camera shows up as a "Sony MYDVR Device" (or something of the sort) under "Sound, Video, and Game Controllers."
Thank you for your input, and any other comments would also be greatly appreciated!
B.Verlik wrote on 11/28/2005, 1:40 PM
I cannot be positive of this because mine has always worked from day one. I don't use my Firewire port for anything but video transfer.
That may be my secret. I've heard, but don't remember exactly, that firewire ports can be picky. Meaning, that if you get it working with one device, you may have a problem getting it working with a different device. Seems like I remember recommendations of putting in an extra firewire card or something along that line. Try the search for Firewire problems and see if you can find the answer. Or wait and see if somebody else posts here.