Handycam & VCR Tapes

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Lochinvar
Handycam & VCR Tapes

I have just bought a Sony DCR-HC27E Handycam. I expected to copy videos to my computer and burn DVD/CD disks with the computer.

However I've been told that my computer will struggle with videos.  It is a:

Dell Dimension 4400

System: Windows XP Home Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2

 Computer: Intel (R), Pentium (R) 4CPU 1.70GHz, 1.60GHz, 1.00 GB of RAM 

 So I have to look at copying to VCR Tape because I do not have a DVD recorder (I have a combined VCR recorder and DVD/CD player and a VCR recorder.

When I turn to the Handycam Operating Guide the only part of it that I can find that looks anything like instructions for copying to Tapes/DVDs is called "Dubbing to VCR/DVD device, etc."

I always thought that Dubbing was adding words to silent films.

If indeed these instructions are for playing the handycam tape on the TV screen and recording to a VCR tape Is the A/V connecting cable the only cable I need or will Ialso require an i LINK cable?

There is a chapter called "Recording Pictures from a VCR, etc" but this appears to be for the next model up of the Handycam DCR-HC28E.

If I can't copy to VCR tapes it looks as though I'll have get a DVD recorder and I just don't want to go through the chaos of second guessing inadequate instructions to get the TV and the DVD recorder together.

Chris Miller
I believe you've found the

I believe you've found the correct chapter under the "dubbing" instructions.  Dubbing can refer to any kind of recording, really.

If you're just trying to play your handycam on the TV or through a VCR, you should be fine using just the A/V cable that -hopefully- came with your camera.  The iLink cable is what you'd need to connect the camera to your PC.

Lochinvar
Chris Miller said: I believe

Chris Miller said: I believe you've found the correct chapter under the "dubbing" instructions.  Dubbing can refer to any kind of recording, really. If you're just trying to play your handycam on the TV or through a VCR, you should be fine using just the A/V cable that -hopefully- came with your camera.  The iLink cable is what you'd need to connect the camera to your PC.

Thanks Chris for replying to my query. I'm now considering getting a new computer as my current one is 5 years old and it doesn't look as though an upgrade will do much for it. I did wonder though if DVDs made on the computer will play on the DVD players connected to TVs?  Its for sure that technology doesn't stand still, I just wish the instruction manuals that come with it didn't assume any pre knowledge.

Chris Miller
Hey Lochinvar,

Hey Lochinvar,

As to whether or not your DVD player will be able to read DVD's burned on your computer, unfortunately the best answer I can give you is "it depends".  Some DVD players can read just about any type of burned DVD, some can't read any, and some can read one of the formats but not others.  Check your DVD player's instructions to see if it explicitly mentions burned DVDs.  The thing you'll be looking for is TYPE of burned DVD: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, etc.  You'll need to make sure that the blank DVD you buy is compatible with your player.

If you're not sure about all these different DVD formats, here's a great article that explains what they all are.

Lochinvar
Chris Miller said: Hey

Chris Miller said: Hey Lochinvar, As to whether or not your DVD player will be able to read DVD's burned on your computer, unfortunately the best answer I can give you is "it depends".  Some DVD players can read just about any type of burned DVD, some can't read any, and some can read one of the formats but not others.  Check your DVD player's instructions to see if it explicitly mentions burned DVDs.  The thing you'll be looking for is TYPE of burned DVD: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, etc.  You'll need to make sure that the blank DVD you buy is compatible with your player. If you're not sure about all these different DVD formats, here's a great article that explains what they all are.

Thanks for the timely warning about DVDs (isn't anything straightforward these days?) I checked my DVD player and guess what! Its a Panasonic which is DVD-RAM. Quick panic and lots of expletives but then after the initial "Oh Sxxx" I remembered that I've played lots of DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD Video tapes on it. So as the computer I'm changing up to burns DVDRW/DVD+RW I should be OK.  Anyway thanks to you I've learned a bit more and won't be waking up in the small hours worrying.  The article is now in my bookmarks.

Investor
I have a Sony Digital

I have a Sony Digital Handycam about 7 years old and a Sony video Hi8 Handycam. I would like to transfer and edit tapes into my computer. The software in my computer is Windows Movie Maker. The computer has DVD R RW, compact disk rewritable. Question? What do I use to connect the two diferent Handycams to the computer? Finally, will I be able to transfer the videos to a playable DVD?

  Ralston, Member

Chris Miller
Ralston,

Ralston,

I suspect that the digital camera has some sort of direct-to-PC connection capability - either firewire or USB.  My sony camcorder uses Firewire, so that would be my guess.  Assuming your PC has firewire, that should be all you need to connect that particular camera to your PC.  On my PC, I'm actually able to control playback on the camera (play, pause, stop, rewind, fastforward) through the PC when the camera is hooked up with firewire.  That capability should be available to you within movie maker.

The Hi8 camera may or may not have a direct-to-PC connection.  If it does not, you could always connect it to your digital camera's inputs, connect the digital to the PC via firewire, and set the digital camera to a pass-through mode.  The digital camera would effectively serve as a bridge to the PC and an analogue-to-digital converter.  You wouldn't be able to control the Hi8 camera's playback directly from the PC, but you would at least be able to capture the video.  I've used this pass-through method with my digital camcorder to put regular VHS tapes on my PC.

Once the video from both cameras is captured on your PC, you should have no problem burning it to DVD.  Just make sure you use a writeable DVD format that your DVD player can handle (see previous comments in this thread for more on that).

Good luck!

Chris

 

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