Sony HDR-HC3 - capture not possible

[i802034]

I am using Vista and can capture an entire mini-DV tape using Windows Movie Maker. When I try to capture using a firewire cable and ULead, I get an error:
Unable to switch to capture mode
Check if your video capture driver is working properly
[15023: 4:2]


> I am using Video Studio 11 Plus (11.5)
> the video camera is recognized by ULead
> I want to capture only PARTS of the tape like with my non-HD camera using ULead
> Sony tells me that it must not be the video capture driver as it would be the same for both ULead and Windows Movie Maker

Would appreciate your help and advice.
Thank you.
Tracy Keenan

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forums!

The curious thing is that quite a few users, with both Vista and VS11+ and VS11.5+ can capture the high definition HDV/mpeg-2 from HDV cameras either identical with or similar to yours via firewire. I am one such person and have a Canon HV20. No problems at all. I have, however, now switched to a small freeware capture program called HDVSplit as it will split-by-scene during capture of HDV, which VS will not do. VS will only capture HDV as one big file. But it will definitely do that OK via firewire. No tweaks, no special additions. Anyway, do a Google for HDVSplit if it is of interest.

The only thing I can suggest re VS11+/11.5+ is that you visit the Microsoft DirectX website and download and install the latest update patch for DirectX dated June 2008. It is not included in the usual round of Windows updates, so you have to do it manually. The same update applies to both XP and Vista. Some Windows updates in recent months appear to have caused some conflicts with Video Studio. And it could be that in your case, the DirectX update might rectify things. That is the only obvious thing I can think of to explain why I can capture HDV via firewire and you cannot...

[erdna]

Besides my Sony SR11, I also have Sony HC3. I have Vista and VS11.5+, and no problems to capture HDV footage from of the HC3 through firewire. Put the cam in Play/Edit mode and it is directly recognized as a Sony DV device when the Ilink conversion is on, and as HDR-HC3 cam when no conversion is set (HDV1440x1080). I have DirectX10 and all the latest Vista updates installed

[i802034]

Can you please tell me how to check the conversion setting?
Can you pkease clairfy what the DirectX10 is?
Can you please tell me how to check the iLink conversion is on?

Thanks for your patience.
Tracy

[erdna]

Conversion setting is in the menu under standard set>I link conv> "on" or "off". Though not important for your problem, this is usefull when recordeing HDV, and you want to output it as standart DV via the firewire connection to you PC. I just mentioned about the conversion, because I checked HDV as well as DV capture possibilities. When you want to capture, you just have to make shure that your HC3 is in Play/Edit mode.
DirectX is a set of Windows associated programs where many (image)applications refer too. If VS11.5+ uses resources which are only available on the newest DirectX version (DirectX10) you'll need that newest version...