Connecting Panasonic Video camera HDC-SD9 to Pc

[James Hersey]

Sir
I cannot get my camera to capture videos on Pro x2.
The dialogue box tell me my camera is not connected, yet I can get data base onto my PC. The camera driver does not seem to work. The souce does not appear in the capture mode.
I do not seem to have a disc. The camera automatically connected when it was first used.
My pro X2 was corrupted and I uninstalled and the reinstalled the software and since then have not been able to connect the camera.
Can anyone help please.
James Hersey

[Ken Berry]

The usual way to capture from the SD9 is to transfer (not 'capture') the video clips from the camera's drive to your hard drive using Windows Explorer/My Computer. Then you simply open the transferred (not 'captured') files in VS for editing.

Does your computer "see" your camera and the video on it? If not, then you have a problem with the connection (USB), and not VS...

[James Hersey]

Ken
I appreciate your reply. thank you.
I have tried your remedy, but still think the images are coming through as Data.
The pictures are very jerky.
I have always captured through Video studio in the past, but as soon as I connect the camera via the USB lead, a dialogue box comes up, camera not connected.
I assume the driver for the camera is not working. I have contacted Panasonic to see if they can download a system for me to connect to the PC, but I have not heard from them.
If you have any other solutions, I would be very much obliged.
James Hersey

[skier-hughes]

The files only need to be transferred as data, as Ken has already said.

The reason they look jerky is possibly due to your computer not being able to play HD files properly, but as you haven't filled in your pc specs on your profile, we can't tell, it only says XP and that usually means older.........

The camera, if I'm right, records full hd in avchd format to an SD card.

You could take this sd card out of the computer and use a card reader to transfer the files, you'd still transfer using data transfer.

When you say you always used to capture, did you used to have a minidv camcorder by any chance?

[mitchell65]

According to the manual for this camcorder it comes with a disk that contains the drivers. You must have the drivers installed and use the supplied USB cable for the PC to recognise the camera as an external drive

Maybe I have got this wrong but I thought the Panasonic Video camera HDC-SD9 recorded to media cards. That being so why not just put the card into a card reader and import the video files direct toyour hard drive?

[skier-hughes]

Snap, but the OP thinks he has to capture rather than import.

[mitchell65]

Hi Graham
So is it feasible to just put the card into a card reader and transfer the files to a hard disc?
For James
Have located a site where it looks like you can download the camera driver. It is here:
http://xpdrivers.com/camera/_1_4.cfm

[skier-hughes]

I think so, I only have access to a hard drive hd cam, so can't be 100% sure, but 99.9% of me thinks that it shouldn't be a problem. Going by using a digital camera that can record HD video onto a card.
I wouldn't have thought you'd need drivers either, surely it'd just see the card as a removable drive anyway?

[mitchell65]

I think so, I only have access to a hard drive hd cam, so can't be 100% sure, but 99.9% of me thinks that it shouldn't be a problem. Going by using a digital camera that can record HD video onto a card.
I wouldn't have thought you'd need drivers either, surely it'd just see the card as a removable drive anyway?

I'm inclined to agree but the Manual for this camera suggests connecting via the supplied USB cable having installed the drivers from the supplied CD.
I have an Olympus DSLR still camera that the manufaturers suggest connecting via a USB but I always take out the card and insert it in my card reader. Necessary really as I have more than one card so can I keep the files on the original card until I have made backups etc and then it is ready to use again.

[skier-hughes]

In my experience the drivers don't do anything as such, apart from allowing the camera to talk to the other programmes they install

[mitchell65]

Yes I see what you mean. We'll have to see what the OP says!
BTW your website link returns "Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)"

[skier-hughes]

Yeh, it's hosted free of charge by fellow MVP's and unfortunately they had a server fail, so mines down intermittently for a few days.

[James Hersey]

Hi
Thanks for all your very helpful replies.
I have now transferred very sucessfully my data to my hard disc, via a card reader.
However, my video studio Pro X2 is very jerky when editing the data.
Do I need to uninstall the software again and re-install?
My computer is a Sony- system type X86-based PC.
With windows XP (home edition)
Pentium 4
150GB Hard Disc
1024 MB Ram Memory
Can you help?
James Hersey

[Ken Berry]

The absolute minimum required to be able to *edit* AVCHD -- using SmartProxy -- is a Pentium 4 3.0 GHz with hyperthreading. BUT -- and it is a big 'but' -- AVCHD requires even more grunt to be able to play AVCHD than it does to edit AVCHD. So to be even able to play your AVCHD smoothly, you will require at least a decent Core 2 Duo.

I used to edit on a P4 which sounds like yours, but the end result played back jerkily, so I thought the editing had not been successful. But when I transferred that edited clip to a (then) new Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz laptop, it played back perfectly smoothly.

These are known facts, but unfortunately, the manufacturers of AVCHD high def camcorders do not advertise the fact.

If you have a high def TV which accepts direct HD/AVCHD input from, say, an external USB drive or stick, or else a Blu-Ray player (including the Sony PlayStation 3), then you could transfer your edited file to such a drive and play it back that way. Other than that, though, you are up for a new computer!

[James Hersey]

Ken
I have edited perfectly from this same camera onto this same PC before my pro-x2 crashed recently.
I therefore think the problem is somewhere else!
James