Need some advice with SONY handycam TRV328E to copy video

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:40 pm

Hello

I know this forum is not for talking about videos, but maybe some can help me.

I have some SONY handycam trv328E. (This model dont have memory stick, it put the movies only in the cassette)

ATM i can connect it to the PC using USB but the only way i found to save the videos is using some webcam capture software. That gives me a very bad resolution (320 x 240 is the max i have found). Then when i burn the videos don't look very good in the DVD/VCD.

This camera have some DV out, but i dont have the needed video card (dont know if are too expensive or if exists).

What do you recommend me? Buy some analogic capture device? Buy some digital capture device? Use another software (dont know if exists) that let me capure using USB but with a better resolution?

Any help will be welcome!!

Straker · Post by **Straker** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:12 pm

I use Dazzle DVD creation Station 200 because it does hardware encoding and creates awesome MPEG-2 quality videos. Its an older model and probably not sold anymore, but if you can find one that does hardware encoding, thats the way to go.

http://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.p ... rdRead=163

BTW, the site above (videohelp.com) is the best one on the net for questions like yours.

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:36 pm

Thanks!!

One question:

Is the resolution a limitation of capturing video using USB or its a limitation of the webcam capturing software that i found?

I mean, should i quit for continue using USB as the way to capture my videos?

Straker · Post by **Straker** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:08 pm

Obviously, USB directly will not be as good as a good vid capture card or other hardware device. My guess is that resolution problem is a software issue unless you are using USB 1.1.

The device I mentioned is USB 2.0 but the capturing is done on the chip before streaming the video file to disk.

Here's a good article to start with:

http://channels.lockergnome.com/media/a ... _usb.phtml

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:26 pm

If you have a DVD recorder set top box then you can send it to that and record it like a normal tv transmission and then just take the disk and put it in your computer.

I know it sounds long winded but it works great!

blueznl · Post by **blueznl** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 7:43 pm

that's a hi8 cam iirc

got a similar model, and here's what i did: i bought another one

though not the same one

what i did was i bought a second hand digital 8 camera for 120 euro, which had a firewire port, and which allowed me to stream my analogue tapes into my machine as if they were dv

you have to look around to find a model that does it, some of the models do not

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:44 pm

blueznl wrote:that's a hi8 cam iirc

got a similar model, and here's what i did: i bought another one

though not the same one what i did was i bought a second hand digital 8 camera for 120 euro, which had a firewire port, and which allowed me to stream my analogue tapes into my machine as if they were dv

you have to look around to find a model that does it, some of the models do not

Mine have DV output and i guess i can connect it to firewire port (if i put one on the PC), but as im newbiew i don't wihc thing is best:

Trying to stream video as DV to my PC (this means tu buy a firewire ports card to my PC) or add some analogue capture chip (Pinnacle card per example) and do it in this way.

Any advice on choosing one of this options? Which give me best quality?

The only thing i nwa t is to burn my vids with similar quality that if connect directly the camera to TV.

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:49 pm

I guess that the 320 x 240 limit is because that the size that my camera uses.
When i tried to use anohter format using virtualdub i tells me that my device don't accept other format option (i was trying to use 640 x 480).

As far as i understand, Pinnacle cards capture with big resolution and that is what makes that videos looks fine in the DVD or CD.

If i connect the camera directly to TV (using RCA analogue) it shows fine. But if i capture it on PC as 320x240 and burn it to CD, when i put see it on TV it shows pixelated or something that is poorest quality compared to camera connected directly to TV.

THATS is my problem, im loosing quality!

Beach · Post by **Beach** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:11 am

If you have a DV port, you should use that. The Firewire card is the least expensive option you have and it will ultimately give you the best quality. I just picked one up last week for $17. The box contained the PCI card, a Firewire cable (big to small end), and Ulead's VideoStudio Basic SE. All of this would give you 720x480 resolution video and a full editing suite. But... you will need a boat load of hard drive space and a pretty fast PC. If you do not have the space, the Dazzle external USB device is the way to go as it compresses the video before entering your PC - resulting in smaller video sizes.

-Beach

traumatic · Post by **traumatic** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:07 pm

Yes, simply transfer the video via firewire. You'll end up with DV-AVIs,
720x576 (PAL) or 720x480 (NTSC). As Mini-DV already records digital,
you'll have no quality loss that way. Having a bad resolution right now
comes from using the USB interface, as almost every DV-Cam only
supports some kind of webcam-mode with USB.

mskuma · Post by **mskuma** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:58 pm

I agree with the others - Firewire is the solution (unless you know someone with a DV tape drive in their PC, pretty rare). Make sure you check your PC - it might already have a firewire (otherwise known as a 1394) connector especially if you're using a decent laptop (a fair percentage of these have one). PCI firewire cards are cheap. Alternatively ask a friend if their PC have a port and dump it to their PC & then move it to a DVD or external hard disk for editing on your machine (you'll need a decent-performing machine to edit).

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:01 pm

Beach wrote:All of this would give you 720x480 resolution video and a full editing suite.

Good!! That why im looking for!!

I guess i have enough disc space and enough resources in the PC.

I think i will opt for this solution in first place!!

Thanks to everybody for you help

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:24 pm

I forgot to mention that i install some firewire card on my PC and use Pinnacle software studio pro with excelent results, now im burning my videos and obtain really nice DVDs!

Thanks everyone for your advices