How do you put videos from a Sony HDR-HC 9 Mini DV HD Handycam Camcorder onto the computer?

Question

i tried using the software that came with the camera but it won't download onto my computer, so if someone can tell me another way to put videos on the computer, it would be really helpful.

Answer 1

Locate the camcorder's DV port. This is a 4-pin firewire port.

Locate your computer's firewire port. It can be either a 4-pin or 6-pin firewire port.

Get a firewire cable that will connect the camcorder's DV port to your computer's firewire port. USB will not work as it cannot sustain the streaming speed required. (USB is a bursty protocol.)

If your Windows based computer does not have a firewire port, install one. A firewire to USB adapter will not work. Apple Macintosh computers have had firewire 400 ports as standard for at least 10 years (the only exception is the new Mac Air).

Firewire400, IEEE1394a, DV and i.Link are all the same thing.

Apple iMovieHD05 and newer can import HDV if you have installed the Apple Intermediate Codec. You will need to do a custom install with the system discs for just this component.

Microsoft MovieMaker cannot handle HDV. You need to find some other video editor that does. Sony Vegas is a usual suspect.