Sony handycam help!?

Question

I have a Sony Handycam model DCR HC30E. Its a mini cassette one. The problem is I just can't upload the videos onto my laptop, which is a new one with Vista. I downloaded the new software available on the Sony website that is compatible with Vista, but now they ask for i.link cable, (they cannot detect the handycam otherwise) I searched for it and I don't think my laptop has a hole to plug in the i.link cable.

Is there an alternative way? Please help me out here, I am running out of mini cassettes and the patience to deal with them!

Answer 1

The Sony HDR-HC30 is a MiniDV tape based camcorder. ALL miniDV tape based camcorders transfer video from the camcorder miniDV tape to a computer using a firewire cable connecting the DV port on the camcorder to the firewire400 port of the computer. Transferring digital video (DV) over USB is not supported.

Since you did not tell us which laptop you have, we have no way to know if it has a PCMCIA or ExpressCard slot so you can add a Firewire 400 port.

Firewire, i.LINK and IEEE1394a are all the same thing.

A USB to firwire converter adapter will not work.