Camcorder tape to USB

[davemos]

Hi I have about 10 hours of tapes from a Sony camcorder. I have no way to watch them .I have the camcorders but its not working .Does anyone know who might turn them into MP4 or ? Thanks in advance !

[Surelynot]

There is kit available....I salvaged about the same amount 10 hours......Two problems,  one: can't remember the name of the kit (but there are loads on Amazon), two: I would seriously find a pro (if there any) to do it for you.....the results were not spectacular.

[OneMoreFarang]

17 minutes ago, davemos said:

Hi I have about 10 hours of tapes from a Sony camcorder. I have no way to watch them .I have the camcorders but its not working .Does anyone know who might turn them into MP4 or ? Thanks in advance !

What kind of tape?

 

[RichCor]

Good morning, Mr Phelps.  Your mission... should you decide to accept it, is to copy the contents of these analog video tapes to digital format and deliver them to this suspicious unknown recipient in return for minor payment and no questions asked. As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.

 

 

 

There *used* to be conversion services to get this done, but most went the way of the Internet Cafe and have since completely disappeared. You can find VCR Tape or Camcorder "USB A/V capture converters" on Lazada but most if not all require you already have a working tape playback machine to plug into this type of adapter.

 

Maybe tell us where you are and we can try looking for someone local to you who may still provide the service.

 

 

[EricTh]

Go to some computer shops, some of them can convert for you.

 

But you must pay the fees.

Edited October 27, 2020 by EricTh

[davemos]

10 minutes ago, RichCor said:

Good morning, Mr Phelps.  Your mission... should you decide to accept it, is to copy the contents of these analog video tapes to digital format and deliver them to this suspicious unknown recipient in return for minor payment and no questions asked. As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.

 

 

 

There *used* to be conversion services to get this done, but most went the way of the Internet Cafe and have since completely disappeared. You can find VCR Tape or Camcorder "USB A/V capture converters" on Lazada but most if not all require you already have a working tape playback machine to plug into this type of adapter.

 

Maybe tell us where you are and we can try looking for someone local to you who may still provide the service.

 

 

Hi im in Bangkok Phra Kahnong. Pic and coins attached for size.Tks

[davemos]

13 minutes ago, RichCor said:

Good morning, Mr Phelps.  Your mission... should you decide to accept it, is to copy the contents of these analog video tapes to digital format and deliver them to this suspicious unknown recipient in return for minor payment and no questions asked. As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.

 

 

 

There *used* to be conversion services to get this done, but most went the way of the Internet Cafe and have since completely disappeared. You can find VCR Tape or Camcorder "USB A/V capture converters" on Lazada but most if not all require you already have a working tape playback machine to plug into this type of adapter.

 

Maybe tell us where you are and we can try looking for someone local to you who may still provide the service.

 

 

Phra Kanong Bkk Thanks

[RichCor]

This topic from a few years ago, places mentioned may still be in business and offer the service (to DVD, or to MP4):

 

Video tape to DVD transfer

By MILT,  February 27, 2018 in Chiang Mai Forum

 

 

[howto]

OP states he has the following ,,,
- sony handycam hcr-hc96, miniDV camcorder   
- tape is sony dvm60   (this id RAW DV)  
OP says sony cam not functional ???  
 *** WHY ?, what are it's symptoms?   

-- LCD bad, no problem  

-- won't power on ,,,  

*** plug in the charger for 2 hours  

*** replace the battery  

Connect it to your computer via USB  ,,,

If it can be seen then he can get the vids himself.

*** been there, done that

 

SO to the OP, whats wrong with your sony camcorder ???

 

[Oldie]

4 hours ago, howto said:

OP states he has the following ,,,
- sony handycam hcr-hc96, miniDV camcorder   
- tape is sony dvm60   (this id RAW DV)  
OP says sony cam not functional ???  
 *** WHY ?, what are it's symptoms?   

-- LCD bad, no problem  

-- won't power on ,,,  

*** plug in the charger for 2 hours  

*** replace the battery  

Connect it to your computer via USB  ,,,

If it can be seen then he can get the vids himself.

*** been there, done that

 

SO to the OP, whats wrong with your sony camcorder ???

 

You can't capture using USB. You need Firewire. I have 2 Sony camcorders. Both still work but the bigger display is dead. But to capture 10 hours of video needs 10 hours. And then you have to change the avi files to mp4. A lot of work. 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Oldie said:

You can't capture using USB. You need Firewire. I have 2 Sony camcorders. Both still work but the bigger display is dead. But to capture 10 hours of video needs 10 hours. And then you have to change the avi files to mp4. A lot of work. 

Without special equipment 10 hours video will always take 10 hours to capture it.

 

Changing the file to mp4 might take some time but normally it should be only one command and then let the computer work - i.e. over night. But on second thought: A modern PC should do that fast with the low resolution.

 

[Salerno]

2 hours ago, Oldie said:

You can't capture using USB.

 

You could at least 15 years ago, other than tracking down the kit, why can't you now?

[Oldie]

41 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Without special equipment 10 hours video will always take 10 hours to capture it.

 

Changing the file to mp4 might take some time but normally it should be only one command and then let the computer work - i.e. over night. But on second thought: A modern PC should do that fast with the low resolution.

 

 

18 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

You could at least 15 years ago, other than tracking down the kit, why can't you now?

It is a high data rate and you even need fast hard drives. You need Firewire (IEEE-1394). I captured a lot and even had a RAID 0 setup for this. And capturing means that the camcorder plays the video back. So every hour video will take an hour for capturing. 

 

In respect of converting it to mp4. The more cores the CPU has the better. It might be the most challenging task the CPU ever has experienced. It might get a little bit hot. At least at my computer with 8 cores it was like this. I created many DVDs.

 

Here from the Sony site:

 

"It is strongly advisable that you connect your camcorder to your computer using an IEEE-1394 connector and use Picture Motion Browser Ver.5.6.01 to transfer video from a MiniDV camcorder."

 

https://www.sony-asia.com/support/resources/en_AP/html/Usefulinfo/Transfer_video/MiniDV.html#bILINK

[howto]

Oldie, good Wednesday Morning, here I'm finishing Tuesday evening.

I respectfully agree, and disagree

 

The DCR-HC96

- NP-FP50 InfoLithium battery pack (7.2V/4.9Wh)

USB is a bi-directional interface.
USB port (on included Handycam Station)
USB Port v2.0 Full speed
The DCR-HC96 moves the USB and FireWire/iLink ports to the small, bundled cradle,
 which also duplicates the A/V and power ports present on the camcorder.
5' USB cable
 (has a USB Type A connector on one end and
 a Mini USB Version 2.0 Type B connector on the other end, for the dock)

 

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/camcorders-tape-camcorders/dcr-hc96/articles/S1F0064
Transfer Video To Your Computer
Article ID : S1F0064 / Last Modified : 08/12/2019
The camcorder driver for USB video transfer comes preinstalled on the following operating systems:

    Microsoft® Windows® 10, Windows® 8/8.1, Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, Windows XP
    Apple® Macintosh® OS version 9.1 and higher

Note: Not all model camcorders are compatible with every operating system.
Please refer to the instruction manual supplied with your camcorder for more information regarding compatible operating systems.

 

Then there is this somewhat conflicting info  ,,,
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/downloads/Y0002507
USB Driver for Windows Operating System
Applicable Models lists the DCR-HC96
This utility installs a USB driver to connect the Handycam to a computer for transferring files via
    USB Mass Storage (used to transfer the data in the Memory Stick)
    USB Streaming (used to transfer the data in the tape)
Compatible Operating Systems
    Windows® Millennium Edition
    Windows® 2000 Professional
    Windows® XP Home Edition
    Windows® XP Professional
Release Date  2006-02-27

 

IF THE OS CAN 'SEE' THE UNIT, so can apps.

I suggest Handbrake

[Salerno]

14 minutes ago, Oldie said:

It is a high data rate and you even need fast hard drives. You need Firewire (IEEE-1394).

 

As I said, I converted numerous tapes at least 15 years ago via USB. 

 

  

14 minutes ago, Oldie said:

"It is strongly advisable that you connect your camcorder to your computer using an IEEE-1394 connector and use Picture Motion Browser Ver.5.6.01 to transfer video from a MiniDV camcorder."

 

There's a difference between "advisable" and "must".

Edited October 28, 2020 by Salerno

[Oldie]

11 minutes ago, howto said:

Oldie, good Wednesday Morning, here I'm finishing Tuesday evening.

I respectfully agree, and disagree

 

The DCR-HC96

- NP-FP50 InfoLithium battery pack (7.2V/4.9Wh)

USB is a bi-directional interface.

You should use the DV port to avoid skipped frames - this is the Firewire port. The USB port you can use for video streaming but not for high quality capture.

[howto]

Oldie, I was doing this back in 1998 on a Pentium Coppermine, single core under W2K.

Amazing how far hardware and software has advanced.

* yes, my Panasonic MX-1000 only had firewire (IEEE-1394), a subset of SCSI.

But then there was only USB v1.0

 

Now any system 5 years old, Intel or AMD, and 8 GB RAM with USB 2.0 (or 3)

will chew thru that without breaking a sweat.

 

EVEN BETTER, let a NVIDIA Discrete GPU do the heavy lifting.

Yeah, 2000+ cores, even a inexpensive low mid-range unit.

Handbrake can do that.

 

[davemos]

17 hours ago, howto said:

OP states he has the following ,,,
- sony handycam hcr-hc96, miniDV camcorder   
- tape is sony dvm60   (this id RAW DV)  
OP says sony cam not functional ???  
 *** WHY ?, what are it's symptoms?   

-- LCD bad, no problem  

-- won't power on ,,,  

*** plug in the charger for 2 hours  

*** replace the battery  

Connect it to your computer via USB  ,,,

If it can be seen then he can get the vids himself.

*** been there, done that

 

SO to the OP, whats wrong with your sony camcorder ???

 

No idea .tried battery replacement still nothimg ?Who can fix.or trounleshoot ?Thanks 

[davemos]

Tks for all replies.My camcorder is not functional.If anyone wants to.transcribe the tapes Im willing to.pay.Please 

These tapes have a sentimental value as my ex is dead .Hopefully davemos

 

[RichCor]

25 minutes ago, davemos said:

Im willing to.pay.Please 

Did you read the link I left (my second post of the thread) where they listed a couple of shops in Bangkok?

[Oldie]

1 hour ago, davemos said:

Tks for all replies.My camcorder is not functional.If anyone wants to.transcribe the tapes Im willing to.pay.Please 

These tapes have a sentimental value as my ex is dead .Hopefully davemos

 

In an older thread they wrote that in Pantip Plaza are shops doing this. If you never find anybody I could train my ex girlfriend to do it (I am too lazy). She would be happy to earn some Satang. I still have everything what is needed. The only problem is that one of my 3 RAID 0 disks gets bad sectors at the moment and even after 3 months I did not have the motivation to fix it. A lot of work with several parallel installed OS and I mostly use my tablet now. But one day I will fix it. There are more than 10 TB on data (with backups) - a lot of captured videos and DVDs that I created. So it needs to be fixed. But again - first check all other options. 

[Oldie]

Here I found something that might help. But perhaps try first 1 tape only to see the quality. 

 

https://m.pantipmarket.com/detail.php?id=13883965

 

http://www.facebook.com/AnalogHelp/

 

"Working format = VHS, Mini DV, Digital8, Hi8, Video8 and VHS-C formats 

Service Rates 

• Mini DV, Digital8, Hi8 and Video8 to DVD 
>> 200THB per 1 hour 

 

Mini DV, Digital8, Hi8 and Video8 to .MP4 file 
>> 200THB per 1 hour 

" 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Oldie

[davemos]

On 10/29/2020 at 6:14 AM, Oldie said:

Here I found something that might help. But perhaps try first 1 tape only to see the quality. 

 

https://m.pantipmarket.com/detail.php?id=13883965

 

http://www.facebook.com/AnalogHelp/

 

"Working format = VHS, Mini DV, Digital8, Hi8, Video8 and VHS-C formats 

Service Rates 

• Mini DV, Digital8, Hi8 and Video8 to DVD 
>> 200THB per 1 hour 

 

Mini DV, Digital8, Hi8 and Video8 to .MP4 file 
>> 200THB per 1 hour 

" 

 

 

Thanks for that Im going to his shop ill update everyone as news happen ????

[davemos]

Thanks Oldie and all .My tapes are being transcribed as we speak ! 250 per tape .So many thanks ????????????.Line telp     0632823641  for anyone else .Thanks again Oldie!