Sony Handicam Download Problems

[slippery when wet]

I have recently purchased a sony handicam and have begun to download pictures taken so that I can copy to disc. However, I am having difficulties in as much as when the pictures are being downloaded to the computer they tend to 'stutter' which are then transferred to disc when copying. I have noticed that when this 'stuttering' takes place the picture in the handicam viewfinder is fine but on the computer monitor the picture is less than perfect, causing this stuttering I mentioned.

I have very limited computer knowledge but one of my friends mentioned that it could be that the graphic card needs updating. I am not too sure of the exact spec of my computer but it is about 4 years old with a 32MB NVIDIA GeForce2 MX TV Out graphic card.

If you could please assist in eradicating this problem I would be very appreciative. Thanks ....slippery

[Thairish]

Hi slippery,

You should close all other programs when you capture the pictures, if you have already done this then the video card or even just the RAM needs a bit more. On the manual of the Handicam for the capture software they should have minimum specs of your computer, that should clue you up if anything needs an upgrade!

Hope this helps...

Thairish

Edited August 22, 2005 by Thairish

[Crossy]

I suspect you are running out of CPU power.

Close everything else that is not associated with the video capture.

Kill the on-screen preview (you can use the camera LCD to find the start and stop points), there should be a check box somewhere in your capture software, time to get out the manual

Just a thought, are you using IEEE1394 (Firewire) or USB? If you're on USB be aware that USB 1 is barely able to handle digital video, you should have a USB 2 card in your PC.

Edited August 22, 2005 by Crossy

[Firefoxx]

Are you downloading pictures or video? If pictures, that shouldn't use any computer power/resources. If video, then it might be the problem.

As suggested, the preferred way of transferring video is by firewire. The preferred program is by a freeware utility called "windv", which buffers the stream so you don't stutter.

By the way, no digital camcorder takes pictures that can compete with super-cheap 2 megapixel digicams. They're just not made for it. It doesn't matter if it says that the still resolution is "x megapixels". The real resolution is more like .8 megapixels. There is one exception, which is certain Samsung models, since they actually use separate lens and CCDs for video and stills.

[slippery when wet]

Thanks for your answers.

We have already installed a Firewire and are running intel pentium 4 processor 1.8 GHz with a 60 GB hard drive with 256MB ram.

I haven't as yet tried to download the handicam movies that I have recorded without viewing on the monitor (waiting to record something worthwhile) but if this does not work I believe that it is a graphics card or a video card that will need updating to a much higher spec.

Are video cards and graphic cards the same thing?

If I want to update a video card/ graphic card for the use of downloading recorded movies from the video camera and not to play computer games would a 68 or 128MB be sufficient?

Thanks........ slippery

[geronimo]

Thanks for your answers.

We have already installed a Firewire and are running intel pentium 4 processor 1.8 GHz with a 60 GB hard drive with 256MB ram.

I haven't as yet tried to download the handicam movies that I have recorded without viewing on the monitor (waiting to record something worthwhile) but if this does not work I believe that it is a graphics card or a video card that will need updating to a much higher spec.

Are video cards and graphic cards the same thing?

If I want to update a video card/ graphic card for the use of downloading recorded movies from the video camera and not to play computer games would a 68 or 128MB be sufficient?

Thanks........ slippery

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes a vid card is a graphic card and yes 128mb ought to do it

more RAM would be good although I don't think the RAM has anything to do with your problem

[slippery when wet]

Thanks to everyone that has helped in solving this problem.

Regards Slippery.

[Firefoxx]

If I'm guessing right (as you haven't clarified it yet) you're trying to transfer the video from your camera to the computer by a firewire cable, and are having trouble with the video having dropouts.

Your graphics/video card has nothing to do with it. You could use the cheapest video card out there and it would still do the job, or you could change to a $5000 card and you would still get stuttering.

Some background information: DV video, as recorded on your camcorder, and transferred to your computer via the firewire cable, is recorded at a bandwidth of 25 megabits per second. What this means is that for each minute of footage, you are transferring 840 *megabytes* of data.

For this, you need a robust system... one that has a lot of ram, a good CPU, a fast harddisk, little else occupying its resources. If you setup your sytem well (very little clutter, no spyware, nothing running, etc), then a Pentium II and 256MB of ram will do. If not, then you'll need a P4 2.4+, 512MB+, and a large 7200rpm harddisk. The video/vga card has nothing to do with it.

I recommended using "windv" to transfer, since it's a small program (uses little resources) and also is very efficient and uses RAM to buffer the stream, so that it doesn't "stutter". It's also free.