Convert VHS to .avi via Firewire with VCR and Sony D8 camcorder

[Jay Knobbe]

I am trying to convert VHS tapes to .avi using my VCR and my Sony TRV310 D8 camera and Firewire. I did this successfully a while back and am attempting it again but I am forgetting some key ingredient.

My Set up:

No Hi8 tape in the camera

VCR OUT connected via composite cables to the connections on the side of my camera.

Camera connected to PC via firewire. PC recognizes the Sony camera.

Camera switched to VTR mode (Playback)

Capturing with PPro 5.5

Hit play on the VCR, and PlAY on the camera and the PC capture screen is blank. Press record on the PPro capture screen, No capture.

I have tested all components and if I play theVHS tape I can see it on the camera screen unless the firewire is connected.

I can play a Hi8 tape and capture it just fine using PPro.

I just have a nagging feeling I'm forgetting something simple?

Thoughts?

TIA.

Text edited my mod: camera is a D8 not Hi8.

[Peru Bob]

Are you using the Legacy Firewire driver?

What operating system?

[Jay Knobbe]

Hello Bob,

Windows 8.1, It's a firewire card I've used often in the past. I can capture Hi8 tape via firewire with no trouble.

[Peru Bob]

Does the VCR play OK on a TV?

[Jay Knobbe]

I no longer have anything with that type of connection but the VCR VHS tape does play audio and video on the Sony Hi8 camcorder screen just fine. And just for clarification, I can capture Hi8 tape via Firewire with no trouble so I'm pretty confident that part of the equation works well. Thanks for your help with this. 

[Ann Bens]

Camera is a Digital8 not Hi8. (a Hi8 camera does not have firewire).

This camera is able to [playback Hi8 tapes.

You are not converting the VHS tape but capturing. (digitizing).

Sorry, but lingo is important.

You need to set DV out in the camera itself.

[Jay Knobbe]

Thank you for weighing in. You are correct. It's been a while since I used this old camera for anything and I'm beginning to wonder if it will not work as a pass through device at all. I can play VHS tapes and see/hear them on the camera screen but thats as far as it goes. Possibly I used my PD170 in the past to capture VHS tapes via firewire. 

[Ann Bens]

I still have my trv210 and used that to capture vhs.

pd170 would be able to capture the tapes either.

[Jay Knobbe · Accepted solution]

After enough internet sleuthing I have determined the TRV310 does not have the pass through ability. It disables Firewire when connected to VHS > RCA > Firewire > PC.

I sold my PD170 and VX2100 last year! 

Thanks everyone for your help. 

[Ann Bens]

No that is not true. the 310 is able to pass though

Did you set dv in and out in the camera menu?

Did you use scart > composite > camera > firewire?

Look it up in the manual.

which OS windows 10 or 11.

[Jay Knobbe]

OS is Windows 8. I'm looking through the manual now.

[Jay Knobbe]

I looked through the manual and the in camera menu tree and I don't find anything that says "dv in / out in the menu or anything with similar terminology. 

[Ann Bens · Accepted solution]

If you cannot find any setting alternative capture vhs to dv tape then capture the dv tape to computer.

[Jay Knobbe]

I was thinking the same thing. Thanks!

[John T Smith]

Legacy driver http://www.studio1productions.com/Articles/Firewire-1.htm

Other programs to try

I have NOT used either, but many say to try these for SD capture http://windv.mourek.cz/ or http://www.exsate.com/products/dvcapture/
I HAVE used http://www.scenalyzer.com/ and it works well, do change the default Fat32 to NTFS setting
-I have NOT used the scene detect function in scenalyzer, so don't know how well it works