Sony HC7E editing setup

Hi Les

With my Sony you need to stop the camcorder playback, then unplug the firewire cable from the camcorder and change the menu to output SD or HDV as appropriate, the exact detail should be in your manual.

Cheers

These are my actions. I hope this will shed light on what is required for success.

(1). No connection between camcorder and computer.Firewire cable plugged into computer ONLY.

(2) CS6 Capture window displayed on computer. Top message quotes "Capture Device Offline".

(3) Camcorder LCD - select "VCR HDV/DV". Touch that it states "Auto" and "Unplug iLink to change". (No connection yet made) 
 
Touch "iLink Conv",.Touch BACK arrow. This states "i i:ink.Conv off" select "On HDV-DV" and OK. Also says unplug to change bot there is no connection yet.

(4) Connect 'Link cable to camcorder. Diplay on LCD gets the following -DVin iLink"

The display on the Cature window does NOT have the recoed button.

If the capture display "Start" is pressed the Camcorder LCD displays the tape contents but not on the Cature screen.

Go to "Guide" on Sony HC7E  camcorder LCD screen. Displayed is connect guide. Touch that and three choices appear. "TV", "Re-corder"- and the "firewire" cable symbol.

Touch "firewire symbol" it says "Can download movies to computer".Touch "OK". A display now offers "HDV" or "DV". "Touch HDV"

That presents a screen "ILINK -(arrow) Cmpter" (text as displayed - always) and "convert i.LINK HDV arrow DV" "Yes"  "No"  Touch "HDV"

Nest screen appears on Camcorder LCD saying "Sett5ings as shown" -" VCR HDV/DV" and under that "iLINK Conv on (HDV arrow DV)..

Also says "disconnect cable first". That is done - then touch "OK"

Next LCD sreen shows the firewire cable and says "Connect as shown". Done. Hit OK"- Now telsl me "setting is complete" Touch "end"

No record icon to press exists on computer capture screen so clear Premiere Pro CS6 and bring up again

Back to square One. No capture button on CS6 Capture screen and notice at top of capture sceen says " Captiure device offline"..

Camcorder LCD scrteen has message again "No output image in VCR HDV/DV, Cannot chge during i.LINk"., Touch 2OK" on LCD - timecose runs - no pictures.

No change to computer capture screen..

I hope all this will make sense to someone.

Thought - one more try before awaiting a possible posting.

Used setup procedures for editing a HD tape using Premeiere Pro CS6.

Tried a tape, shot with HC7E camcorder, that had a few shots on it from earlier this week.

That displayed properly on both the HC7E LCD screen and on the Premiere Pro CS6 Capture screen.

Then tried the two original tapes, shot in 2010, of this intended re-edit.  All displayed fine.

The tape now resisting capture in P.P. CS6 is of the original edit timeline using P.Pro One.

Strange that it displays while in an unconnected camcorder but will not display or download to Premiere.

.

.

Can you capture with Windows Live Movie Maker?

I don't have Premiere or your camcorder, I'm just guessing that you seem to have sent back a non standard edited tape to the camcorder which is out of spec somehow, as the other tapes play OK to the computer.

I am probably wrong but I can't think of anything else atm 

Haven't tried other programs.

The problem tape was recorded, as below, in 2010.

Recording the finished timeline edit .to a tape has been used a number of times without problems with Premiere Pro 1..

I was advised that the Transcorder on this program was not good so recorded the finished timeline back to tapes; such as this.

Then capture that tape to Premiere Elements 9 and burn the discs from there..

For this current edit the two original shot tapes are now on the Premiere Pro CS6 timeline..

Intention was to ALSO  put this finished edit on the timeline, above the originals.

This would enable parts of this problem tape to be used in the re-edit where cosidered suitable.

will the setup work with any other tape?

ie is it the camera/ tape?

 I have captured 'difficult" tapes in FCP by selecting "non controllable device" in the capture window so that you need to run the camera manually but the firewire connection still carries video, just not transport instructions.
haven't used Premiere in years.

 Just as a warning, although I have done it many many times, there is a recognised risk to connection g firewire while the computer/camera is switched on. It is all supposed to be off on connection.,

Hi Dave

I must confess that I've never considered the risk of hot swapping firewire connections, six camcorders later and many firewire drives my chips are all intact. Your advice to switch off is 100% correct as the consequences could be very expensive.

Hi Les

I think you need to consider capturing your tape with another capture programme as I've already suggested, from what you've said,normal tape captures cause no problem, I have no idea about the quirks Premiere may bring into the equasion.

Cheers

someone like Kramer or Datavideo used to do a small box that isolated the firewire.

I don't suppose that the tape is NTSC ?

No Dave. definitely PAL Downloded from Premiere Pro version 1 timeline from two tapes shot with the Sony HC7E

A previous question asked if other tapes could be downloaded sucessfully with the same setup.

Yes, they were. Two tapes were shot and edited using P.P.1. The resulting timeline was downloaded to this now offending tape.

All three tapes are from the same batch.

so the tape was an exported timeline? recorded on that camera?

other tapes have been successfully imported from that camera?

I wonder if somehow your current import settings on PP are different to whatever you exported to, but the camera managed to record to the tape?

Captured with Premiere Pro 1 using XP computer. No problem..

Capture fine on Windows 7 Desktop - new April 2011..

Laptop bought September 2014. Both same maker..

Emailed makers. Suggest settings alterations. Problem remains

Expect further suggestions soon..

Hi Les.

Used this a long time ago, but it worked. Good luck!

http://www.digital-digest.com/software/hdvsplit.html

so can you get the tape to play in ANY camera?

it is a DV tape yes?
recorded to the same camera?

Answer Yes. Explanation.

The Camcorder, Sony HC7E, records in HDV. That's the reason for replacing a wonderful Sony TRV20..

The HC7E shot two DV tapes, in HDV. These two tapes were captured and edited on a Premiere Pro, version 1.0, timeline.

Because of advice about a poor transcoder in Premiere Pro version 1.0 the edited timeline was download to a tape.

The tape was then captured to Premiere Elements version 9.0 and burnt to DVD (in 2010).

As the camcorder was HDV capable, and the two tapes had been shot in HDV, it was assumed that the edited timeline

was ;loaded, to thistape, in HDV.

Apparently this was incorrect. The Premiere Pro version 1.0 timeline was downloaded in DV, not HDV.

Consequently this has caused a download prevention for the current CS6 re-edit.

Having spent a lifetime in R&D it is impossible to leave a problem unresolved, however trivial.

Thank you all for your postings. That is how we all learn to do better.

Hi Les

We can only suggest solutions to you from afar as I did in my first answer 

Apparently you didn't take my advice from four days ago, until today?

No John.

No cables unplugged..No camcorder settings altered. Camcorder off.

Change settings in Capture window only Turn Camcorder on. All fine now..

Hi Les

From memory as I rarely swap formats nowadays,

I need to manually select HDV or DV output with the firewire cable unplugged, similar to your message, only displayed on the camcorder.

My Sony capture programme recognises which format is coming from the camcorder, no need to change any software capture settings.

I'm glad you are sorted now, did you have a menu choice in Premiere to output your edit as a HDV?

The best definition is always used now.

The tapes for editing are HDV.as from HC7E of 2007.

These days SD cards are used in Panasonic camcorder.

Editing was Premiere Pro ver 1.0; - then a big jump, for me, to Premiere Pro CS5 and CS6.

That will be the final Premiere.. Reason obvious.