Q&A: connect digital camera via usb and record video?

I have a Sony handycam digital camera which I want to use as a webcam. The cd that came with the camera is not campatible with my OS (Win 7) and I can’t find any drivers for it on the internet.
So when I connect it via usb Windows says it couldn’t recognise the device.
I want to use it to record a record file and store it in my PC.

What can be done?
EDIT: model DCR-HC39E
I have no thought why you reckon it life tape based or disc based has anything to do with this. I want to record a record with the camera and get a record file in the PC. I’m not going to use the tape/cd/dvd. So who cares?

Answer by Rugratzzzzzzzzzzz
You camera would not be tape based would it, you do not provide any information about the camera “Sony handycam digital camera” does not mean a lot

add more details.

EDIT
Makes all the difference,

go with NY fan, firewire card and cable then capture the record from your camera directly, you probably wont get a driver for the camera (USB) as its reasonably ancient, you may be lucky but the quality is not going to be excellent

RR

Answer by Tony
I had an older SONY and tried to use USB and never got it to work. Then bought a firewire (I-link) cable and have never had a conundrum. When I went to Win7 I downloaded Windows Live and captured without a conundrum. Didn’t have to load any drivers Win7 found them. Go Map, Windows place Record Capture under a menu in Photo Gallery not Movie Maker. Firewire is much nearer anyway.

Answer by NYC fan
The model number clears up everything. I looked it up, and see it is a MiniDV tape-based camera – that earnings it has a FireWire port, which is significant here (THAT’S why the type of media has something to do with this).

Use the i.Link (FireWire) port on the camera, if your computer has a FireWire port. The camera has a 4-pin port, the computer might have a 4, 6, or (unlikely) 9-pin port. All of these look different, so look up images of each one to see what they look like. If you have one, get a FireWire cable to match both ends, and bring record into your system using any record-capture program. Windows Movie Maker (or whatever they call it now in Win7) can do just that.

If you have no FireWire port, do you have any extension card slot in which you can install a FireWire card?

If not, you’ll have to explore alternatives, such as a capture card, or asking Sony about Win7 USB drivers for the USB streaming mode that this camera has. Keep in mind that this mode will still be lower quality than FireWire, even if there are drivers.

Excellent luck!

What do you reckon? Answer below!

I got a virus a while back and had to reinstall everything on my computer and lost my drivers for my Sony Cybershot DSC-N2. Every time I try to connect my camera to my computer it prompts me for the install disc. Is there any way to just download the driver from somewhere? I’ve tried to just Google search for DSC-N2 driver and it just brings up some websites that say they’re drivers for my camera but are in fact a scam where they want you to download their crappy P2P toolbar. So just searching for it in Google doesn’t work. So if anyone has a different suggestion, it would be much appreciated.

Answer by CanadaRAM
Contact Sony or go to their Support website and look for Drivers or Downloads for your model.

Answer by William
Try going on Sony’s website and going to support. They might have drivers there.

Answer by rfpunchfan
try the sony website, usualy the manufacturer’s websites have softward drivers for their harvest

Answer by Out Of Prozaic
Should be an option to turn it into a virtual HDD.

Then just copy & paste.

Answer by jtl090179@sbcglobal.net
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=DSC-N2&region_id=1

Know better? Place your own answer in the comments!

IOGEAR 12-in-1 USB 2.0 Pocket Flash Memory Card Reader/Writer GFR209 (Green)

• Compliant with USB 2.0 specification
• Quick data transfer – up to 480 Mbps, between your cell phone / smartphone / PDA and computers
• Backward compatible with USB 1.1 specification
• Plug-n-Play, Hot swappable, and Hot pluggable
• Read/Write Micro SD/T-Flash, SD, mini SD, MMC, MMC Plus, RS-MMC, MMC Mobile, MS, MS Pro, MS Duo, MS Pro Duo

IOGear GFR209 12-in-1 Pocket Card Reader/Writer, IOGEAR 12-in-1 Pocket Card Reader/Writer is an ideal solution for hi-speed, bi-directional image and data file transfer between your computer and multimedia devices. Images and data can be downloaded directly to your PC or Mac from your memory cards without using additional adapters. It works with 12 well loved memory card formats such as SD, Micro SD, Mini SD, MMC, Memory Stick, and MS Duo. With direct USB 2.0 high-speed file transfer (up to 480Mbps

List Price: $ 9.99

Price: $ 5.90

This is what happens when you play Test Drive Boundless (PC) with a slow computer. (Life shot with a Sony digital camera, Fraps would of lagged the computer to death) Computers Specs in the record: Windows XP Pro SP 2 AMD Sempron 2500+ (overclocked to 2.2GHz) Motherboard: Abit NF7-S2G (nForce2-based mobo) (Socket A) RAM: Crappy 512mb Videocard: Radeon 9800Pro HardDrive: 80GB 7200RPM IDE Powersupply: Crappy L&C 442Watt