How to transfer DV and HDV content in 2019?
 

I've been trying to capture a number of different DV and HDV tapes, and the results are inconsistent and unreliable.

I'm using a Sony GV-HD700 connected via Firewire. I've tried on both a Windows 10 and 32bit Windows 7 machine.

Scenalyzer doesn't work.
WinDV gives me a 'can't find DV output pin' error.
Exsate seems to limit capture at 21 minutes because it's unregistered but don't see any way to register it.
Premiere seems capable for a HDV tape, but chokes on a PAL DV tape (which the unit plays back fine).

What software do transfer companies use these days? Do I need an XP machine? I'm just looking for one software package that can transfer DV and HDV, NTSC and PAL tapes to a computer from my Sony GV-HD700 machine.

Any help greatly appreciated.

I would definitely recommend an OEM laptop (HP, Dell or Toshiba) with firewire port and Windows XP with recovery discs or recovery partition. Ever since Vista and the ramp up to require or prefer signed device drivers, and the frankenstein "bolted-on" security services, and antivirus.. faster CPUs and faster hardware has been getting slower and more unstable. Coupled with frequent and untested mandatory updates its just a loosing proposition.

Firewire was really dead by 2011, so your looking for some old gear, and that means if/when you find it the costs will be a lot less than what your currently use to paying.

Treat the XP gear as a tool, not an edit station, not a surfing station.. use it for its purpose, get your data ported over and then copy to a 256 GB USB or SSD stick and move it to wherever to get other work done. Ethernet is generally too slow, USB 2.0 is also pretty slow. If you can.. use a Firewire hard drive to copy the data, if you can't find one of those.. try to get a laptop with both firewire and eSATA.. the simple fact is all of the "good" video hardware and technologies has gone away since wireless connectivity to the Internet have taken priority. Your unlikely to find anything satisfactory for working with video made after 2009.

An HP Elitebook 8540 for example still has full XP driver support on the HP website and has both eSATA and firewire ports.. but finding one you almost have to pry them out of peoples hands with a crowbar, or snap them up from estate sales. They're built like a tank and are almost indestructable.. and have a cult following for stability. Magnesium alloy chassis.. luggable is still a better description though.. they were labeled "Workstations" for a reason.. once planted they didn't tend to move very much.

As far as I know Win 10 doesn't support firewire but I could be wrong, You need Win7 OS, Unless you have a physical problem with your camcorder and/or firewire port Win7 should work and install drivers just fine.

One more thing, If the camera is set to DV output you cannot playback HDV tape and vise versa because it will not be recognized by the software, Every mode has to be detected by Windows and different drivers are installed, On my machines Win7 detects a Sony device in HDV mode and a Microsoft device in DV mode. Scenalyzer for HDV and WinDV for DV, Make sure you have the right mode in WinDV as it has type1 and type2.

Which IEEE1394 driver are you using?

At least with some devices and software and with Win 7 and beyond you have to install the so called "legacy" IEEE1394 driver to get the firewire port to work. The Legacy driver was automatically included with Windows 7 and could be selected in device manager. With Win 8 and Win 10 you will likely have to download the legacy driver. The instruction on the MS web page for Win 8 also work for Win 10.

I have had no problem ingesting DV and HDV into Win7 and Win 10 PCs via IEEE1394 (aka iLink & Firewire) from Sony and Canon gear once the legacy driver is installed. (With newer computers you may need to obtain an IEEE1394 interface card, cards based on the TI chip tend to be more reliable.)

I thought I had installed the legacy IEEE1394 drivers. Can anyone provide a driver link that will install in Windows 10? Or maybe the problem is my IEEE1394 card?

But then again the 32bit Windows 7 machine has a built in IEEE1394 port and that is displaying the same problems, at least with WinDV.

I'm aware of the output format from the Sony device, but it doesn't seem to make a difference... selecting Auto, or DV, or HDV.... software responds no differently.

Which card do you have? Which chipset on it?

Set the output to auto could lead to problems, Try DV and HDV separately and see if it solves the problem, I could never capture with my Sony HVR-M15AU when it is in Auto mode.

I use firewire with Windows 10. Lenovo X220 notebook, DeLock Firewire PC Express Card. TI chipset ( I have read this is the best). Very stable no special drivers needed, just plug in the card.