How to Use a Sony Handycam As a Capture Card

You can use a Sony Handycam as a way to import video content to your comupter.

Capture cards are used on computer systems to upload and obtain video and audio signals from outside devices, such as VCRs and televisions. However, you do not need a capture card installed to upload the content to your computer. In fact if you have a digital video camera -- such as a Sony Handycam -- that has a video input connection port, you can use the camcorder to capture video content from an outside source with the computer's video editor.

Things You'll Need

• 3.5 mm to RCA audio/video cable
• FireWire cable

Instructions

1. Plug the 3.5 mm end of the cable into the "Video In" port on your Sony Handycam.

2. Insert the RCA ends of the cable into the "Video Out" ports on the audio/video device you want to capture content from (such as a VCR).

3. Plug the FireWire cable into the FireWire port on the Sony Hancycam, then insert the other end of the cable into the FireWire port on your computer.

4. Launch "Windows Movie Maker," then power on both the audio/video device and the Sony Handycam. The video camera, instead of displaying the content seen through its lens, produces the video and audio from the connected device.

5. Press "Play" on the connected equipment (unless there is no "Play" option, such as when you use a television) and click "Capture" in the video editor. The computer now begins to import data directly from the connected video/audio device.