Win Movie Maker says "No video device"

[MorningRadioGuy]

I've been trying to help my cousin with this one. He has a brand new Dell Dimension 4600 with an Nvidia GE Force video card. He's trying to dub video from his camcorder into WMM, but it doesn't recognize any video device. He's using an S-Plug btw. Any help would be much appreciated. For a screen shot of his WMM window, go to http://www.kpla.com/kpla/mornings/ar...screenshot.JPG

[rsquirell]

Out of curiousity...is the camcorder a DV device fed through the firewire...or a Hi-8 or VHS?

[MorningRadioGuy]

I believe its a Hi-8, same as mine.

[rsquirell]

Does that type Nvidia card have a TV in port? How is the capture being made?

[MorningRadioGuy]

Um...not sure. He tells me its a Sony hi 8.........ccd trv 318 is the model #

[rsquirell]

To capture VHS it must be fed into a video capture card or through external hardware...I ask again...what are you using to capture?

[MorningRadioGuy]

I believe he's going directly from camera to video card using an S-Cord, which now doesn't sound exactly right to me, because I have an ATI All-In-Wonder at home and I have to go thru an adaptor to accomplish this.

Upon further questioning, he tells me that he's being told he needs to convert that digital Sony signal into analog before it gets to the computer (thus an adaptor). Does that ring true?

[rsquirell]

I may be all wet...there have been many changes to vidcams...but to go through the firewire as DV I believe you need a DV Camcorder ( which a Hi-8 isn't). I know in the Dazzle forum a lot of guys were feeding their Hi8's in through the DVC-150 external USB2 device...and they knew that DV goes thru the firewire...so I'm assuming a Hi8 isn't a DV device (you wouldn't use an "S" Video connection thru the firewire anyway)...so he has to come in as analog either thru a card like yours or and external hardware device...and has to capture with that card/device's recommended software.

[MorningRadioGuy]

Thanks for the help. I believe you've hit on the problem and it looks like he's going to need a dazzle etc type product.

Thanks again!

[walterd8]

One of the better threads on this topic has been this one from 2004 started by troyy01:

Answers here for 8mm video capture http://forum.digital-digest.com/show...threadid=30624

His conclusion, based on his experiments at the time, was that the most reliable approach was to buy a (used) DV Camcorder, such as the DCR-TRV350 that could also play Hi8 and Video 8 and use the firewire connection for Hi8 capture.

I have read many threads with problems using capture cards, etc. Is there anyone out there who has had a negative experience using the "DV Camcorder approach to Hi8 Capture"?