Downconvert Sony high-def videos to a computer for burning to DVD.
The Sony HD 1080 is a series of high-definition video cameras, some of which use digital tape to record. The camcorder can connect to a computer via Firewire cable for high-speed transfer of the recorded video footage. Once on a PC, the video can be edited and stored. Burning a copy to a DVD requires an intermediate step before transferring to the computer, since the camcorder records in high definition, but a DVD can capture standard definition only. This means the file must be downconverted to standard def on the computer before burning to DVD. The camcorder does this automatically.
Instructions
1. Insert the plug on one end of the Firewire cable in the port on the back panel of the Sony camcorder until the plug locks in place with a click.
2. Connect the plug on the other end to a Firewire port on the computer.
3. Insert a blank, recordable DVD in the computer's media tray and close the tray.
4. Open the computer's video-recording software by double-clicking the name of the program, then open the "File" tab to select the Firewire connection as the recording source.
5. Turn on the Sony camcorder and select "Playback Menu" from the list of screen options, then press "Play" on the camcorder control panel.
6. Click the "Record" button on the computer software to begin capturing the video off the Sony camcorder tape. The camcorder automatically downconverts the signal to standard definition from high definition as it passes to the computer.
7. Click "Stop" on the computer software when finished recording, then click the "File" tab once more and select "Save." Type a name for the new recording and click "Save" to store it on the computer.
8. Open the software that manages the DVD burner on the computer, such as Windows DVD Maker or iMovie on an Apple computer.
9. Click the "File" or "New Project" tab and select the recording copied from the Sony camcorder by clicking and holding the left mouse button on the name of the file.
10. Drag the file to the "Burn" list and drop it by releasing the mouse button. Repeat the process to add additional video files to the "Burn" list while keeping an eye on the time remaining display at the bottom of the list. When there is no remaining recording time available for the disc capacity, the software will be unable to transfer any more video files to the burn list.
11. Click the "Burn" button to copy the video files onto DVD.
Tags: Sony camcorder, video files, Burn list, computer Click, computer software