Get my pc to recognise my camcorder?
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Topic: Get my pc to recognise my camcorder?
Posted By: Wilcey
Subject: Get my pc to recognise my camcorder?
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:00
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ok......... I have been working on this for about 6 hours now, my final option is to go back to the shop and get some numpty to look at me like I am senile........ I am putting this off for obvious reasons until tomorrow!
ok, here's the deal, today I took delivery of a shiny new sony camcorder, it works superly duperly and is way cool.......... I go to install the the "sony installation and support" software, step 4 is plug your camcorder into the usb port, click next...........then I get "warning you have not plugged in your camcorder" at which point I can not go forwards, I can not install the software, and the computer thinks I have not connected the camcorder to the 'puter. (so I cancel installation, scratch my head etc etc etc)
I go to the Sony camcorder handbook section (which I can install of course!) and under the section "my computer does not recognise my camcorder" it tells me to refer to the help section of the software I can't install (
 ) I phoned everyone I know........ including the mac snobs, the video snobs and those that think it's funny.
YES it's plugged in.
YES the USB lead is ok (I checked with a different device attatched)
YES the computer has been rebooted (so often I think it's going to hurl!)
NO I have no other aplications running
NO it is not recognised in the 'my computer' section
Then I think that the sales man lied and this camcorder is NOT vista compatible........ ok, no worries, plug it into the sturdy, reliable all singing all dancing office pc (windows XP) and install it there.........
NOPE! exactly the same thing!
PLEASE........... somebody help me or I might just slit a vein for the fun relief in comparison to the puter/camcorder hell I am dwelling in.
 Thanks awfully...........
P-C x
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Replies:
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:19
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I'm no Windows expert (Linux user), but it doesn't sound promising that upon plugging in the device - that is, before beginning the install of the software - the computer made no acknowledgment that a new device was present. And as goofy as this sounds, you may want to try typing your problem into Google and see what comes up - it may be that others have experienced this problem and someone has found a solution. Try including the model number of your camcorder in the search. Good luck! Wish I had better advice. |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:41
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Thanks NS............. aw, it's SO frustrating!!!!
I tried google earlier, the internet has changed hasn't it? it's now a massive market place and everyone one wants to SELL you something!
I found a couple of camcorder forums, and a couple of posts with similar problems.......... unanswered!
I think I must go back to the store tomorrow........ which is a real drag!
Thanks anyway for taking the time!
R x
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:52
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Try this Rach (this is on XP so I don't know the Vista equivalent) go to Control Panel, System Properties, click on the Hardware tab, then the Device Manager button. Expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers bit at the bottom, then select Action and Scan for Hardware Changes from the menu. This may then detect your camcorder (or not). You can also try the Add Hardware option in Control Panel if there is one. I had a similar problem with a printer recently. Every time I came to use it, the installation program ran and installed another copy of the printer. If this doesn't work, then hit the camera with a hammer and take a blowtorch to the PC. It won't work but you'll feel much better.  Good luck. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:54
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You could also check Sony's web site to see if they have a help section or FAQs. I contacted HP for my printer problem and had an online conversation with their help desk and they sorted it all out in about 10 minutes. Also, see if you can access the help files directly from the installation CD. |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:55
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Rach, two questions: First, please bear with me for one last dumb one: Is the camcorder powered on? Second, what's the model number of your camcorder? |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 16:57
 What's the old expression? "When all you've got is a hammer, every problem becomes a nail?" |
chopper wrote:Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 17:09
| That's the problem with modern technology, you can't fix it with a whack on the side with a hammer. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 17:15
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Phew... looks like you've tried everything, but there are still things to try...
(btw - which model number camcorder is it and do you have the latest installation program downloaded from Sony?)
Since you have tried this on two seperate PCs running different Operating Systems you can be fairly confident it isnt a Microsoft problem or a PC hardware problem- it must be the cable, the camera, the supplied software or the way you are installing it. (I also give egg-sucking lessons to grannies in my spare time
 )Usually with these things you have to install the software before plugging in the camera - do it in the wrong order and it won't work. If you plug the camera in first then Windows will try to install it, fail and then block it.
Uninstalling the software and starting again may not work because the PC recognises the camcorder as an installed (but disabled) device so it doesn't see it as a new device. You may have back-track to the previous System Restore point before continuing.
Some USB hubs make USB2 devices look like USB1 - others do not have enough power to power the device - if in doubt direct connect to the PC, don't use a hub.
Try another lead if you can - I know the lead you have works with another device, but there is a slim chance that it could still be faulty.
Turn off all anti-virus software, personal firewalls - the whole shebang - before installing - sometimes these programs block the installation.
If all this fails - you could try using the firewire connection instead. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 17:33
er..........yes!
Sony DCR-SR190E
I was TOLD it was vista compatible.........................................
 it's new and shiny it HAS to work!
Thanks Chopper.......... I tried all those thingamies.........it wont install the new hardware, because it doesn't thik there is any..... I scanned and there was none........ (although there was, it was switched on andplugged in, it even makes a cute chirrupy sound when I plug in the blasted usb, so the camera knows I am plugging it in!!!)
Ok, so blow torch it is............
oh how I HATE technology sometimes!!!!
R x
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Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 17:45
I might be crap with hardware.......... but I can surely sing a rainbow!!!!!
Chopper...............blow torch please!
It really is a cute camera with lovely sharp pics and gorgeous sound.......... I just want the blinking thing working!!!
Do I need to phone sony and talk to that bored sounding girl again? Or, is it time to do battle with the be-acned ones in PC world?
P-C
(typing in glorious techni-colour copyright of Peter
) |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 18:03
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^ Have you tried http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx - System Restore to rewind the PC back to before you started trying to install the camera?
[Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore]
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx ------------- What? |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 18:38
yes sir........... and tomorrow I go humbly to that grunting spotty shoe shuffling never learnt to tie a tie excuse of a man in PC world and politely and calmly cry...........and get soem nerd support..............
 Thanks for all your help guys, it has made me feel less dumb.........I'll keep you posted on the progress!!!!R x
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Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 19:57
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You might want to see if you can get a new cable for it, it could be that you got a bum cable and that's why the two devices can't interface. -------------   |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 21:30
Wasn't it, she tried the cable with another device and it worked properly. |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: February 06 2008 at 21:36
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Oh, maybe. I thought she meant that she checked the USB port itself, maybe it was the cable. It could also be that the camera has a bum USB port on its side, so the cable isn't making a connection between the camera and the computer. ------------- |
Posted By: Neil
Date Posted: February 07 2008 at 02:33
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Having read all this it seems that the only thing not tried is plugging the camera into a different computer, preferably an XP one. Don't worry about the software, just plug it in and see if the computer detects it. If it doesn't acknowledge anything there then I suspect that the USB interface chip in the camera is dead, in which case the shop is your only option, except for the hammer and blowlamp. ------------- When people get lost in thought it's often because it's unfamiliar territory. |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: February 07 2008 at 02:56
yup, tried it in the XP machine Neil........... I am preparing myself for going to the shop........ wish me luck folks!
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: February 07 2008 at 03:40
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Very best of luck Rachel - a hint; smacking a shop assistant around the head for being smug, condescending, spotty, patronising and most annoyingly, young (b*****d) is generally not condusive to swift query resolution...
...and it's great to hear someone else has the same level of technical knowledge as me, neatly summed up by your phrase: "it's new and shiny it HAS to work!" ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: February 07 2008 at 11:12
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IT'S NEW, IT'S SHINY AND IT'S NOW WORKING!!!!!
A VERY lovely lady at sony support was helpful, patient, full of good humour and able to solve the problem in about 5 mins this morning (apparently this model has a stage missing from it's start up manual!!!)
I have been off line all day........... and spent several hours on the phone to tiscali though...........GRRRRRR!!!! ISn't all this sh*t supposed to make our lives easier?
Now everything is working, and I can go back to nursing my cold in peace!
Hooorah!
I cannot express how great all the support has been, although ultimately I got the situation resolved through sony, it was very warming to know that I had such great support here on PA!
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: February 07 2008 at 17:32
| Glad you got it sorted Rach. It's unbelievable that they can sell things like this! |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: February 08 2008 at 07:49
Dedicated to Rachel's patience:
 -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: the_id
Date Posted: February 08 2008 at 19:52
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Through this post one word was never mentioned......drivers. Regardless of usb, if you don't have the right drivers installed, not a lot is going to work. Generic drivers are ok up to a point.............drivers on a disk or ypdates on the internet are more important. ------------- Why apologize? There is no great shame in thinking you are right. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: February 09 2008 at 00:00
| Surely the correct drivers would have been on the CD? |