How to Convert Video From a Sony Handycam to a DVD
By Alexis Lawrence
In the Sony line, the term Handycam covers a wide range of video cameras, from basic consumer camcorders to pro 3CCD cameras. All of the video captured on Handycams is in digital format, making it compatible with digital media storage devices such as DVDs. If you want to convert the video from a Sony Handycam to a DVD, you must first transfer the video from the Handycam to a computer and then burn the video footage to disc.
Transfer Video to Computer
Connect the Sony Handycam to your computer using the cords that were included with the video camera. Most 3CCD cameras have FireWire ports and come with FireWire cables. Most consumer camcorders come with mini-jack to USB cords.
Launch any video editing program, such as Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Premiere or iMovie, on your computer. Open the capturing portion of the program by going to "File" and "Capture" in applications like Movie Maker or Premier, or toggling from the edit mode to the capture mode in iMovie.
Enter a name for the video when prompted. Navigate to the folder where you want to store the video in the window that pops up.
Turn the Handycam on in "Playback" mode. Rewind the video to the point where you want to begin capturing.
Click the "Import" or "Start Import" button in the editing program's capturing screen. Click "Play" on the Sony Handycam to begin transferring the video to the computer.
Press the "Import" button again or "Stop Import" to stop capturing when the video ends. Click "Finish" to save the video to your computer.
Burn to DVD
Put a DVD-R into the computer's DVD drive and open a DVD burning program. If you do not have a DVD burning program, several free programs can be found online (see Resources for links).
Load the file into the DVD burning program. In most programs, click the "Add Files" or "Add Video" button and go to the folder where you saved the Handycam video in the window that comes up. Double-click the Handycam video file.
Go to the final page of the burning application. Click the "Burn" button to burn the Handycam video to the disc.
Tips
- If your Handycam and your computer have FireWire ports and your camera didn't come with a FireWire cord, consider buying one. FireWire is the optimal format for digital video transfer as it retains greater video quality than other methods.
Writer Bio
Alexis Lawrence is a freelance writer, filmmaker and photographer with extensive experience in digital video, book publishing and graphic design. An avid traveler, Lawrence has visited at least 10 cities on each inhabitable continent. She has attended several universities and holds a Bachelor of Science in English.