My Sony DVD Camcorder DVDs Won't Play on My PC
By Greyson Ferguson
Many Sony Handycams record the audio and video content onto a blank miniDVD. With the DVD you are able to not only import the contents onto your computer without the help of a video editor, but play the video files on a standalone DVD player. If the files on the DVD are not playing on your computer, however, you need to troubleshoot the issue to determine what the problem is.
Step 1
Finalize the miniDVD with your Sony Handycam. If you don't, the computer is unable to read the disc. Insert the miniDVD into the video camera, bring up the "Menu" on the camera, then select "Finalize." Click "OK." Let the camera finalize the captured information.
Step 2
Check the DVD formats your computer is able to read. Some only recognize DVD-R or DVD+R. If the computer does not read the format your Sony video camera records to, there isn't anything you are able to do about it outside of purchasing a new DVD drive that supports the format or trying a different computer. You are able to find this information in the computer's user manual.
Step 3
Insert the miniDVD into a computer that has a DVD tray, not a computer that you insert the disc into an open slot. Because the miniDVD is smaller, it needs the tray to hold the disc, otherwise it is going to move around in the interior of the computer and not function correctly.
Step 4
Clean off the bottom of the miniDVD with a damp cloth. If the DVD is dirty, the computer is not going to be able to read the saved video information.
References
Writer Bio
Greyson Ferguson is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in film and television. He currently resides in Lansing, Michigan where he works on independent film projects and writes for numerous publications. Ferguson primarily focuses on computer and electronic articles. Greyson produces TheDailyUpbeat.com, focusing on only upbeat news stories with daily updates.