USB streaming from a handycam

[JournyMan]

The software that comes with my Sony Handycam sucks and I am trying to find other software to USB stream it to my comp. Now I know for better quality I should use firewire but I just want to USB the footage for now. If anyone knows a good program for this I would be very appreciative.

[danielwang]

The software that comes with my Sony Handycam sucks and I am trying to find other software to USB stream it to my comp. Now I know for better quality I should use firewire but I just want to USB the footage for now. If anyone knows a good program for this I would be very appreciative.

USB? Let's hope that's USB 2.0, not 1.0/1.1. Slow >.<

And ilet's not hope it's *shudders* PROPRIETARY!

If it comes with Windows XP certified drivers, it is possible to read the stream using any Windows application supporting Windows image acquisition standards...
Open up your "My Computer" object, or equivalent. Amond your disk drives, scanners, photocameras, and other things, you may see your handycam. If it isn't there, make sure you've installed the XP drivers (may need to reinstall or d/l Sony drivers from website).

I'd recommend using Windows Media 9 Series server to stream it, just use 9 Series encoder to send it through. Wait - if you're just watching it, you can use a 9 Series client to connect to your localhost. The Player cannot open up camcorders just yet, but it is possible to use the 9 Series encoder as a server, too. I trust you know how.

If the memory of the Handycam (it's digital, right?) is accessible as a drive and it's possible to record a write-over stream in realtime (no caching), it is possible to use 9 Series Server or Encoder to stream the file, though it'd start at the beginning at each stream.

Good luck,
Wang Daniel