Can you 'see' the video files as a hard drive?
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?template=&info_id=544&mdl=DCRTRV20

If you can just copy the files from the Sony camera to your computer.

Then Import the videos into Powerdirector. Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

DCR-TRV20 is a digital tape camera. No hard drive. No files. Wouldn't have to capture them if they were already files. The HD kind of camera just corrupts your files straight away (like my crappy Flip UltraHD did when my daughter was talking to Santa for the first time). SC

Quote: DCR-TRV20 is a digital tape camera. No hard drive. No files. Wouldn't have to capture them if they were already files. The HD kind of camera just corrupts your files straight away (like my crappy Flip UltraHD did when my daughter was talking to Santa for the first time).

I have a Canon DV camcorder and I can capture the tape with no issues.

If the cable is the original one that came with the camcorder, check it for a bent pin and check your computer firewire port for damage.

If it is a replacement cable check your owners manual to make sure that it is the correct cable - some are straight through; some are twisted. I'm sure you are not using a 4 pin in a 6 pin slot and vice versa. Again double check the ports.

If those are all OK, look at your Computers Device manager for the IEEE listing to make sure that there is no question mark or exclamation point by it. You might consider right clicking on it and deleting it. Reboot and Windows should reinstall it with the current drivers. Has it ever worked correctly?

You may also want to look at your computer manufacturer web suite to see if they have an updated driver or patch for the Firewire port. .
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BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

I have the TRV740 8mm Digital camcorder. HAven't tried it with PD yet, but I have always had better success with WINDV. It's a small free app that works with any DV camcorder. Just Google it.

I like it because it reads the date/time from the tape and uses that as filename for the video. Intel i7 4770k, 16GB, GTX1060 3GB, Two 240GB SSD, 4TB HD, Sony HDR-TD20V 3D camcorder, Sony SLT-A65VK for still images, Windows 10 Pro, 64bit
Gary Russell -- TN USA

Quote: I have the TRV740 8mm Digital camcorder. HAven't tried it with PD yet, but I have always had better success with WINDV. It's a small free app that works with any DV camcorder. Just Google it.

I like it because it reads the date/time from the tape and uses that as filename for the video.

Yup, I second this approach. Did this recently than pulled into PD. I didn't consider trying through PD.

Hi
For my DV camera before PowerDirector came on the scene, I used a software called SCLive (ScenalyzerLive) to capture to avi, it segmented the content into individual clips. The software is available now as a free download but it has no support backup. I haven't used the SCLive software (you'll need a firewire connecting cable) for years but it was brilliant at recognizing the tape's time-code segments. In it's day it was the software to use.

Before I get hassled by anyone, I have given this information previously on the forum as an alternative for an older DV camera user having difficulties.
Dafydd

Thanks to all for the support. I have found the solution via another line of inquiry. Turns out that while Windows 7 provides the driver for the 1394 Firewire interface, it will not work correctly with the Sony Handycam. I had to switch to a Legacy version of the driver. Now PD12 works fine. SC

Ah, yeah forgot about that. I had to switch to the legacy driver in Win7, too. Didn't have to do that in Win 8. Intel i7 4770k, 16GB, GTX1060 3GB, Two 240GB SSD, 4TB HD, Sony HDR-TD20V 3D camcorder, Sony SLT-A65VK for still images, Windows 10 Pro, 64bit
Gary Russell -- TN USA