captured video is blurry...HELP!!

[flamegirl]

Hello,
I am trying to upload my video from a SONY HANDYCAM. I had uploaded a good amount of it without any problems. Then one day i tried to upload some more and now it's blurry on the captured screen but perfectly fine on the camera preview screen. I tried it in Windows Movie Maker and in ULEAD Video Studio. I have tried all the settings I can see might be a problem on my camera but nothing is working. So I tried just capturing it blurry then putting it on a DVD to see if it was just the computer screen, but it was blurry on the TV as well. If I hook the camera up to the TV, it plays clear.
Maybe it is a computer setting....but I couldn't find anything in either software that would change the playback/capture setting.
When i did a search for this problem the only thing I found was to use a firewire but I don't have one on my computer (I don't think) and I didn't need that when I uploaded the video the first time.
PLEASE HELP...this is driving me crazy. Thanks so much!

[neljan]

Hello

Seems strange how it was working then suddenly now it's not.

Did you make any changes to the settings on the camera?

How do you transfer the video to your PC?

[pcsourcepoint]

As noted above, how did you transfer? There might be a faulty connection or cable. Or maybe the graphics/capture card may have faulty drivers?

[flamegirl]

I'm using the USB cable that came with the camera...which is the same thing I used the first time. I'm not exactly sure where the graphics card is...on the camera or the computer?

[Eg0Death]

Graphics card would be in the computer. 
The USB cable is probably the cheapest and simplest to rule out.  A suitable replacement USB cable is not very expensive and not hard to find.  You may even have a compatible cable for another device you own.   

[neljan]

What application are you using to view the video files on your PC? are they .mod files?

(I know you said you've tried WMM, but you wouldn't use WMM just to view them)

There might be a faulty connection or cable. Or maybe the graphics/capture card may have faulty drivers?

Or perhaps a codec has become corrupted?

[flamegirl]

Well I don't use the USB cable to hook it up to the TV...I will try to look for another compatible USB cable in my house and update with the results.
The files get saved as a .wma after I upload them.
What is a codec?

[neljan]

A codec is what compresses a video file for ease of transfer/storage.

An application would need the right codec to decompress the file.

Download the k-lite codec pack from here just incase. The codecs are useful even if they don't solve your problem.

Atleast we'll know then that it isn't a codec problem.

Do the WMA's play in Windows Media Player at all?

[neljan]

I R Sm@rt.     I should have caught that . . . .

New one on me 

[flamegirl]

Yes, the saved videos do play on Windows Media Player but they play blurry...
I will try the codec thing although I don't think I had this on my computer the first time I uploaded the videos.
The different USB cable didn't work....
When I uploaded the videos the first time, it was at my old apartment. So it's been in my new house that it hasn't been working. I'm not sure if this info makes a difference but it might be a setting or wire out of place somewhere? Could it be my connection through my internet provider? (cable)....

[neljan]

What is the make/model of your Sony Handycam?

[flamegirl]

SONY DCR-TRV460

[patio]

Here are the variables that can create blurry images:
We'll start with the camera first.

Low resolution settings.
Low battery.
Not enough light.
Camera movement.
Dirty lens.
Bad recording media.

Now the computer:

Software settings.
RAM.
Not enough free space on the HDD.
Defragmentation.
Vid card troubles.
HDD drive troubles.
Bad transfer cable.

[flamegirl]

OK I'll go through the list...
How do I change the resolution settings?
Not a low battery....it's plugged into an outlet.....
It's the same amount of light as there was in the first video that was uploaded
I don't think it's camera movement....or dirty lens....because it's that way for the whole video...not just pieces of it.
I tried 2 different video tapes (even the one I uploaded clearly) and they're all blurry...so I don't think it's the media either.

I tried changing any software settings that looked like it could change the outcome of the uploaded video...nothing
Why would RAM make the video blurry...it's blurry even when it's just playing on the software screen...not just when it's uploading....
How would I change defragmentation?
How do I determine if it's VID card troubles....without having to buy a new one....
what's HDD drive troubles?
I tried a different cable...not the problem either....

If someone can figure this out...I would be eternally grateful!!! I feel like it might just be a setting on either the computer or camera but just can't figure it out!!! Thanks for all your replies and help but keep them coming!

[neljan]

Have you got a memory stick anywhere that you could use just to see if it's ok using them?