John - check your specs for your computer to see if it has firewire - there are two different styles of plug/jack - many laptops have the same 4 pin firewire as the camera, while destops have the 6 pin that looks sorta liek a USB with one end "wedged" (lousy description, but if you see it, you'll understand...)

Thanks Dave, I just check my DELL Desktop Optiplex GX520, it does not have a firewire connector so I will have to buy firewire card and install on my PC.
Also, the i.LINK (firewire) cable which shipped with the camcorder is Sony proprietary so DELL doesn't have that connector on DELL. If you have a Sony PC you will know what I mean.
So I will also have to buy the cable as well - around $40, the card around $25. Too bad....
--JT

Why these things are too complicated. Should I give up ;)
Search in this forum any there are tons of topics with Firewire problems.
Which Firewire card do you recommend.....
--JT

John,

I don't have an HC7, but I believe the Sony camcorders come with a standard i-Link port. I've never had a i-Link cable come with a camera. Are you talking about the video cables? They are proprietary.

Hope you get it sorted out. Good luck on you shooting.

I checked the Dell website and it looks like John's right -- there's no FW on his PC.

But it doesn't have to be complicated. Just bring your cam into your local Best Buy or CompUSA or Radio Shack or any other electronics store and get a card and cable to match. Sony uses a standard 4-pin FW at the camera end so you'll just get a 4-pin to 6-pin or 4-pin to 4-pin, depending on the card you get.

And at this point, I'd recommend you start out with a simpler level of Sony Vegas like Movie Studio Platinum 8. Less than $100 online at NewEgg and a good way to tell if you like it enough to eventually upgrade to Vegas Pro. Download it from the Sony website to give it a test run first to see if you like it.

Or you could try Premiere Elements before committing to Pro. Also available for free test download.