Sony HandyCam DCR-DVD405 and Windows 7

If you’re like me and don’t always seem to keep track of your original package CD’s and you have a Sony HandyCam DCR-DVD405 then this post is for you!

First things first, nothing against Sony, but really?  Apparently, you are not allowed by Sony to download updated drivers and software for your devices if say you got it from a yard sale or lost your original CDs or are trying to help a friend out.  Really?

So after lots of digging around here are things I found.  First, Sony doesn’t support the old “Pixela Package” for windows versions greater then a century ago.  So they very nicely provide a program called PMB as a replacement.  BUT if you want to download it you better have your original CD around because you’re going to need a part number (which happens to be 2-320-261-02 or 232026102 for the HandyCam DCR-DVD403 I believe but the same download is correct for the 405).  This will allow you to click “download” on this page.

Once you download that, lo’ and behold it’s going to ask you for the original CD during installation.  I dug and dug and could not find it.  Then one day, on a lark, I stumbled upon an ISO for this dvd on bittorrent.  I’m going to post the ISO to my blog a little later so you can download it.  Once you have this iso, burn it to a blank CD and poof!  You will be able to install the PMB program.

Next will be an update, but thankfully this will not require all the rigormarole we have gone through above.

Links for Reference:

Sony Support: http://esupport.sony.com/

DCRDVD405 Support Page: http://esupport.sony.com/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=DCRDVD405

PMB Download Page: http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?upd_id=4750

PMB Update Page: http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=DCRDVD405&upd_id=6311&os_id=44

Another PMB Download Page: http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/disoft/jp/pmb/download/info_e/update4303_e.html

The link for the torrent I found: http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3586777/Sony_Handycam_Picture_Package