Hitting My Head Against A Wall

I have a video camera.

I have a PC.

I have a cable for connecting the video camera to the PC.

I have the software to tell the video camera how to connect to the PC.

I have a manual to tell me how to tell the video camera to connect to the PC.

So far so good...

I follow the instructions in the manual. Switch the camera on. Set the camera to 'USB Stream' mode. Connect the camera to the PC with my dinky grey USB cable. Picture Package software should start automatically.

But no. Picture Package software does NOT !*&^$#@ start automatically. It just tells me I have to install Macromedia Flash Player first.

So I go to the Internet, download Macromedia Flash Player. Install said player. Restart the PC. Start Again. Picture Package software still tells me I have to install Macromedia Flash Player first. I download and install the !$%%*& thing twice more. Still the same thing.

I eat ice cream.

I have a brainwave. Maybe I don't have the latest version of Picture Package Software. So:

Off to Sony website. I nearly drown in an ocean of menus. Eventually I find what I'm looking for. Download new version of Picture Package Software. Restart the computer. Start my camera. Set it to USB stream mode. Connect it to PC with dinky grey USB cable. And...

Picture Package Software starts automatically, as per the manual!!!! YAY!!! Victory!!!

My heart beating with anticipation, I follow the instructions for making a CD: adjust special effects settings, music settings, etc.

But the START button still remains ghostly grey. This wasn't supposed to happen.

So I go to the USB Stream Adjust menu. Oops! Camera Not Detected. Even though the ?*&^%$# thing successfully connected to a USB port on my PC!

So I restart my PC, this time selecting a different USB port. The driver software seems to load this time. And Picture Package seems to recognise my camera, because I am able to adjust the USB stream this time and view my video content.

But: The Start Button is still grey. Cannot copy the movie to the CD. And when I go back to adjust the USB stream again. Guess what: Camera Not Detected!

So I disconnect everything, sincerely desiring to smash it all against the wall.

I drink tea.

I go to my blog, where everything is simple.

Tomorrow, perhaps?