SONY HANDYCAM DCR-TRV280

Have you tried connecting with a firewire cable and using Window Movie Maker to capture.
Digital 8 cameras are treated as uncontrollable devices so you may have to start the camera manually.

Connect your data cable with camcorder given for the Sony Handycam DCR-TRV280 Digital-8 Digital Camcorder.And connect the other end to the Computer.If any cd available handy cam its it also. Then you can find your videos in computer

You need to get the drivers for this camera, you can download it from here:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=DCRTRV280

Please refer the following link for your regard: http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&externalId=C353938

You need a 4-pin to 6-pin firewire cable and your computer must have a firewire port. You will have to buy one if it doesn't currently have it.

try this link.

They cross-referenced it and found that the DCR-TRV19 camera used the same driver as the DCR-TRV280. I took the download off Sonys website and it worked perfectly.
http://www.camerahacker.com/Forums/Video%20Camera/Sony/Sony_DCR-HC36_drivers.files.hidden/USBDRVEN.EXE

Click on this link to get what you need.

go here

video head doesnt read the counter data
solution : change video head

I had the same problem. Spoke with Sony support. The drivers are there for Vista, but you have to connect the TRV280 from it's "DV" port to the Firewire port of you computer/laptop. I purchased a cable that has small firewire connectors on both ends. USB will not work with Vista. Once it is connected, a popup should ask you what you want to do, ie, capture video, etc. No other software required. Good Luck.