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    Camcorder problems with MBP

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by iwilliams, Apr 27, 2008.

  1. iwilliams

    iwilliams Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi all

    I got my Mac last week and tired to connect my Sony camcorder to the USB today. I have Imovie and it doesnt see my camcorder.

    The camcorder is a Sony and has firewire or usb. In windows xp the camcorder shows up via USB but not on my Mac.

    Am I doing something wrong ? I am new to all this Mac stuff

    Thanks

    P.S should I get a firewire cable from ebay? Will this work better than the USB cable ?
     
    iwilliams, Apr 27, 2008
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  2. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    So...which Sony camcorder is it?
     
    Budding, Apr 27, 2008
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  3. iwilliams

    iwilliams Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi

    Its a Sony DCR-HC24 and has firewire but i dont have the cable as yet.

    Will this work with imovie?
     
    iwilliams, Apr 27, 2008
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  4. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yeah, that particular camcorder does not work with OS X via USB. You can either use a memory card reader, or try connecting it via Firewire.
     
    Budding, Apr 27, 2008
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  5. iwilliams

    iwilliams Notebook Enthusiast

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    Great 8(

    Anyway thanks for your help. I brought into the MAC idea because I was sick of windows and drivers. Seems like its the same..

    I'll order a firewire and give that ago. I can't use a memory card reader because its the film i want to import into Imovie.
     
    iwilliams, Apr 27, 2008
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  6. ATC

    ATC Notebook Deity

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    Strange. I have a three year old Sony DVD camcorder that only has a USB port. In windows XP I had to install two pieces of Sony software just to make the camera recognized, one was a driver and the other was a capture software suite. In Vista it never worked, not even in compatibility mode, and Sony never updated that particular software so I'm SOL.

    Even though the camcorder is not meant to work with Macs and not supported, I plugged it into my MBP and it was recognized right away and imported clips right into iMovie 08. Works like a charm, even better and slicker that it ever was under XP.

    And I never did anything special; just plugged it in while turned on in playback mode, no drivers, no software and no fiddling with anything.

    Could this be because it's DVD based instead of Mini DV? I have heard that Mini DV works best using firewire so that's definitely worth a try.
     
    ATC, Apr 27, 2008
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  7. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yeah this issue is unique to a handful of camcorders only. Most devices work just fine with OS X. But, I think there are Firewire drivers in OS X for that camcorder, so hopefully that would solve the issue.
     
    Budding, Apr 27, 2008
    #7