Connecting a Sony DVD camera to I-Movie

M

MRsoccer

Registered
My daughter has a Sony Digital Video Camera, model number DCR-DVD101.

The camera downloads fine to a PC, but the Mac is have does not recognize the camera.

The connection is via a USB between the camera and the MAC.

When the camera is connected, the best I get is an icon that shows a CD is place, not a DVD.

Is there a way I can download the data from the camera so it can be edited in I-movie?
 
Your question has been asked and answered on this forum too many times to count. iMovie handles tape-based camcorders which use the mini DV and HDV format as well as a few nontape-based models. [The supported nontape-based models are listed on Apple's website.] The camera must also have a FireWire port. If you want to use a mini DVD camcorder, then you have two options:
  1. Pop-out the mini DVD and pop it onto the tray of a tray-loading Mac. Use Handbrake to rip the DVD into an editable format.
  2. The other option is to use a third piece of hardware like Elgato's eyeTV as an intermediary: camcorder -> eyeTV -> Mac.
 
I checked the specs for that camera and could not see any mention of a Firewire port (which Sony calls "i.Link" and which is also often labelled as IEEE1394), however I'm pretty confident that it should have one. If it does, then you can connect by Firewire to iMovie and import the video from the camera that way.

It will give much better results that way than with the Elgato, which would mean the signal was going from Digital to Analog and back to Digital, and which would cost enough that you'd be better off just trading up to a better equipped camera. It would also be quicker and easier than using Handbrake (although it will still take 1:1 time to import, that is to say, 1 hour of footage will take 1 hour to import).

In short: look for a Firewire, iLink or IEEE1394 port, and if you have one, get yourself a suitable firewire cable. iMovie should then recognise the camera and allow direct import.
 
Which version of iMovie is installed on your Mac?
iMovie '08 supports some Sony DCR-DVD models, but the 101 isn't on the list of cameras that were tested with iMovie '08. That doesn't mean your model wouldn't work with IM '08 though. You should test the camera with a Mac that has iLife 08 installed just in case it might not work before spending a few bucks for an iLife 08 disk.
iMovie ’08 Camcorder Support
 
MRsoccer said:
My daughter has a Sony Digital Video Camera, model number DCR-DVD101.

The camera downloads fine to a PC, but the Mac is have does not recognize the camera.

The connection is via a USB between the camera and the MAC.

When the camera is connected, the best I get is an icon that shows a CD is place, not a DVD.

Is there a way I can download the data from the camera so it can be edited in I-movie?
Click to expand...

Hello, I use the iMovie 08 with the DCR-DVD101E and it works for me eventhough at the SONY website they say it wont. What i did was I left iMovie running in the background when it detected my Camera but first you have to finalize the disc. If you dont, your mac would only detect a blank disc. Then the 'import from camera' window would pop up and you should be able to import the pictures normally only slower and there would be lags here n there as the interface is the USB slowpoke. It would roughly take around 1hour to import a 30 mins disc, but still, it worked 4 me. hope it works for you.
 
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