Connect Sony Handycam DCR-SR42E & nothing happens

welcome Jeffandlisa to the  iMovie boards ...

.. We are pretty computer illiterate! ..

.. if you don't understand, what we are talking about, just ask.. no dumb questions, just dumb answers 🙂

your device is a harddrive (=HDD) based camcorder (no tape.. )
you've posted in the iM vers≤4 section of this board..
is this the version in use on your iBook..? I mostly doubt..
launch iM, click upper left on 'about iMovie', tell us about the version in use..

HDDcorders are only supported by iM08 ..

Hi

And hi Karsten

Js iBook is indicated as G4. iMovie'08 (7) will not work on this ? I think.

So there has to be a faulth in information from Apple help desk - or the question was not formulated.

My suggestion is:
• Try changing Camera - or -
• Change to a new Mac

No nice suggestions - but I can't figure out a working solution to this.

Sorry. Yours Bengt W

Jeff, I, too, just bought the exact same camcorder and was told the same thing - that it would work w/ my current Mac. It, of course, does not! If you find a solution, let me know!

Jeffandlisa wrote:
.. Im not going to be able to upgrade our G4 to have imovie 08 right?
When I phoned the helpdesk I explained the exact camera and the year of our computer - they seemed to think that it wouldnt work with imovie but I would still be able to copy the movie from camera to DVD via computer?
So Im guessing the only solution is that we get a new computer if we want the camera to work?

no, a G4-based Mac doesn't allow iM08 ..

the new iLife08 suite is deisgned to offer convenient use (=plug'n play) for harddrive camcorders.. with a new Mac, indeed, it is just a few clicks to import, edit, share and burn a video from your recording device..

for your exitising hardware, there are options, less convenient, and probably a lil' 'over the head' for the beginner..

the basic workflow is:
connect your camera to Mac
in Finder, it should 'mount' as an external harddrive
still in Finder, you should be able to drag'n drop the files (probably with a suffix .mt2?) to your Mac's harddrive..
now, for usage in iMHD5, you have to convert it.
buy 20$/downlaod a *mp2-playback component* at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/
donload for free *Mpeg Streamclip* www.squared5.com
install both..
launch Streamclip, select your camera's files, and choose in SC's many export options 'Export as DV' ..
THESE .dv files now can be easiely imported and processed by your iApps..

... still alive.. ? 😉

Dear Comp Illit,

You are in the same boat as all other Sony camcorder to Mac users. I found the same lack of recognition after trying to match my TRV16E camcorder to a new Macbook OS X, and found nothing via USB. Connecting the camcorder using a firewire cable solved the problem on all counts - running iMovie recognised the Sony camcorder, and operated the fast foward/reverse to copy the tape automatically as well.
Mac confidence returned!
Bit worried about Sony tho'

Yes, you need another port for Firewire. Firewire has many names on a camera, so the port may be called any of the following: Firewire, IEEE1394, i.Link or DV