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coates1980 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sony Mini-DV (DCR-HC14E) Via Firewire

Apologize I'm new to Macs only last week so forgive my ignorance. I'm trying to get my new mac book pro with iMovie 08 to recognize my Sony Handycam (DCR-HC14E) via the firewire port. I've read numerous posts online about compatibility issues between sony and macs but equally i've read many posts on this forum that connecting DV camcorders (with tapes) is simple and straight forward.

I've tried connecting the camcorder via the USB cable, which showed no signs of detection. I then went and bought a brand new firewire cable, and still nothing. I've tried numerous booting configurations. Camera on and restart, camera on after iMovie opens, but still I can't see the thing (even in System Profiler). Can anybody give me a glimmer of hope. I love the Mac, but I'd hate to think my Windows XP laptop has got one over in the first week!

Mac Book Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1), 2.4GhZ Intel Core 2 Duo

Posted on Feb 5, 2008 9:52 AM

19 replies

Feb 7, 2008 9:56 AM in response to SarahK9

Ah, but it cleanses the soul to fess up!

..Thanks for telling us anyway - so that no-one's still trying to work out what's wrong! Hope it all works well now..

coates1980 Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2008 2:13 AM in response to David Babsky

I'd love to fess up, and have egg on my face at the cost of my Sony DV camcorder talking to my Mac, but alas I think it's not to be...

I left the camcorder with no battery for 24 hours to see if it would reset the firewire connection port, I then followed the manual instructions, but still not a squeek. I'm going to install iMovie06 this weekend as a last ditch attempt.

I just want to say thanks for all those that pitched in with their ideas, especially David.

Feb 8, 2008 5:12 AM in response to coates1980

I'm sorry that it's still not working.

If you live anywhere near an Apple Store, why not make an appointment - if it's a reasonably large store - or just turn up, and see if THEY can make it work on one of their Macs? If it works on some Macs, but not others, it may be a software-incompatibility problem ..i.e; maybe you've something like an extra video 'codec' or QuickTime 'plug-in' on your Mac which is preventing, or interrupting, a proper conversation between the camera and the Mac.

If it doesn't work on ANY of theirs, then maybe there's just some peculiarity of the 14E. It's an oldish machine, and Apple has tightened up its FireWire behaviour (..stuck more closely to the FW specification..) with most succeeding versions of iMovie. It may be that the FW implementation in the older 14E just doesn't quite "click" with what the latest iMovie '08 expects, or requires.

But try at a place where there are several Macs, such as an Apple Store.

djmojo

Level 1

0 points

Feb 27, 2008 5:53 PM in response to coates1980

same problem hire i guess is a software compability...dont know what to do,well is a bit of a shame that there are no solution for it....that mean that i going to spend 500£ for a new cam technology is good but is going to fast....
thanks

Sony Mini-DV (DCR-HC14E) Via Firewire