Sony DCR-HC21 Handycam and imac ( OS 10.5.2 )

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Sony DCR-HC21 Handycam and imac ( OS 10.5.2 )

I am new the MAC world, so i am not sure if the OS is not picking up my HandyCam or if iMovie 08 is not seeing it.

I have spoken to SONY and it looks like the HandyCam settings are good to go. But every time i try to import videos i can not see the handycam.

I have connected the Handycam via firewire 4 ( HandyCam ) - 6 pins ( iMac ). Turn on HandyCam and open Imovie08. I see nothing ...

iMAC, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Mar 16, 2008 3:26 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 16, 2008 4:23 PM in response to Arshelley

Try opening iMovie first. Then turn on the Handycam.

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Answer 2

Arshelley Author

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Mar 16, 2008 6:11 PM in response to AppleMan1958

That does not seem to work either.

I have tried different combinations of opening/turning on iMovie vs. Handycam. I have even exchanged the firewire cable. Nothing seems to work. I can not find any reference to the handycam not being compatible with the iMac.

When I turn on the HandyCam should it come up on my desktop as a connected device ? ( For example when I plug my iPod in it shows up on the desktop under the Macintosh HD icon. )

Any/All suggestion welcome.

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Answer 3

Mar 16, 2008 6:49 PM in response to Arshelley

Have you checked the manual of your HandyCam for instructions on the proper settings for connecting it to a computer?

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Answer 4

Arshelley Author

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Mar 17, 2008 8:30 AM in response to AppleMan1958

Yes, the Sony HandyCam is set up correctly - I had spoken to Sony Support and they confirmed for me that the HandyCam is ready to go...

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Answer 5

Arshelley Author

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Mar 20, 2008 7:12 AM in response to Arshelley

I purchased an iMac just to import my Videos and still not have been successful.

Here is the problem:

When try to import videos into the iMac OS 10.5 using iMovie8 my camcorder is not being seen by iMovie8. I never get the anything other then the built in camera to appear.

What has been tried/done:

1. Spoke Sony Support via chat and camcorder appears to be set up correctly. On this model ( DCR-HC21 ) you do not need to set camcorder to any special mode expect the play/edit mode and make sure the iLink / Firewire cable is plugged into the correct slot. DONE. An icon appears on the camcorder DVin , so that tells me the connection is active.

2. I have tried all different combinations of turning on camcorder opening iMovie8 and the like. Still can not see the camcorder.

3. I worked with Apple support via phone and we tried to download an older version iMovieHD to see if the camcorder gets pick up on an older version. Nope. Same problem as in iMovie8

3. Apple support told me that I need a special driver from Sony so iMovie8 can see my camera. Okay.

4. I checked out the Sony website and it states that my camcorder is not support on the iMac OS 10.5. Okay no problem. But I asked myself will it ever be supported ? So i called Sony asking when the 10.5 driver will be available. They told me that becasue I am connected via iLink / Firewire I do not need any special drivers and it is the Picture Package software ( Sony software to import movies ) that is not support on the iMac OS 10.5.

5. Sony Support then points me back to Apple saying it is an iMovie8 issue.

Now I am totaly confused and have no clue how fix the problem or even where the problem exists . It is an iMovie 8 issue or a Sony Camcorder issue.

Can anyone help me out ?

Thanks

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Answer 6

Jon Walker

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Mar 20, 2008 7:46 AM in response to Arshelley

An icon appears on the camcorder DVin , so that tells me the connection is active.

I don't know, but it seems to me that would mean the camcorder is ready to record a DV input signal. (My HC3 says DV out or HDV out when it is ready to export via FireWire.)

Sony Support then points me back to Apple saying it is an iMovie8 issue.

Did you test this? (I.e., have you tried importing with iMovie HD or a dedicated import utility like Vidi?)

Message was edited by: Jon Walker

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Answer 7

Arshelley Author

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Mar 20, 2008 12:23 PM in response to Jon Walker

Good point i will see if i have a DVout setting. I do not think I do.

iMovieHD ( the prior version of iMovie 8 ) was also tried no luck.

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Answer 8

Arshelley Author

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Mar 21, 2008 10:21 AM in response to Arshelley

This camcorder does not have any sort of DVout setting.

If I can not connect this camcorder to the iMac - Does anyone know of a device that would allow me to extract the video off of the Mini Tapes tapes ?

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Answer 9

Mike Dok

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Mar 27, 2008 3:15 PM in response to Arshelley

I had similar and Apple guys solved it over the phone. I did a complete power recycle and it cleared it up.

I remember it was unplug power lead for 10 seconds. Hold power button on for 10 seconds. Plug power in. Hold down the P, R, alt and cmd keys down at start up. When the opening chord strikes twice release everything and hey presto.

I can send you the proper url if you drop me an email on mike.2.doherty@bt.com.

Mike d.

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Answer 10

vgr242

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Jun 2, 2008 11:22 AM in response to Mike Dok

I have a Mac with Leopard and this Sony Camera. I followed these steps as I read them on the Sony Website and my trial movie was imported to iMovie.
1. Shut down the computer and the camera
2. Plug in the firewire ports to computer and camera
3. Use the cameras power set up for house current and plug it into camera
4. Turn on camera and set to PLAY/EDIT
5. Power up the computer, and when it is complete, open up iMovie.
6. After making sure it is set to the camera on the tab, click import
Mine worked.

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Answer 11

Jun 4, 2008 1:28 PM in response to Arshelley

hello, arshelley, i was wondering if you had figured out what the problem was because i have been having the exact same problems and i don't know what else to do or if their is anything that i can do to fix this issue and start importing footage into my imovie. i can't believe how difficult it has been to try and import clips. total bs!

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Answer 12

Jun 4, 2008 1:36 PM in response to Arshelley

anyone with the answer as to how to get the sony dcr-hc21 to show up on my imovie or even on the computer? PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

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Answer 13

cjwo57

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Jun 4, 2008 3:50 PM in response to born.to.shred

I don't know if this will help, but this is what I've had to do. First, I downloaded MPEG Streamclip and purchased the MPEG-2 PLAYBACK from Apple and installed it.
Next, I connected the Sony Handycam DCR-DVD610 to the computer via the USB cable that came with the camcorder. Only the DVD showed up, not the camcorder itself.
I opened the ONE file listed on the DVD and then COPIED the .VRO file to the desktop. After it was copied to the desktop, I then opened it using Streamclip and then used that program to save it as the .MPEG-4 file.

This has been a royal pain in the tush--the material I read online indicated that the camera was compatible, so I THOUGHT the camera would be an easy connect and transfer.... I was wrong. The software that came with the camera was incompatible with my Mac. I've wasted MANY hours fighting with the process and trying to figure out how to save/export the file. I could not simply open the .VRO file from the DVD itself--it only played the first clip on the DVD and not the entire collection of video clips I had filmed. It was only AFTER I copied the file to the desktop and opened it from there that I had any luck.

If this helps someone--great. If someone knows of a shorter, less time-consuming and frustrating approach, please let me know.

I do like the camera, but I feel that Sony's information about the particular Handycam I purchased was misleading.

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Answer 14

cjwo57

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Jun 4, 2008 3:55 PM in response to cjwo57

Note-I was using the DCR-DVD610 Handycam, but the process may work for others.

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Answer 15

Arshelley Author

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Jun 5, 2008 6:43 AM in response to Arshelley

No luck as of yet , I kind of gave up. My mother in law has an older Panasonic camera that I have been using to import into the iMAC.

I am not ready to buy a new camera but when I do ... I will make sure it has a been tested and worked with my iMAC.

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