Final Cut Pro 10 on an i-mac (Sierra) and digitizing via a Sony i-link-to-thunderbolt

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alangeo40 Author

Level 1

8 points

Final Cut Pro 10 on an i-mac (Sierra) and digitizing via a Sony i-link-to-thunderbolt

Dear video enthusiasts,

I am trying to digitize HD video from my Sony HDV camcorder (Sony HDR-FX 1000)

into my 1 year old I-mac, and I believe there are 2 ways to do so:

1. Using HDMI out from the camera via an adapter (USB-C to digital AV adapter) into my I-mac.

I am unsuccessful, the video footage does not show up.

2. I have the ability to export the HD video from my camera via an optional Sony I-link cable, which I would need to buy. Since my i-mac does not have a fire-wire port, is there an adapter or cable that can link from the Sony I-link (IEEE 1394) cable to a thunderbolt port on my Mac, which no longer has a fire-wire port?

Thanks a lot!

Alan Geoghegan

Columbia SC

alan@medianetsc.us

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017), iOS 10.3.3, Final Cut Pro 10.4.3

Posted on Oct 1, 2018 6:09 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

64,616 points

Oct 1, 2018 2:51 PM in response to alangeo40

There are some things to clarify here.

As Tom said, you need to use the Firewire ("iLink" as Sony called it) port in your camera. You didn't say what model of iMac you have, so we don't know exactly which combination of cables/adapters you need.

Please specify. Tell us what it says in (Apple menu)->About this mac.

I am guessing it is quite recent, since you mentioned USB-C.

That said, the USB-C->HDMI adapter you mentioned goes the other way - it provides output from your iMac. So that one is out.

I am thinking that you are going to need several adapters.

If you have an older mac lying around that may be a better route.

If you still have a mac with Firewire 800, all it takes is a 9-pin to 4-pin Firewire cable.

From a Thunderbolt-3 port on a new mac you'd first need a TB3-TB2 adapter, then a TB2-FW800 adapter and then the some cable as above.

I would not like to buy all that gear when there is a real risk of it all not working well in the end.

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Answer 2

alangeo40 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 1, 2018 12:27 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Dear Luis and Tom,

Thanks a lot for the reply, really appreciate it!

I have an i-Mac about a year old running OS Sierra V 10.13.6, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4 Ram, Graphics Card is a Radeon Pro 560 4096 MB. I specified my i-mac below my e-mail address in the original post, it's somewhat small type.

I migrated from an old Mac Pro (the heavy one with a tower) with Final Cut 6.6, which died about a year and a half ago after using it for 10 years. I would prefer to edit in in the new Final Cut 10, though this is presenting a significant learning curve for me from the previous version.

The HDV digital video is ceremonial material of visiting indigenous tribes the Otomi (Mexico) and Kogi (Colombia) I videotaped last month in Virginia: I donated my video services due to being such a powerful, vital event for the environment and for humanity. I'm editing this footage with similar material I videotaped with the Mayan people in Yucatán, Mexico. I really need to get the digitizing right, so the editor-in-charge can produce a video for the hosting organization, then I will use the footage on my own project.

Thanks again!

Alan C. Geoghegan

Medianetwork LLC, Columbia, SC

alan@medianetsc.us

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Answer 3

alangeo40 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 1, 2018 3:04 PM in response to alangeo40

These are the cables I currently have:

-USB-C to Digital AV (thunderbolt to USB-C HDMI, USB)

-Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2.

-I believe need a Sony i-Link cable, and a TB2-FW800 adapter, as Luis recommended.

Since my old Mac Pro from about a year ago won't start anymore with Final Cut 6.6,

I would prefer using the newer i-mac do digitize this footage.

Tom, what is the benefit of using Quicktime to digitize, rather than Final Cut pro?

Luis and Tom, I hope this will work, thanks a lot!

Alan

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Answer 4

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,052 points

Oct 1, 2018 3:34 PM in response to alangeo40

Final Cut Pro is more demanding in its requirements for metadata and timecode. If some of this information is not available through the adapters the ingest will fail. The QuickTime player, like iMovie, is more forgiving and less likely to fail.

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,052 points

Oct 1, 2018 2:51 PM in response to alangeo40

You have to use the FireWire port on the camera to transfer the data. Amazon has adaprer cable. See if there’s and Anker cable. Try import using the QuickTime player rather than FCP.

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Final Cut Pro 10 on an i-mac (Sierra) and digitizing via a Sony i-link-to-thunderbolt

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