Canon HV20 Importing

OK--Just an update on something I discovered and the impact 1.) I was able to download the video with Sound and without hanging by setting the camera to output to DV (not HDV) and using the DV/Widescreen Selection on iMovideHD. The issue though is of course I lose the High Def. However, it did confirm that the Firewire cable (6 pin to 4pin) I have is fine and that the camera does in fact output sound.

I also sent a message to Canon requesting some additional information. They suggested that it is most likely a software error that is causing the issue. They indicated that the app (they didnt specifically say iMovie) may not completey understand the RAW encoding of the HDV. That made sense to me and may be a issue with iMovie. I am tempted to try and upgrade to Final Cut HD Express (since I plan to do more editing anyway.) Also curios if this is memory issue (how much more does HDV require). I currently have 1 gig, which I know is on the low end)

Anyone able to import from the HV20 in HDV mode in iMovie or other app (Like Final Cut express HD?)

Anyone able to import from the HV20 in HDV mode in iMovie or other app (Like Final Cut express HD?)



Canon HV20 capture in FCP -
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4287943&#4287943

anyone have this worked out yet?

"Anyone able to import from the HV20 in HDV mode in iMovie"

Yes, I was able to tonight, but only by creating the project on an External FW drive (separate from the startup drive where iMovie exists). It took all 50 min of the video without freezing.

I experienced iMovie freezing a couple of times with different tapes when I created the project on the internal drive that contained the system and the iMovie app.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I cannot even get video to record, let alone audio. I can only get it to import if I change the output option of the camera to "DV LOCKED" instead of "HDV/DV".

dual 1.42GHz G4 desktop, MDD, FW800 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I have not tried the secondary drive yet but plan to tonight. Although I really only have secondary USb drive. Do you think that will work. (Also, in iMovie, where do you change the import drive location)

I am really considering the upgrade to Final Cut HD Express to see if this would really be the answer plus a memory upgrade (adding another 2gig)

I think I will like many of the improved editing features of that app over iMovie. I would hope now after a few weeks of the HV20 release that more people would be having issues with iMovie that Apple might consider addressing. When I bought my MAC i bought Applecare as weel but just have not had the time to sit down and call them. I will keep posted if I discover anything new throught them

I'm glad I saw this thread!

I just purchased a Canon HV 20 this weekend and it's still in the box (if I open it and try to return it, I get a 15% restocking fee!).

I'm wondering if my system (listed below) will be powerful enough to even TRY to use iMove HD with the Canon. This thread has me a bit nervous now. 😟

I'll stay posted.

Just tried it on m 17" MBP Core Duo. It works. I have 2 GB in my MBP. I noticed, while I was importing, it tells you when it's imputing in real time, then it switches to 3/4 the real time, etc. I noticed (something for the first time now), what was playing on my computer screen was starting to lag behind the Camcorder Screen. After about 15 min of video, I pressed pause on the iMovie Control screen. The camcorder paused, but the import on the screen kept going until it got to the point where I pressed pause. The entire video imported very well. I'm just guessing... my problems that I wrote above, probably happened because it eventually got to a point where the RAM couldn't hold all the video, as the computer was importing. If I were you, even knowing this, the pictures this camera takes is superb! I am able to get video into the computer, but I'll stop the video while importing every 15 min or so, so the computer can catch up. Then continue the import. It is really processing a lot of data. For example, I looked at the contents of the iMovie file, and checked to see how big the video's were. 1 min of video took about 600mb of HD space. I learned this because I was going to make a CD sample of video to show a friend at work. I could only get 3 very short clips onto 1 CD.
Again, for me, it is very important to capture video at the highest quality that I can now. We are all probably at a point where computers are just able to process HD. Computer speeds will catch up, and eventually the HD video we take now, will process without problems later. I think I was just spoiled with importing the entire DV tape at 1 shot. Now I will just have to remember to pause it every so often, so the computer can catch up.
I was able to get 50 min in 1 shot imported on my 24" iMac C2D downloading to an external FW800 drive. Now playing with this more, I'm not so sure the External Drive makes a difference. I think it is just so much raw data feeding the computer, and iMovie processing it... I thought it pretty amazing technology for the video to be playing ahead of what I saw on iMovie as it was importing in real time. In the past, computers would just start skipping frames. My MBP holds the video in RAM as iMovie continues to lag. This is very useable. I'm guessing that no matter which HD camcorder people purchase now (sony, whatever), will have the same issues. I'm also guessing that if I had a MacPro, there will not be any lag.

Hope this helps.

BTW - My 50 min video took about 35GB of HD space, in contrast to DV video where 1 hr takes about 13GB. Pretty amazing they can pack more GB on the same DV 60 min tape.

Another FYI - HD has so much data, that when I try to play the original Quicktime files from that CD I made, the CD rom can't even keep up. I have to copy the files from the CD to my HD first, then play the files from the HD. Wow.

Hi Anthony,

Thank you for that message. There seems to be hope! 🙂

Your MBP system seems to mirror mine. So perhaps I won't return my HV 20 and know that I have a chance of editing some HD movie. 🙂

Or perhaps I'll just stick to my Standard digital camcorder and escape the headaches. 😉

I'm confused with your last sentence about if you had a MacPro there wouldn't be lag. What is a MacPro?

I have 2GB of ram in my dual G4 (1.42 GHz) machine, and I don't even get video. At this point, I'd be happy to be able to import anything, even at 3/4 rate.

The Mac Pro is 3.0GHz, 8-core Intel Xeon, not a laptop. It's not a headache, just an adjustment. When compared to my 7yo Sony DV, and you see compare the video that each can produce, to me it is the equivallent to my old Olympus 2mp Digital Camera and now my 8mp Sony pictures. If you are satisfied with your DV quality, then save your money.

My motivation is to capture as good of quality of my kids for their sake (as they are growing really fast), so when they are older, they will be seeing themselves in the best quality I could afford at the time.

I've been through 8, Hi-8, DV and now HD. I've had my Sony DV for 7 years. Your DV may be better quality than mine. Mine is broke now, so I'm kind of forced to upgrade now.

BTW, I also purchased the XACTI HD2 and returned it. Terribly poor quality video, and camera shake was too much. I felt was equiv. to my DV camera or slightly worse.

I don't know if this is your issue, but did you make sure when creating the iMovie project, to pick 1080i, and not DV in iMovie? I know when I started with an iMovie that had DV video, I couldn't import my HDV. But when I started the project in HighDef, then I could have both formats in my video. The HighDef is wide screen, and the DV has black on the sides.

Yes, my project is set for 1080/HDV, the top of the window shows 1080i-30. The blue import screen says "Camera Connected", and I can control the camera. When I hit the Import button after starting playback, nothing happens. It's as if I didn't hit the button. Video is playing on the camera, but not on the computer or in the application -- nor is it being captured.