sony handycam help needed please

[shoholajme]

Hi there I was recently given a sony handycam DCR-DVD405 and am having some problems. The software that came with the camera is not compatible with mac and when I connect it via USB it never shows up on the desktop. I'm just trying to put it into imovie. can anyone help?

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

I had a look around and could only find info relating to your Sony HandyCam and iMacs:

Sony HandyCam DCR-DVD405 & iMac

Otherwise all the articles I found pointed out that this HandyCam was Windows PC compatible only.

 

[Keith Branson]

I have a similar problem in that I loaded the Picture Motion Browser on a PC laptop, used it with a external harddrive to download a lot of video on a trip overseas and then got home to pull it off the harddrive onto a Mac and it won't work. How can you convert video saved on a harddisk using the PMB software onto a mac and then be edited and used?

 

[Kyomii]

There is a thread on here relating to Sony Handycams and the software to use, you may find it helpful.

https://www.mac-help.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3018&highlight=search

 

[Keith Branson]

Thanks for the heads up on the thread. I actually saw that exchange earlier in a search for help. My problem is not configuring the camera to work with a mac, it is pulling the already downloaded video on an external harddrive onto the mac.

 

[Kyomii]

Thanks for the heads up on the thread. I actually saw that exchange earlier in a search for help. My problem is not configuring the camera to work with a mac, it is pulling the already downloaded video on an external harddrive onto the mac.

What error message are you getting when trying to transfer? It could be that you are attempting to transfer too much data at once, and so you need to split it up.

You may also not have enough room on your Macs hard drive left as video takes a lot of GB.

It would be helpful to know exactly what happens when you try to transfer it and the size of files you are transferring.

 

[GaJaTo]

Hi, I don't know if anyone has come across the same difficulty I'm having with my Sony HDR-SR7 Handycam - after connecting it from the dock to my Mac desktop using the USB cable, there is no issue with iPhoto automatically activating and letting me know stuff is ready to download. However, the same is not true with iMovie - this program doesn't recognize anything and there seems to be nothing to import into iMovie, despite knowing that videos are definitely on the Handycam. Is there a different device or connection that separates movies from photos? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Have a look at Apples webpage of compatible camcorders for iMovie to determine that your cam will or should work fine:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014

I know this may sound ridiculous but are you certain that the cam is set to the correct setting to download/be recognised by your Mac?

Have you tried using Firewire?

What movie format are you using?

 

[phrhs]

Hi - a new Mac user and a new Sony DCR SR65 HDD camcorder user. I discovered you *can* get iMovies to import via USB from this camcorder simply by:
- connecting the camcorder and mac together via USB
- putting the camcorder in play mode
- just pushing the 'burn disc' button on the camcorder.
This seems to make the camcorder act like a normal camera - which iMovie recognises. iMovie then goes through the standard import dialogue with you.
Hope this is of value.