Problems importing from Sony DRC-SR40 camcorder

I can connect the camcorder thru USB. I open the icon that appears on my desktop and see all the MPG’s. But iMovie will not recognize them. Quicktime will not open them—error message says it can’t “parse” it, whatever that means. I can view the movies on my computer only with the “VLC media player” which I had to download from Apple. My questions are:
1) Do I need Quicktime Pro or is there no way Quicktime will run these videos?
2) Anything I can do so that iMovie will recognize and import them?
3) I’m new to camcorders, so is it stupid to say that I thought I would be able to burn videos to a blank DVD and play them on my television DVD player? Is that possible?
iMac DV-400 Mac OS X (10.4.2)

iM is meant to import lossless from miniDV camcorders, using the same codec, called 'dv' ...-
your device is recording in a socalled playback-format, mpeg2 ... usually not meant to be processed...
you're options are..:
* buy/get * Apple mpeg2 plugin (19$) + Streamclip (free) ; drag'n drop files from device onto your Mac's harddrive ... install both apps and open files with Streamclip; convert/export to 'dv-stream' ....
or ...
* 'edit' in Streamclip (=just 'cut'), use Toast 7/8 to burn mpegs directly to a videoDVD...
or ...
* purchase http://www.pixela-1.com/captympeg_editex/ for handling such files.. no iLife support...
or ...
* 'swap' your recording device to a nice miniDV camcorder... << iLife is made for ...
2) no.
usb connected/'mpeg' devices are NOT supported by iM nor iDVD ...
3) iM + iDVD (iLife at all) is MADE for that purpose..
spend some time reading here:
http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/

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http://discussions.apple.com/post!reply.jspa?messageID=6664949
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http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=277702&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=277704&tstart=0
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Problem importing with sony cam

I've tried importing from a sony HDR-HC9 mini hdv tape without any luck , my cam is on power cable , the firewire plug in then i open imovie and then i click on import from camera , i get the blue screen that says importing but nothing is recording . i am sure one of you guys had this problem sooo what am i doing wrong ?
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Hi
See if You find any help in my list.
*NO CAMERA or A/D-box*
Cable
• Sure that You use the FireWire - USB will not work for miniDV tape Cameras
FireWire - Sure not using the accompany USB-Cable but bought a 4-pin to 6-pin FW one ?
• Test another FW-Cable very often the problem maker.
Camera
• Test Your Camera on another Mac so that DV-in still works OK
• Toogle in iMovie pref. Play-back via Camera (on<->off some times)
• Some Cameras has a Menu where You must select DV-out to get it to work
• Camera connected to "charger" (mains adaptor) - not just on battery
Does Your Camera work on another Mac ?
Sorry to say it is to easy to turn the 6-pin end of the FW-cable 180 deg wrong.
This is lethal to the A/D-chip in the Camera = needs an expensive repair.
(Hard to find out - else than import/export to another Mac ceased to work
everything else is OK eg recording and playback to TV)
Connections
• Daisy Chaining most often doesn’t work (some unique cases - it’s the only way that work (some Canon Cameras ?))
Try to avoid connecting Camera <--> external HD <--> Mac but import directly to the Mac then move
the Movie project to dedicated external hard disk.
• FireWire-port - Can be re-setted by - Turn off Mac and disconnecting Mac from Mains/Power for 20-30 minutes
Mac
• Free space on internal (start-up) hard disk ? Please specify the amount of free space.
(Other hard disks don't count)
I go for a minmum of 25Gb free space for 4x3 SD Video - and my guess is 5 times more for 16x9 HD ones
after material is imported and edited.
SoftWare
• Delete iMovie pref file may help sometimes. I rather start a new account, log into this and have a re-try.
• Any strange Plug-ins into QuickTime as Perian etc ? Remove and try again.
• FileVault is off ? (hopefully)
Using WHAT versions ? .
• Mac OS - X.5.4 ?
• QuickTime version ? (This is the heart in both iMovie and FinalCut)
• iMovie 8 (7.1.?) ?
• iMovie HD 6 (6.0.4/3) ?
*Other ways to import Your miniDV tape*
• Use another Camera. There where tape play-back stations from SONY
but they costed about 2-4 times a normal miniDV Camera.
• If Your Camera works on another Mac. Make an iMovie movie project here and move it
over to Your Mac via an external hard disk.
(HAS TO BE Mac OS Extended formatted - USB/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange WILL NOT DO)
(Should be a FireWire one - USB/USB2 performs badly)
from LKN 1935.
Hi Bengt W, I tried it all, but nothing worked. Your answer has been helpfull insofar as all the different trials led to the conclusion that there was something wrong with my iMovie software. I therefore threw everything away and reinstalled iMovie from the HD. After that the exportation of DV videos (there has not been any problem with HDV videos) to my Sony camcorders worked properly as it did before. Thank you. LKN 1935
from Karsten.
in addition to Bengt's excellent '9 yards of advice' ..
camera set to 'Play' , not rec/computer/etc.?
camera not on battery, but power-line?
did your Mac 'recognize' this camera before...?
a technical check.
connect camera, on, playback, fw-connected...
click on the Blue Apple, upper left of your screen ..
choose 'About../More..
under Firewire.. what do you read..?
More
• FileVault - Secure that it’s turned off
• Network storage - DOESN’T WORK
• Where did You store/capture/import Your project ?
External USB hard disk = Bad Choise / FireWire = Good
If so it has to be Mac OS Extended formatted
----> UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange is NOT Working for VIDEO !
mbolander
Thanks for all your suggestions. What I learned is that I had a software problem. I had something called "Nikon Transfer" on my Mac that was recognizing my Canon camcorder as a still camera and was preventing iMovie from working properly. After uninstalling Nikon Transfer and doing a reboot, everything worked great.
I never liked the Nikon Transfer software anyway--I guess I'll get a cheap card reader and use that to transfer photos in the future.
*No Camera or bad import*
• USB hard disk
• Network storage
• File Vault is on
jiggaman15dg wrote
if you have adobe cs3 or 4 and have the adobe bridge on close that
or no firewire will work
see if that halps
DJ1249 wrote
The problem was the external backup hard drive that is connected, you need to disconect the external drive before the mac can see the video camera.
Yours Bengt W

Problems importing from Sony DRC-SR40 camcorder

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