Sony DVD camcorder to iMovie?

I can't seem to get my Sony camcorder DVD-403 to import into iMovie 08. So I have these really nice family movies that I would like to edit. They are now all on small, finalized DVDs. I have an external DVD drive hooked up to my computer. (Since I can't fit the mini-dvds in the slot drive.) What program should I use to rip that data off the DVD? Do I need a program to convert the data? I am technically challenged though. So what kind of data do I have? What do I need to convert it to for iMovie? Any help would be most appreciated. I'm looking for easy here and am willing to spend a little money on a program that simplifies things.
Much thanks!

What program should I use to rip that data off the DVD? Do I need a program to convert the data?
No need to literally "rip" the content since your files are not copy protected. All you really need to do is copy the "muxed" MPEG-2 (usually VOB title set) files to your hard drive and then convert them to a format compatible with iMovie '08. I prefer MPEG Streamclip (free) together with the QT MPEG-2 Playback component ($20) as it allows you to convert your content to any iMovie '08 acceptable compression format (i.e., DV, AIC, M-JPEG, Photo-JPEG, MPEG-4, or H.264), as well as, crop/scale and adjust brightness, saturation, contrast, and/or volume as part of the process. iSquint (free) will convert to MPEG-4 or H.264. FFmpegX (donation-ware) and Visual Hub (pay-ware) will also convert the files to multiple iMovie '08 compatible formats.

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HELP!!!! Sony DVD camcorder, i need to edit the video on iMovie

hi, im using my friends Sony DVD camcorder for a project and i need to somehow edit the video on my mac using iMovie, but the video files arent opening with quicktime or iMovie. the tag on the icon is .VOB
can anyone help me figure this out??

im using my friends Sony DVD camcorder for a project and i need to somehow edit the video on my mac using iMovie, but the video files arent opening with quicktime or iMovie. the tag on the icon is .VOB
VOB files are "muxed" MPEG and as such are not compatible with QT. Even if you have the QT MPEG-2 Playback component ($20) installed, QT is not "natively" compatible with AC3 audio. Basically you have to options:
1) Get iMovie '08 to do a "Camera Import" which will convert the AC3 audio to Linear PCM and stor it in an MOV file container and then modify the MPWG-2 content effectively turning it into a Motion-JPEG and merge the modified video to the same MOV file container with start and/or end offsets to minimize drifet between the two.
2) The other option is t copy the non-zero VOB title sets to your hard drive and then use an MPEG-based, third party converter like iSquint (free), MPEG Streamclip (free) with the QT MPEG-2 Playback component ($20), FFmpegX (donation-ware), Visual Hub (pay-ware), etc. to converte the VOB files to an "edit" compatible iMovie '08 (or eariier version) compression format.

Sony DVD Camcorder to iMac

I've been trying to figure out a way to import video from my Sony DVD camcorder. I've searched these forums and so far much of the advice is not to buy Sony DVD camcorders. While I understand the good intentions of this advice, I like all the other advantages which the Sony DVD camcorders offer.
That being said, I have two questions which will help me decide whether I really should return the Sony DCR-DVD 205 and/or use a Sony DCR-DVD 305 instead:
1) Some others have suggested exporting the A/V out from the DVD camcorder and feeding it into the analog port of a DV camcorder. I happen to have a DV camcorder (broken lens but fine for this purpose) which can record the analog input onto a DV tape. This allows me to use the firewire out from the DV camcorder to the iMac just fine. I have tried this technique and while it is a hassle it appears to work well. Here's my question: Am I losing a significant amount of quality or resolution by converting DVD to analog to DV to iMac? The picture quality seems OK so far but I'm wondering if I am missing something.
2) So my next question is thiis: Is it worth getting the 305 model instead? Unlike the 205, the 305 has a USB 2.0 port. But from everything I have seen, USB 2.0 ports are far from ideal when it comes to transferring digital quality video.
Thanks in advance. I am going a bit crazy trying to figure out what to do about this.
iMac g5

welcome TeamIguana to the  board ...
you've done your research on this board about DVDcorders, so you do know, the iApps don't support such devices ... you miss the convenience of simply plug-in/hit import/done... and some others...
you have two options:
convert from dvd (please use the forum search for that popular issue), or, as you wrote, a playback-analoge-digital conversion...
the loss in pic quality happens while playback a dvd...- you record in a codec called mpeg2, which is a very, very effective compressor...- a standard iM project of 2h=~26GB gets compressed with mpeg2 to fit onto a 4.7Gb single-layer dvd-r...
to be so effective, mpeg uses different "tricks", e.g. it doesn't store every frame of the 30fps a video contains... dv (as on miniDV, or iM's native internal codec) does so... as you probably know: mpeg2 is a delivery format, no edit format...
so answer to 1): due to mpeg standards, you have a loss of pic quality. any miniDV would be ... better.- but it has to fullfill your tastes and standards, if it is ok to you.. just do it
ad 2) iMovie doesn't support the import via usb2.- when you're lucky, you get some Sony-made app with that device which allows to remotely control the corder via usb2 to force it to playback/stream the video to the Mac.. HardDrivecorders behave like some ordinary harddrive, easy to drag'n drop file from them to the Mac.. but a DVDcorder? even, when you hit manually "play"... how should your Mac know what to do with that stream of data coming via usb??
you guess it allready; I'm not convinced by DVDcorders
so, just to feed my personal curiosity:
I like all the other advantages which the Sony DVD camcorders offer.
... which one?

I want to import .vro-files from my dvd-camcorder to imovie´11 but it doesn´t work

hi,
i´m a mac newbie and i´m tryig to import video-files from my panasonic vdr-m70 dvd-camcorder to imovie but it doesn´t work.
please excuse my bad english i´m a german guy, 47 years old an not well trained in english.
thanks for any help....
max

Please check if all your plugins are up-to-date. To do this, go to the [http://mozilla.com/plugincheck Mozilla Plugin Check site].
Once you're there, the site will check if all your plugins have the latest versions.
If you see plugins in the list that have a yellow ''Update'' button or a red ''Update now'' button, please update these immediately.
To do so, please click each red or yellow button. Then you should see a site that allows you to download the latest version. Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation and follow the steps mentioned in the installation procedure.

Sony DVD camcorder series to miniDV camcorder to iMovie?

I have read many posts about the inability to import these into iMovie. I have a friend who bought one and wants to know if I can put his video on the web. Is it possible to run the AV outputs from his camcorder into the AV inouts of my miniDV camcorder, and then use the Firewire out to iMovie? i do this with old VHS tapes, and the miniDV camcorder acts as an A/D converter.
Thanks,
Ken

I have a Sony minidv camcorder DCR-TRV20, and although I have never done it, it has the ability to accept input from a Sony Hi-8 camcorder and pass it on to Imovie. If I recall corectly, this step is necessary to translate the Hi-8 analog signal to digital.
should that fail, you could purchase a Canopus ADVC-100 and use it to upload vcr videos,hi-8 videos, and minidv videos into Imovie. This is what is use and it works just fine. My unit cost me about $120 three years ago. I do not know whether or not there are new models.

Canon DC-10 DVD Camcorder and iMovie (VR/Video DVD) *complicated*

Hi Guys,
I have a complicate issue and I have no idea how to do it.
The Problem: I like to cut and edit my short movies which I have recorded with the Canon DC-10 DVD Camcorder.
Because the Camcorder only writes small sized DVDs I have to copy it onto a standalone HDD/DVD recorder which is connected to my TV and than from its HDD back to a standard sized DVD. I can record this DVD in VR and Video mode but my MacBook Pro can only read the DVD which was recorded in Video mode. Therefore I cannot copy the movie files to my HDD. I think ripping might be a possibility but I don't know. Does anybody have an idea how to get my movie clips into iMovie HD?
Which movie file format does iMovie HD use?
By the way connecting the Camcorder to the Mac directly is currently not supported by Canon and Apple. I have to use the small DVD to normal size DVD way (because of the slot in drive in the MacBook Pro).
Thanks.

as Michael told you: iM does not support these DVDcorders...
your workflow is absolutely correct: to avoid damage to the slot-in, first create a standard-shaped/sized dvd-r; it has to be finalized and in "video mode"....
then, your options to import DVD content are:
* DVDxDV (free trial, 25$, Pro: 90$)
* Apple mpeg2 plugin (20$) + Streamclip (free)
* Cinematize >60$
* Mpeg2Works >25$ + Apple plug-in
* Toast6/7 allows converting to dv/insert dvd, hit apple-k
* connect a miniDV Camcorder with analogue input to a DVD-player and disk to tape/use as converter
... and as Micheal told you: DVD are end-of-the-road, a delivery format, not meant for further processing as editing, all these conversion could mean a loss of pic quality (and are very inconvenient, for sure)... if you are seriously interested in movie-making AND want to use the iApps, you should consider to buy a miniDV....

Can't import video from canon mini dvd camcorder to imovie

I'm having problems importing my videos into imovie. i have a canon mini dvd camcorder. The camera only has a usb cord to move the videos. When i connect camcorder to computer idvd opens up and i can watch videos, but i can't import to imovie. This has been very frustrating. Can anyone help me with this problem. Hopefully i won't have to buy a new camcorder.

Hi f
Very good advices from Sue ! (Hi Sue !)
Karsten has collected it like this:
Hi
A. don't put a mini DVD into Your iMac. You need a trayloaded DVD to do this.
B. Read what Karsten collected:
DVD back to iMovie:
.. and here the complete 'full 9 yards' ... :
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3822853&#3822853
DVDs are in a socalled delivery format (mpeg2), which isn't meant and
made for any processing as editing... or, as honorable forum member
QuicktimeKirk stated: I use the analogy of the old Polaroid
"instant" cameras. Push the button, wait for the print to develop and
show it off. ..
for using the iLife apps, you have to convert'em first, in
recommended order, choose one of the following tools/workarounds:
• DVDxDV (free trial, 25$, Pro: 90$)
• Apple mpeg2 plugin (19$) + Streamclip (free)
• VisualHub (23.32$)
• Cinematize >60$
• Mpeg2Works >25$ + Apple plug-in
• Toast 6/7/8 allows converting to dv/insert dvd, hit apple-k
• connect a miniDV Camcorder with analogue input to a DVD-player and transfer disk to tape/use as converter
• Drop2DV (free) a free tool claiming to convert DVDs into dv-stream...
• Use iSquint for your conversions : www.iSquint.org
from: Bobby Keene
none of these apps override copyprotection mechanisms as on commercial dvds...
http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6010.shtml
http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6018.shtml
be nice to copy rights ^-^
... and, next time, try the forum's search-feature...
from Beverly M.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42724
Yours Bengt W

USP Sony DVD Camcorder Importing problem

Reading your messages, makes me feel that I should go out and get myself a HD Camcorder.
Right now however I have a USB version and I just cannot get it to handshake with Movie HD 6.
I appear to be following all the rules, but I cannot get passed the system thinking its DVD Play that I am after.
DVD Player takes the whole screen, plays the Camcorder DVD perfectly, but because the software takes the whole screen I am locked out from getting to any functions.
Is there another version of iMovie that I should be using?
Thanks for any response.
John

iMovie is a video edit app meant to work with firewire connected miniDV/D8 camcorders
no support via usb, no support of DVDcorders... sorry to say.. :-/
Reading your messages, makes me feel that I should go out and get myself a HD Camcorder.
if you want to use the iApps, as they are intended for, you should buy a miniDV camcorder, standard or Hidef (=which needs a powerful Mac...)...
besides:
the DVDplayer app is a ... ehm, player app, no converter for DVD content to iM... and making the screen smaller: while the dvd plays, hit -1 or -0 to make the player window smaller...

Can anyone explain how I go from a Sony HD camcorder .m2ts file to viewing the video in HD on either DVD or Blu-Ray?

I have recently started to edit footage taken on a Sony HD Camcorder using iMove 11.
Uploading the .m2ts file was no problem straight from the camera to iMovie, but I (stupidly) assumed that I could burn an HD DVD from iMovie/iDVD to view on a DVD player. I've done a bit of internet research to find out why the quality of the DVD is so bad i.e. SD rather than HD and I think I understand it. Just.
Further searching to find out our to convert AVCHD/.m2ts to either HD DVD or Blu-ray has boiled my brain. So much stuff I read was a couple of years old so I wasn't sure what is possible.
Can anyone tell me how I get to the point where I can upload the .m2ts to the iMac, edit the footage and burn a Blu-Ray or HD DVD?
Cheers!

Booted the Mac this morning and it now works. I tried Alchroma's solution but whether the stereo is Plain or Matrix, it works both ways. I don't think that this was the solution as a result, but thanks for the suggestion. To confirm, my Easy set up is HD / AVCHD Apple 1920 x1080i60, the only thing I can think I did differently compared to yesterday is that I shut my Mac down having changed the Easy setup. Previously, I only changed the easy setup then closed FCE4 down.

How do I get video to IMovie from my dvd camcorder?

How do I get video from my Canon DVD camcorder to Imovie?

The second half of this file discusses moving files from an iPod to a computer:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300173
Videos are presumably in the "Video" rather than "iTunes" directory; you should be able to just navigate around in that directory for the file you want rather than replacing the entire directory as that article suggests (in which case you'd want to omit the "moving the directory to the desktop" steps, and so forth).
Patrick Alexander

Transferring a movie from a dvd camcorder

I have purchased an analog converter called ADVC110 to try and burn a copy of my home movies which were recorded on my Sony DVD camcorder but the process seems to take forever and is using up all the memory on my i-mac, surely this cannot be right ? I am trying to do this via i-movie HD, each recording on my dvd camcorder is taking about 1 hr 12 mins and there are about 70 of them , can anyone help to make this quicker and easier ?

The ADVC 110 is an analogue to digital converter. The way it works is for your camcorder to play the DVD in real time just like you were watching it. The camcorder outputs an AV signal that the ADVC converts to DV on the fly.
Therefore it is hardly surprising that a DVD containing about 1hr 12mins of real time recording takes exactly that time to download to the computer by this method. The DV format produced by the ADVC is the same as that used by tape digital camcorders - either digital 8 or minidv. This takes a lot of memory - about 17 gig per hr.
Another way would be to copy the DVD contents direct to your hard drive from a DVD player. The size of these DVD movies will be a lot less than if in DV format but they cannot be utilised directly by imovie. They can, however be played by various other means. These can be converted by your computer to DV using various third party programs. The process is not easy and probably takes as long as your real time conversion using the ADVC. You will still be stuck with the large file size.
Do you need to edit all of your movies using the full features of imovie or do you just want to cut/crop? If so there are alternatives to imovie. Look on Versiontracker
Maybe it would be better to cut/crop your DVD (mpeg 2) footage before imovie conversion.

My Sony Dvd recorder is not recognized

Since I downloaded iMovie 09 I can get it to read my videos off of my Sony dvd camcorder. iMovie 08 worked well with the Sony but now I can't upload videos. Am I doing something wrong or is iMovie 09
not compatable

I have similar problem with Sony dvd 505E, Imovie09 will not import files, says they are not readable,however Iphoto is able to read from same Handycam the still pictures stored on the memory stick. This Sony handycam, using same USB connection, has no problem importing movies into Windows PC but i would like to edit in Imovie09.

Looking for a GREAT mini DVD Camcorder that is compatible with my MAC! :-)

Ok. Here it is: I have a Sony DCR-TRV350 Camcorder, which I LOVE. However, the DVI port on the camera is screwed up. I bought a new DVI firewire, alas, to no avail. I cannot get the information from the camera to my Mac. So, making my fun, goofy movies is being inhibited by a fix, that will cost nearly as much as a new camera. I am looking for a new camera, that takes advantage of the firewire port on the Mac. Any suggestions? I would prefer a Sony. I am looking for advice from someone who knows, better then I, (that should be easy) of a good camcorder (miniDVD?) that works well with a Mac. I just want to have fun, bringing in footage to iMovie HD, editing, and posting them to Metacafe. Any and all input is, of course greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!!
~ George

"..I wish Apple would tell me "why" a standard MiniDVD camcorder would not be compatible with I-Movie, because I can not think of a single logical reason.."
iMovie was designed to work with "DV" digital camcorders. These were, and are, camcorders which record video in a particular method onto DV, or miniDV, tape. iMovie wasn't designed to import or edit analogue 8mm or Hi-8 recordings, so it won't. iMovie can't handle an incoming analogue (non-digital) signal. (..But if you put one of those 8mm or Hi-8 analogue tapes in a Digital-8 camcorder such as the Sony DCR-TRV350, mentioned in the very first post, above, you can then import it as a digital signal through the camcorder's FireWire connection..)
Various other digital recording methods came and went, and Apple have supported some, but not others: there was the short-lived Sony "microMV" tape format which Apple didn't support, although you can handle that with MPEG Streamclip. Then there was HDV, which Apple does support ..but they did that by creating an Apple Intermediate Codec, into which the MPEG-2 video format of HDV tape gets converted during import.
Then there were various MPEG-2 DVD video formats, and the various movie formats used by solid-state memory-chip camcorders. Now there's AVCHD format, for memory chips, hard drives and DVDs.
These methods of recording video just keep multiplying - because the camcorder manufacturers want to offer "Look! Ours-does-it-better!" claims. But just because they produce a camcorder which records video, that doesn't mean that Apple (which doesn't make camcorders) has to provide a means to edit all these weird formats which keep springing up. Surely, the camcorder manufacturers should be providing Mac-compatible, or iMovie-compatible, editing methods for their devices, shouldn't they?
As Thomas mentions, there's a list of some compatible camcorders (see above) ..but that's a list of camcorders which are compatible with the latest iMovie '08 (..which can deal with some DVD camcorders, but not those which record DVDs in AVCHD format..) and AVCHD format can be handled only by Intel-based Macs, anyway.
So for an MPEG-2-based mini-DVD camcorder and iMovie HD 6, copy the files into your Mac, and then use MPEG Streamclip to convert them to iMovie HD 6 compatibility.
For iMovie '08, some miniDVD camcorders are compatible (those using MPEG-2 recording). For DVD camcorders using AVCHD recording, you may have to copy the recordings onto your Mac, and then download and use "Voltaic" to convert the recordings into iMovie-editable format.
"..I can not think of a single logical reason.." ..the reason is that manufacturers just want you to buy these cameras. But they don't give a hoot that you can't edit the material they record, and so it's left to Apple, and other software developers, to try to devise some way to "unravel" the compressed recordings for you, and make them editable.

Sony DVD403E camcorder?

The sony dvd camcorder, doesn't have firewire, it has USB. The format it
stores data on the 'dvd' isn't dvd format. So I have to use the dumb sony
application 'Picture Package' to get the files off the camera. It stores these
as 'mpg' files, but they dont play on the mac! Sony have probably installed
their own codec. I'm pulling my hair out!
All I want to do is edit some video with iMovie, any ideas what i can do?
all sorts Mac OS X (10.4.9) and a broken ibook screen outside of the repair program...grrrrr.
iMac 20'' Mac OS X (10.4.9) and a broken ibook screen outside of the repair program...grrrrr.

Return the camera and exchange it for one that records to DV tape and includes a Firewire connection.
You'll keep you hair and your sanity.

Importing and Using Video from Sony DVD Camcorders

I have a Sony DVD Camcorder (DCR-DVD 92) and I have recently shot a lot of footage which is now on my computer. The file extensions are .BUP, .IFO, and .VOB. I am able to import some of the files into final cut but they are shortened to only a few seconds each when in reality, they were shot for several minutes. Is there a way to make these work or to convert the files so they can be edited in Final Cut Pro 5?

mrescobar 1 1,
You should find that GreatVideo! v1.7 for Mac OS X - 10.4', by Software Architects, Inc., solves your problem. Converts from Sony to Mac readable format.
Come back if you have questions.
LM

Sony DVD camcorder to iMovie?

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