Believe the Hype?

[domberoosky]

Well I have to say I'm disappointed to say the least. I just bought a 15inch powerbook G4 1.5GHz which was bloody expensive!

I was hearing how amazing macs were from everyone and was really sick of Microsoft PC's crashing, taking ages etc. so I took the plunge and got one.

What swayed me was that I wanted to use it for film and music editing so macs were HIGHLY recommended and supposedly easy and intuitive to use....

Well so far two Camcorders have failed to play in imovies or FCpro, a SONY trv14 and now a Samsung vtr-d55. Both work fine on an old PC.

Just got a new iRIVER H340 mp3 player.......you've guessed it- 4 tortured hours later and I still can't get the bloody thing to work!!! This is also very straight forward on the PC.

I'm now considering selling my mac ( or throwing it out of the window/off a high roof top) and moaning to everyone how crap my powerbook experience was.

Can anyone convince me I shouldn't? Why am I having so many problems?? Are macs only good for super-techies??

Looking forward to the replies!!

 

[JzzTrump22]

Don't go getting all mad about simple stuff like this. Most of the time with Macs the problem isn't the computer, it's the user. If you don't know how to properly use your machine then your not going to get many results.

For your mp3 platyer, does your machine even recognize it as a drive?

For me, iMovie picked my camera right up when i clicked the little video camera icon on the bottom left of the app, it says "switch to camera mode".

 

[KCK]

I have found it generally helps to have the camera already turned on when you switch from the edit mode to the record mode.

 

[daveL]

My wife, who's a Mac newbie (iMac G5), had no problem importing DV from her Canon video camera and Sony still camera and editing together a couple different versions of our Holiday family trip. She produced 3 different DVDs complete with menus, titles, transitions and music. She had never authored a DVD before. Of course, her iPod works flawlessly.

 

[isaacc7]

Maybe a dumb question, but did you check and make sure that those devices are compatible? It wouldn't surprise me if the mp3 player you have isn't, or at least the software they want you to use isn't. I've never heard of an incompatible camcorder, but it's certainly possible. As another poster mentioned, check the instructions and make sure things are powered/connected in the proper way. Most importantly keep in mind that you are no longer on a windows PC, so don't expect your powerbook to act like one, it may take some time to learn how to use it properly.

Isaac

 

[JeDiBoYTJ]

heres one thing you can do... stop thinking like an ignorant windows user.

the TRV14 should work fine. I know they do too because my school had 2 of them that we used with our Final Cut Pro systems... make sure you remember to use the FIREWIRE cable, not the USB cable. Turn the camera on, switch to VCR mode, plug firewire in, load iMove or Final Cut, and im 100% sure it will work.

 

[Logik]

Most importantly keep in mind that you are no longer on a windows PC, so don't expect your powerbook to act like one, it may take some time to learn how to use it properly.

Isaac

Bingo. Being a PC user for my entire life... about 15 years of PC experience with ZERO mac experience. I had only a few issues switching over, but I give that to my ability to adapt to situations and things very well. When it comes to computers I just look and I understand how it works and what to do. It does take practice but I know the basics and being a programmer i understand things in a different perspective than normal average joe users. But, there were many many things that are done differently. I had to actually just learn those things. You have to give the Mac some time, you cannot expect it to act exactly like your PC, it isn't your PC, it's a Mac. If you were this frustrated before you came on here why didn't you ask earlier? Or seek out help otherwise? Don't be so naive to think that it's the computers fault and not the users. This is why they created instruction manuals and 1-800 numbers, INCLUDING message boards like this. Asking is the best thing you can do, especially when you're new. I was new, I asked questions, now i'm not so new and i'm answering questions.

Unfortunately I can't answer YOUR question. But i would like to offer you this advice. Give it a chance, and stop fighting it. Ask for help when you need it, once you understand how it works it'll probably work 100% of the time for you, unlike your PC experience. I've had my PowerBook crash on me 3 times in the 10 months I've had it. Keep your head up, ask questions, and take a break if you get frustrated. We're here to help, so ask away. Try the suggestions already offered and if they don't work, reply and state what you did exactly and i'm sure someone will catch the mistake here or there assuming you made one.

 

[domberoosky]

Reply....

To answer some of the ponts raised in reply....

RE: iRIVER H340mp3 player. Their info re compatibility is guarded at the moment, but the H140 was so you'd assume that the newer one was....wouldn't you?? I suppose each company may have its own reasons for making things incompatible with each other.....shame. It did show up as a drive but I couldn't save my playlist to it.

RE: Camcorder. I have asked questions about the problems I've had and at least one other person has had problems too. Please see my other posts ( via domberoosky at member list seems the easiest way) to see a full discussion but no-one has been able to help. I've tried every way of plugging in/ switching on/off / booting up / restarting I can think of ( including the order suggested by Mr. Jedi above) and still no luck. The computer DOES recognise the camcorder and will control it but it will not import footage ( I just get blue screen on the monitor and no clips) If anyone has any other suggestions I'd be glad to try 'em!

My gripe is not about having to learn about different operating systems or anything. Of course I agree there are lots of things for me to learn. I just would like things to work the way they say they will work in the way my DVD player works when I put a DVD in it or my car works when I turn the key. Rather than spending frustrating hours in front of the computer searching websites and trying to download "codecs" and "patches" and such-like ( whatever the hell they are!!) when it should be a simple case of plug in and pressing "play" and then "import".

Many thanks to you all for the replies and ( in most cases) encouragement!

 

[JeDiBoYTJ]

To answer some of the ponts raised in reply....

RE: iRIVER H340mp3 player. Their info re compatibility is guarded at the moment, but the H140 was so you'd assume that the newer one was....wouldn't you?? I suppose each company may have its own reasons for making things incompatible with each other.....shame. It did show up as a drive but I couldn't save my playlist to it.

Im not an expert on the iRivers, but as far as I know the only portable device that works directly with iTunes is the iPod... with the iRiver, you would have to drag everything over manually using the Finder I would think

RE: Camcorder. I have asked questions about the problems I've had and at least one other person has had problems too. Please see my other posts ( via domberoosky at member list seems the easiest way) to see a full discussion but no-one has been able to help. I've tried every way of plugging in/ switching on/off / booting up / restarting I can think of ( including the order suggested by Mr. Jedi above) and still no luck. The computer DOES recognise the camcorder and will control it but it will not import footage ( I just get blue screen on the monitor and no clips) If anyone has any other suggestions I'd be glad to try 'em!

only thing I can think of, is that maybe that particular camcorder isnt capatable with macs/FCP (1 in a million shot, but I guess it could happen)... I also could of sworn we used that exact camera model at my old school on our FCP systems... I would try and aquire a different camcorder and see if that works.

My gripe is not about having to learn about different operating systems or anything. Of course I agree there are lots of things for me to learn. I just would like things to work the way they say they will work in the way my DVD player works when I put a DVD in it or my car works when I turn the key. Rather than spending frustrating hours in front of the computer searching websites and trying to download "codecs" and "patches" and such-like ( whatever the hell they are!!)

well, when you talk Macs and Windows... you are basically talking Apples and Oranges. Oranges taste different from Apples, and Apples taste different from Oranges... but they are still fruits. same thing goes to Windows and Mac's... they are both "Personal Computers", but they are practically the complete opposite in they way both are used. So, you have to "Re-learn" the same way you "learned" how to use a PC...

when it should be a simple case of plug in and pressing "play" and then "import".

Many thanks to you all for the replies and ( in most cases) encouragement!

You have to understand... thats usually the way it works... at least for me. I used many different cameras and DV decks with my powerbook, and they all worked great... and still do...

its been my experience since day one of using a Mac... turn it on and it just works.... and im no longer screaming and yelling at my computer

 

[abhishekit]

make sure you remember to use the FIREWIRE cable, not the USB cable. Turn the camera on, switch to VCR mode, plug firewire in, load iMove or Final Cut, and im 100% sure it will work.

I will again repeat the above post, are you using a FIREWIRE cable ? They are not the ones supplied with the camera.
There is no way Sony trv 14 won't work. My friend has the same camera and I have imported twice.

 

[Phat_Pat]

I will again repeat the above post, are you using a FIREWIRE cable ? They are not the ones supplied with the camera.
There is no way Sony trv 14 won't work. My friend has the same camera and I have imported twice.

Again, repeating
Connect Via Firewire. Not USb. Don't use the software given.

In iMovie make sure you hit "Import" when you try and import.

Make sure the date is set in your camera.

It shouldn't be this hard.

That's all i can think of.

 

[Solafaa]

Note: I have had some problems with Macs when i first switch but in most cases its because the answer to my question is simple and i have not thought of it. Example when i first tryed to burn cd's i never thought of dragging the files onto teh cd and then to eject it.

I am not saying thats whats happening in your case but its a tip i found very helpfull. Try google ot search the forum for info and you might find your answer.

 

[Lacero]

I don't see the PB as the problem. I see the iRiver and the camcorders as the problems.

 

[Bonsaichop]

If you still can't get it to work, why don't you pop down to your local apple centre and ask them, they're more than happy to help.

I had the same Sony camcorder and it would not work with my ibook, brought it down to my local applecentre and the guy fiddled with it for about 20 min until he realised that my girlfriend (who was using the camcorder the night before) had somehow gotten satay chicken sauce in the firewire port, which wasnt making a proper connection.


Mac users are ignorant of windows machines.
Windows users are ignorant of Mac OS.
Get out of the square you live in and look at it through the other operating system's shoes.

 

[domberoosky]

Cheers....

Cheers for the help and suggestions. It is definately a firewire cable. I've had loads of suggestions now so I'll work thru them all ( or maybe visit an apple shop) until I sort it.

 

[MacAficionado]

Something can't be right! (obviously.)

Are you on iMovieHD? I would guess since it is new.

In Final Cut Pro, you have to make sure your capture settings as well as your sequence settings are the proper ones for DV. If you are not familiar with FCP I strongly recommend a book to guide you through the setup process for the different types of video it supports. (FCP by Tom Wolsky comes to mind!)

In iMovie, since it now does HDV, go into the preferences and make sure you're in DV MODE. (If there is such a setting, I myself have not worked with iMovie HD.)

Trust us in that this can be a simple fix, unless of course it is the cameras. Remember, MicroMV or cameras that record to DVD disks are not compatible.

I hope you can solve this problem soon so you can start enjoying what Macs are all about, ASAP.

Cheers