Help Please... Sony HDR FX-1 --> MBP

[Nar1117]

Hey all, I'm having trouble importing video from a Sony HDR FX-1 HD camcorder onto my Macbook Pro.

I am using iMovie, as I just want the raw video on my HDD.

iMovie opens, and it detects the camera connected, but when I click 'import', the camera starts playing like it should, but not video appears on the computer screen. All I get is the blue VTR screen with the time stamp showing that the tape is playing. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

iMovie also detects that the camera is HD, and adjusts the screen and preferences to match.

I just dont see any clips appearing on the 'clip screen' when i click import. This is the first time I've imported HD video directly onto this computer, so I'm thinking theres some sort of setting i have to change, and its just not obvious to me.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[marioman38]

Lol, you're using a $3000 camera w/ iMovie 🙄

Srry, don't know whats wrong, the camera is supported...

 

[Nar1117]

Yes yes i know 😀

I just need to dump all the HD video onto my harddrive. iMovie seemed easiest.

I read somehwere that you have to start the camera playback, and then click 'import' but that doesnt seem to want to work either.

😕

 

[ppc_michael]

Make sure you have iMovie working in HDV, and also that your camera is sending an HDV signal, not DV. That is, make sure that in your camera's setup menu, you have the i.Link -> DV conversion turned off.

I am jealous of your camera. I have the HDR-HC1 but it's just not as cool. 🙂

 

[Nar1117]

Ah yes, I found out last night by reading the manual (yeah, i know.) that you need to send HDV signal, and not DV, through the i.Link cable... Thanks though.

And for the record, I'm jealous of this camera too, its not mine. Its my school's, but im really the only one who uses it. I dont know why they wont just let me have a $3k camera... seems like a no-brainer to me... 🙄 😀

And also, for anyone who is wondering, 17:30 minutes of HD video takes up about 9 and some gigs. Thats a lot.

 

[LethalWolfe]

And also, for anyone who is wondering, 17:30 minutes of HD video takes up about 9 and some gigs. Thats a lot.

That's because iMovie and FCE (AFAIK) don't have native HDV support so the HDV footage gets transcoded into AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) which takes up more space (but is less CPU intensive) than HDV. Native HDV has similar data rates to DV which is about 13gigs/hr.


Lethal

 

[ppc_michael]

If you can use Final Cut Pro somewhere, that same amount of footage would probably be around 2 gigs or something. Well I just made that up. But much smaller.

 

[Nar1117]

Are there any alternatives to Final Cut Express? I've looked at Avid, but thats a bit too expensive. I'm just looking for native HD editing.

 

[Multimedia]

Deadline March 19 To Get Final Cut Studio 5.1UB For $199

Are there any alternatives to Final Cut Express? I've looked at Avid, but thats a bit too expensive. I'm just looking for native HD editing.

If you move fast you can get Final Cut Studio including Motion 2, DVD Studio Pro 4 and Soundtrack Pro for only $199 above what you can find an old copy of FCP 4/4.5 or Motion 2 Upgrade or DVD SP 4 Upgrade. I don't want to have to explain it all so here's the link to the offer and if you search "Find More Posts By Multimedia" by clicking on my name I have made numerous posts about how to do this.

Postmark Deadline is March 19

Others here found old copies of FCP 4 for $200 or a Motion 2 Upgrade for $85. Point is if you really try hard you can get Final Cut Studio 5.1UB Commercial for all sorts of academic copies of the above for only $199 more. Good Luck.

BTW That camera is obsolete and has been replaced by the FX7. It is missing HDMI Out which is a big deal if you know anything about the Intensity card.

 

[LethalWolfe]

BTW That camera is obsolete and has been replaced by the FX7. It is missing HDMI Out which is a big deal if you know anything about the Intensity card.

Hey, it's only obsolete if it no long meets your needs. 😉 And although I know you love the Intensity card I don't think very many people at MR need to capture direct-to-disk or send an HDMI signal from their Mac to an HDTV.


Lethal

 

[discostar]

did u ever try 2

simply play that video back, before u click import? it sounds like you have not.
the capture tool records just any signal receiving from your camcorder (if everything is setted up correctly). if your cam is in camera mode, you capture what comes through the lens. are you PLAYING BACK what´s stored on tape (in VTR-mode), even this will be captured. guess what you import, if there
nothing´s playing back, but the blue VTR-standby-picture is available for iMovie? the timecode you see, indicates the duration of import the receiving signal (i hope you can understand my weak english, i´m from berlin, germany).