Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

michellerasor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 17, 2010
1
0
Hi. I've looked around the forums about this issue but I couldn't ever find one that specifically addressed my needs. So I am hoping someone here can.

I have a Sony Handy Cam (hard drive) and Mac (both the latest models) and all I want is for my Mac to recognize the camera - for iMovie. I plug it in and nothing happens. I know this has happened with others too. I just want a simple step by step list of what I should do. Is this possible? I go to some of the websites mentioned but they don't seem to be operating anymore or they look a little sketchy.. Any suggestions? i would really appreciate the help, my family has been harping me to get this video off and I just want to stop thinking about it. lol. THANKS!
 

JediMeister

macrumors 68040
Oct 9, 2008
3,263
5
You have to set the camera in the right mode. It may be labeled PC connect, it could have a camera icon, I honestly don't know since I don't have one. However, your camcorder is on the iMovie '09 camcorder support page which means no additional software should be required for compatibility. Once its in the right mode (I doubt there's any harm in toggling through them), iMovie's import window should appear. If it does not, you may need to go to the File menu and select Import Movie from Camera. At that point you can either import all the video content or manually import individual clips which will each be represented by thumbnails. These imported clips will end up in the Event library awaiting use in a project.
 

bronxsax

macrumors newbie
Apr 25, 2010
1
0
It's simple actually!

So the same thing was happening to me. I just got the CX150. And was having the hardest time importing it to my Mac.

So the trick is... that to import HD movies, you cannot have any files that are SD. And that includes SD photos. Also...even if you erased the SD files, you have to make sure there is nothing left(it may have erased it through the computer but could still have a broken file on the camera) so Just manually erase it..
Next time you record a file in HD, just plug it in, and it will open automatically open in Imovie and give you the option to import it!!

Hope this helps you! I just figured it out a few hours ago. On apple.com there is a thread that mentions it as well!
 

Never Give Up

macrumors newbie
Jan 14, 2011
1
0
Sony has posted a simple tutorial that works.

I, too, have a Mac and a Sony HDR CX150. "Sony eSupport" has posted step-by-step instructions for downloading movies from this Handycam into iMovie. Go to http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?&info_id=734&mdl=HDRCX150

Print these instructions because you'll refer to them often. The instructions are simple, they're illustrated, and they work.

I got this Sony CX150 because the salesman raved about the high quality videos. My experience is that the exposure is perfect, focus is on the faces, etc, etc. I'm so happy I got this camera, even though some of the literature says it's not compatible with Mac. I think that means you can't download it directly onto the Mac -- you use Mac to download it into iMovie, which is on your Mac. (IMovie is part of ILife, along with iPhoto, etc.)

Hey, there. Don't give up! I'm old enough to be your mother or grandma. If I can do it, you can.
 
Last edited:

djmark

macrumors newbie
Jan 9, 2011
1
0
Not mentioned in the instructions is to select the camera. That's down in the left corner. I had to switch because I did a test in standard and hd. That created 2 types of cameras I guess.
 

dzurn

macrumors newbie
Sorry to resurrect a long-dead thread, but I had been Googling for a long time to figure out this problem.

I found my solution was that the USB cable had to be DISCONNECTED from the computer before attaching the camera!

My USB cable is short, and the connector is on the back of my new iMac, so I left it attached and just tried reattaching the camera (even going through all the Sony-recommended steps here http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?&info_id=734&mdl=HDRCX150)

I didn't have to delete SD photos, SD Movies, or anything else, just change how I attached the USB cable. Now it shows up in Imovie '11 just fine. Finally! :)

Darryl
 

guba67

macrumors newbie
Dec 9, 2011
1
0
Thank you!

It worked great! Thank you for the help!

I, too, have a Mac and a Sony HDR CX150. "Sony eSupport" has posted step-by-step instructions for downloading movies from this Handycam into iMovie. Go to http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/support-info.pl?&info_id=734&mdl=HDRCX150

Print these instructions because you'll refer to them often. The instructions are simple, they're illustrated, and they work.

I got this Sony CX150 because the salesman raved about the high quality videos. My experience is that the exposure is perfect, focus is on the faces, etc, etc. I'm so happy I got this camera, even though some of the literature says it's not compatible with Mac. I think that means you can't download it directly onto the Mac -- you use Mac to download it into iMovie, which is on your Mac. (IMovie is part of ILife, along with iPhoto, etc.)

Hey, there. Don't give up! I'm old enough to be your mother or grandma. If I can do it, you can.
 

Sarah7272

macrumors newbie
Mar 1, 2012
1
0
Get Sony Handycam to recognize and import videos to Mac

I have a Sony DSR-SX40 and was having the same problem. I finally contacted on Apple Care and they walked me through plugging in my camera and I was able to get my Mac to recognize my videos. This is the sequence I used:

1. Plug in camera with cord to the electric outlet (don't plug in any other cords at this point)
2. Open camera screen
3. Plug in the gray cord to the camera (but not the USB end to the MAC yet)
4. On inside camera panel - there are buttons "POWER" "EASY" looks like "@" icon DISP ,etc.
5. Push EASY to turn on (don't know if you have this button on your camera but I had it on and worked so I'm passing it along) and push the @-looking button in upper left-hand corner
The LED screen will start looking for the USB connection and say "not found"
6. Now plug the USB into the Mac outlet
7. Open iMovie and the computer will start searching for the videos and instantly pull the videos from the Sonycam; hit "Import All"


IF IF IF you mess up on any of these steps and you get Facetime instead of the videos from the sonycam, unplug everything and
start these setps all over again.

Good luck.
 

kellyrichey

macrumors newbie
Dec 24, 2007
3
0
Sony Handycam HDR-CX430V & iMovie

Same type problem.....

I got a new Sony Handycam HDR-CX430V 32 GB Camcorder and my iMovie is not recognizing the camera. I have a macbook pro, retina with OSX Mavericks operating system. Anybody know what's up...? The Sony rep was at the store and assured this camera would work with my mac!

I'm using the new iMovie software that came with the Mavericks update
 

dzurn

macrumors newbie
Same type problem.....

I got a new Sony Handycam HDR-CX430V 32 GB Camcorder and my iMovie is not recognizing the camera. I have a macbook pro, retina with OSX Mavericks operating system. Anybody know what's up...? The Sony rep was at the store and assured this camera would work with my mac!

I'm using the new iMovie software that came with the Mavericks update

Please try the specific steps outlined in the post above yours, and see if it works or not.
 

kellyrichey

macrumors newbie
Dec 24, 2007
3
0
Sony and Mac followup question

Has anyone used these steps with Mac's new operating system -- Maverick...?
Thank you!
k
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.