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vjaaan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 13, 2010
346
8
I am running iMovie 10.1.6 on my MacBook Pro (El Capitan) and trying to capture home movies made on my old SONY Handcam DCR-TRV460 on digital 8 tapes.

ke6dsh.png



The only ports I see on my laptop are USB, lightening, and HDMI. Plus a long slot that I guess is for a memory card? I tried using a plug into that bottom slot (in the photo) with USB on other end into my laptop, but iMovie could not find it. If I had the plug for the middle slot, going into USB, would that work?

I know I have done this in the past, with my older MacBook Pro running whatever version of iMovie.

Thanks for any help.
 

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
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New Jersey Pine Barrens
That middle port is firewire, - Sony called it "iLink". I think your MacBook pro must have a thunderbolt port. Is that what you meant by "lightening"?

A cable similar to this should fit the camera on one end: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688796-REG/Pearstone_FW_9406_FireWire_9_Pin_to_4_Pin.html

The other end should fit a firewire to thunderbolt adapter like this:

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapter?afid=p238|s4YeFq8ZJ-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_52243316890_&cid=aos-us-kwgo-pla-btb--slid--product-MD464LL/A

Apple publishes a list of cameras that are compatible with iMovie, you can check to see if yours is listed. However, I would expect most Sony cameras to be compatible even if your specific model isn't listed. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204202
 

dandeco

macrumors 65816
Dec 5, 2008
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Brockton, MA
I would also recommend going with the FireWire-to-Thunderbolt adapter. iMovie should be able to read it as a typical DV camera, and then you can capture the video.
 

ColdCase

macrumors 68040
Feb 10, 2008
3,364
276
NH
Dunno about adapters but, last I checked, there was a TB3 so called dock that had a firewire interface.That was during the time my rMBP was having battery and motherboard issues and I was toying with the idea of replacing it.
 

vjaaan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 13, 2010
346
8
Thank you all! I appreciate the suggestions. My MBP is mid 2015. I think they are regular Thunderbolt slots. I use those kinds of slots regularly on my iPhone (6) and iPad for charging, but rarely if ever on the MBP.
Funny, I just cleaned out a big box full of old cables and plugs and adaptors that are now obsolete. I will now go out and buy these new ones. I'll get that Pearstone Firewire cable you mentioned, and I assume the other end goes into the Apple Thunderbolt to Firewire Adaptor. And that will have that little flat plug that goes into the Thunderbolt slot, right?
Thanks.
 

Boyd01

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Feb 21, 2012
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New Jersey Pine Barrens
I think they are regular Thunderbolt slots. I use those kinds of slots regularly on my iPhone (6) and iPad for charging, but rarely if ever on the MBP.

This has me a bit confused. You would normally use a USB port to charge an iPhone. This is what the thunderbolt ports look like.

SP704-ports_hero.png
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,177
13,225
IF you have a 2015 MacBook Pro
and
IF the SONY cam has an iLink/firewire port

then...

You need an Apple "thunderbolt2-to-firewire" adapter/dongle (on the Mac end)
and
You need a firewire800-to-**** cable.

**** - you have to ascertain just WHAT KIND of firewire connector you need on "the camera end".

I believe the iLink connector is actually a 4-pin "mini firewire" connection.
If I'm not mistaken, the Apple adapter has a 9-pin firewire800 port.

So -- I'm going to -guess- that you need a 4-pin mini-firewire to 9-pin firewire800 connecting cable.

I believe this is the cable that will do the job:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AAZQM...t=&hvlocphy=9003429&hvtargid=pla-319429314851

I've never had to make such a connection myself, but I believe the above 2 cables are what you need.
 

vjaaan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 13, 2010
346
8
This has me a bit confused. You would normally use a USB port to charge an iPhone. This is what the thunderbolt ports look like.

SP704-ports_hero.png


No, I mean my iPhone and iPad have those slots. Sorry for the confusion. The part that goes into the computer for the charging is of course the USB plug.

I'm glad you posted that picture though because it helps to see the labels for the slots again.
[doublepost=1506279703][/doublepost]Ok, so it looks like I'll be getting the Tripp Lite FireWire 800 IEEE 1394b Hi-speed Cable (9pin/4pin) and attaching it to the Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter which then plugs into my MBP's Thunderbolt slot. That small end on the FireWire does look like it would fit into the middle (DV) port on my HandyCam.

My camcorder is not actually listed on that site of compatible cameras so I'm just going to assume it will work. In the past it worked with my older MBP.

Thank you all so much for helping with this.

Wait, not to confuse things more, but...... I just noticed that the end of that apple adapter is not the thin plug I was expecting (like what goes into my iPhone for charging).

IMG_6246.JPG

Since I never used those Thundbolt ports on my MBP, I never realized they were not the same as on my phone. And when I tried, my iPhone plug did slide into it. But it appears that a Thundbolt plug is indeed different than my iPhone plug (does that have a different name?). So, that adapter will slide into my MBP Thunderbolt slot. That's all I need to know.

 
Last edited:

ColdCase

macrumors 68040
Feb 10, 2008
3,364
276
NH
The lightning plug that fits into your iPhone is not the same as the TB2 plug. The TB2 plug is much larger and different (not two sided). The TB3 or USB-C plug is similar to the lightning plug.

TB2:

Screen Shot 2017-09-24 at 3.56.42 PM.png

TB3/USB-C

Screen Shot 2017-09-24 at 3.55.41 PM.png



Lightning
Screen Shot 2017-09-24 at 3.55.32 PM.png
 
Last edited:

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,947
4,879
New Jersey Pine Barrens
Easy to understand how you were confused, Apple puts a lightning bolt icon next to the thunderbolt ports, then they call the plug on the iPhone a "lightning connector". But of course they are very different.

Sounds like you have it figured out now though. :)
[doublepost=1506301118][/doublepost]
I've never had to make such a connection myself, but I believe the above 2 cables are what you need.

Yes, that is correct. I have used used my Sony professional DV/DVCAM/HDV deck with my MacBook Air along with that kind of cable and the Apple Thunderbolt adapter. I posted links to the same earlier in this thread. There should be many sources for the firewire cable, but IIRC the only thunderbolt to firewire adapter is made by Apple. There are third party docks that will give you firewire ports, but they are quite a bit more expensive.

BTW, that Apple Thunderbolt adapter gets really HOT when it's plugged in. I guess that is normal, but I was a bit surprised. It even gets hot when the firewire cable is disconnected, so you will want to disconnect the adapter when it's not in use.
 

GeoKap

macrumors newbie
Mar 5, 2019
2
0
Turlock, CA
I just received my new cable and adapter. It works perfectly with my Sony Handycam DCR-TRV460 and iMovie.
Thanks to all for the help!
[doublepost=1551811822][/doublepost]Hello, I have a Sony DCR-TRV350 in which I am trying to transfer some old home movies to an iMac with iMovie 10.1.10 installed. I have already done all of the above as far as adapters to get from a 4 pin iLink to Thunderbolt 3 with still no success. When everything is plugged in and the camera is on nothing comes up on the desktop. Please advise. Thanks in advance, George
 

dandeco

macrumors 65816
Dec 5, 2008
1,248
1,048
Brockton, MA
[doublepost=1551811822][/doublepost]Hello, I have a Sony DCR-TRV350 in which I am trying to transfer some old home movies to an iMac with iMovie 10.1.10 installed. I have already done all of the above as far as adapters to get from a 4 pin iLink to Thunderbolt 3 with still no success. When everything is plugged in and the camera is on nothing comes up on the desktop. Please advise. Thanks in advance, George

Maybe it depends on the number of adapters/cables? I would recommend just going with a 4-pin to 9-pin cable, FireWire-to-Thunderbolt adapter, and Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter. They call this practice "daisy chaining," and I've heard it's worked for others.
When a DV/Digital8 camera is connected to your Mac, an icon doesn't appear on the desktop like it would with a USB-connected camera or a memory card; you have to open a video capture or editing application in order to get it to work.
Though lately when I capture footage from my Canon MiniDV and Sony Digital8 camcorders for archiving purposes on Mojave, the sound doesn't show up on the modern iMovie and Final Cut Pro X. To capture the video with sound, I'm able to do this on the QuickTime player, iMovie HD 6 and Adobe Premiere Pro CC. (Adobe stupidly removed DV capture from Premiere Elements a while back.)
 

GeoKap

macrumors newbie
Mar 5, 2019
2
0
Turlock, CA
Thanks for the information. I already have it set up with a 4-pin to 9-pin FireWire-to-Thunderbolt 2 adapter, and Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter. I have tried switching out cables thinking one might be faulty but iMovie still does not recognize it. I might try an s-video to Thunderbolt 3 adapter or importing with Elgato.
 
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