It’s 2008, and this is what I have to do to get video files off of my Sony DCR-SR82 HDD Handycam, and into an iMovie-digestible format:
- Download video from the camcorder using the Sony-provided HDD Handycam Utility (crap) within a Windows VM.
- Move videos from the offload directory to ~/Movies/Sony Handycam/Originals on the host system.
- Send the offloaded .mpg files to VisualHub (MP4, highest quality, H.264 encoded), saving to ~/Movies/Sony Handycam/Exports.
- Open iMovie and import Exports/* as new iMovie event, allowing iMovie to move files from Exports to ~/Movies/iMovie Events.
Sony: Please stop sucking ass, and produce some useful software for the creative world’s most popular operating system.
Apple: Please stop sucking ass, and build MPEG-2 handling and playback capability into iMovie and Quicktime, respectively.
UPDATE1: About the MPEG-2 component included with iMovie ‘08
UPDATE2: After raising a stink, I figured that I’d spend a little more time trying to figure out how to make my Handycam work with native iMovie ‘08. Turns out that you have to turn on the camera, wait for OS X pick it up as a USB storage device, and then hang tight for three or four minutes until iMovie detects that your USB storage device is actually a camcorder, and presents the import dialog. I’m glad that I can import native MPEG-2, but am somewhat puzzled by the delay.
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Apple sells a $19 MPEG-2 codec for Quicktime through the Apple Store. Not sure if you tried it, but if you did, didn’t it help?
The Quicktime codec will facilitate playback of MPEG-2 video within Quicktime. It will not, however, get you any closer to being able to edit said video using iMovie ‘08.
It’s also worth pointing out that, for the same price as the Quicktime playback codec, you can have an extremely powerful video conversion utility.
Put into this context, my choice might make a little more sense.
I have the same problem.
Impossible to work with my videcamera SONY SR8, and my MAC OS. I’m going crazy.
Unbelievable that this companies work against each other.
But what to do? 2 minutes of video are like 400MB, is that normal?
Is the silliest thing I’ve ever seen.
The SR8 is a high-definition camcorder, so I would expect that the files are huge.
But generally speaking, it is quite annoying that we can’t get the Sony utilities for Mac OS X. Being able to import movies via iMovie is neat and all, but the Sony suite is actually much easier to work with and provides a little more control over how movies are named, organized and placed.
Silly, indeed.
I found a simple solution for my dcr-sr290 that works:
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/rbotoole/entry/importing_mpg_video/
- I just connect my camera
- set it to the usb-pc mode
- in I iMovie 08 I then choose import film
- choose disc burn function on my camera (instead of hdd computer-mode)
Of course they dont tell you this shite when you by the flippin’ thing. I just purchased my Macbook Pro (12/02/08) and was so excited to get home and start editing movies I have been recording around the world for the past year. BRAIN DAMAGE! I will try your suggestions, but so much for plug and play! Does anyone know about a “firewire bridge” option – I have the Sony DCR HDD SR200 – no firewire – just the USB. I want to know if there is any validity to buying a “firewire bridge between the mac and the bridge and the bridge and the camera (using the red, white, and yellow plugs)???
@Ashco: Have you tried the process outlined in my update? It’ll work, it’s just painfully slow and prone to crashing on import. But other than the suck, it works just great!
Need a conversion kit fro my handycam to mac. anyone know of a firewall conversion kit?
I have both a Mac and a PC so I don’t really care which one I use to import my videos on. Camera is HDR-SR12.
The problem is, Sony’s HandyCam Utility does NOT work on my Vista machine. Not surprising.
I’ll try some of the methods that you guys outlined on the Mac. Does anyone know if iMovie 09 makes life any easier?
I can’t believe that this is so painful. I bought a Sony camera thinking that it would work with a Mac. I saw references to older camera models that did come with Mac software.
Unluckily, VisualHub has been discountinued.
http://www.moviesmac.com/news/free-mac-video-converter-discontinued.html#119
M2TS files are used primarily with Sony hardware. Camcorders make use of M2TS in the form of AVCHD, a recording format made specifically for camcorders.
How to get and Convert AVC HD M2TS files on Mac?
http://www.moviesmac.com/tutorial/get-m2ts-to-mac.html#119
I feel your pain. Thanks for the postings, I too seem helpless with my new Handcam HDR-SR12. I tried your “Update 2″ voodo curse but no go. Any other suggestions
on how to download from the Sony’s harddrive?
You may take a look at this guide, it’s about how to import camcorder to computer
http://www.mac-dvd.com/mac-guide/how-to-import-video-from-camcorder-camera-to-mac.html
I was able to import movies from my Sony HDR-CX100 using a USB cable by first opening iMovie, and then pushing “USB Connect” in the first screen, and then “Disk Burn” instead of “USB Connect” in the second screen. This produced an icon, which I did not get when I pushed “USB Connect” in the second screen. Once the icon appeared, the movie showed up on iMovie and I was able to import it.
I just bought the Sony DCR-SR87 and really wish that I would have purchased a Canon instead!! I did not even think that this camera would not be compatible with my MacBook Pro. When I connect the camera using the USB, I am launched directly into iphoto. The files are there, but there is no sound. I have tried to import them into imovie, and I have the same problem. I have an image but no audio! I have tried both the USB connect option and the Burn disc option. No difference. WTF? Can anyone help?
@ksd: Do you have still photos on the device? If so, that’s probably why it opens iPhoto as opposed to iMovie. There have been a few improvements in the handling of the Sony devices by OS X, and it *should* work. You might try removing the still photos (one way or the other–you can manipulate files on the device as a USB disk), open iMovie, then connect the device and wait for iMovie to import the video.
Why didn’t I know this before I bought a Sony?
I plug in USB and nothing happens.
Bastards!
What I want to do is record the feed from my HDR SR10E to the harddrive of my computer, but when I go to “USB Transfer” in the cameras’ menu, the lens cap doesn’t open, it just gets ready to transfer whatever is there….
What I want to do, Pat, is tear Best Buy and Sony a new – well, you complete the sentence. SEVEN HUNDRED BUCKS.
OK – initially I was rather disappointed that my HDR-CX100 did not appear to work with my Mac. However, I followed John’s advice and it appears to have worked perfectly. They downloaded with no problem, and playing them in iMovie appears perfect.
Thank you, John!
John – you rock! Your process worked like a charm!
Hi everyone, after reading the responses, I was ready to head back to Future Shop and return my Sony Handycam (DCR-SR47) because I could not get iMovie to import the short video I made. I read John’s post and tried his steps and that didn’t work either. So Instead of following his steps, I just hit “Burn Disc” and nothing else, well wouldn’t you know iMovie picked it up and imported it perfectly. So needless to say I will now keep my Handycam. By the way I did have iMovie open prior to hitting the burn disc option. Hope that helps for any others who might be having a hard time, and thanks to John for pointing me down the right path.
I own the SR-11 & it downloads flawlessly to iMovie09 on my MacBook Pro. I purchased a HDR-XR100 for a club I am a member of & have been disappointed. It downloaded OK the first time but will not download any new clips. I have been round & round with Sony & will be returning the camera. I even tried it on my husbands iMac with no luck. Might I add that the resolution of the video sucks!
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