Mac OS X forum: a little help with new imac, please

Unless the software which came with your cam could install and run on a mac then the answer is yes. If not you will not need it, and the handycam will work well with imovie.


Phoenixbleu

I, and a number of other Mods, am having a problem with the way you are pointing posters to another forum for the answers to their questions.

Promoting other forums does not fall in line with CNET's TOS.


If the posts you are referring posters to are actually your own, then place them here.

If you feel that this is not acceptable, feel free to say so. I will pass your comments on upstairs.

Meanwhile, your last post is being removed

P

are you referring to my question?..I am now totally confused. Just give me a straight answer as to where I am to ask my questions. So sorry if I am not following proper protocol, but all these 'threads' and different 'forums' are a bit inter-related...
S.

ps
what is a 'mod'??

It would be very helpful if you could tell us exactly which camera you have.

Some cameras have a firewire output with which you connect your camera to your Mac. Again, more information required here. What Mac did you get?

If you camera has a firewire output, also known as iLink, IEEE1394, DV out, then iMovie and NOT iDVD would be the program to use.
If you have the firewire output, then iMovie will almost certainly start when you connect the camera to your Mac.

Some new camera's only have USB output, but iMovie8 can import video from those cameras.

So, check the manual that came with it and get back to us with the information.

P

You will find that most camera manufacturers send a CD with their equipment.
In the case of a still camera, like you Nikon, you do not need any software if you are running OS X.
iPhoto, and OS X, will take care of mounting your camera and importing your pictures into iPhoto (hence your Mac).
Do you use iPhoto on your Mac?

Thanks for the video camera information, if you could just tell us what Mac operating system you are using or what Mac computer you have or when you got it, we will have the rest of the puzzle.

If you camera is the HDR-HC9 MiniDV HD Handycam Camcorder, then you have no problems at all and you do not need any software from SONY. This camera comes with an IEEE1394 connection. This connection is referred to by Sony as an iLink connection.
You just plug one end of the supplied cord to the camera and the other to the Firewire port of your Mac.
Start iMovie, turn on the camera and go from there. You can control the camera, playback, stop, pause, etc., all from iMovie.

Now, if your camera is NOT the HDR-HC9, let us know.

P

i have a handycam DCR-HC96. This is a new camera. My IMac is less than a week old and i dont know the model (even the relatively useless 'everyting mac' booklet gives me no clues). could be why i am feeling so lost!

the software for the video cam is Picture Package. I get the idea from the manual (i am still trying to get familiar with that item) that this software will also upload an 'how to' guide ('first step')--which for folks like me might be useful.....unless the idvd or imovie program in the mac goes about things differently!

I also have what looks to be a usb cable for video to computer and another cable wt 3 jacks which could be video to tv??? although the manual does refer to an ilink cabe for making direct dvds............but i don't think it is mentioned i the package that i rec'd.

Is it any wonder people like me get totally frustrated. Here I sit surrounded by manuals ad software cds not to ention ables. Please see if you can advise me.

1-do i need the sony softare, even if just for the uploaded manual?
2-is making a dvd difficult?
3-which application do i use IDVD or IMovie...and what is the difference?

Would it make sense to buy a 'dummies' book and try to figre this out myself, or would a tutor be advisable??
Lordy, i am an educated woman, but am not sure i want to spend hours reading and researching how to use my new coputr! Eeryone said mac was easier than windows!! (sorry to vent and whine like a baby!)

thak,
susan

I was overloading photos in my old dell and did some asking around after i made the commitment to buy a new comp. and all signs pointed to the new imac!
I followed your advise and did the updates (14 of them and it took about an hour to do!!--jeez!). I looked under the apple icon (about my mac) for info and I have 2.4 ghz processor and 3gb memory) I also opened up my applications to check out the software and looks like i have lots of stuff. where to begin? I do have dsl and I had someone set the new comp and dsl up for me. Should I go to systes preferences and mess around??

re: video cam...it only came with the 2 cables (usb and 3 jack one) so I will have to buy one- ilink. Now, to start, can i just transfer my tape straight into dvd no editing no nothing? I am a bit overwhelmed and just want to start slow..............I am not quite ready to make 'a movie', just want to start with putting my daughter's recital on a dvd. when i am more confident, I can play with the same tape and work on editing, etc,....right?
just to make things completely crazy i have the photoshop elements i just downloaded, and will now have to learn that program, as already it looks different than what i had on the dell.....

I have gone through some of the ilife tutorials, and they are really minimal.......but i will have to start somewhere.

I have so many questions (small needling ones) that I think I might just call the apple help line (i am good for 90 days) and go down my list. the queries are pretty simple , but too many to waste your and the other folks on this page's time.

i just love these forums...that is how i decided which handycam to purchase. but, just like the internet, they take lots of time!

thanks so much,
susan

ok, i think i can do this......but in my sony manual it lists the items supplied with the camera and does not include this ilink/firewhatever wire. the manual says:

ac adapter
power cord (for the handycam station and adaptor
av connectig cable
usb cable

but later in the manual when it discusses copying recordings from tape (for the mac) it says connect with the ilink cable! But that paragraph is in teeny,weeny print, and I totally missed it the first three times i looked it over!

So, I will get the cable today and start messing with it.

I also called up the mac support line as i couldn't get the mail program to interact with my e-mails, and they told me I needed certain info from the server (how would I have known?) and then i need to call back. and while i had him on the phone he configured my right side of te mouse (again, how would i know i could do that?) the learning curve could be very, very wide for me, but i will push on! and thanks for letting me know that i can continue to utilize this forum without overstaying my welcome..

Susan

do i need to buy the ilink cable from sony, as is mentioned in the handycam manual - or is a generic from circuit city just fine??

thanks,
susan

I will get the cable today...i looked on the back of the imac and see 2 ports with the 'radiation' type icon. And they both have different configurations. Is that important?

i am feeling a bit more confident (of course I have called both sony support - firewire cable does not come with my handycam -and mac for help setting up the mail-of course that is giving me trouble!!) and will attempt this video and might een give the editing thing a shot!!

i also went into systems (with mac support help) and set my mouse to use the right click and changed my screen saver--that one I did by myself!). this could be kinda cool at some point in the (hopefully) near future.

thanks,
Susan

Hey I have just got this camera and am a recent (happy) convert to my new imac 2.66Ghz but I have followed the instructions you have given but my mac won't import the video from the camera. It just has a blue screen. I tried changing the setting on the camera to hdv but all that does is play the video on the camera and not import. Help

Thanks for that but this is a new camera too and I haven't got a memory card for it yet, so there are no pictures. Unless........ some how they have been taken on the tape - but that's not possible is it? My partner used this the other day and she may have pressed the wrong button - but I didn't say that!

Hey Have it sorted I think. Thanks. I did have a iee1394 cable (I went and bought one yesterday. I am in NZ so don't have the stores you spoke of. I got it from Dick Smith Electronics - for anyone who needs to know from NZ. I changed the settings on the camera to Auto (HDV/DV) and HDV/DV on in the iLink conv. setting for anyone who needs to know.
Thanks

I can't speak for the quality of the video you are importing or about the setting changes you made.
Usually, all that is necessary is to connect the camera to the Mac, via the Firewire cable, turn on the camera and set it to Play mode.
Control of the camera is then possible, usually, via iMovie but you can still control the camera via the Play and Stop buttons on it.
Pressing the Play button, as if you were going to watch your recording on the camera, and then punching the import button in iMovie usually does the trick.

What is the iLink conv?

You are using iMovie and not some software from Sony???

P

It's been a while since you set off to the store to buy the firewire cable.

How did things go after that?

P