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General discussion

Can't import old standard DV tapes from new Canon HV30

Dec 26, 2009 3:40AM PST

I have a new imac with OS 10.6.2 and and intel core i7.
When I attach the Canon HV 30 camcorder and import new video which was recorded on the camcorder imovie recognizes it and imports it.

The problem is when I put a DV tape recorded several years ago on a standard DV camcorder into the Canon HV30. It will not import the older video.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Discussion is locked

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sometimes
Dec 26, 2009 5:33AM PST

sometimes theyre just not compatible. i know if you recorded in lp mode it can cause problems

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When you launch iMovie '09
Dec 26, 2009 5:34AM PST

It probably opens the video project and sequence window of the last project(s) you imported - which would be HDV format from that Canon HV30 camcorder. HDV is 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio.

In iMovie, what happens when you go to "File", select "New Project", select "Standard (4:3)" - which I presume is the aspect ratio recorded on the old tape - then try import?

Can you playback the old tape in the HV30 properly?

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Can't import old standard DV tapes from new Canon HV30
Dec 26, 2009 7:56AM PST

Thanks for your suggestion. I tried that and it didn't work.

The standard tape does play back on the HV30 screen. I also tried to make sure the camcorder output setting is set to DV and not HDV but it becomes grayed out anytime the camera is connected to the computer - even though the manual for the camcorder says that you should be able to choose the output type.

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Interesting.
Dec 26, 2009 8:44AM PST

In all the years I've been editing miniDV tape (DV, DV widescreen and HDV), I have never had to change the setting on the camcorder. iMovie - and the firewire communications protocol have always taken care of that. Final Cut Express and Pro also take care of the video format being imported.

Granted, I use Sony DV/HDV camcorders, but they have taken tapes from Panasonics, Canons and JVCs in DV and HDV format and have not had any issue.

That said, I am on OSX 10.5.8 and running either (occasionally) iMovie '09 (v 8.0.5) and mostly Final Cut Express 4 (v 4.0.1), but I don't believe that *should* make much difference.

I was about to suggest you go to the Apple support area - but see that you have already posted the question.

I found a couple of other interesting posts there by searching "HV30" - relevant suggestions:
1) FileVault must be off.
2) Is the camcorder firewire connection directly into the Mac or is it connected to something else? It should be a direct connection.
3) Camcorder is also plugged into AC power (and obviously in "Play" mode - I know you know this, but i *had* to).
4) You do not have "Nikon Transfer" installed.
5) You re-installed iLife from the OSX system disc that came with the 'puter.

I'll keep reading and see if anything else looks useful...

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can't import old standard DV tapes from new Canon HV30
Dec 26, 2009 12:07PM PST

Thanks for your response. Not sure where to turn file vault off. The firewire connection is direct, camcorder is on AC power, I don't have Nikon Transfer.

Is this a possibility:

This is from the Canon website for the Canon HV30:

Supported Playback Modes
1080/60i, 1080/24p, 1080/30F, 1080/24F, 1080/30p

It doesn't mention anything below a 1080. Isn't this high def? My old tapes are just standard. Could this be the problem?

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The HV30
Dec 26, 2009 1:00PM PST

Manual
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0300000884/hv30nim-en.pdf
also indicates recording (page 3Cool and playback for DV and DV widescreen (page 42), too - I have not yet seen a miniDV tape based HDV camcorder that cannot handle all three (including HDV). Page 71 has some info on "locking" the DV port to downsample to DV (if HDV). And page 102 has the video types available for recording and playback (both include DV).

But we can read all we want - fact is, you have not yet been able to there from here. Any other firewire equipped Macs available?

Nearby Apple store?

Was the original video captured in SP or LP mode?

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can't import old standard DV tapes from new Canon HV30
Dec 27, 2009 1:03AM PST

The original was captured in SP mode. I tried locking the output to DV only , still didn't work.

I'll try my old computer with a previous version of imovie and see if that works.

Also, I checked file vault and it was not locked.

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On turning off file vault...
Dec 26, 2009 11:58PM PST

System Preferences: Security: File Vault tab

Since its default is off to begin with, chances that is on are slim.

Still looking...

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can't import old standard DV tapes from new Canon HV30
Jan 1, 2010 5:03AM PST

Just thought I would post the solution to this problem in case anyone else is having the same problem out there. It turns out there was a problem in my preferences file. Once I deleted the file library/preferences/com.apple.imovie8.plist the imovie software was forced to create a new plist and then the import worked like a charm. The key was to check and see if the import worked from someone else's user area on the same computer - which it did - which told me the problem wasn't with the camcorder or computer but with the software. Hope this helps.

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Wow. Good find.
Jan 1, 2010 5:32AM PST

Thank you for sharing.

And, "d'OH!" (Homer Simpsom).

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thanks
Jan 3, 2010 6:06AM PST

Was having the same problem, but deleted the file as you suggested and it worked beautifully.

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Deleting the plist file worked for me too!
Jan 1, 2011 8:51PM PST

Can't thsnk you enough. This worked for me with the very same problem. Interesting enough is that I am running iMovie 11 and the file is still named iMovie8.plist. Never-the-less removing that file and forcing it to create a new one did the trick.

Thanks Again !!

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How to import DV tape to iMovie
Feb 7, 2012 10:13PM PST

I read the above and tried another account on my Macbook. Opened iMovie and it showed up as DV tape and played OK.