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General discussion

Sony & Mac

Jun 16, 2006 3:48AM PDT

Can you download from a Sony Camcorder (DCR-SR100) to a Mac computer.

Discussion is locked

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Harumph. (no)
Jun 16, 2006 4:49AM PDT

"Sony says the DCR-SR100 is not Mac compatible and won't comment about whether they plan to make it Mac compatible."

Spotted on the web.

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Sony & Mac
Jun 16, 2006 8:34AM PDT

Since the Sony is a harddrive recording camera, I would think that it isn't "Mac compatible" because the MPEG movie data won't directly download as a DV camera would via Firewire. I would bet, though, that if you can get the camera to showup on the desktop, you should be able to copy the movie MPEG to the Mac HD, then through MPEG Streamclip and Quicktime Pro, you might be able to convert the MPEG back into a DV stream for editng in iMovie. Or, if real basic cuts-only editing will suffice, you may be able to use Quicktime Pro to open it once it's downloaded onto the HD and do real basic editing. Since most any USB memory stick or USB hard-drive will show up on the desktop when plugged in, I don't see why the Sony wouldn't do the same thing. Then you should be able to double-lik the icon and see the data on the camera. But, back to compatibility, the reason why a hard-drive camera isn't "compatible" with the Mac is because the Mac is set-up for Firewire downloads of DV footage.

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Harumph. (no)
Jun 16, 2006 8:49AM PDT

It's not a 'generic' MPEG. If you go out and research this you find it's compressor or CODEC needs to be loaded on the PC to playback the MPEG. In other words, MPEG in name only...

Shame.

Bob

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I understand, but..
Jun 16, 2006 10:43AM PDT

MPEG Streamclip understand dozens of CODECs that aren't normally understood. Also, Flip 4 Mac does too. Just a thought and just trying to help with some ideas. Try a forum which is more Mac-specific, like Apple.com and click on "Support" then "Discussions." Maybe pose the question in the iMovie forum where people are posting many camcorder questions and you have a huge Mac-only knowledge base.

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Found it. Cost? About 20 bucks.
Jun 16, 2006 11:30AM PDT
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I guess some things really don't 'just work' on a Mac.
Jun 16, 2006 1:09PM PDT

I'm chuckling at the thought of the Apple commercial where the 'Mac' person fluently launches into a conversation with an Asian person.

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Mac vs Sony MPEG
Jun 16, 2006 3:00PM PDT

The Mac is designed to import full-quality DV video, not video that's already been compressed into MPEG. The hard-drive cameras and DVD camcorders are recording in an MPEG format, which for the most part, are made for people who don't want to do any serious editing. Downloading MPEG via USB can also be done on a Mac, but why would one want to do this when one can use better quality DV video? Doesn't it make sense, if one wants to "edit" video, to start with the best quality? Unfortunately, the Mac is setup to handle proper video...basically a DV stream. With 3rd party software, the Sony's MPEG video can be uncompressed and turned back into DV video for editing. Kinda like baking a cake, then needing to undo all of the ingredients to remake it. I understand the PC has programs that will directly handle compressed MPEG video via the USB, but isn't that a compromise? The Mac has FREE third-party software callled MPEG Streamclip, but one must upgrade Quicktime to Pro for $30. Now, for that $30, QT Pro allows one to save most any streaming video off the web or from any device plugged into the computer, then gives you a zillion choices to extract it's audio, export it in basically any other format (AVI, WMV, MPEG4, etc.) and convert movie files into iPod compatible movies. Oh, it can also record directly from a camcorder, basically eliminating the need for an video editing program (not that you'd want to, but in a pinch it works great). By adding on Flip 4 Mac, QT Pro will read, save and convert 99% of the zillion formats of Windows Media files that even a PC doesn't recognize sometimes. Not bad for $30. Anyways, back to the Mac. It's basically setup, out of the box, to do movie editing the right way and the easy way. Read the forum here and you will see the many frustrated PC users trying to import video into their PC. Most PCs don't come pre-installed with Firewire and all of the programs for editing video, music and DVDs like the Mac. Sure, a PC can be made to do video editing better than the Mac, but again, read the forum here. I would bet most people on this forum don't want to be adding all of this crud into their computer. Wouldn't it be nice if these people could simply plug a DV camcorder into a PC and start editing? I love my PC, but for me, my Mac is way better for doing this. Oh yes, but the Mac doesn't come prepared to re-edit MPEG movies from the Sony? Does a PC, without the need to install more software? No, so what's the difference?

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No one advertises a PC which just 'does it'. Apple does.
Jun 16, 2006 3:59PM PDT

In this case, it's false advertising. All the explanation in the world doesn't change that. At the end of the day, Apple takes off its pants one leg at a time just like a PC (to paraphrase a popular saying). There is no magic in the Mac contrary to what many of its proponents believe.

A PC would not 'download' a file from a hard drive camera. It would simply read it just like it would read files on any other hard drive. Once on the PC, there is a bunch of software, much of which is free, that can process the file. That software is referenced here all the time.

Updating Quick Time, BTW, resulted in an update of iTunes on my machine which promptly deleted all the music I had purchased from Apple. Color me considerably less than impressed. The Mac, BTW, is not the software or machine of choice for video editing. PC hardware handles that job.

What Windows Media format does the free Windows Media Player not recognize?

Sony Vegas is my editor of choice. It is not available for a Mac, and has absolutely no problem pulling in MPEG video as part of the editing mix. I would not choose this format (I use DV), but, if that's what the camera produces, Vegas is ready to work with it. Vegas is not bundled with every PC, but the vast majority do not need it. Final Cut is also not bundled with Macs, so let's not pretend that this is a difference. iMovie is hopelessly limited, and is on a par with free software available for the PC.

The Mac has no video advantage over the PC. It is wishful thinking to believe that it does. The original point dealt with the Apple fantasy that it can seamlessly handle all technology. It cannot.

And I'm still chuckling about it. Wink

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Some one should take apple to court
Jul 10, 2006 6:12AM PDT

Some one should take apple to court. This false advertising pisses me off. Here I have a Mac now and all the programs are tied in, but to understand the problem in full detail I must explain. Lets say you want to put a video on your Ipod with Itunes. If it needs to be converted to a file that is compatible,(which is another thing I hate about apple) then you have to upgrade the software for QuickTime to make it QuickTime Pro. Will after that you find out another program needs to be updated for the version to work and then another and another tell you are broke or give up! I gave up and just lost the money I paid to upgrade the program because it wont do what it should do and says it will do. ?OUT OF BOX MY AZZ? some one better sue them!
So here I sit paid for an Ipod that wont do what it said. Paid for a mac that doesn?t even come close to what it said, then paid to have the demo programs upgraded to pro. And they don?t do as it said!
I spent a fortune and now own a bunch of Junk!

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(NT) (NT) I call it unmet expectations.
Jul 10, 2006 7:25AM PDT
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Just a comment.
Jun 16, 2006 11:40PM PDT

The PC with say Windows MCE (I pick that since it has the most features from MS) will not work with such video UNTIL you add the supplied software. Said software may be a CODEC but it's still software.

I know this is a fairly long discussion but what it shows more than anything is how Sony's support is lacking.

I won't give Apple a bad mark since they didn't make the Sony product. I don't expect Apple to test with everyones products and their staff to know all this.

Sony on the other hand has a 'tude problem.

Bob

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My PC was manufactured with an ATI AIW 9600 video card.
Jun 17, 2006 7:57AM PDT

It came with all the software needed to play mpeg files. The difference between a Windows machine and an Apple machine is that it's not one size fits all. Windows machines can be, and sometimes are, outfitted to perform their intended functions right out of the box.

If Sony is delivering an mpeg file, it's not a stretch to think that a machine equipped for handling video should be able to handle the industry standard format. If Sony is not delivering a standard mpeg file, then I agree that the problem is Sony's. They do so love to try to lock people in to their proprietary technology.