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Problem:
Camcorder will not connect to iMovie - No camera attached
Possible Solutions:
- Are you using a 4 to 6 pin firewire cable? That is the ONLY thing you can use. No USB cables or anything else
- Are you using a compatible camera? Still cameras that take movies are NOT a DV camera
- How new is the cable? If it is pretty old or you have kinked, it you may need another one
- Is the camera in DV mode? It should be. (Usually in the menu options somewhere)
- Have read ALL of Apples help topics on this
If your good with all the above:
- Close iMovie
- Delete all iMovie plist files for iMovie located in Home/Library/Preferences
- Plug the camera in to the wall (electricity)
- Make sure you have a good firewire cable and plug it in to the Mac from the camera
- Turn off your camera
- Reset your pram
- When the Mac is booting, power on the camera
- Start iMovie
Sony camcorder special fixs:
- Turn your camcorder to Play mode.
- Press menu button (or relevant touch-screen button)
- Click the 'ETC' item and then to CONTROL.
- Select i-link (and not IR).
or
- Turn your camcorder to Play mode.
- Press the Menu button (or relevant touch-screen button)
- Scroll down the Menu to the 'ETC' option, if there is one
- Click the 'ETC' item and choose 'VIDEO EDIT' if it's there
- Click 'VIDEO EDIT' and 'MARK 1 IN' may appear
- Click on 'MARK 1 IN' and then exit from the Menu options, by pressing the Menu button again
Your Sony cam should now work OK with iMovie.
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Reason? The camera and Mac can't decide which device is giving the FireWire instructions, and which is supposed to be receiving and acting on them. Using this sequence (above) lets the camera receive instructions from iMovie.
