Sony DCR-DVD305 and iMovie

[Steve theHerring]

Hi everyone.
Is it possible to use a Sony DCR-DVD305 with iMovie?
I'm havning trouble importing video and a quick internet search didn't help too much.

thanks

[melon]

I presume your camera records straight to DVD?

You can use MPEG Streamclip (http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html) to open the VOB files on a DVD and convert to dv files ready for iMovie. If you open a saved iMovie package and drop the dv files into the Media folder you don't need iMovie to import anything. Just choose View Trash after opening the project and drag the clips into the iMovie Clip Library. More info on that here: http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCD_on_a_Macintosh.html#edit_convert_MPEG. Specifically:

To convert a DVD or MPEG to DV with MPEG Streamclip (v1.8 or later): Open a desired .VOB on a DVD (DVD/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB, for example) or a MPEG file. Select the In/Out points if you want to extract just a portion of the video. Choose "File/Export to DV.../Compression: DV (DV25)". Choose "Split DV stream in Segments" if the content is more than 9 minutes 27 seconds because iMovie 1-4 can't reliably handle longer clip files and it might be a good idea to limit the converted .dv file's size anyway (segmented clips play seamlessly in iMovie). MPEG Streamclip can optionally resample audio to 48 kHz which DV (and DVD) use (use this option when converting (S)VCD 44.1 kHz audio for DV).

You can import the converted .dv to iMovie or save it directly into iMovie project's Media folder to save time and HD space (iMovie prompts you what to do with the clip when the project is opened. Notice that iMovie HD 5 now stores its project folder as a package -- MPEG Streamclip can save straight into the package's /Media folder!).
Other option if this doesn't work is to rip/copy the DVD so that you can then import the files into iMovie. You can use MacTheRipper (http://www.mactheripper.org/#download) or HandBrake (http://handbrake.m0k.org/?page_id=24).

[melon]

I've had a further search and going by these threads: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16814&goto=nextnewest, http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2490935 and http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2879446 unless you have a DVD drive that can read the 8cm DVD discs, it might be quite difficult to get to the data.

It seems that camera doesn't have a Firewire output, only USB and what's worse is that you can only get the data off via USB with the use of the provided Windows only program.

As people have suggested on those threads, if you have a Intel Mac you could use BootCamp and Windows to use that program then copy the video onto your Mac partition to edit. Or hook the analog outputs of your camera to a DV device and then use it's Firewire to connect to your Mac.

Both are very long winded routes, but if you don't have a drive that can read the DVD discs, you might be out of luck. If you do, then my above post/method with MPEG Streamclip should work.