If you happen to purchase the new camcorders that Sony and Panasonic are about to infest the market place with, you will soon find out that you won’t be able to edit the footage from the camera’s hard drive. Unless you install their bundled software and only install it on a PC. MAC users once again have to wait until Apple updates Final Cut Pro to utilize the AVCHD format to edit from the camera…my guess is at the next NAB convention.
If you want to transfer full quality HD footage to your computer Blackmagic Design has crated Intensity, a PCI card with HDMI ports.
Add the incredible quality of HDMI to your computer. Intensity features the latest HDMI technology for the highest quality capture and playback on Windows or Mac OS X computers. Now you can edit using big-screen HDMI televisions and video projectors, or capture uncompressed quality from HDV cameras - all for only $249
Be aware These cards are not yet supported for Power Mac G5 and G4 Systems. These cards are fully compatible for Microsoft Windows? and Apple Intel based Mac Pro Systems.
For all others I suggest using this.
Here is a solution if you currently bought the camera and can’t get the media to your computer. If you already have a firewire digital video converter you are one step closer to getting your footage to your computer. If you don’t have one I suggest the Canopus ADVC-110 so get prepared to spend around $230. 
It’s a great investment, with it you can convert all your VHS movies… I mean your home movies. All you have to do is connect the RCA cables to the converter and make sure the converter is connected to your computer with a firewire cable.
To do this the camcorder should come with AV cables that connect from the camera to RCA inputs… like the ones on the digital video converter.
From there all you have to do is connect the firewire cable that should come with the converter to your computer. Now you have a connection from the camcorder to your computer. Make sure the camcorder is in playback/VCR mode and select the correct output. I use Final Cut Pro and this is how you would capture the footage. In Final Cut Pro, doesn’t matter what version, open Log and Capture under the file menu or hold down command 8 and it will open the Capture Screen. On the capture screen click on the tab Capture Settings.
Now next to Device Control click on the pull down menu and select Non-Controllable Device.
You are now set up to capture video from your camcorder. To do this play the footage on your camera and you should see it in the preview window. To capture the footage to your computer click on the Capture Now button on the bottom of the Log and Capture Screen.
One downfall and it defeats the purpose of purchasing an HD camcorder for the time being is that you will lose the HD footage. It should automatically crop and fit the entire video in a widescreen format for Standard Television. The reason why? You are using standard RCA cables to import the footage into your computer.
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14 responses so far ↓
1 Ollie // Dec 15, 2006 at 11:58 am
I am really a novice when it comes to FCStudio, but I use compressor and batch monitor all the time… I support a bunch of research groups that have all kinds of different video cameras and formats that they shoot with. One group bought the HRD-SR1 and I’ve been dealing with the video for the last couple of days.
On my iMac, with a USB cord I can copy the mpeg2 w/ ac3 audio files right off the camera as if it was an external drive. Then using MPEG Streamclip or similar product you should be able to convert these files to .dv files and then compress them to the formats we want.
I would assume that these .dv files are FCP compatable and would definitely easier then importing through the “capture” option with a A-D converter. Granted it won’t be HD this way but unless you use the HDMI card shown in the article above you’ll lose the HD anyway…
Would love to see Apple pick up the AVCHD/MPEG2(with AC3), it would make a lot of lives easier.
2 Andy Coon // Dec 15, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Thanks for suggesting that solution, a much easier way to convert the clip into FCP. .dv files are compatible with FCP, does this crop the image when you convert the clip to .dv or does it make it widescreen. I wish I could fool around with one of these camcorders.
I’m sure Apple will pick up the AVCHD with their next update. Till then people like you will continue to be creative in downloading the footage.
3 charles // Dec 17, 2006 at 8:14 pm
Is there any way I connect the PCI card to my macbook pro?
4 Andy Coon // Dec 17, 2006 at 9:14 pm
The PCI card is for the Desktop Intel Mac Pro. Currently there is no PCI express card for the macbook pro.
5 Ollie // Dec 18, 2006 at 3:31 pm
The process I’ve been using, described above, keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio of the original, unless set to do otherwise (MPEG Streamclip auto selects the original source aspect ration). If the Apple MPEG2 codec included AC3 support you could deal with the files directly off the camera in their full quality directly with Compressor, though this wouldn’t help for Final Cut.
On that topic, does anyone know of a clear, simple, logical rationale why Apple doesn’t support AC3 with MPEG2? I’ve read up on the technologies but can’t find a solid reason to not support it.
6 Dick Walters // Jan 19, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I have the Intensity card and HDRSR1 and a Mac Pro. With the newly posted Deckmate, I’m able to play the HDMI video, but unable to record but a few seconds before it kicks out with a Drop frame error. Haven’t figured out how to get past this. If anyone has come up with a successful setup, please post it.
7 Amy Hardie // Mar 18, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Would it be possible to save the footage from the Sony HDR-SRI onto a PC and convert the footage into something that Final Cut Pro can recognise without losing Hi Definition?
Also - is there a progressive scan hi def handycam out there?
Which of the hi def handycams are compatible with FinalCut Pro?
8 Andy Coon // Mar 19, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Amy,
I’m unaware of any progressive scan HDcams especially at the consumer level. Most programming at the moment is still interlaced for HD.
As far as saving the footage onto a PC, I hate to disappoint but I’m not sure about PC software. I’d think they would address it soon. This seems to be a big problem for many people who own this camera.
9 TechWizard // Apr 21, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Yes. Works with Mac and FCP! - But its a long proces:
1. Capture AVC-HD footage
2. Drag to your old PC and use Elecard Studio Pro. (Free Demo works but PC only) to convert from AVC-HD to HDV2 - using preset
(Used Vista on Parallels, importend to load the ac3filter codec on your pc/parallel if you dont have it. ) - The filter is free. search for ac3filter_1_30b.exe on Google.
3. Copy files to Mac
4. Use Streamclip http://www.squared5.com/ (free) to convert to Quicktime (use Apple Intermediac Codec - its loseless)
5. Drop the QT files into Final Cut Pro, start editing.
Looks like 100% 1080i quality with excellent sound.- but you loose the 5.1 surround for now.
Whew!
See my podcast coming soon.
Tech Wizard
http://web.mac.com/bankman2/iWeb/Site/Podcast/Podcast.html
BTW - Apple says full AVC-HD support with 5.1 surround coming soon to FCP. - no time frame however.
10 rich // Apr 23, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Tech Wiz where’d you hear this?
“BTW - Apple says full AVC-HD support with 5.1 surround coming soon to FCP. - no time frame however.”
11 Tech Wizard // Apr 29, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Here is a step by step How-To Podcast
http://web.mac.com/bankman2/iWeb/Site/Podcast/Podcast.html
TW
PS. Cant comment on my sources, just say I heard it at NAB.
12 Tom O'Brien // Jun 29, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Final Cut Pro 6 with its first update to 6.01 does “log and transfer” avchd video from the sony hdr-sr1 avchd camcorder!
13 Teresa Exline // Aug 29, 2007 at 10:50 am
I am looking to buy a medium-priced camcorder that will be compatible with my new MacBook Pro and Final Cut Pro.
We have a Sony Handycam that is not at all compatible.
What camcorders would you suggest?
14 Hector // Sep 24, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I just purchased a Sony HDR-SR11 AVCHD format Handycam. I have an old G4 Power MAC with a 10.4.11 OSX.
How can I download the video into my computer so I could edit it and later burn into a DVD?
What editing software do I need that will work with the non Intel- Power Macs?
Thanks.
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