FireWire

4-4, 4-6, 4-9, 6-9 pin FireWire options. How do I know which one to buy to connect my Sony Digital8 HandyCam for uploading? It's a Model DCR-TRV 460 NTSC. Is the FW port in my MBP 17" a 4-pin?

Firewire 800 is 9 pin.

Don't have a clue what you would need at the other end for connecting to the Sony.

Can you upload a picture of the port on the sony? It's probably a 4-pin connector.

Tape based digital camcorders generally have a small 4 pin firewire port. Hold on...

I'm 99% sure anyway as I used to work in a Camera shop (for 4 years) but I just checked on Google and it doesn't seem to be a proprietary Sony connection so I would say you need a firewire 800 to firewire 4 pin connector to connect your camcorder up to your computer.

Even though it's 8MM it is digital 8MM and so should work just like a Mini DV deck when connected up. I do remember selling these and as I say I am pretty sure it's a 4 pin port but I cannot say for sure whether there will be an issue with iMovie and the adapter when you hook it up.

Maybe buy one from a shop and tell the assidtant "If I hook this up and it doesn't work, can I bring it back for a refund?" if they say yes, go for it, nothing to loose except maybe a drive back to get a refund if it fails to work.

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to post a pic of the Sony. How do I do that in here? I have the pic on my MBP, but it asks for a URL. Do I have to upload it to Flickr or somewhere in order to add a URL?

pastorpaul said:

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to post a pic of the Sony. How do I do that in here? I have the pic on my MBP, but it asks for a URL. Do I have to upload it to Flickr or somewhere in order to add a URL?

Click to expand...

You can attach the image like you via email, or upload the image to a site and post the url in the tags.

You only see the "attach file" in advance view.



After you click on the paperclip, another window will pop up with the following.

Picture of Sony camcorder

OK, it says the file size limit is 1 MB, and my pic is 4.8 MB. How can I reduce the file size in iPhoto?

smaller photo

OK, I emailed it to myself, and now I'm uploading it from my downloads folder. Here it is.

Oops! Where did it go?

I uploaded it, but it didn't go through. I'll try again.
Top port is for RGB cable to TV to watch videos directly.
Second port is Firewire.
Bottom port is for USB cable that came with camera.
I think that's correct anyway.

You'll need a 4-pin firewire 400 to a 9-pin firewire 800 cable (just like the one I use with my Sony PDx-10 and MBP 15")...something like this.

Does your camera capture to a HDD or to miniDV tapes...if it captures to an HDD then you can load the clips into iMovie via USB.

Thanks! My camera uses Digital8 tapes. It came with a USB cable, but I couldn't get it to work. Then I found out I need Firewire for a tape-based camcorder.