Is my SONY DCR-DVD 308 video camera Mac compatible? or how do I use it?

Question

I have gotten a SONY DCR-DVD 308 video camera as a present, and now am learning that the camera may not be Mac compatablie...1) is this true?, 2) is there any software or method to download the video files for editting or viewing on my Mac

Answer 1

As a DVD based camcorder, you need to be able to get the video in to the Mac... You did not tell us which Mac you have.

If your Mac has a slot loading DVD drive, NEVER put an odd sized miniDVD in there - you will break the drive and scratch the disc. You will need an Analog/digital bridge like

http://desktop.thomsongrassvalley.com/pr...

These use firewire for transfer.

Or... you can get an external drawer loading DVD drive

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/range.h...

Or... if your Mac has a drawer loading DVD drive (or you went and bought one), put the miniDVD in the drawer loader... you also need to download and install a ripper like HandBrake

http://handbrake.fr/

This is not solely a Macintosh issue - DVD camcorders were never meant to have their video edited. The same issues will be in play with a Windows based machine - MovieMaker cannot deal directly with VOB files - so either converting them or using Sony Vegas or something else to deal with them also applies in that operating system environment.

Answer 2

1.) If you have an earlier version of iMovie.

2.) iMovie 08**

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014

**Only if your system supports it.