Connecting A Sony Handycam to a Mac Computer
Those of you who read my professional blog at Luxury Property will know I like to have a little fun pointing out what I consider to be horrible real estate videos posted to YouTube.
Well, some one has called me on that. Shaun Stanley, the Luxury Film video guru, pretty much said, “It’s all very well taking the piss (I am paraphrasing) out of these crappy videos - What can you do that is better?”
Send me a camera and I’ll show you, says Mark.
Two days later, a spanking brand new Sony DCR-SR220 turns up on my doorstep with a note from Mr. Stanley explaining which is the sharp end.
Oops. I am hoping ten years as a pro photographer back in the days when a Nikon F-3 was hot stuff will stand me in good stead. 
So, after unpacking the camera, and spending a few minutes marveling at the beauteousness of my new toy, I plug it in to charge the battery and read the destructions. I no longer adhere to the adage, “If all else fails, read the instruction book.”
As I am reading about how to connect this Sony handycam to a mac computer, a word wanders across my mind - VAGUE.
I read a little further and visit the website that Sony have to help you connect a SONY DCS-SR220 Handycam to a Macintosh ‘puter. A MacBook Pro, in this case. And I slowly come to the conclusion that they are not being vague, they are being deliberately fuckin’ obtuse.
After inspecting the instructions on their webpage, which is here, it slowly dawns on me that they are not actually being deliberately fuckin’ obtuse, they are
trying to sell me a new Sony Viao computer by making sure I cannot use this Sony camcorder with a Macintosh computer !
Ha! Not going to happen. I take a few minutes of video and plug my now-charged camera into the computer to see what happens. What happened to the famous Mac, plug ‘n’play rule? I have never once plugged anything into a mac that wasn’t immediately found, installed and ready to go within minutes.
Not a Sony Handycam apparently. Nothing - it is as though I never plugged the damn thing in.
A quick phone call to my newly elected video guru, Shaun, and I am appraised of the fact that Sony are trying to sell you their proprietary software along with a new PC -but there is a workaround. Whew!
Thank you Shaun. This is the workaround:
First job. Go to Squared5 and download their MPEG STREAMCLIP
Next job. Install said software, which is free. And I don’t mean free if you spend $500 on something else. Free as in no charge.
3rd and last job. Go to Apple and spend $20 on buying their MPEG-2 Playback component.
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Works like a dream now. I have shot, edited and posted my first video to Google video. But - google has slaughtered the quality to the point I am ashamed to show it here.
Once again, thank you Shaun.
Watch this space
Comments on Connecting A Sony Handycam to a Mac Computer »
Wow looking forward to the new Mark videos! Youtube stuffs up quality of videos too: from what Ive seen, that other have uploaded, revver seems to be better quality - but I am yet to receive a nice new handycam in the mail to find out
Lissie
luxury Paris Hotelss last blog post..Five Star Parisian Hotel Lobbies
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Shaun Stanley Luxury Film Guru explains how to connect a Sony HandyCam to a Macintosh Computer « Luxury Property, International Property Investment, The Latest Tech Gadgets, and The Best Recipes on the Planet
[...] How to connect a Sony Handycam to a Macintosh computer [...]
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Thanks for the info. I have the same Handycam.
After installing the said software could you please explain
what steps to take to download from Handycam.
Thanks again
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That depends on what you are planning to do with the video afterward. There is a help file with the MPEG Streamclip software that should tell you what you need to know.
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Hello, I stumbled upon your blog looking for a way to connect my sony mini dv camcorder to my macbook. I already have everything you said to get but there is one problem. It will only read the first recorded clip I have on the disc and I have no idea why haha, is there any way you could tell me of a way i could rectify this issue so I can browse all of the clips on the disc?? If you know of course, I don’t know anyone who can help me, or maybe that video expert you know, but I would greatly appreciate your help!
Much thanks,
Kyle
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Hi Kyle -
That is annoying. Unfortunately, I do not know - my camcorder has a hard drive
My friend Shaun also runs this site -
http://www.videopros.com/
And they have a members forum where you can ask technical questions -
http://forums.videopros.com/
You do have to join, but it is free. The guys answering the questions are Shaun and Layne. Tell them I sent you and ask over there. Some one is sure to know.
Good luck
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Thank you Mark and Shaun!!! My husband just purchased the exact Sony Handicam model you wrote about and was in the process of FREAKING OUT about the Mac compatibility (or lack thereof) when I stumbled across your website. We are expecting twins soon (thus, the new camcorder) and tensions are already high around here, as you can imagine. I followed your instructions and everything seems to work now. You saved us a HUGE headache. I can’t thank you enough. Happy New Year.
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My pleasure Jessica,
Good luck - both with the twins and filming the happy occasion.
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help i have a macbook pro 15 aluminum and a sony micromv dcrip7 want to make a dvd….
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Great article! I stumbled upon your blog through a search for something different and nwo solved my nephew’s problem in the process! Thanks for the info!!
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My pleasure.
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what are you using to connect the camera to the mac? i have a sony handycam that records on mini disks, and i just bought a mac and final cut express 4. I was using a program called pinnacle on a pc, and i used a dazzle to connect my camera to the pc. but the dazzle doesnt seem to work on the mac. ive been trying to figure this out for like a week now, and i already have what you said, the $20 purchase and the Streamclip. do i need a firewire, or something like that?
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I am using the dock and USB cable that came with the camera. I do not have a firewire connection on this camera - so I can’t say if that would work but I would think so.
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You know, Sony should really give you a cut - I bought a hard drive HandyCam *only* because I saw your web site first. Thanks - it works like a charm with my MacBook Pro!!!
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LOL
What do you think the chances are? ……….
Either way - my pleasure.
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Hello I just bought a sony hdr-xr200 and only has a hdmi,avr and usb outputs, how can i make my mac to reconize my cam so that i can used it to live brodcast on the net?, Is there a pice of hardware that i can get for it?.
please help
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I am hoping this will help me. I had a friend get the movies off my mini dvd disc, and when I put it onto my MacBook I still couldn’t open them. I am downloading the streamclip and will make the other $20 at purchase at apple if you think it’s going to help. Do I then need to go from the camera to the laptop, or do you think I can open up the mpeg files that I’ve transferred to my laptop?
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You should be able to open the files that you have transferred. Streamclip should open just about anything. Good luck
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Hey Mark, I have a Sony Handycam with the mini DVD. When I connect my camera to my Macbook Pro, it doesn’t even recognize any recorded files on my miniDVD.
Ideas?
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Have you tried the software I recommended?
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I have a sony dcr dvd610 I downloaded the softwares you said but I dont know what to do from there. I plugged my camera in with usb and it came up as a blank dvd. My dvd is full from our trip to the zoo. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks! This is driving me crazy!
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Figured it out, I think…I had to finalize the dvd in the camcorder thanks!!!
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Yes, I downloaded the software, but when I connect the handycam it shows as a blank recordable DVD.
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Odd - I don’t know in that case. Sorry.
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