[MacNN Staff]

in article http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n60624 you mention "European Union import restrictions". Technically they are not import restrictions, it is tax laws - a camera with an input, not just dv but also analogue input, are considered a videorecorder, which classifies them for a different tax tariff, eventually making the camera 100$ or so more expensive. there is no restriction in european import laws that would ban camera's that carry such inputs. a very clearcut case is sony's 890 & 900 camera's - which are identical except for the dv input. consumer demand made the 900 with the dv input much more popular than it's dv-in-disabled twin brother. at which point sony slashed the prices of the 890 with about 500$.... and still people would prefer the 900 over the 890.

so technically it is not EU import restrictions, but a lack of trust on the part of large electronics companies that customers would be willing to pay the price differences caused by tax laws.

note to macnn staff; the til does not cover DV in feature of iMovie, but DV input that has been disabled on european camera's for quite some time. this situation is starting to change. for more info on this and related topics, see the website of http://www.global-dvc.org

[Zwilnik]

And being the enterprising Europeans we are, there are already dongles and software modifiers to unlock the DV-in on most of these 'crippled' cameras (it's totally legal, and some of the more reputable Mac Dealers have started selling the dongles).

Actually, there IS a import restriction in EU: it is on the total number of videorecorder which a japanese vendor is allowed to send here. So, importing a Dv-In enabled videocamera means one less Vcr for the vendor, while Dv crippled machines does not count. Obviously, they know that the first thing a user does is re-enabling the Dv in: some camcorder (like some Canon models) can be enabled simply from their remote control, others require a simple Pc utility and a Pc-to-Lanc cable, or "dongles" of various type.

[andersbk]

I've been trying to find a way to enable DV-in on my new Sony HC14

But it seems no one is selling the widgets anymore.
I've tried eBay aswell, but haven't found anything.

Anyone have any tips as to where i can get one?

[k_munic]

Originally posted by andersbk:
I've been trying to find a way to enable DV-in on my new Sony HC14

But it seems no one is selling the widgets anymore.
I've tried eBay aswell, but haven't found anything.

Anyone have any tips as to where i can get one?

afaik, the widgets don't work anymore! the software flag cannot be reste from outside anymore, but…

have a look in printed magazines - sometimes technicians offer some "service" to enable your camera… therefor they use a special box - very expansive - which is used by … well, service technicians of the camcorder company.