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Zoom · Nov 7, 2008, 09:51 PM

I've been having some troubles getting iMovie HD (6.0.3-267.2) to work with my Canon ZR60. For a while, I couldn't get it to even recognize that I had the camera plugged in, but something magically fixed that.

Now, I'm trying to export a major iMovie project to MiniDV for archival purposes. I'm only getting the audio. I'm not sure why.

Any suggestions?

Zoom · Nov 7, 2008, 09:55 PM

For the record, I have the audio set to 16-bit on the ZR60, and I've tried both LP and SP modes (I need LP because the video is just shy of 90 minutes long).

Clownie7 · Nov 9, 2008, 09:45 PM

I had the same problem, audio only, no video (with 2 different Sony cameras). I did a workaround by 1. checking send DV to camera during playback under playback preferences, then 2. hitting record on my camera and 3. play on my project. Export still failed, but "playing" as in 1,2,3, got my project onto the DV tape. I was doing this to retire/backup my old Hi8 tape...
I soon intend to make images of my dvds and back them up to blu-ray... I wonder if this workaround works on iMovie 08, though I mainly went back to 06 to get easy chapter markers...

Zoom · Nov 10, 2008, 09:17 AM

So, do you get full quality when you do that? That is, is it the same as "sharing to video camera"? I basically want to lock in all the transitions, titles, etc, at the highest quality I can - I doubt I'll ever need to re-edit, but someday I might re-generate it for BluRay and add some stuff.

Clownie7 · Nov 10, 2008, 01:47 PM

I don't know.
<Note: Adjusting the playback quality doesn't affect the quality of your stored movie or your shared movie; these are always at high quality.>
Under playback preferences I had selected high quality, but I found above disclaimer in the help files. I assume they treat playback to camera as sharing, but heaven knows why it doesn't just plain work under the share menu. I am archiving Hi8 source, so hard to really evaluate quality, it seems as good as the source...
I hope they revisit these simple functions in iLife 09...

Zoom · Nov 10, 2008, 02:10 PM

When I try this, my Canon shows the regular input (ie, through the lens), not what's being played out the FW port (assuming that it's being sent, using the settings you mention). I can't seem to force it to record DV in.

Also, I can't "share to video camera" unless the camera is in "VTR" mode ("play"). How did you get around this?

Clownie7 · Nov 13, 2008, 09:07 PM

Camera has to bet set to VCR mode, then push whatever buttons record, as if recording form some video in cable. Once camera is recording, hit select al in your project, then play. iMovie "plays" to your video camera via the firewire...

Zoom · Nov 13, 2008, 09:38 PM

My ZR60 won't record in that mode. It has a big red button for "record", but it will only record in "Camera" mode, not "VCR" mode. You're right, I can see the video replicated on my Canon when I play it (using the option you mentioned), but I can't record it - or I can't figure out how to record it, anyway. And if I use "Camera" mode, I just see what's coming through the lens.

Clownie7 · Nov 14, 2008, 06:04 AM

See page 90 of your manual (available at Canon online). It says hook up the firewire, hit REC PAUSE button on your remote (?), start the recording by hitting the PAUSE button. I'd say hit play on iMovie after the tape starts moving... Hitting pause a second time stops play. Maybe these functions exist on the camera as well, but the instructions say use the remote... Maybe a bit of trial and error here...

Zoom · Nov 14, 2008, 09:17 AM

Sounds like a plan - thanks! I'll try it soon (heading out of town for the weekend).

Clownie7 · Nov 14, 2008, 05:16 PM

And of course, all above steps done in VCR mode... Have a safe trip..

Zoom · Nov 19, 2008, 09:04 AM

Well, it almost worked. I had some troubled even getting this to work - there's definitely some bug lurking here, either in the camera, iMovie, or the OS (Firewire). Once I got the pass-through DV working, I recorded it. But then there are a few parts of the movie where I cut to the live image of the narrator, and for some reason I'm getting two sets of audio - the left and right timing is off by just a fuzz, giving an echo effect. This is probably some artifact of the way I made it - I hear it in iMovie, too. But it only happens sometimes. I'll just have to keep trying it till I get a good copy.

But thanks again for the tips - it allowed me to capture the footage to DV.

Zoom · Oct 26, 2009, 03:24 PM

I'm back at it again... and frustrated as hell.

I got this to work for a few projects (I have ten, and I've managed to dump 8 to tape). Now I can't get it to work to save my life.

Again... iMovie HD, Canon ZR60 and Firewire 400 cable. I've tried all sorts of combinations, some of which have worked in the past, but none of which are working now:

1) Turn the camera on and off.
2) Pull the FW cable and put it back.
3) Restart iMovie (with and without the camera on and connected)
4) Restart the iMac.

I'm getting the audio, but no video - the video is black. I've tried with and without "play DV project video to DV camera". All the same result: audio but no video.

Again - I've managed to get this to work 8 times now. On a few of those occasions, I've had to try some combinations of the above steps to get it to work, and either I did some magic sequence that I can't reproduce, or I've gotten into some bad state that I can't force it out of.

Anyone have any clues?

Zoom · Oct 26, 2009, 10:43 PM

I had to try the solution from Clownie7, which did work again. I'm finally done transferring these videos. I never did figure out why it worked 8 times the "regular" way and then quit working.