My video camera of choice in this experiment (well, not by choice, but I can’t justify a high-def video camera at this time :( is a JVC that uses a DV mini format. Built into it is a firewire connection that was pretty advanced when I originally purchased the device..
…which brings me to the 4 pin firewire connection on the MacBook: why?
The engineering powers-that-be at Apple decided to implement a mini-DVI connection on the MacBook but leave the firewire connection the standard 6-pin configuration? I’m not sure I understand the reasoning, mainly because I had to have my wife scour the city for a new firewire cable for me.
Anyway, connecting the video camera to the MacBook was the same experience I had connecting it to my PC laptop: a no-brainer. Both the PC and the MacBook (specifically iMovie) recognized the JVC and were able to take total-control of it once connected via firewire.
Upon opening iMovie, the Import From: screen immediately came up with the (DV) camera input automatically selected. I selected the Import button and was notified that iMovie would (a) rewind the tape, (b) automatically start the tape, (c) begin the import, and (d) once done importing, rewind the tape shut off the Import From: screen.
The reality of having the import function on Automatic was (a) the tape rewound , (b) the tape started and (c) the import process stopped immediately. I’m not sure why it did this, but I think my habit of reusing tapes may have caused the Automatic functionality to hiccup. In any event, I was able to set the import feature to Manual and I was on my way to importing video into iMovie.
When not referring to himself in the third person, Brian likes rain and getting caught in Pina Coladas. Oh, and let's not forget making love to Cape dunes. Yeah, those really do it for me....er, um.. I mean Brian.