Canon HG 10 and MAC USB transfer

[Kevin Hamm]

You’re using USB. And for some reason, the physical port for USB 1.x is the same as USB 2.x. Which means if you’re pulling video over a port that you know is USB but don’t know what version and it seems slow, well, there’s a good chance that it’s 1.x – which was so slow that the original iPods had Firewire, and that was, what, 2002?

Try another USB port if you’ve got one. I don’t know if you’re using a desktop or laptop, but I do know that the USB ports on Cinema displays are 1.1, so that will be slow, as will any downstream extension of that port.

Kevin Hamm
Video, Web, Print and coloring books.

[Jorge Gomez]

I just bought the same camera and there are various options you can pursue:

1. you can copy the video directly from the camcorder drive (warning: the manual strongly urges you not do this as it may “damage the camera/video”) but I do it anyway.

2. if you are using iMovie, you need to understand that iMovie 7 doesn’t natively support .mts files (Canon format) so it actually “plays” the video and converts it to .mov format during the import process.

So you’re dilemma will be: import the video very quickly by copying the files over from drive to drive but you’ll be left with unreadable .mts files or you can import it via USB via iMovie but it will take longer.

The compromise I came up with was to copy the video from drive to drive and use Sony Vegas to edit the video as it natively supports .mts file formats. I run Vegas in a windows Xp virtual machine and it is a bit slow even with 4 gb ram on my Mac.

[Jennifer Frisinger]

Hi Jorge,

Thanks for your useful response. I am using iMovie 08 coupled with iDVD and I wanted to use the One Step function (which specifies the use of a firewire) with USB technology available on the Canon. What I am looking to do is simply burn a disk of the footage I have shot without editing it. I am new at this (and also new to the MAC), but what I do now is download the video into iMovie, then highlight it scene by scene and drag it into the project box, then I share the project by publishing it to the media browser and then I burn a DVD. For 40 mins. of footage, this process takes about 4 hours. For video I shoot that I want to edit or turn into a movie, iMovie works just fine and I love the program. Any suggestions?

Jennifer

[Jorge Gomez]

Jennifer,

When you say you are transfering the video, are you using the iMovie import or are you copying the file from the camcorder drive?

When you copy the .mts files from the camcorder, they are not readable in any Apple application that I can find so far, which leads me to believe that you are importing (e.g. converting) the video from .mts format to .mov format.

You will lose some quality as the resolution drops down during the export process.

The only suggestion I can make is for you to use Sony Vegas 8 or alternatively pay for an Apple product like Final Cut Express 4 which supports AVCHD.

You can read about it here.
https://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/apple-rolls-out-final-cut-express-4-with-avchd-support-for-199-323042.php

[Jennifer Frisinger]

Thanks again, Jorge,

I am simply using the USB to connect my camera to my MAC and then importing directly into iMovie. The quality I get is not better or no worse (when I burn the DVD) than when I used the tape/firewire option. I just want to be able to go directly from the camcorder to burning a disc without going through iMovie. iDVD has an option to go direct via the firewire but there is no USB solution. Does Final Cut Express 4 offer this? Also can yu tell me how difficult Final Cut is to learn and use? I am new to this and find iMovie very easy and convenient.

Thanks,
Jennifer

[Jorge Gomez]

I finally get what you’re trying to do and the current Macs don’t offer that feature via USB as far as I know. I don’t believe Final Cut offers that feature either.

sorry.

[Andrew Kamenetzky]

Hello. I just bought a MacBook and I’m trying download short videos from an HG10 camcorder. The computer is recognizing the camera, but I can’t open the videos upon opening them up. Is there a way to get them recognized directly with iMovie, or is another program needed? Can someone offer any procedural advice?

Thanks

AK