Who wants a challenge?

Dear Forum-ers.

I finally got my hands on a new macbookpro - just got FCP - now I'm ready to get started....However! I have a Sony DCR-DVD403 Handycam which records onto miniDVD.

I can't connect the camera to my mac because it's sony and it's USB. The mac gets confused when I connect the camera w/usb (b/c the camera probably only supports sony software) and because sony wants me to use their crappy editing software that came with the camera.

I was told that I either have to connect my camera to the mac using the av cable (which I'm pretty sure is NOT possible - dont think I ever seen a computer with av ports in em) and then using some kind of video capturing software.
OR--------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to burn the miniDVD onto regular DVD and then transfer onto my comp for FCP. This I guess is kind of do-able, BUT, I need to go out and buy an external dvd burner cause I cant put the actual miniDVD in my macbook pro cause it'll get stuck. Also...What DVD burner out there supports miniDVD?

I'm sure there's a good solid way to do it, but as of yet, no one seems to know.

I present my case before the learned members of this forum and hope that your great minds can help find a solution.

Thanking you in advance.
annakim

Any DVD player/writer with a tray that comes out will be able to use the miniDVD. There's a miniDVD-sized indent in the tray that keeps the disc centered as it is loaded.

Does the Mac have a tray or does it just suck the disk in through a slot?

You can get an external dvd writer/player to put your footage onto your Mac.

You do realize that FCP does not support Mpeg-2 footage??
You will have to convert your footage once you get it into your computer to a format that works with FCP. :(

Read this thread:

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t123413.html

Regards, Mike