How do I import MiniDV tape into FCPX?

Your camera does not appear in the compatibility list on apple's website https://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/cameras/en/index.html?

however, check page 30 of the manual, maybe there's something in there for you ?

Patrice

Those units have 4-pin FireWire and composite analog outs. So the issue is the input on the digitizing computer. If the computer has FireWire in- that's best since its a direct digital connection. X should be able to see the FireWire stream if you patch it right. If there are issues, you can use the analog outputs of the player to feed something like a Black Magic Video Recorder dongle and just let that create an H264 copy that X can work with.

Overall, tho, you're working with decade old tech which is a loooong time in computer years.

Good luck.

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What exactly didn't work Noel ... is it that you Mac doesn't recognise the deck at all when its attached via FireWire or only that FCP X didn't recognise and list it in the import window? Or did FCP X see it but the import didn't work? Have to say that when I attached a generic Sony DV deck the other day (using a 4 pin to 6 pin adapter and a 6 pin to 9 pin cable) it all just worked. I might have just been lucky but it seemed a pretty solid response to a pretty hokey set up.

You're facing a combo of a deck that's too old and a computer that's too new. They don't speak the same language.

So here's what will work. Buy yourself a BlackMagic Video Recorder dongle (http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/videorecorder/)

Take the analog outputs of your hardware video player and connect the Video and audio outputs to the inputs on the BMVR and then plug THAT into the USB port on your laptop.

The BMVR comes with simple to operate software. You launch it and when the deck is playing, you can capture it's video output into an H-264 encoded video file on your laptop. FCP-X will then be able to easily IMPORT the resulting video file and you can edit it in FCP-X.

To avoid much of the hassle of this process, you'll probably eventually want to replace your camcorder with one that records to a card-based file rather than to physical tape. If so, it's likely that with a simple, inexpensive card reader, you can get rid of all the file translation steps and just directly import the card files into your laptop to start editing.

Hope that helps.

Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com - video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.

Hey Jeff

Can you confirm that you are using the Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire adaptor, to successfully connect and capture from your DV/HDV camera's via FireWire ... and if not, could you provide a link to whichever cable/adaptor you're using.

Cheers
Andy

That's great Jeff, much appreciated ... I'd convinced myself that idea was a non-starter without even trying.
Cheers
Andy

I think so. I use it to capture old VHS tapes, etc. I usually just capture from it using QuickTime X because they're long captures and I want to be able to keep working in FCPX at the same time - but I'm sure I remember testing it in FCPX when I first set it up. From memory, if there's no deck control FCPX waits for a valid signal and as soon as there is you just press the "import all" button. FCPX will capture until you press stop or there's no input signal any more.

Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer | Southern Creative Media | Melbourne Australia
http://www.southerncreative.com.au | G+: http://gplus.to/jeffkirkland | Twitter: @jeffkirkland

You'll need a Thunderbolt to FireWire cable. USB is and never was fast enough or capable of capturing DV tapes. It's always been either FireWire or component. But really, without a FireWire input on your machine, I'm not sure it'll work. You'll need a capture card or something.

Tony Brittan
Island Shore Productions
Kill Devil Hills, NC