Sony DCR-SR100 Hard Drive Camcorder

Last June, I noted JVC's Everio line of hard drive-based camcorders. Now, Sony has introduced the DCR-SR100 ($1,100) (link via Gizmodo), a nifty camcorder with a 30 GB hard drive built in. They claim it can record up to 7 hours of DVD-quality video, but I want to know if it will record DV-quality (I'm not seeing it at Sony's web site yet).

"DVD-quality" sounds impressive, but it's not when you're talking about capturing and encoding on the fly. A really good-looking DVD looks that way because encoding software has taken multiple scanning passes through the material and determined the best amount of MPEG-2 compression to apply. That's also why I'm not interested in DVD-based camcorders such as the (also-new) Sony DCR-DVD505 and DCR-DVD405.

But the promise of a hard drive-based camcorder is appealing, because it means that you could simply mount the camera on your computer's desktop and copy the files over, versus the long importing step to take footage from tape.

Comments

[Gary Robinson]

Sony says the DCR-SR100 is not Mac compatible and won't comment about whether they plan to make it Mac compatible.

[Jeff Carlson]

It looks as if the incompatibility is due to the fact that it records in MPEG-2 format, which doesn't make sense to me. I can understand using MPEG-2 to record direct to DVDs or solid-state memory such as SD cards, but if you have a 30 GB hard drive, why not record in standard-definition? There's plenty of room.

It could be that Sony wants you to use their editing software. I dunno. Seems lame, though.

Jeff

[Fred Suza]

Don't understand the reference to this camera not being Mac Compatible. Of course, the editing software that Sony offers won't work on a Mac but I thought that when you plug this camera's USB cable to a Mac it will still appear as a Hard Drive and that you can then download the MPEG-2 files and manipulate them in Apple's software. There is an add on to Apple's Quicktime Pro that is supposed to handle MPEG-2 files and I understand that the free MPEG Streamclip can do a high quality conversion of these files that iMovie and iDVD can handle. Am I going wrong somewhere? If so, I am in trouble cuz I ordered this Sony.

[Jeff Carlson]

Fred, please post your experiences when the camera arrives, because I'm also interested to know what the real situation is.

[Joe Heroux]

Hi. I have been playing with this camera for about three weeks. The PC software, Pinnacle Studio will not import the mpg file if it has been recorded in 5.1 even though it should. Multiple emails to Pinnacle have not got them to understand this. Windows Media Player and Pinnacle's cinemagic play the file nicely in 5.1 on my PC. Decided to get a MAC as I was attracted to Final Cut Express. I added support for mpeg in quicktime but I get no sound from the 5.1 files. If I record in stereo it works. Pixela makes the software that comes with the camera and is good for making a DVD if you do not want to edit it much. They also have a MAC program capty mpeg that will edit the stereo file but not the 5.1 encoded one. If you come up with a work around, I would dearly like to know. Also tried MPEG2 Works. It will decode the DVD I burn on the PC back onto the MAC and make m2v video and ac3 files but nothing seems to be able to put them back together.
ALso tried the ULEAD product on PC - it worked.

[Fred Suza]

Another person indicated that he had some success using MPEG Streamclip available at http://www.squared5.com

[Joe Heroux]

www.pixela.co.jp/oem/sony/e/capty_mpeg_edit_ex/index.html
Pixela, the company that supports the Sony camcorder has now released the software for the MAC. It has the same elementary editing as the windows version. Suggest getting the bundled version with DVD support.
The MPEG Streamclip while free only supports a stereo production. It will import the Dolby 3/2 channels (three front and two surround) but will only create a stereo dolby pro logic output.
So at least its a start... Now if only Apple would get support in Final Cut.... I cannot understand how they are handling HD video as it also is 5.1 Dolby

[Olcay]

I am migrating from PC's to Mac's at home and I am interested in the Sony DCR-SR100 Hard Drive Camcorder. I am wondering what Fred Suza's experience was, or if there are any newer experiences about this.

[Chuck Pelto]

TO: All
RE: Sony DCR-SR100 & Mac OS X

I recently got this camcorder.

I've found that QuickTime 7 will NOT play with the MPEGs generated by the camcorder.

I asked Apple Tech Support why not and was NOT pleased with the answer, which was, "Vote to have QT modified to recognize the MPEG-2 format."

This strikes me as Apple being WAAAAAYYYYYY behind the proverbial 'power curve'.

It would take a good programmer at Apple less than a week to modify QT for this. Why they haven't done it already smacks of either stupidity or something worse....pushing us into buying the new Intel-based Macs.

If they come out with a new QT for the new Intel-based Macs that deals with this new format of MPEG and the new QT is not made available for older Macs, we'll know the proof of the matter.

Regards,

Chuck(le)

[Chuck Pelto]

TO: All
RE: Update

The plot thickens, or so the phrase goes.

So I got MPEG StreamClip.

Come to find out, I need the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component. Available at Apple for $20.

So I get the 'component'.

Oh...dear...THAT doesn't work. I need to get updated version.

So...back to the Apple Store.

Come to find out that in order to get the updated 'component'....I have to own their high-end software, e.g., DVD Studio Pro or Final Cut Pro.

I call tech support and ask them about this 'business' practice. They can't help me. I must deal with the Apple Store.

I've sent them an e-mail using their on-line form.

We'll see what developes....

Regards,

Chuck(le)

[Chuck Pelto]

TO: All
RE: SITREP [Update]

Okay.....

I've got the thing running.

The problem was that when I opened the DMG-generated volume that held the QuickTime MPEG2 Playback Component, it had two folders and my windows are configured to for column mode. The long verbiage of the second folder read as QuickTime.....Intell/Mac.

So, I chose the previous one, not having an Intell-based Mac.

And got nowhere.

Then, calling the people at Tech Support and the Apple Store didn't prove useful either. They just gave me, "Download the product."

After digging around I decided to expand the column and discovered the rest of the verbiage indicating that the second folder includes the update for QuickTime 6.4 and above as well as the Intell/Mac.

I installed the update and things work great...so far.

You don't need Streamclip. I say this because iMovie now can work with the Sony DCR-SR100 MPEG images.

I'm still a little concerned as to WHY Apple has not implemented MPEG-2 formating into QuickTime, but I suspect it is political because of their efforts to push MPEG-4 on the world. However, if the camcorder makers are not going for it, heaven and Bill Gates probably know why, Apple ought to take a cue.

Regards.....

[KW]

I am a novice computer user, but I love my iMac and I am wanting to buy a camcorder to capture the antics of my 4 young children.

I like the idea of a hard drive based camcorder, and I plan to perform basic editing. I like the idea of buying the "newest technology" but I am feeing intimidated that I won't be able to follow lots of complicated directions to move between the various programs needed to download and edit the "video" from a Sony DCR-SR100.

Can someone please assure me it's not as difficult as it sounds? I would like to buy a camcorder ASAP. Do you have any advice or is there a better option?

Big Thank You!
KW

[Jeff Carlson]

KW, I'd recommend that you get a MiniDV camcorder, which will enable you to import the footage directly into iMovie without workarounds. I know, a hard drive based solution seems like the way to go, but right now it seems like it's JUST out of reach, especially if you're new to computers.

Also, I want to give a huge shout of thanks to Chuck, Joe, and Fred for your comments here!

Jeff

[Patrick McCammon]

Just got the Sony camcorder for my BIRTHDAY!!! Had the same problems with getting the video out as others. The free viewer VLC allows you to look at the stuff on your computer but I had to get the Apple MPEG-2 add on to Quicktime to get Imovie and QT to see my movies but right now I don't have sound with them. VLC gives me sound so I know that the sound is there but I haven't had time to troubleshoot more than a few minutes or so. Anyone having trouble getting sound out of their movies? Thanks.

[Dave]

How do you record in stereo as apposed to dolby 5.1? I can't figure it out.

[Ken Parsons]

I'm very interested in a hard-disc camcorder like the the Sony. I'd like to use it to record my university conducting students, and be able to post their conducting to my website so that they may analyze their work from their own computers. A colleague who teaches in our Film Studies dept. said that a hard-disc recorder may make compressing video easier than a mini-DV, that it may be possible to choose compression settings right in the camera. Do any of you know if the Sony allows this?

I'd also like to record performances by our university ensembles, so the 5.1 feature sounds great as well. I'm a Mac user, so the comments about the difficulty in integrating 5.1 sound are troubling.

Thanks for any clarification regarding in-camera compression.

Ken Parsons
School of Music
Southern Adventist University
Collegedale, Tennessee

[Sheldon L]

Many Interesting comments. I made the mistake of upgrading to this camera thinking that I could download like I could with my Hi-8 camera. Could someone (?Jeff , Chuck) kindly summarize what additional downloads I need to have a chance at downloading my movies or do I have to wait until I buy an inet based mac!
Many thanks.

[Fred Suza]

Re Sheldon L's comments. Don't understand the refernce downloading like he could with his Hi-8 camera. The Sony is way easier to download the clips. You just connect to your computer via a USB cable and click on a screen that indicates HD. Downloading the material to a file on your desktop is fairly fast. You use the FREE Streamclip to convert and even consolidate your clips at which point iMovie can see them and the files have sound although, granted, only in stereo. No problem for me as I think the 5.1 on this unit is probably overrated. Streamclip must have the Apple MPEG-2 codec for Quicktime in order for it to do its stuff. Other than that, no problem. I had a recording of a show in a 100 year old opera house that was over two hours and iMovie choked on it but the solution was simple. I converted the MPEG-2 material to MPEG-4 with Streamclip and iMovie was then able to digest the file.

[Fred Suza]

Re the following remark by Chuck Pelto:

You don't need Streamclip. I say this because iMovie now can work with the Sony DCR-SR100 MPEG images.

Don't understand this Chuck. I have all the latest on Quicktime, iMovie and the MPEG-2 componet of Apple's quicktime and I still need Streamclip. How did you get sound out of MPEG-2s in iMovie WITHOUT the use of Streamclip?

[Noy]

I just bought Sony-DCR SR100 and a 15" MacBook Pro and came across these problems w/ MPEG2. First, I bought $20 QuickTime MPEG2 Reader from Apple.com which enables me to view the video, but doesn't produce sound. After searching around, I tried MPEG2works and MPEGStreamClip, I was able to create an MPEG4 or QT that is compatible to iMovie. It took 3 min to convert 250MB mpeg2 into mpeg4 file. Then I uploaded the mpeg4 file which is now bigger than 250MB into iMovie. The upload time for it to load into iMovie took almost 7 min.

Question 1: I was wondering if this is normal for it takes so long to Convert and Upload into iMovie ?

Question 2: If so, is there anything that I can do to decrease these uploading time before editing(or speed up the uploading time to iMovie)? The camcorder offers 30GB which I would like to use its full potential, but that means it would take forever to convert mpeg2 to mpeg4 and to upload to iMovie.

PLEASE HELP ME. My first mistake is that i didn't realized that this would be a problem else I would have bought a different camcorder o next. I love this camcorder and my new MacBook pro.or computer. I just spent so much money and I'm so lost to what to do ?

Question 3: I talked to Apple tech guy, and they said that mpeg2 isn't great for video editing. What am i missing here ?

[Steve]

I am very interested in this camcorder. I am really not looking to edit video but only consolidate on to DVD's.
Any advise?
Thanks!

[steve]

By the way I am using a mac!

[Keith Munson]

My daughter has a DCRDVD-105 miniDVD disc Sony Handycam. If I get her a MAC for college this fall, what software will she need to be able to import and edit vidoe content? My brother-in-law has a MAC and tried to work with one of the video discs, but concluded that they are incompatible. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Aly]

I'm writing because I just purchased this DVD Camcorder. After reading al of these posts, I'm a little scared of the whole importing thing. In any event, I found a some solace in Chuck's post that after purchasing Apple's mpeg2 add-on and having QT Pro all is well.

Chuck, before i make the investment in purchasing the mgeg2 add-on,is that all I will need? I have QT 7 Pro. Once I install this add-on, will I be able to get the video and the 5.1 sound in iMovie HD and iDVD?

Thanks for your help!

[sean]

I bought an SR100 today. My first camcorder. I have been waiting for them to go HDD - and also waited for the birth of my first to be bothered to get into video.
The lack of Firewire is infuriating. All importations must be by USB.
iDVD asks for a Firewire connection to a DV camcorder, so will not connect to the SR100 for easy DVD recording. Files copies to the local HD can not be opened in iDVD.
I can connect the SR100 as an external HD. Then do a file copy to the local iMac HD. Then import the mpg file into iMovie from the imac HD. Every minute of video takes about 9 minutes to import on a 800mhz G4. If you recorded your video with 5.1 sound (which is the default), then you will not get any sound in iMovie. I found QT7 plays the original mpg file with rather shit quality video, and without any sound when it is made in 5.1.
So much for the promise of one-touch DVD recording. When I asked the salesman whether this unit was mac compatible he said "Of course it would be, else they wouldn't sell". I feel like taking it back and throwing it at him. This is my first and last purchase of anything from Sony. How can they make a device that is supposed to be cutting edge when it is designed not to work with standard mac applications?