Sony HD Camera to Apple computer to Sony blue-ray to Sony HD TV???

Great site folks! I have spent some time here perfecting my still shots over the years. Now I would like to make the switch to video but I'm having some issues. While doing a search I came up with some good information but most were not using a mac. I have a Sony HDR-SR11 camera with a 60g hard drive that I would like to edit with on my Apple Powerbook G4 60g computer then burn a disk so I can watch it on my Sony KDL46Z4100 HDTV. So I guess a blue-ray player will also for final viewing. This is my list of questions. Any help with this would be huge!!!

1. My Apple powerbook is a few years old with only a 60g hard dive. Looks like I will also need some kind of external hard drive. Here are a few options from $100.00 - up. http://www.apple.com/search/store/?q=hard+drive As most people I'm looking for a seamless system with out any issues.

2. Best software to use with the mac? Right now I have imovie 06 that does not work with the camera. Should I upgrade to imovie 08 or get final cut express 4 http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB278Z/A...;mco=MjE0OTM1MQ . The imovie 08 is in ilife so the cost is less. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB615Z/A...;mco=MjE0NTM2OQ .

3. Blue-ray burner looks like it will meet my needs for burning and playing the videos. http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores...552921665491094

Sony HDRSR11 to

Firewire to

Apple powerbook G4 and G-tech hard drive 1TB.

edit with Final Cut Express then to

Firewire to

Sony blue-ray burner and also play here to

View on my Sony kdl46z4100

Do you feel this should work or should I go back to stills? Man this good deal on the camera is starting to add up fast.

Well, I hope to here some good answers on this also! I am running a Sony HC-7 in a Gates housing. Right now I am using Final Cut Express for editing and then burning to DVD or running it back to the camera and then plugging the HDMI cable from the camera to my HD TV and it really looks GREAT! I really want to get this going to disc at some point.

I can answer a couple of your questions...If you haven't used any editing software before, you might find iMovie 08 usable...if you have any editing experience, I think it might drive you mad!!! I really like Final Cut Express. It takes a little while to really learn all of what it's capable of, but it really is a great product!!

The Blue-Ray burner you linked to does not list the MAC as a compatible computer...It may still work, but there may not be compatible drivers. I would love to see a list of BD burners that are compatible with MAC!! I know that Toast Titanium 9 with the BlueRay plugin will work for the burning software.

Your flowchart looks good, we just need to the right pieces of the puzzle...mainly the BD part.

It looks like many people are having the same issues. How hard could it be shoot, edit, watch. Ha, ha wish it was that simple. I spent some years in a studio but we were A/B rolls and Avid system when they first cam out. This style is all new to me and I have been avoiding it. Now with my 8 month old son running around I found the need to get back into it. When I have the bugs worked out I will pick up a housing for the SR11. The shooting part is the easy part.

I'm glad my chart looked ok. I was thinking I was really messed up on the concept.

1. My Apple powerbook is a few years old with only a 60g hard dive. Looks like I will also need some kind of external hard drive. Here are a few options from $100.00 - up. http://www.apple.com/search/store/?q=hard+drive As most people I'm looking for a seamless system with out any issues.

If portability isn't an issue, I would check out PCMCIA eSATA solutions. There's a 120MB/s limit but it's faster than FW800 easily. Do a search in the forums for details.

But first read below....

2. Best software to use with the mac? Right now I have imovie 06 that does not work with the camera. Should I upgrade to imovie 08 or get final cut express 4 http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB278Z/A...;mco=MjE0OTM1MQ . The imovie 08 is in ilife so the cost is less. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB615Z/A...;mco=MjE0NTM2OQ .

I would check IF your PB G4 can even handle HD. I believe Quicktime lists machines for 1080i/p and 720p playback. AVCHD is VERY processor intensive. Same for minimum requirements with iLife.

3. Blue-ray burner looks like it will meet my needs for burning and playing the videos. http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores...552921665491094

AFAIK, only Adobe Encore CS4 can author in BD in OSX. When I tried it, it was slow and unreliable (20% dead disc yield). You can also buy Toast 9 with BD plug in to make basic menu movies. I believe for Final Cut Express, you will need to be quite knowledgeable about MPEG2 settings for export for Encore. With Final Cut studio, compressor handles all that more easily.

Good luck.