I am attempting to capture foottage from a Sony tape deck to FCPX.

Sony HD tape deck to FCP 10.2.3 iMac 2017. My cable and connectors are IEEE-1394 to 6 pin firewire, What do I need now in order to adapt the 6 pin firewire to Apple Thunderbolt and where can I purchase it?

Thanks for your assistance.

Hello, the cabling isn't pretty — and there's no simple solution — but with three (!) adapters, this can be done. I'm connecting a Sony DSR-45A digital videocassette recorder to an iMac Pro to create Final Cut Pro X archives of old tapes. My basic Firewire cable is one that Sony supplied years ago (with pale violet connectors). The small 4-pin end plugs in to the "DV" port on the recorder, and the cable has a standard Firewire 400 (6-pin) connector at the other end. This needs to be converted from Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 (using a small, inexpensive adapter) in order to make use of an Apple adapter: Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt. Now we're getting close, but we need one more adapter: an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. The three adapters together are almost 13 inches long, but they each do their job, and on my system they work flawlessly. Here are links to the three adapters:

www.amazon.com/elago-FireWire-Adapter-Ma...ts=p_85%3A2470955011

www.amazon.com/Apple-Thunderbolt-to-Fire...TEYF2MP72ZPZHNZNTD2R

www.amazon.com/Apple-MMEL2AM-Thunderbolt...bolt+3+adapter+apple

Good luck!

Christopher Campbell
www.cbcampbell.com

Apple has an 8 pin FW to T'bolt adapter. You're on FCPX 10.2, on a brand new iMac? Why?
www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/app...-to-firewire-adapter

FCPX.guru wrote: Apple has an 8 pin FW to T'bolt adapter. …

looks like T2 … iMac2017 asks for T3/usb-c, see above above post.

fun coincidence: actually 'digitizing' 18 (eighteen!) years old tapes, brave Sony Cam with a smashed TFT, tapes stored sub-op in a shoebox - works like charm! Impressive. Lucky me, my ol' 2012 macMini has a fw-port, so, just one cable needed - but don't ask real people in real e-supplier shops for 'firewire' - just laughter. My Thanks, and 8€, belong to the skilled people in Shang Zhen … LOL

I have gotten as far as the 400 pin firewire to 800 pin firewire adapter, however, I cannot locate an adapter from 800 pin firewire to thunderbolt for the latest 2017 iMac.

I have searched Amazon and Google but no success.

Any URL's that I might try in order to locate the final stage of these connectors?

Thanks

OK, so we're into the USB-C type of Thunderbolt 3 adapter? Wow... you may need to also find a T'bolt 1 to T'bolt 3 (USB-C) adapter. I have one for an old T'bolt 1 drive on my iMac Pro.

Or just get a Thunderbolt HUB that has FW800 on it. I've seen a few of those around.

Not sure if either (extending the daily chain or HUB) will work.

I'd seriously consider a cheap, old Mac laptop off of eBay that did only one thing, capture tape, with an older OS version and native FW and everything. Capture all that tape there with QT or something, WiFi those files over to the newer Mac for editing.

Thank you. I greatly appreciate your suggestions. I am a retired network documentary/news camera guy now producing pro bono fund raising videos for the Homeless. At my age it wouldn't be wise to purchase one of the latest Sony's so I must stick with the old tape method of recording images. Your idea of capturing the footage to my older Mac using QT and then bumping the footage over to the new iMac is a good one. I shall proceed in that direction.

Thanks very much.

Up to date camera and such saves you tons of time, so it "could" be worth while. But, yeah, pro bono, you use what you got. I'm interested in how you get that old tape deck working.

I have taken excellent care of my old Sony tape deck and it still functions well. It just didn't keep up with the times. Come to think of it, I guess I haven't either. I will attempt a work-around as suggested.

Thank you for the list of 3 adapters I have but really desperate to get control of the Sony DSR-1500A.  I used FCP for years when DVCam was platform but lacking understanding of new Final Cut basics to get control of the deck.  I can't get any response using ILink out of the deck through all three adapters and I can't get anywhere.  I have really important footage on DVCam and just looking for easiest way to capture at best possible quality.  I could really use a consultant that could help me with this very important matter.  Greg Belger

Can you tell us which Mac you're using, with OS and FCPX versions? Also which cables / adapters you've got.

IIRC, you should be able to capture but will have to operate the deck manually.

Hi, thanks so much for responding.  Here's what I'm starting with:
3 adapters from Sony DSR-1500A to Mac thunderbolt output(1).  elago FireWire 400 to 800 Adapter(2).  Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter(3).  Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 AdapterMac mini (M1,2020) macOS Monterey 12.3.1Final Cut Pro 10.6.3


Thanks again, Greg Belger

Gbelger02 wrote:

… I can't get any response using ILink out of the deck through all three adapters and I can't get anywhere. I have really important footage on DVCam and just looking for easiest way to capture at best possible quality.…

on its way thru THREE adapters, the firewire-protocol sometimes can get lost. Consider, if really important, to purchase a used 2012 MacMini as import-machine, which offers a 'native' fw-port, eBay, <$$ than all the adapters…

using such an oldie here, importing DV tapes (not DVcam…)  like charm, FCP10.5.2

Hi, thanks for that idea, I do have somewhere a G$ or 5 with Firewire and FCP on it already.  I suppose it could be resurrected for capture.  I will try it and see.  Thank you, Greg Belger

I've been meaning to test this, but client work keeps interfering...

Also running a current M1 Mini, and have all the adapters, just need to find my FW400 mini to FW800 cable and I'll be in business! I'm hoping my DSR-11 doesn't complain too much.

UPDATE: Sony DSR-11 --> FW400 mini to FW800 cable --> FW800 to TB1/2 adapter --> TB1/2 to TB3 adapter --> OWC Thunderbolt Hub --> M1 Mini (Monterey and FCPX up to date).  It's working perfectly.  I get deck controls at the bottom of the import window, the deck shows up identified in the left hand column, source TC and deck status overlays, capture works great!

Well I'm really jealous it seems like I got just as far physically as you described but could never get the tape deck to be recognized. I really spent a long time trying everything possible to no avail so even though I'm jealous, I think it's still the best plan to try an older machine. I tried several of my older machines and didn't have any luck with any of them. But the one thing I did find out is I could successfully install Final Cut Pro after locating my original installer discs and upgrade discs. I was surprised that I was able to install everything on old iMac and it worked unfortunately I should have remembered that the iMac doesn't have a graphics card so I crashed and burned as soon as I tried to open Final Cut Pro but I did discover my installer discs and everything were still good. So I've been looking on eBay for old Mac mini and I found one that has -6 pin FireWire 400 output just like the Sony DSR 1500A. In addition this old Mac mini also has a DVD drive so I know it would be no problem installing Final Cut Pro. But then there are much newer Mac minis with fire wire but that would be FireWire 800 and although I would prefer to get a newer machine to do this it seems like it may be a risk trying to use a newer (old) Mac mini than an older one with the same six pin 400FireWire Jack as the deck. Would you have any advice on that? Thank you, Greg Belger

Greg, the protocol is the same for FW800 and FW400. All you need is a FW400 to FW800 adapter or a FW400 to FW800 cable.

6-pin FireWire-400 to 9-pin FireWire-800 Adapter
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/971879-RE...pter_9_pin_male.html

FireWire 800 9-Pin to 6-Pin Cable, 6 ft.
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1254202-R...4b_firewire_800.html

OK I really have to admit I'm very jealous that yours is working and mine is not. They are such similar set ups now that starting to make me crazy because I would so much rather be able to capture with my M1 and avoid trying to move all those video files around. In your response it said you were using a thunderbolt hub could that have something to do with my problems. I have no idea I tried everything and it won't recognize the deck yet you're telling me your  DSR 11 showed up and is working fine that's starting to make me crazy.  Is there some set up preference that I'm not doing or maybe my adapters are different from yours except for the Apple adapter. So did you have to do any kind of set up or preferences to select the DSR 11? Thank you again for any help you can provide. Greg Belger

Greg, you may also want to check your cables. It's possible that one or more of your cables is faulty. Do you know that the deck actually is in working order?

Decks can be finicky. The manual for the DSR-1500A says to unplug the device you're connecting the deck to. The manual also mentions connecting the FW cable to the other device first, then to the deck. The proper input select button and setting should be double-checked...

Yes that's one thing I do have going is that I found a DSR 1500A with 89 hours on it. It's in great shape I have had no issues at all with the deck. Just cannot seem to have it recognized in final cut pro. I just wonder if anyone has successfully captured from a Sony deck to a Mac mini M1 and had tape deck control. And that's not even absolutely necessary I don't care if I have to control the deck manually but I can't get Final Cut Pro to import anything from A FireWire output deck.  So it seems the best course of action is to buy an old Mac mini  just to do the capture and be done with it.  My my only question now is should I get a 2010 range Mac mini with six pin fire wire 400 out or get a newer old Mac mini that has the FireWire 800 output. That's what I'm not sure about as to whether it would be most likely to work with an old 2010 or something newer that would have fire FireWire 800 output. Does It matter?  Thanks, Greg