If your USB camcorder is not recognized, follow these recommendations:

1. For best results, use a qualified device. iMovie '08 works with the DVD, HDD and Flash memory-based camcorders listed in this article.
   
2. An Intel processor is required for AVCHD video support. AVCHD DVD camcorders are currently not supported by iMovie.
   
3. If your camera is connected via USB and the camera turned on, follow one or more of these tips to reestablish the connection to the camera.
   
   
   
   • Turn the camera off and back on again.
     
   • Disconnect the USB cable from your computer and reconnect it. Do the same with the camera as well. If the camera is connected through a USB hub, try connecting the camera directly to the computer.
     
   • Quit and reopen iMovie.
     
   • Restart the computer.
     
   • Try another USB cable, and/or try the camera with another computer running iMovie '08.
     
     
4. Open Apple System Profiler (from the Utilities folder) to see if your camera appears in the USB section. If after following the tips in Step 3, you do not see your camera in Apple System Profiler, try resetting the USB connection as described in this article and check again.
   
5. If you are using a flash-, disc- or hard-drive-based camera and the camera and its clips are recognized in iMovie, but certain clips will not import, or import without audio -- try another flash card or disc in the camera. Alternately, back up the footage from the camera and reformat the camera's flash card or the drive from the camera. Record some new footage and see if this works properly. (Consult your camera's documentation for more information on how to back up and reformat the camera's contents.)
   
6. Make sure you are recording your footage at the normal or 'high quality' camera setting. Some cameras allow you to set a higher compression rate to fit more footage on the camera's storage medium. Footage recorded in this format may not be recognized by iMovie.

iSight or other webcams

iMovie supports built-in and external iSight cameras. It also supports some third-party IIDC and USB webcams. If your iSight or webcam is not recognized, follow these recommendations:

1. If your camera is a built-in iSight or a webcam connected to the USB port on your computer, open Apple System Profiler (from the Utilities folder) to see if your camera appears in the USB section. If your camera is an external iSight or a webcam connected via the FireWire port on your computer, check to see if your camera appears in the FireWire section of Apple System Profiler.
   
2. Make sure that no other applications, such as iChat, are currently using the same camera. Try quitting any other applications which could be communicating with the camera. If you have Fast User Switching turned on, make sure no one else is currently logged in and using iChat, iMovie or another application which could be using the camera.
   
3. If you are using a non-Apple USB or FireWire webcam, check with the manufacturer of the camera to see if drivers need to be installed for this camera to be recognized by iMovie. If so, make sure the drivers are up-to-date.
   
4. If you have more than just your iSight camera connected (such as a DV camera or other webcam), try disconnecting the additional camera.
   
5. If the camera is connected externally, try unplugging and replugging the camera into the computer. If it is connected through a hub, try connecting the camera directly to the computer instead.
   
6. If after following the tips in Step 1 you still do not see your camera in Apple System Profiler, try resetting the connection as described in this article.

Last update: 10:26 AM Monday, January 14, 2008