Avi video clip import question

Hi all, I am new to iMovie, seeking for help here. I use Vegas video (PC) to edit my home video for long, just bought a copy of iLife 06, it is impressive. I have many video clips in AVI format, when I import them in iMovie, does it actually convert the file to different format? If I capture video in iMovie, what video format would that be? The reason I am asking is because I still want to share the video clips in both Mac and PC platfrom. Thanks in advance!

Assuming all files are in the DV codec, iMovie will not "convert" a clip since that clip is in the DV codec. When iMovie captures, it will capture create a QT file in the DV codec (while Vegas captures an AVI file in the DV codec). Vegas will recognize a QT DV clip just as iMovie recognizes an AVI file DV clip. Beyond that, if you create a .mov file within iMovie and want to play that on a PC, the PC will need the QT player (which is free) in order to veiw the movie.
Mike

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JDunlop,
thanks for your quick reply to my java.sun.com forum posting! i just got back from vacation, so i didn't get a chance to try your method til now. i pulled your email address off the website to update you on my problem playing an avi file in JMStudio (JMF).
as per your instructions, i downloaded the divx player at www.divx.com and tried to play the avi file. this is the error the divx player gives:
Divx Player 2.1
The file contains unknown video data
The file contains the following type of data:
Video data: FOURCC code "MP42"
You may need to install a new video codec on your computer to watch this video
Some quick questions:
1. Where could I find the "MP42" codec to play my avi file in JMStudio (JMF)? Does java.sun.com have video codecs?
2. You mentioned in your posting "If you don't have the one that was used in the encoding, your out of luck." Does this mean that I need to know how the avi file was originally coded and have the original codec to decode (play) it?
Thanks,
lac410
P.S. If you need more Duke Dollars for your help, I'd be happy to award them to you.
Re: Please help: Why JMF does't play .avi video clip?
Author: JDunlop Jun 5, 2003 5:00 AM
sounds to me like you are missing a video codecs. If you don't have the one that was used in the encoding, your out of luck. Download the player from divx.com, it will tell you which codecs the video needs (if it won't play). You can then search the net for that particular codecs.

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I import my avi video clips taken from my canon camera to imovie by makin them a .mov file
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[Edit] not sure why/how they were working before. Usually, with either the Xvid, or DivX CODEC's, one will get a Cannot Import error, or will get either Audio, or Video only. I have never been able to edit any Xvid, or DivX files, in either PrE, or PrPro - never even once. I just convert, if the client cannot get original source files, and I even have a quality loss diagram to show them how the footage will look - not very good, IMHO. I make them sign-off on that quality loss, before I start.
Message was edited by: Bill Hunt - Added [Edit]

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If you look at the CODEC, it is Xvid, the opensource version of DivX, just as I suspected. These will almost never work in PrE. The best workflow is to go to before the Xvid compression (these are heavily compressed, loosing a ton of data and quality), or to convert them to DV-AVI Type II files with 48KHz 16-bit PCM/WAV Audio. I use DigitalMedia Converter, but it is shareware. Many users sing the praises of the free Prism to do the conversions. I have never used it, but many here have, and give it very high marks.
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Hunt
[Edit] not sure why/how they were working before. Usually, with either the Xvid, or DivX CODEC's, one will get a Cannot Import error, or will get either Audio, or Video only. I have never been able to edit any Xvid, or DivX files, in either PrE, or PrPro - never even once. I just convert, if the client cannot get original source files, and I even have a quality loss diagram to show them how the footage will look - not very good, IMHO. I make them sign-off on that quality loss, before I start.
Message was edited by: Bill Hunt - Added [Edit]

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(34335)

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Avi video clip import question

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