Beta video tapes into iMovie: How?

I have been given the family task of converting old Beta video tapes (& a couple VHS) onto DVD.
I have an old Beta VCR, not video camera. How do I get the Beat vido footage onto iMovie?
eMac Mac OS X (10.3.9) iMovie 3.0.3

Hi Laila:
Hopefully you have a Beta VHS Player handy:
Click Here for From VHS to DVD
Give New Life to Old Movies
That may help you. (There are 5 pages-don't skip any! :))
Sue

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Problems with importing video tape into iMovie '08

I'm using a canopus advc 110 to import video tapes from a vhs recorder into iMovie. BUT, the process often stops after only a few minutes when I still have a long way to go. I'd like to be able to leave it to work for 20-minute chunks (longer if possible, but I think that's about the limit), but it keeps stopping after a few minutes. When I come back in the room, it keeps trying to import (time in upper right corner keeps going) but had quit earlier according to time on the lower center of the iMovie screen. This is adding to my frustration and time, which is limited. Any suggestions??

The canopus advc 110 will work IF you have a perfect tape.
Look at the Grassvalley ADVC300 it has the ability to compensate for bad tapes. Using Line Time Base Correction (LTBC), ADVC300 instantly cleans, stabilizes and preserves old VHS and Hi8 videos in clean DV format. No need to monitor, just start and forget. Fast forward the tape all the way and then rewind all the way before import will never hurt.
The program that comes with the ADVC300 has some nice filters that can improve video and audio of the source material. The ADVC300 will take Audio and Video from any source and convert it to FireWire (iMovie will treat it like a camera).
http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300
The ADVC300 is for anyone who wants to do editing and is concerned about quality of color and speed, for the novice it is an incredible gizmo that will restore VHS tapes to a state close to the original fixing midtones, highlights and shadows on the fly. Not only can you simply convert analog to digital you can actually manipulate the signal going in (if you want to).
A bit pricey bit it WORKS.
I would use iMovie 06 with iDVD 08/09.
iMovie 08 and 09 uses 'single field processing' meaning every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage. iMovie 06 uses ALL of the image to form the video.
Your workflow is editing DV clips and making DVDs, so iMovie 06 is better suited. Your movie will arrive at iDVD in DV format, which is an ideal match for making a DVD: same resolution, same pixels aspect ratio, and original quality. If you share your movie from iMovie 09, it gets re-rendered at 640x480 or less, and then iDVD upscales it back to 720x480. The end result is obviously not as good.
iMovie 06 and iDVD 08/09 is a "lossless" combination.
iMovie 09 is a wonderful programs assuming that you're using it for what it was designed to do, assemble videos to share on the Internet.

Why Is There A loss In Quality When I impoer a Minidv tape into Imovie 08

I have the latest version of Imovie and this is my first Mac.
I am using SD MiniDV camcorder (NTSC). I import the entire tape into iMovie. Then I export it to a large h.264 m4v file. I am somewhat disappointed about the picture quality of the m4v file.
When I play the tape through my camcorder connected to the TV through svideo things it looks pretty good.
When I play the m4v file on MacbookPro connected to a TV via svdeo or using the TV (DVI to HDMI) as second monitor the picture quality isn't as crisp.
Any idea what I am doing wrong. My goal is to move all my Minidv home moves onto a hard drive at the best possible quality. My tapes are getting old and this seems like the best way of preserving them.
Thanks,
Dan

sorry for 'overwhelming' you with info
yes, all apps copy the dv-encoded material from miniDV devices 'natively' = lossless import..
but only iM08 then adds some 'loss' .. nobody knows exactly, what & how.. but you are not able to EXport lossless from within iM08 ..
example: import dv, export dv = adds blurr and 'magnifies' somehow the same file .. ( ! )
using iMHD≤6, FCE/P allows you, to export lossless = highest quality possible (except the parts of your project, which need renderning, e.g. titles, transitions...)
example: import dv, export dv = same quality ...
so, if _pic quality_ is your major concern, avoid iM08 ..
if you want fast results and export quality doesn't matter: iM08
if you want a Library off all imports ever and full integration into AppleTV/, YT.. = iM08
if you want other codecs than dv and simple use = iM08
if you want all imports for any future project and high dv quality = FCE/P
if you want easy to use and high dv quality = iMHD≤6 ..
if you want other codecs than dv and Hollywood quality = FCP

Can i turn off the Timecode, when importing a DV Tape into iMovie?

Hi,
I have just cut a film on a Pc and exported in on a DV tape. When i tried to import this tape into imovie the film is cut into pieces again. I want to import the Movie in one piece and only add some gimmicks to it.
As i am new with I-movie, does anyone has an idea, how i can do this??
Thanks

Open iTunes. Go to Edit>Preferences>Advanced and change the setting "On CD Insert" in the drop down menu from Import Songs to Show Songs.

8MM Tape into iMovie

Been transferring 8mm tapes into iMovie via my Sony TRV350 camcorder and firewire cable. Goal is to convert all of these to DVD via iDVD. 2 questions-
1) Should the "Automatic DV Pillarboxing & Letterboxing" box be checked?
2) On my camera settings, it has a A/V--->DV OUT option, which can be turned ON or OFF in the menu VCR settings. According to the manual, when it is OFF, it is "to output digital images and sound in analog format using your camcorder." When it is ON, it is "to output analog images and sound in digital format using your camcorder." I have tried importing with both settings (ON and OFF), and it imports fine both ways, and I haven't really noticed any difference. Do you think this actually matters? The 8mm tapes are analog and I want to convert them to digital format (DV), but it appears it's doing that with either setting.
Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

My iMovie version 4 doesn't have those options, but I am guessing they are for 16:9 and other widescreen formats. Your old 8mm video is likely standard 4:3 ration, so you probably don't need those checkboxes.
I think the DV Out only matters if you need the video to be present on the analog output jack on the camcorder (looks like a headphone jack like on an iPod). My thinks that that you always get video output present at the Firewire port but the analog port is probably off when you have DV Out set to ON. So as you found, if you are not using the analog port, it doesn't really matter.
Enjoy,
Patrick
p.s. after several years, I am finally up to analog tape #12 with two more after than to finally finish my analog to digital conversion using my old Sony TRV330 Digital8 camcorder.

HT4623 the software update is no longer on my front screen so I have nothing to tap into. How do I get it back onto my screen so I can update iso

the software update is no longer on my front screen so I have nothing to tap into. How do I get it back onto my screen so I can update iso on my kids iPod touch.

Click on your ipod at the top of the screen.

Importing tape into Imovie 11. How do I import all the clips as one long clip?

How do I import all the clips as one long clip? I have 45 min of footage and I want it as one long take I can edit in Final Cut ProX. When I import, all the clips are split up when the scene cuts. I just want the 45 min in one long video.

iMovie will import the tape as if it is direct from the camera. It will sense the scene breaks and put all the clips in chronological order.
If you want to import it as one long clip, I suggest you load the tape into the app that you edited the tape with. Then export it out as a QuickTime movie in the DV codec. You can import this MOV file into FCPX or iMovie.

Sony DV tape into iMovie corrupts the video

Hello
I'm trying to read from a SONY DCR TRV33 DV tape recorder into iMovie 11. Generally it works but seems to lose frames in transmission. WHat plays niccely on the Sony's VCR function get's corrupted. Connection between Sony and iMac 27'' is firewire. Does anybody know the problem or have an idea on how to solve it? The camcorder is old and as such are the tapes with old memories which I'd like to get converted now.
Thanks much for ideas!
Gerd

Thanks 'Neuroanatomist" - brilliant, this works - but obviously takes longer than being able to do it directly in iMOvie '08!
Let's hope we can SOON do all this directly
Alan

How do i put Video clips into Imovie, Without Iphoto?

Im using Imovie for a school project, and i need to put video clips into it. But for some reason my mac doesnt have Iphoto, and i've read online that the only way to do this, is through Iphoto??? Does anybody know otherwise?? please help!!

If you have a supported camcorder or camera you should be able to import your video directly to imovie from the camera. If the video is already on you computer, select the imovie File menu, then select import to library and navigate to the movie files you want to import. The article below should help you
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2114

Importing VHS tapes into iMovie

I have several VHS movies that I am importing into iMovie from a VCR to a Pinnacle Movie Box DV which is hooked up to my computer. The box is a few years old and I am having a problem. I cant simply start the import and walk away because without fail every so often the video screen in iMovie goes blue and while the tape is still playing, nothing is being imported. I have to stop the tape rewind it to where it stopped being imported, and start again. This is VERY frustrating!!! Is it my box, or iMovie???

Hi
My Guess. There might be drop outs on Your VHS tapes and Your A/D-box stops
importing then.
I payed up for a more costly way. Canopus ADVC-300. But this costs.
Alt. I used was to connect my miniDV tape Camera and download 1 hour at a time
to tape and use this. The tape has been pre-recorded with eg a wall so that I get
an unbroken time-code on it.
one hour passes are better than constantly supervicing.
iMovie is more accepting to drop-outs than FinalCut Express or pro (my experience)
Setting iMovie to import without breaking up in individual clips works better
for me. (Material from VHS/VCRs doesn't carry the information that can divide
into separat clips anyhow)
Yours Bengt W

Importing VHS tape into iMovie.

I am importing VHS tapes into either imovie 09 or 06. When I play back in the program, it has good quality. But when I save it, no matter what format: mp4, .avi, .mov, etc. The quality is very poor when played back on DVD player.
Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong?

I am importing VHS tapes into either imovie 09 or 06.
Use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09.
iMovie 09 and 11 uses 'single field processing' meaning every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage. iMovie 06 uses ALL of the image to form the video.
Your workflow is editing DV clips and making DVDs, so iMovie 06 is better suited. Your movie will arrive at iDVD in DV format, which is an ideal match for making a DVD: same resolution, same pixels aspect ratio, and original quality. If you share your movie from iMovie 09, it gets re-rendered at 640x480 or less, and then iDVD upscales it back to 720x480. The end result is obviously not as good.
iMovie 06 and iDVD 09 is a "lossless" combination.

Whats the best way to transfer VHS home video's into IMOVIE '11 for exporting/editing?

I have been reading about this subject online for a while now but need assistance/guidance before I go out and buy adapters etc. to begin my project. I am attempting to put home-videos of mine from VHS-C format onto my Macbook Pro.....Is it possible that if I use VCR adapter cables that go Red, White, Yellow, to USB I can directly import these VHS home videos into my computer?
I am going to have to buy a new VCR to do this and I would like to find out if this is going to work properly if I buy a VCR and use these Adapter cables I mentioned above.
Throughout my reading on the topic I've ran across a lot of different suggestions for a million different Video Conversion programs etc. although I would feel most comfortable using Imovie '11 on my brand new Macbook Pro because I have faith in Mac Programs for this type of a procedure.
I'd truly appreciate the help I've been wanting to work on this video project for quite a while now and I'm anxious to get some material in digital format to work with.

The VHS tape deck is analog. You have to convert these signals to digital format before you can edit them with iMovie.
There are a couple of ways to do this.
1) You can get a device called a DAC (Digital Analog Converter). Grass Valley makes a series of these. They are pricey, but give good results. They attach via Firewire, so make sure your Mac has a Firewire port. They produce a file in the DV format. You can import directly into iMovie with this option.
2) You can get a device called an EyeTV Hybrid. This will accept your RCA red, white, and yellow on one side, and attach with USB. This produces a file in H.264 format. You import the VHS into the EyeTV software, and then send it to iMovie through a menu choice.
3) Some camcorders have "passthrough" capability, meaning they can take the RCA Red, White, and Yellow in and output digital DV through Firewire. You can import directly into iMovie with this option.
Once converted, iMovie is a great way to edit your movies.
Personally, I use the EyeTV Hybrid. It also lets me view and record over the air HDTV on my Mac.
Here is a sample of my results with the EyeTV Hybrid.

What is the best ripping software to convert my DVD's (scanned from mini tapes) into iMovies

I take my mini tapes to a company which they make into DVD's. I would like to edit them into iMovies. Which ripping software (preferably free) should I use. Please help.

If they use the standard DVD format of mpeg2:
You need to convert the VOB files in the TS-Folder of the DVD back to DV which iMovie is designed to handle. For that you need mpegStreamclip:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/mpegstreamclip.html
which is free, but you must also have the Apple mpeg2 plugin :
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/
(unless you are running Lion which includes it))
which is a mere $20.
Another possibility is to use DVDxDV:
http://www.dvdxdv.com/NewFolderLookSite/Products/DVDxDV.overview.htm
which costs $25.
For the benefit of others who may read this thread:
Obviously the foregoing only applies to DVDs you have made yourself, or other home-made DVDs that have been given to you. It will NOT work on copy-protected commercial DVDs, which in any case would be illegal.

Importing MPEG1 video clip into iMovie

When I import MPEG1 video into iMovie I only get the video portion, no audio. How do I fix this?

http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCDon_a_Macintosh.html#edit_convertMPEG

Importing edited miniDV tapes into iMovie 11

I have a "file" tape of edited products on a miniDV tape, but now, as I try to digitally store it by dumping it into iMovie 11, there is a snafu.
The import process is flawless BUT, then- iMovie restructures the sequence of shots, I'm assuming by date. Not helpful.
Is there anyway I can dump the edited products as finished pieces, and have them stay whole, in the original (intended) order?

If you can load them back in the application where they were created, you can export them as a QuickTime Movie (.mov) with the DV codec.

Beta video tapes into iMovie: How?

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