Convert DVD to something i can edit in iMovie

I'm very new to this, so please bear with me. I am trying to import video footage of myself from a public access cable TV show into iMovie. It appears that the footage is in a .DAT file, because that's the only file of any real size on the disk. It says it is HPIP video. (There are other files in .USR, .BUP, .IFO and .VOB, but they are all under 64k.)
First, what types of formats does iMovie support? Second, how do I convert? Do i need to buy extra software? If so, what is it, where do i find it and how much should it cost?
Thanks!

First, what types of formats does iMovie support?
I have successfully used DV, AIC, M-JPEG, Photo-JPEG, MPEG-4, and H.264 files with appropriately compatible audio compression formats.
Second, how do I convert?
This would depend on the source file compression format. The presence of the .BUO, .IFO, .VOB files make is sound like a standard DVD ("muxed" MPEG-2 video with either PCM or AC3 audio) but the presence of the .DAT file (which you indicate appears to contain the actual data) makes it sound more like a VCD or possibly an SVCD based media. Having no experience with such, I might try to open it in VLC and see it it would play, load, or offer any additional info. It may be that all is needed is to change the .DAT extension to .MPEG (i.e., on a copy of the original file) to open it in an application like iSquint (free), FFmpegX (donation-ware), Visual Hub (pay-ware), or MPEG Streamclip (free but requires $30 MPEG-2 Playback component), or similar application -- assuming the .DAT file is not too large for the application you are attempting to use. These are only guesses and would be things I might try if I were confronted with this problem.
Do i need to buy extra software?
Possibly, but I would not spend any money until I knew more about the files in question.
If so, what is it, where do i find it and how much should it cost?
Hate to be so "less than helpful" here, but until you know what you need to convert the files it would be impossible to say what it would cost. And, in most cases, there may be more than one solution and each with its own price tag.

Similar Messages

  • Ripping home made dvd's so I can edit on imovie 09?

    I have an editing job, but for the life of me have been able to get my mac to recognize my Canon ZR-80 mini dv camcorder. I took it to the apple store, and there mac's wouldn't recognize it either. They wanted me to make an appointment and bring my imac with me, so they can troubleshoot. I said that your mac's dont recognize it either, so why should I bring my mac? they said in case they need to download software.
    I'm not going to do that, so the customer suggested that the use a DVD Camcorder and just give me the disks.
    Question 1: Can a imac play a mini dvd?
    Question 2: What software can I use to rip the dvd? I would prefer to use just one software that can do the whole job.
    Question 3: If the imac cannot play mini dvd's, what would you suggest? don't have the money to buy another camcorder. Thought about asking for advance so I can buy a new camcorder.

    mcintoshmc wrote:
    .. DVDxDV advertises no video quality loss, so I wonder about them. I have a PC also, maybe I can rip the dvd there.
    that's marketing.. I do recommend DVDxDV for converting when you don't need any options, you need DVDs 'as a whole', single-click-app .. fact is: is a DVD is mp2 encoded, an interframe codec with a - sometimes - too low bitrate.. for editing, you need an intraframe codec.. interframe doesn't store every frame, just the 'differences' between frame #1 and #2 .. (.. 12, 13, 14, keyframe= fully stored) - so, where should the lossless-info come from for the non-keyframes? ..
    => there HAS to be a loss, due to usage of DVD. not of software...-
    They tried swapping firewire cables at the apple store and that didnt work either. If I were to purchase a new camera, which one would you prefer that is compatible with imovie 09? I prefer mini dv for editing.
    so, final assumption is: cam kaputt . last try: pull out any battery in device for about an hour.. that could reset ports of device..
    any miniDV you can afford does work with iMovie..
    but there is a huge 'but' ..
    iM09 is, as long discussed here, not choice #1 for handling miniDV/Standard. the long discussed skip-field-problem.. there are workarounds avail, the free one on a website, I'm participating with:
    http://sites.google.com/site/theimovieoutputproject/
    (giving you in-depth info, where and why there are probs with i-footage.. )
    or, switch to HDV (=HiDef on miiDV), and use 720p for recording
    so, two and a half men options:
    • use iMHD6 for miniDV and lossless handling of DV
    • consider the plunge to FCE - handles DV lossless too, plus a pro-editor
    • consider an actual AVCHD-device, record in 720p, use iM09 or FCE4.01 (720p or 1080i)

  • Trying to convert .vob into something I can work with PLEASE HELP

    I figured I would be making a DVD no problem today, but instead I'm dealing with this; The DVD camcorder we used to record my wedding is using .vob format, so when I plug the camera in, I see a Video_TS file with several .vob files, I can't import them into iDVD or anything..
    I have Toast 7, and I read online that you can convert them to .dv with no problem, however when I do export them in this format it is only converts about 2 seconds of the file...thats all it plays.
    Can someone please tell me how I can take these few .vob files and put them on iDVD and finish this project?

    Hello Jcisco,
    have a look at Dan Slagle's Unofficial iMovie FAQ: Using Mpeg (DVD) footage
    http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6010.shtml
    and also Matti Haveri's website: How can I edit MPEG or convert DVD or MPEG to DV
    http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/%7Eshmhav/SVCDon_a_Macintosh.html#edit_convertMPEG
    Tools:
    MPEG StreamClip:
    http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/mpegstreamclip.html
    Apple MPEG2 PlayBack:
    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/
    hope this helps
    mish

  • No longer have a system that can run Freehand but have 1000's of old Freehand files. Can I convert them to something CC can open, like AI?

    I had a graphic design business for 10 years and at the time found Freehand to be the best solution.  Now I'm an InDesign convert but many of the old freehand files I wish I could open and convert to something in CC.  I need to rebuild my portfolio and many of those old Freehand files are great works of art.  I no longer have a system that will run Freehand, is there something I can run that would convert these files to Illustrator or something usable.  I wish adobe would at least make a patch so I can run it on my Mac long enough to get the key files I want.  Anyone have any suggestions or am I just screwed and 10 years of art is gone...

    Your timing is actually good! This plugin was released this month for doing what you need into Illustrator CC:
    Tensai FH>AI Plugins
    As to InDesign, I have been using FreeHandMX to export my files to PDF and trying out these two converters:
    PDF2DTP | Markzware
    PDF to InDesign converter
    The Markzware converter seems better and they have been eager to hear from FreeHand users. Where conversion isn't exact is text and takes some tweaking. Also any problems Illustrator had with converting FreeHand files shows up in InDesign.
    As for running FreeHand on the latest Macs, virtualization with Parallels and Fusion running Snow Leopard is successful and seamless. Also using WIN versions of FreeHand with CrossWeaver and WINE on Mavericks.
    —Mark

  • How to import DVD friend made on Tivo so I can edit in iMovie HD6?

    The DVD will play in my G4 Powerbook's DVD player but won't import into iMovie. I have several important DVDs that my friend recorded with Tivo (I don't have Tivo myself) and I need to edit them in iMovie, so I'd be totally grateful if someone could advise me. Thanks!

    The standard format of a DVD is mpeg2 which is a final delivery format not intended for editing. The files on the DVD will need converting.
    You need to convert the VOB files 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/
    which is a mere $20.
    Another possibility is to use DVDxDV:
    http://www.dvdxdv.com/NewFolderLookSite/Products/DVDxDV.overview.htm
    which costs $25.
    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.

  • Convert DVD to AVI or other editable format?

    Can anyone tell me if there is a way to convert DVD footage to AVI in production premium CS4? If its not can you recommend some good software to do this? I need to add a few clips to a dvd that has already been created by someone else.
    Thanks
    Holly

    Holly,
    Either of the two above answers will satisfy your needs, depending on what you have (software version and also in the way of a DVD). If you would like a bit more background on .VOB's, this ARTICLE might give you some insight.
    Harm made mention of the 100% DVD-compatibility. That can be a big gotcha, with some DVD's. Then, some form of ripping of the DVD is usually the only recourse. That is where Jim's rec. comes in.
    Good luck,
    Hunt

  • Advice on Converter for AVCHD to something Premiere Can Edit?

    I'm dealing with some footage from a consumer camcorder in AVCHD, but Premiere CS3 refuses to
    import it.
    I have looked for converters on Google and tried five different converters. They all produced horrible results.
    Does anyone have a converter that they recommend that does a lossless conversion to something like Quicktime or XDCam format?

    Neoscene looks pretty good.. is it a plugin or standalone?
    Jim, our quad core machines didn't have enough power to run CS4 when we upgraded in Dec 2008, so we had to roll back to CS3 (CS4 would only stutter and halt). CS5 is, I believe, a Windows 7 application, and we're running XP, which is finely-tuned after years of getting to know the OS and the memory management entries in the Registry. CS5 will have to wait until we get a 16-core system and Win 7 64-bit, maybe in 3 more years.

  • Converting a document so I can edit it

    I scanned a document and I am trying to export it into open office but I am only getting numeric fonts and not the document that I want to edit

    To get useful results for editing in OFFICE, you have to first OCR the document. That may have been done at the time you scanned the document, maybe not. The format of the OCR that you use and the manner in which you "export" the data to OO also may make a difference. So, you have left a lot of information out of your 1 sentence for use to help you effectively. So things that are needed: AA version (and sub version is useful), the method of OCR (if done), the export process, and any other relevant info. We are not sitting at your computer watching your keystrokes, so you have to tell us what would see. That way we might have been there too, or might try to replicate your process.

  • What should I convert my .mod file into to edit in imovie hd 5. ?

    I have a JVC Everio GZ-MG505(japanese model)the ultra fine setting records at 720*576 pixels, 8.5 Mbps with 48kHz, 384 kbps audio
    The .mod files stored on the hard drive is some kind of Mpeg-2 with Dolby(2 ch) annoyance! I have freeware called 'steamclip' Which coverts this file.
    Should I covert it to DV(25),DVC pro(25) or Dvc pro(50)? and if I do should i deinterlace the video?
    When it comes to converting to Mpeg I've got more options than you can wave a stick at, which has become bewildering,
    I can-
    export to quicktime, Mpeg with all kinds of audio options
    and there's an awful lot of demux options,
    I tried imovie hd 5. once with mpeg and then with dv(25)
    So what do you reckon? dv or some kind of mpeg variation?
    Oh and you probably guessed but I'm trying to burn it to a NTSC DVD-R
    I would appreciate any advice Thanks

    bitteschön (on your keyboard: alt-o = ö) ;-))
    .. hmm, well, dv, esp for 'video' as on TV and in iMovie should be 48KHz, interlaced...
    that segmenting is just for use with iM≤5, which does not allow import of files larger then 2GB in size...
    frame blending is, to my knowledge, only needed if you change the framerate.. e.g. you have a 15fps iNet video and try to convert it into 25fps PAL... or you do a standard conversion NTSC<<>>PAL ...
    ... probably Matti Haveri meets this thread, he's our Streamclip specialist ... he has a 'tutorial' on his website http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/%7Eshmhav/SVCDon_a_Macintosh.html#edit_convertMPEG (Matti is a little ... 'shy' of using pics on websites ... )

  • HELP!!!! Sony DVD camcorder, i need to edit the video on iMovie

    hi, im using my friends Sony DVD camcorder for a project and i need to somehow edit the video on my mac using iMovie, but the video files arent opening with quicktime or iMovie. the tag on the icon is .VOB
    can anyone help me figure this out??

    im using my friends Sony DVD camcorder for a project and i need to somehow edit the video on my mac using iMovie, but the video files arent opening with quicktime or iMovie. the tag on the icon is .VOB
    VOB files are "muxed" MPEG and as such are not compatible with QT. Even if you have the QT MPEG-2 Playback component ($20) installed, QT is not "natively" compatible with AC3 audio. Basically you have to options:
    1) Get iMovie '08 to do a "Camera Import" which will convert the AC3 audio to Linear PCM and stor it in an MOV file container and then modify the MPWG-2 content effectively turning it into a Motion-JPEG and merge the modified video to the same MOV file container with start and/or end offsets to minimize drifet between the two.
    2) The other option is t copy the non-zero VOB title sets to your hard drive and then use an MPEG-based, third party converter like iSquint (free), MPEG Streamclip (free) with the QT MPEG-2 Playback component ($20), FFmpegX (donation-ware), Visual Hub (pay-ware), etc. to converte the VOB files to an "edit" compatible iMovie '08 (or eariier version) compression format.

  • How do I convert a VLC file to imovie. I have managed to download the mini dvd disc from the video camera onto a USB and have saved the file on my desktop but have no clue how to get it into iMovie so I can edit and send via email. Any ideas!!!

    How do I convert a VLC file to iMovie.
    I've managed to download the mini dvd from the video camera onto a USB and have save onto my Desktop.
    But have no idea how to convert to iMovie so I can edit and attach video to an email and Facebook.

    Edit WMV
    http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/getstarted/default.mspx
    and http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx
    Also... I have NOT used those products, I only forward due to other mentions
    Convert http://premierepro.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:How_do_I_convert_my_files%3F
    Edit Vob http://premierepro.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:How_do_I_import_VOB_files_/_edit_a_DVD%3F
    $99 http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1175714228541#tabview=tab0
    $99 http://www.womble.com/products/mvw.html
    $80 http://www.nchsoftware.com/prism/index.html
    $75 http://www.videoredo.com/en/index.htm
    $75 http://www.magix.com/us/movie-edit-pro/
    $70 http://www.nchsoftware.com/prism/index.html Converter
    $40 http://www.daniusoft.com/dvd-ripper.html#135
    $40 http://www.deskshare.com/dmc.aspx Digital Media Converter
    $00 http://www.squared5.com/ MPEG Streamclip Converter
    $00 http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html Multi-Converter
    $00 http://www.virtualdub.org/ Mpeg to AVI Converter

  • How can I convert a home movie on dvd(vob file) to edit on imovie?

    I had home movies converted to a dvd- the files are vob. Now I want to edit the movies in imovie.
    I am having a difficult time converting from vob straight to mov files.
    I purchased Quick Time Pro thinking that could do it, but I haven't been able to.
    Also, it just says QuickTime Player Version 7.6.4 (518.35) on my computer.
    Is it supposed to say QuickTIme Pro?
    Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

    The "Pro" option just unlocks a lot of features in QuickTime Player. If you look at the registration info, it will show if you have Pro installed.
    For converting DVD's you have two options; hardware or software.
    The hardware option involves connecting a DVD player's analog outputs to a qualified "DV device" (DV camcorder, VTR or converter) then connecting the DV device's Firewire port to your Mac to capture the footage.
    The software option involves using an application like DVDxDV or MPEG Streamclip to convert the DVD's VOB files into an editable format that works natively with your chosen NLE.
    -DH

  • I am attempting to convert 8mm video cassettes to dvd using a video cassette player, elgato video capture with rca/usb connections to the mac, editing in imovie and burning on idvd. The picture quality is awful. What can I do?????

    I am attempting to convert 8mm video cassettes to dvd using a video cassette player, elgato video capture with rca/usb connections to the mac then editing in imovie and burning dvd-r using idvd. The picture quality is awful. What can I do??????

    At what point is the video quality bad?  Is it bad on capture?  I would recommend using an s-video 1394 firewire converter instead.  They capture the video at a higher bit rate.  If you have a lot of 8mm tapes to capture, invest in a stand alone DVD recorder.  They capture and compress in one shot.  If you need to rip it back from the DVD into iMovie again, I would recommend using DVDxDV.

  • What is the best way to back-up and load Hi-8 video onto my i-Mac so I can edit it on i-movie? A camera store will convert it to DVD for $32/120min.ll

    What is the best way to back-up my Hi-8 video tapes and then load them onto my i-Mac so I can edit them on i-movie? A camera store will convert them to DVD for $32/120min. Will I lose a lot of quality that way?

    Quality is not much of an issue with Hi8, the main issue is age of the tapes.  The older the tapes, the more degraded the images are going to be.  Regardless of how you transfer the video, the quality is going to be pretty much the same.
    The "best" way depends on how valuable the images are to you and how many tapes you have.  I did a similar project last winter with a collection of 14 Hi8 tapes that dated from 1994 to 2002.  I bought a converter bridge (Canopus), maximum RAM for my Mac, and a huge hard drive.  I also decided to get Final Cut Express because it had more ability to enhance the pictures after downloading them.  I am very happy with the results, but it cost me nearly $1200 for the upgrades, equipment, and software.
    The only other thing to consider is to be sure that if you go with an outside vendor (like the Camera Store) that the files they provide for you will be in a format that iMovie can recognize.
    Good luck.

  • How can I convert dvd's to import them in final cut express 4?

    I try to import .VOB .IFO .BUP files from a dvd. I want to edit that dvd and add titles but I can't do anything with it. Quick time wont open it ether.
    It's probably a basic thing that I should know. But I don't.
    Can I do it or I need a special software to convert it???

    Hello it's me again. I think I was too happy, too soon. I downloaded mac the ripper and ripped the dvd. Now it's in my sequence folder but in the same format. Is there something I didn't understand??? Final cut wont open it...

Maybe you are looking for