How to export HD-project to .avi including HD-quality and timecodes

Question

Hi,
I have an iMovie HD 6 project that I have imported from my Sony HDR-HC3 HD video camera. The project is a HD-1080i-25 project. I want to export this project to an AVI keeping the HD quality (same quality as the DV-tape). What settings should I use to make this happen? I don’t want to export it as a QuickTime .mov file but as an .AVI file that I am able to play in a media player that supports HD. I also want to keep the 16:9 format and timecodes. One other purpose with this file is as a backup (if the DV-tape should be damaged) so it must be possible to import it into iMovie again if that should be necessary.
Is all this possible?
Thanks in advance.
Jarle

Answer 1

Your best option is to export to .dv using the Full Quality DV preset. It will preserve all quality including the timecode.
On the other hand the Expert export settinngs of iMovie 5 and 6 are buggy because exporting via the expert settings as a DV stream or .avi deinterlaces video and loses the timestamp!!
Workarounds: Export .dv via the Full Quality preset (this is more convenient anyway). Exporting as .dv (or DV-encoded .avi) via QuickTime Player Pro also preserves interlacing and timecode.
http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/iMovieHD_6_bugs.html#expertsettings
If you export via QuickTime Player Pro, then use the following settings:
Export: Movie to DV Stream
DV Format: DV
Video format: PAL (I am European)
Scan: Interlaced (notice that this option only sets the corresponding flag -- it does not do ANYTHING else to the video!)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (this options also sets the corresponding flag so other apps can properly treat the file)
Audio Format Rate: 48.000 kHz (I believe there is not much difference between locked vs unlocked audio -- unlocked seems to be the default)