How to import mpeg2 footage to imovie08?

Question

Get very excited when I get my new macbook, installed imovie 08 and try to create my first movie on the mac, but get stuck in the first step trying to import my HDV video capture clip (1080i in mpeg2 format). I previously captured all my video on xp machine using hdvsplit which generates many transport streams *.m2t files, then I used streamclip to convert to program streams *.mpg. These mpgs can be opend to apps like premiere elements or pinnacle studio without any problem, but when I try to import them in imovie 8, the import window simply grays out the mpg files and not let me select them. Interesting enough, I can open and view the mpg footage using quicktime, so the video self is good, just imovie cannot take it.
I checked all these mpg files using gspot and they report the format as MPEG-2 Program stream (1 vid, 1 aud). I further demuxed it into m2v video only, still imovie cannot let me select those m2v files. I know I can prob convert all my mpegs to quicktime mov files using streamclip, but it will take significant disk space (I have about 300GB mpeg2 HDV source)
for example, the following are what MPEGStreamclip show stream info tells me about my mpeg
Stream: owen-200608_19-06_5711.mpg
Path: /test/video/owen-200608_19-06_5711.mpg
Type: MPEG program stream
Duration: 0:00:21
Data Size: 65.69 MB
Bit Rate: 25.47 Mbps
Video Tracks:
224 MPEG-2, 1440 × 1080, 16:9, 29.97 fps, 8.00 Mbps, upper field first
Audio Tracks:
192 MP2 stereo, 48 kHz, 384 kbps
Stream Files:
owen-200608_19-06_5711.mpg (65.69 MB)
final question.. also will final cut express import these mpeg2 movie footages?
Message was edited by: twinle

Answer 1

I have personally used this trick, and worked flawlessly!!!
iM08 is prepared to import MPEG 2 "ONLY" directly from a connected camera. However, somebody, and I am not sure who, "Tricked" iM08 into believing that the MPEG2 files he had were inside the camera.
You will have to create a folder at root level in an external drive, or an flash USB drive named: mp_root, and inside this, a folder named 101PNV01.
I got to paste what I wrote in another thread:
With a USB flash memory drive, or an external hard drive, create on it a folder named MP_ROOT, inside it create a folder named 101PNV01, now put your mpg-2 files in this folder. Have iMovie open; after creating these files and putting the mpeg2's on it, disconnect the drive from your computer, now, when you re-connect, is like connecting a camera, and with iMovie open already, it will tell you that you have connected a camera etc, etc, now import into iMovie 08.
I use this to import mpeg 2's.
Remember to create this at the root level, at the very highest level in your external hard drive or USB. I do not use a USB stick because my files are very large, I use a external hard drive, so if one does not work for you, try the other one, if you have both.
This is one of the threads were I read this advise:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=5823783#5823783
Message was edited by: gusluz