Imovie & FCE integration

For speed, is it easier to import edited clips into imovie for some pre-programed presentations?
(I am new to this-just bought a video camera 2 months ago and promised my group I could present a movie/documentary with 2 days of shooting and 1 day editing... The further I get into this the more I see how complicated it really is. I don't know if 6 weeks of practice in FCE is going to be enough to pull off this presentation.

iMovie is a pretty capable program for simple documentaries and its learning curve is much less daunting than FCE's. If you haven't done so already, I'd encourage you to look at some of the training books/DVDs available for FCE. Two of the best are Tom Wolsky's Final Cut Express Editing Workshop and Diana Weynand's Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Express.

Similar Messages

  • Digital Camera Movie Clips in iMovie, FCE or FCP?

    I was wondering if anyone has come across a digital camera that takes movie clips in a format that can either be edited straight in iMovie, FCE, FCP or one that takes the clips in a format that can be easily converted over to something that one of those three programs use. Thanks.

    Virtually any of the Sony digital stills cameras will shoot 30fps as long as you use a Memory Stick (..or smaller Memory Stick Duo..) Pro as the memory chip. The faster access speed of the Pro chips lets you shoot at 30fps.
    Similarly with other, such as Fuji, cameras: as long as there's a high-speed chip in there, such as a high-speed Compact Flash card, you'll probably be able to get 30fps (frames per second). Check the instructions on the camera box, or camera manual.
    However, some jerkiness may be apparent when using iMovie HD, as that tends to offer 'DV 29.97' as the frame rate for 30fps movies, whereas, I think, things were smoother in previous versions of iMovie, in which the 'NTSC' choice (29.97 or 30fps) really did seem to use 30fps instead of 29.97.
    That's been my experience, anyway.
    [..See a quick'n'dirty comparison here for QuickTime 7 users, or (a rather more jerky version) here for QuickTime 6 users..]

  • Where Can I Compare iMovie, FCE, FCP?

    Can anyone refer me to a resource where I can compare the attributes of iMovie, Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro?
    I made movie a while ago with iMovie HD mixing slides and video clips. I was very pleased with it, although it felt a bit limiting. I'm about to start a similar project, and I'm trying to decide what to do it with.
    I've tried the later versions of iMovie, and quickly got rid of them, going back to HD.
    I think I'd like to move up, and FCE looks right. FCP looks too expensive and way more than I need.
    I searched a little here and on this forum but didn't see any side-by-sides. Any help out there?
    Rich

    being the iMovie-guy here at the boards (have a look there...), I'm switching to FCE for quite a while, because it IS the next step in movie making.
    the learning curve IS steem, totally diff. concept, in user interface, in handling, in workflows. no '1-click-done'-app, you have to understand a few rules & concepts of movie-making and -techniqué.
    I'm very much recommending any book from FC-mastermind *Tom Wolsky*, who's participating here. as a non-english-speaker, I really like his laidback tone, easy to understand, allways hands-on, no tech-blabla, ... a teacher, in best means.
    I'm used to use Soundtrack.. for sure, you can accomplish similar tasks in Garageband, which is basicly the same.
    LiveType offers some marvelous effects, I can use in my son's action-movies.. like this (the explosion is a LT effect!)
    for easy integration into iLife/mobileme, simply use the new features of QT_X player.. in FCE, Export Movie (which is a small/fast reference.mov), open that with QTX, upload to your mm-gallery or YT or.. no stress with settings and codecs and.. simple&convenient.
    FCE4 offers - aside support for modern camcorders - integration of plug-ins.. so, if you don't want to build your own effects, or got used to iMovies instant-themes.. there's a wide range of (many free!) plugins, which teach FCE new wonders..
    FCE - my best investement into software ever..

  • IMovie-- FCE HD + Keynote --- Possible?

    Have a lecture recorded and set up with iMovie on a website (http://st-dominic-church.org/bible-lecture-1.html). With the lecture was a powerpoint with pictures and now that I have the powerpoint would like to integrate it and place slides where they belong. Is there a way to take the iMovie of the lecture, import into FCE HD, add the slides in the appropriate place and remove the video of the speaker, retain the audio and cut back and forth between the speaker and the slides, keeping the audio sync'd? In the future, I'll be using a canon camcorder for the movie portion and would like to integrate the slides after the lecture rather than panning back and forth ...then uploading to the website.

    You could do this in iMovie, although it is probably easier in FCE.
    The easiest thing to do is place the entire clip of the lecture on V1. Then simply overlay the slide stills on V2 where you want them.
    When viewed, at any point in time if there is something on V2 it will overwrite what's on V1.

  • Rules for iMovie/FCE/iDVD

    Reading through many posts seems I find some general rules of thumb not found elsewhere. Thanks in advance for all comments.
    For serious video editing work and creation an external firewire HDD is needed, mainly to avoid dropped frames in either FCE or iMovie (iM). The new 20" iMac and external HDD (with 2 firewire connections, for the input device (DV camcorder or DV/SVHS deck) and to the iMac) should be able to run either FCE/iM.
    I just did a 45 min project in iM with no noted dropped frames but likely would in much longer projects if I don't get the external drive?
    Audio bit rate. Advice I read for iM is that without 16 bit audio the audio gets out of sync in long projects--does FCE also need 16 instead of 12? Not knowing this need, I've recorded a number of projects (with a DV deck and a DV camcorder) in 12--can I capture to the iMac/external HDD in 16 if I'm playing from a source tape that's 12?
    Chapter Markers. Seems there are "Rules for Chapter Markers" that I won't repeat here but suspect they apply to both FCE/iM when used with iDVD. Do those rules apply when you use DVDStudio instead of iDVD? One rule I haven't seen yet is that one should likely not use the apply chapter markers option in iDVD as it could apply a marker that violates the "rules" and cause strange results in the DVD when played, right?
    Any other rules or concerns I've missed--perhaps always max out on RAM even if its rather costly? What other basic tips or secrets should I know for editing with these products?
    Dale

    "..The new 20" iMac and external HDD (with 2 firewire connections, for the input device (DV camcorder or DV/SVHS deck) and to the iMac) should be able to run either FCE/iM.."
    This may not be true if you're trying to connect a Canon camcorder to the Mac at the same time as an external hard disc: Canons like to have the FireWire circuit all to themselves, and so you may need to do it in two steps with a Canon ..capture to the internal hard disc, then unplug the Canon, plug in the external disc and transfer the movie clips across to the external, and then use that for editing. This doesn't affect Sonys, which happily work with other FW devices connected to the system. I don't know about Panasonics and other brands (..I haven't tried my Panny with an external disc connected, and am in too much of a hurry at the moment to try it. Maybe later today..)
    "..can I capture to the iMac/external HDD in 16 if I'm playing from a source tape that's 12?.."
    No ..FireWire's a digital connection system, so what goes in at one end (..12-bit source tape..) is exactly what's captured at the other end (..iMac/external HDD in 16..)
    One way to convert would be to play your source video into another camcorder through analogue (RCA) connections, with the 2nd camcorder set to record in 16-bit ..or use some other device which accepts an analogue signal IN, and provides a digital signal OUT. That'll recapture the sound in 16-bit, and it can then be transferred into your Mac in 16-bit. But the video may be degraded a little, and it's rather long-winded.
    It may be that, once imported as 12-bit, GarageBand can convert 12-bit audio into 16-bit ..I don't know: I'm not that familiar with GarageBand, sorry..
    Just try testing your 12-bit audio in iMovie or FCE first ..some people have no difficulties with it ..others do. (..That may depend on whether you're using only your original 12-bit audio, or if you're also trying to mix it with 16-bit audio within the movie project..)
    However, note that - once again - Canons are quirky. Because of the way that their own particular internal 12-bit timing runs, Canon-shot 12-bit tapes may give the audio drifting out-of-sync a little on single clips which are longer than 20 minutes. This shouldn't be apparent on ordinary short clips, but if you've shot, say, a school play or concert as a single take on a Canon in 12-bit audio mode, the audio may slowly go out of sync after 20 mins, and would need correcting in iMovie or FCE.
    Can't comment on Chapter Markers in DVD Studio vs. iDVD ..I've never had any trouble with Chapter Markers.
    "..always max out on RAM.." ..more RAM usually helps; the most noticeable improvement is when jumping up from, say, 256MB to anything above that. The next jump, from 512MB to 1GB is also useful, but doesn't provide such a spectacular improvement as that first increase. More RAM generally means that your Mac has less need to swap things from RAM to "virtual memory" on your hard disc, so less "disc thrashing" as material's repeatedly swapped back and forth, and greater speed of access if you're not constantly reading to and writing from the hard disc.
    Fitting a second internal disc, in Macs which can take it, and putting your movie project on that ..or on an external disc, as you suggest.. also relieves "disc thrashing" and any instances of the OS trying to get access to the hard disc at the same time as the movie program wants access.
    To stop any delays in accessing an external hard disc, as soon as you've reformatted it to 'Mac OS Extended' (..using Disk Utility..) then open System Prefs, and the 'Spotlight' preference, and then click the 'Privacy' tab, and drag the external disc's icon into the big square space which is labelled "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations". That stops Spotlight indexing every video clip which you import onto the external disc, which can slow down disc access.
    The cup-of-tea icon is a good thing to click on every now and again, in both iMovie and FCE. That lets you stop editing for a while, have tea and biscuits, and come back refreshed, with new ideas..!

  • IMovie 6 FCE - odd error, plan B?

    Hello!
    Bear with me - i'm an old time pro at iMovie (1, 4, 5, and 6), and have just upgraded to FCE HD. As in, loaded it up 6 hours ago!
    So, why did I upgrade? I'm pushing the outer limits of iMovie - particuarly with titles, transitions, small video effects, and other motion - exactly what FCE is better at! I see this is going to be a huge learning curve - and i'll work my way up eventually.
    In any case, I have been working on an iMovie - er, rather - half a dozen iMovies, which will eventually be combined and iDVD'd. Basically, I've been taking pictures with my Nikon digital still camera, photoshopping together some silly scenes, and placing them in the video track, complete with narration, SFX/VFX, music, and so on. It's kind of like a video comic book, actually. Each is around 5 minutes. Most are done, but there are a couple of fixes i'd like to make in FCE - particuarly with sheer lack of title options in iMovie (and plethora of them in FCE/Livetype)
    Well, my biggest worry is about the problem many seem to be having with iMovie transitions not importing, or screwing up the sync between audio and video. It seems many of the posts (that I saw) were posted in 2005 - before iMovie 6 and FCE 3.5. Has that changed?
    Said error is as follows: After trying to import an iMovie project via the import command in FCE, It gave a warning - "File Error: 1 file recognized, 0 access denied, 1 unknown."
    Ooookay...
    So, plan B - better safe than sorry. Like I mentioned, most of these "movies", more of chapters really, are finished. It's just one or two I'd like to re-work a bit.
    Since this is mainly just a hobby, i'm not TOO worried about pristine quailty, just as long as the timing is correct. So, I should probably just export what I have, and re-tool the resulting movies on FCE. Question is, what format should I use? It's a DV project, so I can just export "full quality", however I don't know enough about FCE to know what it's "native formats" are.
    Oh - I have also tried to simply open the "Timeline Movie" from the Cache folder in the iMovie project (control-click the package, "Show package contents"), but it siezes up FCE.
    In any case, the one critical condition about the movie is the timing - because I don't have a video camera, and the movies are made with stills, the timing between audio and video is pretty critical.
    Well, I hope that made sense - I think I need some sleep!
    Just in case: I'll repeat the questions:
    1. What does that error mean?
    2. Are the iMovie > FCE oddities fixed?
    3. If not, what's the best format to export my iMovie, to import into FCE without too much quality loss?
    4. Is there any special thing I need to do to ensure that the audio and video of the exported movie sync up?
    Thanks for helping this newbie!
    -Dan
    PS: I'm hoping to get a MiniDV camcorder for my birthday in 2 months. (well, i'm asking at least! ) Are there any particular things I should check for in a model to ensure maximum FC compatibility?
    15" 1.67 Powerbook G4 (non-HiRes), iMac DV (9.2.2)   Mac OS X (10.4.6)  

    Hi Daniel.
    The problem with converting iMovie into FCE is that it is like changing apples into bananas - a tricky task!
    As for an export choice I am not absolutely sure without doing a test but I think "Full Quality DV" will be the best. (I have only got iMovie 4 so don't know whether iMovie 6 has different options).
    Just test it and see - it will probably take less time than writing a letter!
    Ian.

  • Why is so hard for FCE or iMovie to read AVCHD files?

    I have some AVCHD files (.MTS) on a hard disk. No camera. And no, the directory format has not been preserved. The files were just copied, and renamed for backup purposes. "Log and Transfer..." in FCE gives me an error about the directory structure. And I can't import with iMovie (just won't let me select the files.)
    Now, I think I would have a better chance of finding a solution, if I knew why Final Cut Express 4 or iMovie 7.1.1 can only read the AVCHD file format from the camera directly, or when the directories are setup in a particular way.
    Why can't it just read the file? Like how any program can read a JPEG without having to plug-in a camera or create a folder called "PRIVATE" or whatever?
    I've wasted several hours on this problem today, and the the only conclusion i can come up with is that Apple has some seriously incompetent or just plain lazy engineers.
    There must be a proper technical reason... right?

    Hi -
    Jason Moore3 wrote:
    It's just so weird that all FCE and iMovie can read the files - they just require you to "connect the camera". Why is the camera so important to reading the file?
    It's not. It's just an easy way to insure that when FCE or iMovie are looking at the file storage directory, FCE or iMovie will see all the files, the metadata, the media, etc.. It also makes for an easier work flow- just plug in the camera, no need to off-load files and remember where the are stored, etc.. And, it helps develop a workflow where people are not just copying the media files to another disk without the metadata, as in your case, or make a mistake and copy the metadata without the media.
    Imagine this: three big tractor trailers pull up outside your house loaded with stuff. As you go out to meet them a driver hands you a small package. You open it up, and inside is a complete description of what is packed, how each item is packed, where each item is in the container, and how best to unpack the containers for the easiest installation in your house. That is what the metadata does. Could you unpack the containers without it? Yes. Is it the optimal way? No.
    Many threads discuss how it's possible to backup the whole directory and making a disk image and then "tricking" iMovie/FCE into reading the files, which leads me to think that this stupidity is intentional.
    This is not a trick. iMovie has the "Archive All" button on the import window. To later access those files you would use the menu File > Import > Camera Archive. In FCE, where one would expect a slightly more computer savvy user, you can use Disk Utility to create a disk image of the contents of the camcorder files, then later, use Log and Transfer from within FCE to import the footage from that disk image.
    Someone doesn't want people to actually have a HD video format that is easy to work with (OMG pirates!!) and so it's been crippled to make it a PITA to work with.
    Hmmm, well, all you have to do is follow the recommended workflow - connect the camera, import the footage, and edit. FCE and iMovie take care of the footage conversion from AVCHD which is a format incredibly difficult to edit in to a format that allows easy editing, all without user intervention.
    The end result is, I can't view my own content.
    The system Apple developed of converting AVCHD to either AIC or Pro Res is probably the best way to make the editing process as painless as possible for the end user.
    Having said that, Sony Vegas, a windows application, will natively edit AVCHD files, without any conversion. I don't have any experience with it so can't say what the experience is like, but it might be an alternative for you if the iMovie/FCE workflow is not working for you.
    Hope this helps.
    Message was edited by: Meg The Dog to fix typo

  • Imovie unable to capture DV, apple support told me that a pc is better!!!

    I recently bought an apple imac with a view to editing DV footage taken previously.
    I had captured some of these tapes on to a PC previously using Pinnacle studio. These files I was able to edit on imovie (once I had transferred them from the pc hard drive). HOWEVER although I could control my dv camera through imovie (and FCE) none of my old DV tapes could be captured to the imac. An error message states that the frame rate is incorrect.
    I have apple care protection and have spent ages trying to get support for this only to be told that imovie will not capture my old DV tapes! The support person told me that I should go back to a PC!
    Unfortunately I have just spent thousands on this very nice looking imac and FCE that is apparently unable to do the most basic capturing. Does anybody have any ideas (other than going back to pc) for getting my DV footage captured?
    Needles to say I have foind all thi incredibly frustrating as a new apple user. Are these sorts of issues common to imacs?
    cheers
    rupert

    HOWEVER although I could control my dv camera through imovie (and FCE)
    none of my old DV tapes could be captured to the imac. An error message
    states that the frame rate is incorrect.
    Rupert, first be aware that I've never done what you are trying doing so I'm not an expert. But perhaps I can clarify some things to help others.
    It's not entirely clear what you mean by "capture". The word normally means capturing video from a camcorder to iMovie/FCE. In fact, you say you can control your DV camera just fine, which I assume means you can capture video successfully from your camera to iMovie.
    The problem you have, rather, seems to be the inability to IMPORT the DV video files previously captured on the PC.
    Is that correct? Is the problem the inability to import those files?
    An error message states that the frame rate is incorrect.
    If yours is an import problem, that error message may be an important clue. iMovie can work with both NTSC and PAL video -- which have different frame rates -- but not both in the same project. It may be that your iMovie project is NTSC, but you're trying to import PAL video.
    The General tab of iMovie preferences lets you set the default frame rate of a new project. In the popUp menu the bottom of the page, NTSC is 29.97 frames per second and PAL is 25. They become the default frame rate for new projects.
    iMovie respects that frame rate for a new project, but will switch if you connect your camera and import some video of the OTHER type. If your camera is PAL, iMovie will switch your new NTSC project to PAL. Once switched, however, it won't switch back. Once switched to PAL, it will ONLY allow you to capture PAL video from a camera, and, I suspect, only allow you to import PAL video files.
    So... If your PC-captured video files are PAL and your iMovie project is NTSC, iMovie might complain with that error. (But as I said earlier, I don't know for sure.) The trick may be to set the iMovie preference to match the captured DV files.
    If you open one of the PC files in QuickTime Player, the Show Movie Info window will tell you its frame rate. Make sure your iMovie preferences are consistent with that frame rate, create a new iMovie project, and try to import the file. If it works, that was the problem.
    Karl

  • How do I import video from my canon vixia hv40 into imovie?

    How do I import video from my canon vixia hv 40 into imovie?

    First decide which editing program you intend to use; iMovie, FCE, FCP, Adobe Premier, etc. Read the user's manual or Help files for your chosen application to determine the steps needed: the procedure will vary somewhat from application to application.
    Next, with the camera and the computer off, connect the Firewire cable to both units, then power up. Set the camera to VTR (play) mode. Open your editing program and follow the instructions provided in the Help files for capturing DV footage from tape.
    Do NOT expect the camera to mount on your desktop as if it were a hard drive or optical disc.
    -DH
    Message was edited by: David Harbsmeier
    Message was edited by: David Harbsmeier

  • Why can't I get any audio sound on my Hi8 video capture in iMovie?

    Hi
    I have just captured some video clips from my Hi8 Camcorder and exported it to iMovie on my Apple Mac. Unfortunately there is no audio sound on the captured video. Can any one help? I am using Roxio Video Capture USB to capture the video from my camcorder.
    Nazimoja

    >I am using Roxio Video Capture USB
    That's the problem.  The Roxio device captures in a highly compressed, multiplexed (muxed) format that isn't intended for editing.  Muxed files won't playback audio without the proper software installed on your system.  You could try using MPEG Streamclip to convert the captured files to an editable format, but that means you'll be taking a double hit on quality.
    The proper way to capture analog footage for editing is to use a  qualified "DV Device" (DV camcorder, converter or VTR) to convert the analog signal into a Firewire signal and use iMovie, FCE or FCP to capture and edit.  Or, in your case, you could use a Digital8 camcorder for playback directly via Firewire.
    FWIW, this is the Final Cut Studio forum.  The iMovie forum is located here: https://discussions.apple.com/community/ilife/imovie?view=discussions
    -DH

  • Combining FCE Project Files Contents

    I started a wedding project on my external hard drive (importing footage via imovie as I can't import direct to FCE, probably due to slippage on the camera - not sure that's relevant though). The pins on the power cable snapped. While waiting for a replacement cable (ages!) I carried on the project on my imac hard drive. My external drive is now back in action, so I would like to now combine what I have on the wedding project on my imac, with what I started on my external drive - and carry on from there as I still have some footage to import and edit.
    I think I am ok moving the media clips across (which I have on the imac desk top) to the capture scratch on the external drive. My question is around what to do about the project file on the imac. Can I somehow combine that with the original project file on the external hard drive?
    Or am I trying to approach this the wrong way?

    Thanks very much for this Ian. I am quite new to FCE, so just to check my understanding - unlike imovie, FCE projects have a media file (containing the movie clips) and a separate project file containing all the references to how the clips have been edited etc?
    If I just copy over the timeline of the continued project on my imac over to the original project on the external hard drive, does that mean the clips and the reference info will all be copied over and will automatically then live in the original media and project files respectively?
    And even more basic - to copy over, do I just click into the timeline, go Edit, Select All (which will pick up video and audio tracks) and then Edit, Copy - and then paste into the timeline of the original project?
    Apologies if this is all rather lame!

  • How to import .mpg files into FCE ?

    I have succesfully installed the MPEG StreamClip & flip4mac into my iMac. So now I can both play wmv files on my iMac as well as importing wmv files into iMovie & FCE.
    But now I have another problem:
    1) How do I play mpg files on my iMac ?
    2) How do I bring import mpg files into FCE ?
    Thank you.

    R. Mitchell Fore wrote:
    QTPro gives you many more capabilities than the free player, but I don't think you need it to do anything you've described. You DO need the MPEG-2 Playback component. I'd start there, then see if you need any of the options provided by QTPro.
    Hi there,
    I have purchased the MPEG-2 Playback component from the Apple Store.
    I can now convert the mpg files to mov using the MPEG StreamClip.
    However, I cannot playback the original mpg files using QuickTime Player. I can only playback the original mpg files if I click on the mpg file then goto more info & change open with MPEG StreamClip.
    But how do I open with QuickTime MPEG-2 playback ? I do not even know where the OS installed the MPEG-2 Playback component to ?
    Thanks

  • Combining 16:9, 24p and standard NTSC in FCE

    Please forgive the newbie ignorance, but I seem to have gotten myself into a severe predicament with no practical way out. Here's the situation:
    In a rush of naive enthusiasm, a desire to NOT indulge my usual tendency toward perfectionistic procrastination paralysis, encouragement by others—including experienced advisors, albeit one with Windows/Avid-only experience and the other a successful, working director/screenplay writer with a minimal understanding of technical issues—and finally, getting snowed by glowing sales brochures with hidden fine print that glossed over critical compatibility issues, I borrowed a s-load of money and launched my documentary by jumping out of a plane with the following parachute:
    1) Essential outdoor footage (rushed to take advantage of good summer weather) shot at 24p in true 16:9 on a borrowed Canon XL2.
    2) Equally essential indoor footage (and pretty much all remaining future footage) shot in standard NTSC (29.97i? 4:3) on my Canon GL2.
    3) An aging dual 500 G4 that's been expensively brought up to minimal Final Cut Express standards through a series of hundred bucks here, several hundred bucks there steps. (I probably could've bought a new Mac for what I've spent on techno-duct tape for the old!)
    4) A desperate hope that I might find some way to get 1-3 to work together before I hit a rapidly enlarging terra firma!
    Lest you think I'm totally nuts, let me say in my defense that I have been experimenting with post-production procedures along the way—first with iMovie until it became obvious it wouldn't do the effects I wanted and now with FCE, which will handle the minimal fancy-schmancy stuff my doc needs. But now based on my fitfully improving understanding of the technical constraints, I believe I've been misled by "false" iMovie and FCE WYSIWYG images that implied I could meld my XL2 and GL2 footage without problem.
    To be more specific, I was able to successfully capture the XL2 footage in iMovie through my GL2, or at least I thought I was. I assumed the data, being digital and all, would capture correctly regardless of camera. When I could see it squished horizontally in 4:3 on my monitor, I assumed it had transferred correctly and could then be manipulated however I wanted. After I got FCE, I seemed to be able to capture the two kinds of footage and even put them together (of course, with corresponding letter- and pillar-boxing), but am now thinking I've got a mess underneath what I see on screen.
    All of which is to ask, Is there any practical way to solve my problem? My piggy bank is down to its last few pennies, and short of winning the lottery, my immediate possibility of getting more cash is nil. My quixotic goal is to turn this mess into a real (24p, 16:9) movie. (If I can get them combined, I plan to use the discrepancy in quality between the two kinds of footage as an "intentional" effect).
    Three other questions: After reading another discussion thread, I got JES Deinterlacer to see if it could successfully convert my NTSC to widescreen 24p. The small clip I used was glacially slow to convert, which is frustrating but could be an acceptable workaround except that it appears the result is severely degraded (which makes sense since the file size is 10% of the original). My original thought was to crop the top and bottom of the 4:3 to fit it in with the 16:9 (instead of stretch it) and have the resulting increasing contrast in resolution be part of the inside/outside "effect." Can JES, or something else, solve my conversion problem? If so, will FCE be able to handle the result?
    Second thing is one of my original XL2 tapes was lost so I took my iMovie version and put it back on tape through my GL2. Has this been degraded from the original? What is happening to the 24p, 16:9 data as it goes back and forth from camera to hard drive through iMovie and FCE.
    Third is I found several threads that warn specifically against capturing from a Canon camera to a firewire hard drive. I seem to have had no problem so far, but is there something corrupt underneath that I can't see?
    Hoping this long post is not too annoying (maybe my mistakes can help others avoid similar ones?) and that there's a miracle out there that'll keep me from crashing and burning in a fireball
    Many thanks, Chris
    G4 Dual 500   Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

    "There is not quality degradation for digital content upon printing to tape or copy, even from a iMovie version. DV is a already compressed digital material, edited in the compressed format, so you can go far beyond 20 generations of copy without significant degradation.
    "It's not exactly the same thing with HDV (because there is a conversion by Apple Intermediate Codec at each capture/print process)."
    Thanks, Michel. I guess I'm still confused about the gist of the capture process, which seems to be what led me into this mess in the first place. I understand that the raw data is digital and that it won't degrade if it's copied, which is what I thought capturing was in essence. But if DV capture is standardized, what—if it's not some kind of codec-translation filter—makes the resulting media files different depending upon which application (and camera?) is used. (I know cameras can record differently—thus my XL2/GL2 discrepancy—but do they also behave differently in the capture process?)
    The other explanation I can think of for the differences in capturing between iMovie, FCE, and FCP is that Apple has simply restricted the aspect ratios and frame rates each app handles as part of the justification for differing prices. I had thought they could each accept the same raw footage but what they did with it afterwards was increasingly sophisticated and therefore costly.
    Live and spend lots of money to learn!

  • Can't find the list of supported cameras for FCE

    Found the one for Final Cut, but not FCE.
    Anyone have a link?
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