Import 16:9 MiniDV tape

I am trying to create a 16:9 format DVD and am getting very poor picture results.
I am using a 3 CCD camera, Sony TRV 950. I set the camera menu to 16:9. When I import the video into iMovie 6 the picture looks distorted at first because it appears in a 4:3 frame. At the end it goes through the automatic letter boxing process but now the picure looks distorted again because it is wider than the 16:9 format, like a widescreen DVD (anamorphic?).
The final result looks like a 4:3 format DVD with black stripes on the top and bottom, not like a native 16:9 movie. The picture looks very grainy and not as good as when I have both camera and iMovie set to 4:3.
What am I not doing right? Any suggestions? Thanks for you help.
Rainer
15 inch PowerBook G4 1GHz Mac OS X (10.4.5)

If you uncheck the letterboxing option the picture
will look distorted in iMovie but will look right and
fill the 16:9 screen. On a regular 4:3 TV you loose
part of the picture on either side.
Am I right? If so such an explanation could be added
to the iMovie help section to clarify this point. I
am using iDVD.
I am trying to figure out the same thing. I made an experimental DVD with letterboxing unchecked during import to iMovie. I made the DVD using iDVD, and it made an anamorphic picture that looked great on the 16:9 TV (that stretched the image correctly).
However, the DVD would not play right on a standard 4:3 TV; it just looked distorted (squeezed). I could not get either of my DVD players to play it correctly on a 4:3 TV.
So, I think iMovie and iDVD just passed the anamorphic image through as if it were an regular 4:3 image. My HD TV can stretch it, but the DVD player thinks it is a normal 4:3 image.
I suspect that some flag should be set somewhere on the DVD indicating that the DVD is anamorphic so that the DVD player knows to letterbox it when connected to a 4:3 TV and not letterbox it when connected to a 16:9 TV.
So, I also would like to know how to use iMovie and iDVD to create a widescreen anamorphic video from and 16:9 camera that will play properly on both a 16:9 and a 4:3 TV.
As far as I can tell, if you shoot in widescreen, you can make a DVD that will play on a 16:9 TV. But to play it on a 4:3 TV, you have to reimport it from the camera to iMovie and letterbox it. If you want both, you have to go through the whole process twice and have DVDs for each kind of TV.
As you said, a non-amorphic letterboxed DVD expanded to fill a 16:9 TV creates a pretty poor picture.
I've been poking around the iMovie website looking for answers with no luck. Maybe iDVD has some option to create a proper widescreen DVD.
I'm using iLife 06 - latest versions.
Terry
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6) PowerPC G4, PowerPC G5
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

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How can I import from a MiniDV tape and keep the clip order

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Import from Panasonic MiniDV tape to iMovie08

Panasonic MiniDV tape camcorder model NV GS 25 GC
(Software MotionDV STUDIO that came along with the camera indicates that is is compatible with Windows OS only. The website for the software also indicates compatibility with Windows OS only.)
I have MBP with Leopard OS.
When i connect the camera to the MBP, the digital photos taken in the camcorder can be shifted to iPhoto but the movie recorded in the tape is not recognized. The device 'NO NAME' has two folders. DCIM which has the still photos. MISC has a file AUTPRINT.MRK which I guess is the file for movie is not recognized.
Kindly suggest how to solve this problem. I need to transfer the MiniDV tape recorded data to iMovie08
Thanks.
from a user new to MAC world.

Try this.
This Camcorder has both USB and Firewire connections. Use the Firewire connection for importing into iMovie. You may need to acquire a firewire cable, but a firewire cable should have been included with your camera..
Camcorder must be plugged in (not on batteries).
Open iMovie.
Connect the Camcorder with Firewire.
Turn on Camcorder to Playback mode or PC mode (depends on camcorder)
Camcorder should be recognized.
Import the video from within iMovie 08.
USB connections work on some camcorders (those that store video to SD cards). Those that use mini-DV tape should use firewire.
Message was edited by: AppleMan1958

Does FCPX still import video from MiniDV tape?

I just went from Snow Leopard to Lion and now my trusty old FCP 6 will not install. Apple says they're sorry but there's nothing they can do to help.
So...I'm nervous about FCPX but am willing to learn if it will still import video from my DV deck from tape. Also, does FCPX do automatic logging and batch capturing from tape like FCP 6 did? I appreciate any advice.

***** that Rosetta is no longer part of Lion and you can't install PowerPC programs.
I have created partitions on my hard drive and left enough space on one partition to keep Snow Leapard and I have about 3 apps on that partition that are not compatible with Lion and reboot in SL to use those apps.
If you really wanted to export back to tape after creating a video in FCPX, you can export the video as a Quicktime, reboot in SL, open FCP6, import the video and send to tape.
Long workarounds to simple soulutions from the past.
I have FCP7, so I don't have to reboot in SL.
Message was edited by: tjwaido
Ha ha, Apple blocked me from saying S u c k s.

Importing edited miniDV tapes into iMovie 11

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Importing final edits from miniDV tape

Good afternoon,
I have a bunch final cuts of family movies that I stored on miniDV tape. I would like to import these onto my Mac, but when I do so in iMovie I lose all the edits. Basically, iMovie imports the movie as separate clips.
Is there a way to simply import the final film and leave it as just that, the final film, sound and all?
Thanks for any thoughts on this.
Cheers,
John

Hi
There are bit's here I do not understand.
You've got miniDV tapes.
With "final cut's" = final edited movies ?
a. There are several Video editing programs - some named so that one might think they were related as iMovie 1 to HD 6 ---- iMovie'08 to 11 ---- and iMovie'13 (version 10).
b. There are no Common Video editing language/system - so if one edited in FinalCut - there is no way to get an editable version over to iMovie 1 to HD6 - oor other way around. There are some rudimentary Export functions that move the un-edited raw material between (sometimes) but no transitions, texts extra Audio etc etc are progressed over. This goes for Adobe Premiere and Avid Media-100 too.
c. If You have a playable (edited) version on tape - then tool of choise is iMovie HD 6 as it can import movie as a full block (not splitt in individual clips) - FinalCut are not so easy to get to do this. iMovie'08 to 11 are not meant for interlaced video (as on Your tape = loses every second line when You try to create a new projeect or Export from them)
So as You see - my fantsy is limited - Please tell exactly what You've got on Your tapes - if TimeCode is broken or continuos without any dropped frames (flicker of black, no sound) (this happens if one record - then take a look at the sequence - but forgot to set Camera to find end of sequense to link to next recorded sequence) - If timecode is broken - it has to be handled in a special way.
And - tell exactly what You want to do with the material - when successfully in Your Mac again.
Yours Bengt W

Unable to properly capture HD video from miniDV tape in FCE

unable to capture HD video from miniDV tape
When I connect my Sony HDR-HC3 miniDV HDV camcorder to my iMac via firewire cable and use Final Cut Express to capture the video from the tape, I do not get a Capture window that allows me to specify in and out points, I just get a playback window that immediately starts capturing and the only option I have in this window is hit ESC to stop capturing. If I let this capture window continue to capture the video from the camera with miniDV HD tape, then the entire tape would be captured as one massive single video clip.
QUESTION: Is there something I change or do to make the proper capture window appear where I can specify in and out points to capture from tape for each clip?
NOTE: using same camera and tape with iMovie with automatic capture enabled, all the clips get captured properly. I also tried to use the manual setting in iMovie and it worked too.
More details(read only if you want more information)
I have a several miniDV tapes containing HD video created on a Sony Sony HDR-HC5 and Sony HDR-HC7. Unfortunately, both these camera were stolen, and I have since moved to a camera that uses flash memory, not tape. However, I need to get the video footage off these tapes, so I bought a used Sony HDR-HC3, it plays the HD miniDV tapes just fine and iMovie reads the video from this camera just fine, but Final Cut Express does not.
When I setup Final Cut Express, I used the Easy Setup and specified:
Format: HD
Rate: 29.97 fps
Use: HDV-Apple Intermediate Codec 1080i60
These setting match those of the camera and recorded tape. If I use any other settings but these, then Final Cut Express never sees the camera and never opens any capture window at all. Using Quicktime 10 movie inspector on the clips captured by iMovie from same camera, all the clips match this setting too.
Final Cut Express version 4.0.1
iMovie 09 Version 8.0.2 (821)
iMac 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4GB 1067 MHz DDR3 running
Mac OS X Version 10.6.4
My Final Cut Express scratch disk is a Seagate 2TB external USB 2.0 Hard Drive that has been formatted to be Mac OS Extended (Journaled). This external disk is also where iMovie successfully captured all the video from the same camera.

Thanks for the answer. It makes me sad. I thought using Final Cut Express would be an upgrade to a more robust editing system from iMovie, yet iMovie does a superior job of logging and capturing video from HDV video on miniDV tape in comparison to FCE. Not only does iMovie capture each clip on the tape into it's own video file automatically, it also includes timestamp information in the filename indicating when the clip was originally recorded, which appears to be something that is missing from Final Cut Express. Now I realize that HDV miniDV cameras had a relatively short life span in the consumer marketplace and have since all been replaced by flash and hard drive based AVCHD cameras, but from circa 2004 to 2007, miniDV HDV camcorders were very popular and I am sure there are lots of consumers that must be super frustrated by Final Cut Express limited ability to log and capture clips properly from these cameras.
Assuming I do not want to make a rough cut of video in iMovie and prefer to begin my editing project in Final Cut Express (not doing XML export of iMovie project), I need to determine the best way to get clips captured via iMovie into Final Cut Express and determine if there is anything inferior in the iMovie captured clips that I need to be aware of. So far it appears that both iMovie and Final Cut Express reduce the 5.1 surround sound captured on the HDV miniDV tapes to stereo sound, which is not a big lose given the 5.1 sound was recorded from camera's built-in microphone, but it makes me wonder if the video is reduced in any way by the iMovie import process, examining the video in quicktime's inspector window the video appears to be the same in both iMovie and FCE, but I'll research the answers to these questions elsewhere on this forum and post additional questions if I do not find the information I need.

Loading content from multiple MiniDV tapes to one DVD

I am being offered this "One Touch" feature on iDVD to copy my Camera footage to a DVD. I am wondering what the best process is to follow if I wanted to, say, merge :30 minutes of content from one MiniDV and :20 minutes of content from another. Should I be uploading to iMovie instead? If I have the ultimate objective of a. having copies on DVD instead of MiniDV and b. using the content for video editing in iMovie, what is the best process to follow?
1. Move all MiniDV to DVD and then work from that?
2. Import clips into iMovie and move them to iDVD?
Tips, best practices, advice appreciated.

Brian,
It's pretty much agreed here that the best storage medium for your MiniDV tapes, is the tape itself.
I tried OneStep once. Yuk. I bring everything into iMovie HD.
1.: No.
2.: Yes
iDVD 5 Getting Started
Apple's iMovie Learning Site
Apple's iDVD Learning Site
Ken Stone: Authoring in iDVD 5
My favorite, by far:
iMovie HD & iDVD 5: The Missing Manual
iPhoto 5: The Missing Manual

What are the correct setup and system settings for importing HDV video from tape?

I keep trying different "easy setups" and system settings/preferences in order to import both the audio and video from HDV recordings on miniDV tape to no avail in either FCE4 or FCP5. I import via firewire from the camera. My computer "sees" the camera and controls playback (I can hear the audio) but no video displays for capture (just color bars).
My camera is a Canon Vixia HV40 and my computer is a MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard 10.6.8.
I've tried the HDV easy setup...no video...
I've tried HDV 1080i/60 as I saw recommended somewhere else...no video...
Captures standard video just fine but I'd like to try editing some higher def footage.
Any suggestions?
Many thanks.

The combination of all these helpful ideas solved the problem.
I set AV settings to HD and Apple Intermediate Codec HDV 1080i/60 AND set the cameras output to "locked" HDV. Funny, it had been on "A" (Auto) before and should have simply sensed the need for HD output. I then tried to capture using "A" again and this time it detected the difference between SD footage and HDV footage (I had clips of both kinds on the same tape).
I ran similar capture tests on FCP 5.1, FCE 4, and FCPX and all three programs captured HDV video and audio.
Thanks again everyone. Be sure the camera is set to output HDV or "A".

I imported a 17' MiniDV piece into iMovie and it's lost synch. How can that be? I have done no editing, I just want to make it into a DVD.

imported a 17' MiniDV piece into iMovie and it's lost synch. How can that be? I have done no editing, I just want to make it into a DVD.

Hi
Do You mean miniDV tape (interlaced video PAL or NTSC) ?
If so - iMovie'08 or 09 or 11 - are not tools of Choise if You want a DVD as result - They all discards every second line resulting in less quality.
Sync. Problem - If miniDV tape - How was it recorded -
Audio mode - Is Camera set to record in 12-bit 32kHz - Should be 16-bit 48kHz
Recording mode - SP (60 min on a 60 min tape) or LP (90 min on 60 min tape)
If LP-mode - Then You need - Same Camera as recorded - tolerances is to small even for a Camera of same brand and type to play-back.
I would use FinalCut Express and a setting of PAL/N TSC and 32kHz audio if Camera is set to record in 12-bit
If LP-mode - iMovie HD6 is more tolerant in Captuing than FinalCut and Imediatly after Import/Capture - Extract Audio
And set iM HD6 to NOT IMPORT AS INDIVIDUAL Clips - to many drop outs to work.
Yours Wildly Guessing Bengt W

IMovie08 share to miniDV tapes

This appears to have gone with imovie08....
I have a Sony HDR-HC7 miniDV high def camcorder and I can do all the HD editing I need to in iMovie08... the problem is that because HD (or blu-ray) is so young I can't yet easily burn and view high def DVD's to watch on my HD ready TV...
My solution was to make the video film and then export it back to tape so that I will be able to use the tapes and make those DVD's when HD technology is more affordable and available.
I was starting to use iMovieHD 6 to do this but have encountered horrible audio bugs in my transitions... (see my previous post).
My question.... Is there any way to share back to miniDV tapes with iMovie08?

turski wrote:
... My question.... Is there any way to share back to miniDV tapes with iMovie08?
this feature isn't included in the actual version of iM08 ...
only workaround:
'Export with Quicktime.. ' and using 'Apple Intermediate Codec' as codec, import THAT into a iMHD6 project, export to camera..

Compression of MiniDV Tapes

I have quite a few MiniDV tapes stored up, and have put a few of them on my hard drive. Unfortunately, these tapes take about about 12 GBs per hour- and that's more room than I can afford (one or two of those is ok, but 20+?). What format do you recommend I save these in? I've tried saving them as MP4's in iMovie, but I'm a little bit iffy about the quality loss. Surely there's a format that keeps most of the quality with less space. Any help here would be greatly appreciated- the tapes keep stacking up.

Yes, iMovies use about 13 GB per hour of video as imported. If you edit them, the size can increase dramatically, Most of the movies I have made are just under two hours and use up 25-30GB each, but several of them ballooned up to over 100GB.
It is not practical nor advisable to keep your edited iMovies on your computer's drive--unless you invest in several 1000 GB(1TB) drives.
You need to think through what you eventually want to do with all your movie tapes.
I disagree with you that tapes 'stacking up' is a problem. The miniDV tapes hold up well over time and the space they take up is minimal.
If you want to put your iMovies onto DVDs, you should import them a few at a time, just the portions that you want in one iMovie. The limitation for iDVD is total time length, not size. Using single-layer DVDs, you can burn up to two hours--that would include any menu/submenu videos and audios as well.
If you do a 'save as disk image' for each of your iDVD projects--and you should--you will be creating an image file that is self-contained, and can be used to burn DVDs of that same project in the future using Disk Utility.
SInce the disk image is self-contained, you can safely delete the original iMovie and iDVD for that project after you are finished with it.*See next sentence about exporting iMovie to camcorder.
I also export all my edited iMovies back to DV tapes as a way to save my movies*.
Those DV tapes are small, take up hardly any room, and keep my precious movies in digital format, ready for whatever technology follows DVDs.
But, I don't want to rely solely on DVDs to preserve my movies since DVD disks can crack, break, get stepped on, melt or meet some other disaster. If you have children or grandchildren around, accidents can and will happen.
I am a bit paranoid about saving my movies. I also keep a set of my DVDs in a safe-deposit box so that I can always duplicate it if need be, and I have each iDVD project's disk image saved on two external drives.
I have made DVDs of our family videos and still photos for a 20-year period. I have one plastic bin of the raw footage DV tapes, and another bin with the edited movies saved to DV tapes. Each of the bins is about the size of two shoeboxes. I consider them as valuables and feel fortunate that they occupy so little space!
There is no need to try to change the format of the DV footage. iMovie works best with it, and you don't want to do any conversion that may result in loss of quality.

What is the best miniDV camcorder to buy to export miniDV tapes to Macbook pro?

Hey there,
I have miniDV tapes with home videos that I want to export to iMovie or FCP 5.0 so I can turn the footage into digital video clips to burn to DVD's. They were shot on a Sony handicam that no longer works. I bought a Panasonic PV-gs15 in order to do the job but it doesn't export video, only pictures from SD card. Now I just want to get the best camcorder or device (within financial reason) for the job. Can anyone tell me the best way/Camcorder to get this video off these miniDV tapes and onto my computer please?

Hi
May be You find something of interest in my notes regarding this (and iMovie - but it is General)
NO CAMERA or A/D-box
Cable
• Are You sure that You are using the FireWire Cable - USB-Cable will not work for miniDV tape Cameras
FireWire - Sure not using the accompany USB-Cable but bought a 4-pin to 6-pin (or 9-pin) FW one ?
• Test another FW-Cable very often the problem maker.
Camera
• Test Your Camera on another Mac so that DV-in still works OK
• Toggle in iMovie pref. Play-back via Camera (on <-> off some times)
• Some Cameras has a Menu where You must select DV-out to get it to work
• Camera connected to "charger" (mains adaptor) - not just on battery
• Camera set in Playback mode - NOT Recording mode
Does Your Camera work on another Mac ?
Sorry to say it is to easy to turn the 6-pin end of the FW-cable 180 deg wrong.
This is lethal to the A/D-chip in the Camera = needs an expensive repair.
(Hard to find out - else than import/export to another Mac ceased to work
everything else is OK e.g. recording and playback to TV)
A/D-box
• Is the dip-switches set right ?
• Set to same standard as recorded/editing e.g. NTSC 29.97fps or PAL 25fps
• Try resetting it
Connections
• Daisy Chaining most often doesn’t work (some unique cases - it’s the only way that work (some Canon Cameras ?))
Try to avoid connecting Camera <--> external HD <--> Mac but import directly to the Mac then move
the Movie project to dedicated external hard disk.
• FireWire-port - Can be re-setted by - Turn off Mac and disconnecting Mac from Mains/Power for 20-30 minutes
External device’s (hard disk’s)
• Should be FireWire as USB/USB2 performs badly and so does Airport or Net-work connected ones too.
• MUST BE - Mac OS Extended formatted - UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange - DO NOT WORK for video due to 4Gb barrier.
Mac
• Free space on internal (start-up) hard disk ? Please specify the amount of free space.
(Other hard disks don't count)
I go for a minimum of 25Gb free space for 4x3 SD Video - and my guess is 5 times more for 16x9 HD ones
after material is imported and edited. No Camera or A/D-box
• GarageBands fix - Close iMovie, Open GarageBand, Play some notes, Close GB and iMove can now be OK
• Does Your Mac have a FireWire Port
• White MacBooks - don't
• MacBook-Air - don't
if not then a few Mac’s has a PCM-CIA slot and there are FW-Cards that makes a FW-port this way
else - NO SOLUTION
Only option as I get it is either
• Use another Mac to Capture material (to an external USB2 - Mac OS Extended formatted hard disk - or -
• Change to another Camera that can be used with Your Mac (no there are no miniDV tape Cameras that can)
• If Your Mac-Book has a PCM-CIA Card place - then there are FW-port-Cards and then
You can import via this - but I've not seen this on more modern Macs. My PowerBook G4
has one and this FW-Card-port works greatly.
SoftWare
• Delete iMovie pref. file may help sometimes. I rather start a new account, log into this and have a re-try.
• Any strange Plug-ins into QuickTime as Perian etc ? Remove and try again.
• FileVault is off ? (hopefully)
• Screen Saver - OFF
• Energy Saver - OFF
Using WHAT versions ? .
• Mac OS - X.5.4 ?
• QuickTime version ? (This is the heart in both iMovie and FinalCut)
• iMovie’08 (7.1.?), 09 or 11 ?
• iMovie HD 6 (6.0.4/3) ?
Other ways to import Your miniDV tape
• Use another Camera. There where tape play-back stations from SONY
but they costed about 2-4 times a normal miniDV Camera.
• If Your Camera works on another Mac. Make an iMovie movie project here and move it
over to Your Mac via an external hard disk.
(HAS TO BE Mac OS Extended formatted - USB/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange WILL NOT DO)
(Should be a FireWire one - USB/USB2 performs badly)
from LKN 1935.
Hi Bengt W, I tried it all, but nothing worked. Your answer has been helpful insofar as all the different trials led to the conclusion that there was something wrong with my iMovie software. I therefore threw everything away and reinstalled iMovie from the HD. After that the exportation of DV videos (there has not been any problem with HDV videos) to my Sony camcorders worked properly as it did before. Thank you. LKN 1935
from Karsten.
in addition to Bengt's excellent '9 yards of advice' ..
camera set to 'Play' , not rec/computer/etc.?
camera not on battery, but power-line?
did your Mac 'recognize' this camera before...?
a technical check.
connect camera, on, playback, fw-connected...
click on the Blue Apple, upper left of your screen ..
choose 'About . . / More . .
under Firewire.. what do you read . . ?
More
• FileVault - Secure that it’s turned off
• Network storage - DOESN’T WORK
• Where did You store/capture/import Your project ?
External USB hard disk = Bad Choice / FireWire = Good
If so it has to be Mac OS Extended formatted
----> UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OS Exchange is NOT Working for VIDEO !
mbolander
Thanks for all your suggestions. What I learned is that I had a software problem. I had something called "Nikon Transfer" on my Mac that was recognizing my Canon camcorder as a still camera and was preventing iMovie from working properly. After un-installing Nikon Transfer and doing a reboot, everything worked great.
I never liked the Nikon Transfer software anyway--I guess I'll get a cheap card reader and use that to transfer photos in the future.
No Camera or bad import
• USB hard disk
• Network storage
• File Vault is on
jiggaman15dg wrote
if you have adobe cs3 or 4 and have the adobe bridge on close that
or no firewire will work
see if that helps
DJ1249 wrote
The problem was the external backup hard drive that is connected, you need to disconnect the external drive before the mac can see the video camera.
MaryBoog wrote
Maybe your problems is solved in the meantime, but for all others this might help as I had the same problem, also have the Sony HDR-HC7, but the 7e (Europe, PAL). I found this link today and it works perfectly
//support.sony-europe.com/tutorials/dime/videotransfer/vtransfer.aspx site=odw_en_GB&sec=DVH&m=HDR-HC7E
What I exactly did.- put camera in play mode - open guide - choose connection guide - choose comp./printer (where to transfer movie to) - select connection.- i-link (on my camera) but equal to firewire - OK - choose HDV - choose NO for conversion of i.link.
Settings are shown then (VCR HDV/DV.- HDV and i.link-conv..- OFF), press OK, OK, END.
Switch camera off. Connect firewire cable to camera & Mac. Switch camera on, in play/edit mode.
Open i-movie, choose import from camera. On screen below the camera connection is shown.- DV (HDV). Now you can import, automatically or manually.
This worked perfectly for me. Took me 2 days to find out. Could not find any clear thread explaining what I had to do on the camera and the manual was not clear either.
Yours Bengt W

Trouble in importing from sony, "no tape:.

i want to just import directly, without the tape, to imovie. is this possible? ive got everything set up, including a working firewire cable. please help!!!!!

Hi
If I understands this right
a. Use DV on Camera - HDV is problematic if it even works at all.
b. FireWire - iLink connection
c. Camera set in it's menu to send out as DV
My wild Guessings - Bengt W (still in miniDV tape world - as it works so well)

For SD camcorder are miniDV tape and Firewire bad choices?

I just purchased a camcorder (Panasonic SDR_H40) which appears incompatible with iMovie HD 6, so I am going to return it. I currently have iMovie HD 6.0.3 and will probably stay with that version (based on some discussions on this site). I was going to buy a miniDV tape camcorder but they seem hard to find and the salesman said that this format was becoming obsolete. Also other discussions on this site suggest that Apple may be phasing out Firewire. Assuming that I can find a SD miniDV camcorder, presumably with a Firewire output, is this a bad choice for a camcorder? I'd appreciate any help.
Tricia

for 'Standard' (=not HiDef) video, miniDv is still an excellent choice:
° less compression => excellent pic quality
° no limitation in 'disk space' => insert new tape = another 13GB/60min recording time..
° easy/convenient long term storage of 'raw data' => keep the tapes
° 100% compatible with iMovie 6 and other versions..
prob here: actual consumer MacBooks lack a fw-port => miniDV import is via fw only.
your options: use your 'old' Mac; use a MacMini; use a MacPro ...
nobody can tell you about 'phasing' of fw on Macs .. +'we don't comment on future products'+ ..

Import 16:9 MiniDV tape

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