Quality difference between exporting via Export vs. Export using Quicktime

Question

In iMovie 08, is there a difference in quality between Exporting a movie at the largest available size via the "Export" menu item, versus using "Export using Quicktime"?
I have a very long movie of family movies (9 hours) and have been unable to do a straight export (gets to the end after 25 hours or so and gives me a non-descript "can't complete" error message), but would rather split it up into several smaller files than compromise on quality, if there is such a compromise using the Quicktime function.
If I do go the Quicktime route, what settings should I choose, or just the default. Also, Export using Quicktime option makes a .mov file. What file type does the straight "Export" function create?
thanks much!
Neil
[email protected]

Answer 1

What file type does the straight "Export" function create?
All presets are compressed as H.264/AAC content.
Also, Export using Quicktime option makes a .mov file.
The MOV file container is "generic" and may contain any form of compressed data compatible with the QT components installed on your system and which the accessing application will allow you to use. In the case of iMovie '08, proprietary and third-party components are not allowed even if installed.
If I do go the Quicktime route, what settings should I choose, or just the default.
You use the audio and video codec and settings best suited to the goals of your export. Since you have not mentioned what your are trying to do with your exported content, it is impossible to make any recommendations here.
I have a very long movie of family movies (9 hours) and have been unable to do a straight export (gets to the end after 25 hours or so and gives me a non-descript "can't complete" error message), but would rather split it up into several smaller files than compromise on quality, if there is such a compromise using the Quicktime function.
A 9 hour export at the largest (960x540) dimensions implies a 4.128 Mbps data rate which equates to a file on the order of about 16 GBs in size. As you did not mention which export/sharing option you were using or if everything was being done on a single hard drive, such an export may require a total of 48-64 GBs of available storage space for temporary, Media Browser, and target/duplicate file(s) plus free memory for rendering purposes. So one of your potential problems could be file space availability.
As a general rule, increases in the duration of your target movie may require geometric increases in either available file space or the time it takes to perform the processing. It is, therefore, usually better to "chunk" your projects (break them into smaller, more manageable segments than to process them as a single project/file) and process the segments independently. In addition most people will not watch a 9-hour movie in one sitting in any case. (I have gone as high as 5 hours but even the product of this effort amounted to less than 4 GBs of file space.)
To "chunk" an iMovie '08 project, simply duplicate your completed project as many times as needed and then divide each into manageable segments and deleting segments so as to remove the duplicated segments. I would likely consider 6 segments targeted at about 90 minutes each but division of content anywhere between 60 and 120 minutes would probably be considered "manageable" for most purposes.
In iMovie 08, is there a difference in quality between Exporting a movie at the largest available size via the "Export" menu item, versus using "Export using Quicktime"?
There should be no difference in quality if you use the same compression formats and target settings. Changing either the compression format (each of which may have its own particular characteristics) or the settings (such as the data rate which directly affects both file size and quality) will usually produce visual differences in your product.