Can iMovie 11 import and export 1080i HD video?

iMovie 11 can import and export up to 1080p footage.

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jasmine84 said:

Hello! I got a Sony HDR-XR150 for Christmas which shoots in full-HD, 1080i (1920x1080) blu-ray quality video. I am trying to find out if iMovie can import this video at the full quality, edit it, send it to iDVD, and burn a DVD at this same highest 1080i quality. Can it do it, or do I need to buy other editing software?

I have iMovie 11, and a MBP 2.53 GHz core i5 with 4GB ram, 500GB HD. Any help would be greatly appreciated... I have been contracted to go to Mexico in March to video my friends wedding, and I need the absolute best quality I can get, so I'll buy software if iLife can't cut it. But I'm comfy with iLife and would love to use it if it's capable of handling the video quality. Thanks!!

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1080i is not Blu-Ray quality. 1080p is. Besides a slight difference in motion, it's been my experience that you won't see any difference in quality when it's been converted and de-interlaced (and if you are struggling to see it then there's a solid chance the client will never see it unless you point it out). Plus, if you're exporting it to iDVD to make a disc your video output will be 480p regardless. Unless you have a Blu-Ray burner that is. My advice would be that you're over thinking specs that no longer have any relevance unless you're working in broadcast and need to abide by broadcast standards. If you're truly worried about what it's going to look like I'd suggest shooting some test footage and importing it and see for yourself. Hope this helps!

jasmine84 said:

Hello! I got a Sony HDR-XR150 for Christmas which shoots in full-HD, 1080i (1920x1080) blu-ray quality video. I am trying to find out if iMovie can import this video at the full quality, edit it, send it to iDVD, and burn a DVD at this same highest 1080i quality. Can it do it, or do I need to buy other editing software?

I have iMovie 11, and a MBP 2.53 GHz core i5 with 4GB ram, 500GB HD. Any help would be greatly appreciated... I have been contracted to go to Mexico in March to video my friends wedding, and I need the absolute best quality I can get, so I'll buy software if iLife can't cut it. But I'm comfy with iLife and would love to use it if it's capable of handling the video quality. Thanks!!

Click to expand...

1080i is not Blu-Ray quality. 1080p is. Besides a slight difference in motion, it's been my experience that you won't see any difference in quality when it's been converted and de-interlaced (and if you are struggling to see it then there's a solid chance the client will never see it unless you point it out). Plus, if you're exporting it to iDVD to make a disc your video output will be 480p regardless. Unless you have a Blu-Ray burner that is. My advice would be that you're over thinking specs that no longer have any relevance unless you're working in broadcast and need to abide by broadcast standards. If you're truly worried about what it's going to look like I'd suggest shooting some test footage and importing it and see for yourself. Hope this helps!

Hope this helps!

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Well it might do, but the OP has probably figured it out over the past 18 months.

Dave Braine said:

Well it might do, but the OP has probably figured it out over the past 18 months.

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HA!!! I didn't even see the date!! How the heck did that make it's way back up to the top? Oh well.

How the heck did that make it's way back up to the top?

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That's something I always wonder. I think the oldest I've seen is seven years!!