1080i60 on iMovie via HV20

[smitha96]

I've been importing my new HD video (from the HV20) into iMovie. These are family videos that I store digitally on a hard drive (and backup). I then reuse the same HD DV tapes.

Some questions:
1. Do I lose quality storing the video in a digital format? If I want to save space and convert the material to MP4, would I lose quality? Is MPEG Steamclip a decent converter? It's what I've been using because it's so much faster than quicktime and appears to use my four cores more efficiently (~350% vs. ~250%).

2. Do I lose quality importing the media into iMovie? Does iMovie recognize it at 60fps? Should I instead purchase FCP and use that instead? Would I have a higher quality video with FCP?

3. What, if anything, should I do about interlacing?

Thanks!

 

[LethalWolfe]

I've been importing my new HD video (from the HV20) into iMovie. These are family videos that I store digitally on a hard drive (and backup). I then reuse the same HD DV tapes.

You might want to think about just buying more tapes as it's more cost effective and more reliable than using HDDs.

1. Do I lose quality storing the video in a digital format? If I want to save space and convert the material to MP4, would I lose quality? Is MPEG Steamclip a decent converter? It's what I've been using because it's so much faster than quicktime and appears to use my four cores more efficiently (~350% vs. ~250%).

If you transcode to make the files smaller you'll lose quality.

2. Do I lose quality importing the media into iMovie? Does iMovie recognize it at 60fps? Should I instead purchase FCP and use that instead? Would I have a higher quality video with FCP?

No
Yes, (1080i is 60 fields, not frames, per second FYI)
Only if/when iMovie and/or FCE stop meeting your needs
No

3. What, if anything, should I do about interlacing?

I wouldn't worry about it but if you watch your finished videos on your computer you can de-interlace them if the interlacing bugs you but it will be at the cost of image quality (which may or may not be noticeable to you).


Lethal

 

[smitha96]

Thank you very much! Very informative!

 

[dusko]

I don't think that iMovie support 60 fps.1080i 60 fields is actually 30 fps progressive which you can import in iMovie.

 

[LethalWolfe]

I don't think that iMovie support 60 fps.1080i 60 fields is actually 30 fps progressive which you can import in iMovie.

60i is 29.97 frames per second interlaced, not progressive. And way to bump a thread from 2007.


Lethal