Convert video before importing to iPhoto?

[MrMister111]

Trying to get all my photos and videos organised, so am using iPhoto. Didn't really realise that iPhoto also supports videos also, but thats a great way for me to keep all in one place and easy for back also.

So I have some family videos, in various video formats, some with MPG, some .dv, some AVHCD. They do need editing really, but at the moment I want to get this stuff a little organised and available in one place for ease of use and backup.

So should I convert all the above into an "Apple" format for importing to iPhoto first? I have a program I use for converting stuff for my Apple TV called iVi, this would convert it to a Apple format, but I presume then I would then lose some quality?

I'm no expert in this, and in the future, maybe...I would want to edit in iMovie along the line, but to be honest I'd prefer it to be catalogued and backed up (I use Time Machine), so at the minute its just sitting on a HDD, and so needs to be backed up really.

Anyone offer advice on this, must be others in same boat, what have you done please.
thanks

 

[MrMister111]

Anyone have similar issues? How much quality will I lose going from these .dv files to .mov for example?

Thanks

 

[silvetti]

You can probably use Handbrake to convert the videos. Just google for handbrake Mac. Let me know if you have any issues

 

[MrMister111]

I doo have handbrake thanks, good program, iVi is similar also.

My question was more on what to do though, i.e. convert nite before importing for organising or do it another way, edit first, but lose the backup situation and then import.

Thanks

 

[silvetti]

I convert first as I usually tend to edit them later and this way I can save space by choosing a format I prefer.

 

[MrMister111]

I convert first as I usually tend to edit them later and this way I can save space by choosing a format I prefer.

Ah ok great so what do you convert from and onto what format, you use handbrake I take it, what setting please.

Do you then import them into iPhoto for organising? What exact organising used possible? Any metadata you can add to video?

When you say you edit later, what do you use? And do you see any change in quality from the final effort to when you had the original video file below importing into iPhoto?

Thanks