Encode before import?

[extremo]

Is it possible to encode video before importing it into imovie, so when the time for dvd burning comes, there is no need for encoding. I ask this because I recently transfered some work training videos onto DVD, and my boss keeps making minor changes (i.e. switching chapters), so the video has to
re-encode even though its only a one second change. I was thinking quicktime pro could possibly compress the video beforehand. i would appreciate any suggestions or thoughts.
Thanks.

 

[DeSnousa]

Im having troubles trying to understand the question. So you have uncompressed footage ie, DV. You want to compress this format ie encode to another format such as mpeg4, h.264. All of this for easy editing?

If so you could but i know apps like iMovie will re-encode the format back to DV for editing. But my knowledge doesn't go further than iMovie.

 

[mduser63]

I don't think it works in iMovie (some correct me if I'm wrong), but it definitely works in DVD Studio Pro. DVD SP is a much more powerful program. If you're going to be doing a lot of this type of work, you might look into upgrading.

 

[DeSnousa]

I don't think it works in iMovie (some correct me if I'm wrong), but it definitely works in DVD Studio Pro. DVD SP is a much more powerful program. If you're going to be doing a lot of this type of work, you might look into upgrading.

LOL, i corrected it for you

I though another app would allow you do this.

What is DVD studio though, i thought it was an app to make a DVD based menu system for movies?

 

[LethalWolfe]

So you have uncompressed footage ie, DV.

[nitpick]

DV is a very compressed format.

[/nitpick]




Lethal

 

[DeSnousa]

Opps im tired from work, i meant compressed. Thanks for telling me LethalWolfe, and i call myself an editor

 

[extremo]

Im having troubles trying to understand the question. So you have uncompressed footage ie, DV. You want to compress this format ie encode to another format such as mpeg4, h.264. All of this for easy editing?

If so you could but i know apps like iMovie will re-encode the format back to DV for editing. But my knowledge doesn't go further than iMovie.

Ok sorry for the confusion... My question is whether there is a way to avoid re-encoding video when making a small change in the imovie/idvd project after I have burnt the DVD. (Like changing the order of the clips.) Right now, iDVD makes me re-encode the entire thing (an 8 hr process).

 

[mduser63]

Sorry, I should have read the question a little better. I don't think what you're trying to do is possible with iMovie. DVD SP will allow you do it. What you need to do is encode the output from your iMovie project (which is presumably DV) to MPEG2 before importing it into the DVD authoring program, that way you won't have to re-encode if you change the DVD project (menus, chapter locations, etc). However, there is no way to avoid re-encoding to MPEG2 if you modify the iMovie project. iMovie can't edit MPEG2 footage natively, in fact there are very few, if any NLEs that can.

I hope this is helpful.