File formats supported by iMovie HD

[wctaiwan]

I'm doing a video for a class project, and I would like to use iMovie to edit it. I have a few questions though:

1. Is it correct that iMovie would handle video recorded on a MiniDV (that seems to be the most common format so I'm assuming the person in my group supplying the camera would be using that) camera connected through FireWire just fine?

2. What video formats can iMovie handle?

Which video formats are compatible with iMovie HD?
iMovie HD supports importing video in common formats, such as standard digital video formats like NTSC and PAL, high definition video formats (HDV 720p and 1080i), and MPEG-4, 16:9 widescreen format, and clips from Apple's iSight camera.

After reading that I'm almost certain .wmv wouldn't work. How about .mpg and .avi? If my friends send me clips I hope to be able to add them.

3. Can I export my video onto a VCD (or a video file on a CD that is readable by Windows computers)? If so, what format should I choose?

Thanks.

wctaiwan

 

[Cromulent]

I'm doing a video for a class project, and I would like to use iMovie to edit it. I have a few questions though:

1. Is it correct that iMovie would handle video recorded on a MiniDV (that seems to be the most common format so I'm assuming the person in my group supplying the camera would be using that) camera connected through FireWire just fine?

If the video content is on MiniDV tape you will have no problems. If the video was recorded using a DVD or Hard drive based camcorder you may run into a few problems.

2. What video formats can iMovie handle?



After reading that I'm almost certain .wmv wouldn't work. How about .mpg and .avi? If my friends send me clips I hope to be able to add them.

iMovie can handle Quicktime native formats. So DV, HDV and MPEG-4 plus maybe one or two others I may have forgotten about.

3. Can I export my video onto a VCD (or a video file on a CD that is readable by Windows computers)? If so, what format should I choose?

Thanks.

wctaiwan

VCD is a format. You do not choose a format for it, because it is one if you understand me . Much like a DVD.

Or rather a VCD is a standard which has one available format that can be used. Slightly better explanation.

 

[wctaiwan]

Now my video is done I have a few more questions, since it's about the same video I thought I'd keep using the old thread instead of starting a new one.

I have finished filming and editing the video, and I'm ready to export it. What format should I export it in? I don't think any QT format is a good idea seeing school computers might not have Quicktime, so what should I choose?

I've tried exporting it to an AVI file, but a) the quality is extremely poor (patches of colour instead of a proper image, extremely pixelated, etc.) and b) I've read somewhere that I was wrong thinking AVI is a universal format, rather it is a container that can contain any weird codec my school computers can't handle.

Should I export it to a VCD (update: looks like I can't do that without Toast)? Or is there a better option?

Thanks in advance for anyone that is willing to help.

wctaiwan

P.S. I've exported segments into QT formats before, they look fine, so it's not a problem with the video itself.

UPDATE: I've tried to make it wmv with Flip4Mac and it looks... totally awesome. Except it's 50 bucks and I don't really want to spend that much money just for this video. Any free alternatives?