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iMovie and AVI files

T

thomasp

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Hi,

I'm using the version of iMovie that ships as standard when you upgrade to OSX 10.2.8 (sorry, not sure what version it is) on a Dual 867MHz G4.

I've got a couple of AVI movies from my Canon Ixus digital camera, and I can't seem to import them into iMovie to edit them. Does iMovie not support AVI's? If so, is there any way to make it read them, or will I have to get a different programme?

If iMovie won't support AVI's, then any suggestions for alternative programs would be much appreciated.


Thanks for the help 🙂
 
thomasp said:
Hi,

I'm using the version of iMovie that ships as standard when you upgrade to OSX 10.2.8 (sorry, not sure what version it is) on a Dual 867MHz G4.

I've got a couple of AVI movies from my Canon Ixus digital camera, and I can't seem to import them into iMovie to edit them. Does iMovie not support AVI's? If so, is there any way to make it read them, or will I have to get a different programme?

If iMovie won't support AVI's, then any suggestions for alternative programs would be much appreciated.


Thanks for the help 🙂
Click to expand...
Install the DivX Quicktime codec.
 
MisterMe said:
Install the DivX Quicktime codec.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply 🙂

QuickTime plays the movie without any problems, so I didn't think it could be codec related.

Where should I install the codec to?
 
thomasp said:
Thanks for the quick reply 🙂

QuickTime plays the movie without any problems, so I didn't think it could be codec related.

Where should I install the codec to?
Click to expand...

The problem is (I think), iMovie (at least older versions) doesn't import AVIs. It sticks with native codecs that Quicktime comes with. This means MPEG and MOV and you're golden. You will probably have to use Quicktime Pro to export the movies (re-encode them) into a format that iMovie understands.

The current offering of iMovie HD supposedly supports (for importing):

Support Formats
HDV (720p & 1080i)
MPEG-4 (Simple Profile)
iSight
DV
DV Widescreen
Click to expand...

http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/import.html

I don't know if it works with other codecs as well, I cannot find a reference for it.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I've just found DivX Doctor 2 on PureMac.com which converts AVI's to MOV's. I might try this to get it to work in iMovie.

Now, all I need is to find some way of making the finished product Windows compatible 😱 😕
 
converting AVI to MOV would be the same as converting AAC to MP3, right? converting lossy files to lossy files.

this would mean, using the converted AVI files (now MOV) should be possible to edit in iMovie and be burned in iDvd, so one can watch the movies on a tv, but the quality must be very very very bad...

am i right?
 
redAPPLE said:
converting AVI to MOV would be the same as converting AAC to MP3, right? converting lossy files to lossy files.

this would mean, using the converted AVI files (now MOV) should be possible to edit in iMovie and be burned in iDvd, so one can watch the movies on a tv, but the quality must be very very very bad...

am i right?
Click to expand...

I did a quick test-convert, and played both in QT5 (on a G3 iMac running OS9.2.1, as that's the computer I'm sitting at now), and the MOV file (that had been converted from AVI) actually had better sound quality! There was no difference in picture quality - they were both lousy as it was from my digital camera.
 
thomasp said:
Thanks for the replies.

I've just found DivX Doctor 2 on PureMac.com which converts AVI's to MOV's. I might try this to get it to work in iMovie.

Now, all I need is to find some way of making the finished product Windows compatible 😱 😕
Click to expand...
Install the DivX codec and you don't have to convert anything.
 
MisterMe said:
Install the DivX codec and you don't have to convert anything.
Click to expand...
the qt divx codec does not make iMovie compatible with AVIs (as has been said before)
The reasons for this are probably to do with encoding transitions etc quickly within the application.
 
I myself had this problem, until I upgraded to iLife '05 - with this, you'll have no problems!

It takes forever though!
 
James Philp said:
the qt divx codec does not make iMovie compatible with AVIs (as has been said before)
The reasons for this are probably to do with encoding transitions etc quickly within the application.
Click to expand...
There have been lots of things posted here and elsewhere. Just because it was was posted doesn't make it true. In the case of the DivX codec and iMovie, those previous posts fall into this category. I just downloaded some .avi clips and dragged them into iMovie. Everything works perfectly.
 
Interesting, I have DivX Pro installed and I just confirmed the iMovie 4 allowed me to import a DivX .AVI file. Thanks for the tip!
 
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