iMovie finalize question?

[snerkler]

When I've finished my iMovie projects I only want to save it in the highest possible .mov format so I can watch it on my Macbook, but also use PS3 video 9 to convert it to a PS3 readable .mp4 file, therefore don't see the point in finalizing the project as this saves all file formats and assume this will tak up more storage space. However, when going through the iMovie help it says:-

"When you’re finished creating a project, you can finalize it. With this process, iMovie prepares (renders) your movie in all of the possible sizes—mobile, medium, large, HD 720p, and HD 1080p—that your project’s media supports. (Sometimes, the original project media isn’t large enough to render in the largest sizes.) You don’t see the finalized files in iMovie; rather, iMovie uses the files when you share a project to MobileMe or a social media website such as Facebook or YouTube. When you finalize a project in advance, the process of sharing a movie takes less time.

Finalizing a project also improves full-screen playback because iMovie also uses the rendered files when you play a project in full-screen mode."

I'm interested in this last sentence I've highlighted. Does this just mean playback through iMovie is improved, or will I see a difference when playing back the saved file, and/or also when playing back on PS3?

Cheers.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I don't know about "finalisation" in iMovie, but when I finish an edit, I always export the final sequence using the editing codec as template for other applications.
In iMovie I would go to Share > Export using QuickTime and then click Options

and set it to Apple Intermediate Codec and LinearPCM for video and audio.

I also had to set the size, as the source is 1080p and iMovie had selected 1280 x 720 as output resolution.

 

[snerkler]

I don't know about "finalisation" in iMovie, but when I finish an edit, I always export the final sequence using the editing codec as template for other applications.
In iMovie I would go to Share > Export using QuickTime and then click Options

Image​

and set it to Apple Intermediate Codec and LinearPCM for video and audio.

Image​

I also had to set the size, as the source is 1080p and iMovie had selected 1280 x 720 as output resolution.

That's exactly what I do. It just confused me when iMovie says after finalising video playback is improved. I'm guessing they're referring to playback in iMovie, but why you'd want to do that I don't know because if ou make any changes you have to re-finalise again

 

[Ifti]

It improves the playback in terms of smoothness etc since when you export the movie it is rendered at the same time. Hence the playback should be smoother then playing a movie within iMovie.

 

[snerkler]

It improves the playback in terms of smoothness etc since when you export the movie it is rendered at the same time. Hence the playback should be smoother then playing a movie within iMovie.

Ok so i playing with quicktime it makes no difference if it's finalised prior as it's finalised anyway on export. I don't play the final movies in imovie anyway so don't need to finalise.