I cannot import .avi files into iMovie. I'm not sure what codecs were being used and I'm not sure how to find out, but I know I can open the files in QuickTime (after installing Perian and Flip4Mac), so why wouldn't it work in iMovie either?
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Importing movies in iMovie (.avi?)
- Thread starter karohan
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You have to convert the .avi file to .mp4 or some other format.
Apple doesn't support .avi in iMovie for some reason.
Apple doesn't support .avi in iMovie for some reason.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/372173/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/915392/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/853213/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/548311/
via MRoogle
Summary: Download and open MPEG Streamclip, open the .avi in there, CMD+E to export as QuickTime (.mov) and transcode it using the Apple Intermediate Codec and Uncompressed Audio.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/915392/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/853213/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/548311/
via MRoogle
Summary: Download and open MPEG Streamclip, open the .avi in there, CMD+E to export as QuickTime (.mov) and transcode it using the Apple Intermediate Codec and Uncompressed Audio.
My Windows Movie Maker had been able to open these files and edit them just fine, and I was wondering if there was a similar way to get these formats supported in iMovie (considering that it's supposed to be the vastly superior application). I am converting them with MPEG Streamclip right now and I guess it works fine, but it would take much longer to have to convert every time.
Also, I realized iMovie can open some of my .mp4s fine too and I can set it to not convert/optimize the video, but for some reason, the whole interface is slower with the video when I do that. Is there a reason for this?
Also, I realized iMovie can open some of my .mp4s fine too and I can set it to not convert/optimize the video, but for some reason, the whole interface is slower with the video when I do that. Is there a reason for this?
.mp4 files use the H264 codec for compressing the video, which is not meant for editing, as not every frame is stored. Thus the CPU has to work more to give you frame exact playback, something which can be circumvented by transcoding MPEG-4 (H264, Divx, Xvid) encoded video to AIC with the sound Uncompressed. .avi files are the same, they are most likely highly compressed, thus not accepted by editing applications.
I don't know, why WMM accepts highly compressed formats and how it works with them, but the more sophisticated the application gets, the less formats it accepts anyway. There is a reason, why editing facilities need lots and lots of storage space. They don't work with Divx, Xvid or H264 material, unless a professional MPEG-4 codec is used (XDCam).