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Problems with iBook G4 and Sony HD Camcorder

B

bonzailopper

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 21, 2009
1
0
Hello all,

I've been looking around for possible solutions to this problem, and I'm slowly coming to the realization that it's just not happening.

I have an iBook G4 that I purchased in '05 I believe. I also have a Sony HD HDR-SR11. I'm not that well versed in the technology involved here, but shooting in HD creates .mts files. I'm probably SOL, but the version of iMovie HD I have from the original purchase does not recognize the file and will not import them. Other support sites I've visited seem to only address problems with iMovie '08 or '09 which makes sense. I know I may have a laptop that is just too old. I'm just trying to exhaust all options.

Does anyone know of a way (with my current set-up) to get iMovie to be able to work the .mts files? Thank you for any help or suggestions.
 
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Im not familier with that format, but I was not able to ever work with high definition media (1080i50 apple inter codec) with any less than two gigs of ram. Unless you downconvert the video to standard def .dv files, you may have a problem. I'm not sure what you could use on the non pro Market to convert from that format though.
 
The SR11 uses the AVCHD codec. iMovieHD doesn't support AVCHD, but iMovie '08 and '09 do (so long as you have Quicktime 7.1.2 or later). You could use a third-party conversion application like Voltaic HD to convert the AVCHD to AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec) but you'd still have two problems. One is that Voltaic takes a long, long, long time to do the conversion (12x the duration of the clip). The other is that an iBook G4 just doesn't have the grunt - no matter how much RAM you throw at the problem - to play HD video. I believe the only solution available if you wish to stick with that combination of camcorder and laptop is to switch the camcorder to standard definition mode (I think the SR11 has an SD mode) and try dragging-n-dropping the video files into iMovieHD.
 
You Can Convert & Edit!(maybe)

I have a G4 powerbook, 1.67Ghz. and a Sony HDR-SR11. I have successfully used Voltaic, http://www.shedworx.com/?q=volmac-home to convert .mts files. I have found a few limitations worth mentioning.
It will take a very long time to convert,(12X the time of the video), I usually set mine to convert overnight.
I have had problems converting files over 700mb, so you have to keep your shots short, 3:00 minutes or less at HD.
You must have a lot of space on your hard drive, (I'm not kidding about this, I keep at least 100gig clear).
When you upgrade to a more powerful macbook you can leave it on the ibook for travel and short video files you want to convert and post on the net.
(I must note that you can't convert files pulling them from a larger external drive, at least not on a powerbook, not even thru firewire).
Hope this helps, check out the site and see if your processor is big enough and you have enough RAM.
I myself am getting a new macbook pro in the next week or so...then I can edit to my hearts content. :)
You may also like editing in imovieHD more than the newer versions of imovie, I plan on going to Final Cut Express on the new book.
 
DooDaaDame said:
I have a G4 powerbook, 1.67Ghz. and a Sony HDR-SR11. I have successfully used Voltaic, http://www.shedworx.com/?q=volmac-home to convert .mts files. I have found a few limitations worth mentioning.
It will take a very long time to convert,(12X the time of the video), I usually set mine to convert overnight.
I have had problems converting files over 700mb, so you have to keep your shots short, 3:00 minutes or less at HD.
You must have a lot of space on your hard drive, (I'm not kidding about this, I keep at least 100gig clear).
When you upgrade to a more powerful macbook you can leave it on the ibook for travel and short video files you want to convert and post on the net.
Click to expand...

I just purchased a used PowerMac G5 Dual-Core 2.7GHz 2GB Ram 250G HD to be able to handle my Sony HDR-SR10 videos...and now I am hearing that even that machine will not do it? I am depressed! Say it ain't so!
 
jimidan said:
I just purchased a used PowerMac G5 Dual-Core 2.7GHz 2GB Ram 250G HD to be able to handle my Sony HDR-SR10 videos...and now I am hearing that even that machine will not do it? I am depressed! Say it ain't so!
Click to expand...

Check out voltaic..as i said in my previous post. My powerbook is tiger 10.4 and I use imovie HD. If you plug in the camera via usb it will mount on the desktop. You drag out the .mts files and drop them on voltaic after setting up your preferances and voltaic converts them to .mov AIC for you.
imovieHD handles the files just fine, and exports them to DVD. It will not reconvert the files into back into .mts but the DVDs I have been burning are HD, just not blue ray.
The files will be large, but it's not a problem. relax. Do a net search for your operating system and AVCHD and see what others are doing.
 
jimidan said:
What about what Court said: "iMovieHD doesn't support AVCHD, but iMovie '08 and '09 do (so long as you have Quicktime 7.1.2 or later)."
Click to expand...
Yeah, but do iMovie '08 or '09 run on PPC? I don't think so . . .

You can edit AVCHD on a PPC machine (EDIT: I should have said, you can edit AVCHD which has been transcoded to AIC), but you won't be able to rely on any Apple software (neither iMovie nor Final Cut) to import and transcode the AVCHD to AIC for you: you'll need to use third-party import/transcoding software akin to Volta*c.

One the video is converted to AIC, there's nothing to stop you editing til your eyes bleed on a PPC Mac.
 
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