Transferring movies on videotape to iMovie

[None Such]

I just recently got a MBP. I haven't started messing around in iMovie yet. But was wondering how can I transfer my home movies from my videocamera into iMovie and edit them. It's an older camcorder that has the white and yellow inputs/outputs. I haven't really looked into it just thought someone might know a solution. Thanks.

 

[theBB]

I think you need some kind of box to convert your analog tapes into a digital stream so that iMovie can import it. There has been quite a few threads about it. You might want to try forum search.

 

[vanmacguy]

You need a converter box. I use the Canopus and it works really well.

You plug your camcorder into one side of it and a Firewire cable out of it and into your Mac.

Works like a charm.

Cheers.

 

[None Such]

I think you need some kind of box to convert your analog tapes into a digital stream so that iMovie can import it. There has been quite a few threads about it. You might want to try forum search.

yeah, I tried forum search. I guess my keywords were too broad. Thanks.

 

[None Such]

You need a converter box. I use the Canopus and it works really well.

You plug your camcorder into one side of it and a Firewire cable out of it and into your Mac.

Works like a charm.

Cheers.

Thank you! How much do these things run?

 

[maberga29]

Yeah, you do need some sort of A/D converter... I've been using an elgato eyetv 250 to do this. It's been working well so far, the software is pretty simple to use. The 250 is made for watching/recording TV on your mac, but it can (very easily) act as a go between for your camcorder and mac. Pretty much the same deal as above; just plug the RCA cables into the 250 and you're good to go. I would recommend this, but there are a lot of extrenuous features if you only want to make your analog tapes digital. Check out the product page for more details.

 

[maberga29]

sry, eyetv 250 = $199

 

[None Such]

Yeah, you do need some sort of A/D converter... I've been using an elgato eyetv 250 to do this. It's been working well so far, the software is pretty simple to use. The 250 is made for watching/recording TV on your mac, but it can (very easily) act as a go between for your camcorder and mac. Pretty much the same deal as above; just plug the RCA cables into the 250 and you're good to go. I would recommend this, but there are a lot of extrenuous features if you only want to make your analog tapes digital. Check out the product page for more details.

Thanks for that. I really appreciate it. Looks like I should just use that money that I would spend on any of these different converters and just get a newer camcorder and use my dvd/vcr recorder to transfer vhs to the dvd and then do it through imovie that way. I already have tivo and tivotogo on my mac(in Toast 8) so buying this wouldn't really be much more than a converter and I don't have that many home movies.