Edit Wedding Video from Ritz yesvideo dvd in imovie, PLEASE HELP????

This process would cost you some money for equipment, I'm afraid. But...the way I know how to do this is with a device called a passthrough or DV converter (costs anywhere from $200 - $550+/-). Canopus makes one and Apple sells it.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=6C0 4E099&nplm=TK817LL/A

Pinnacle also makes one called MovieBox. I actually have both and like both for different reasons. You attach your DVD player to the DV converter with RCA cables (yellow, white and red) and then the DV converter attaches to the computer through the firewire. You put your DVD of your wedding in the DVD player that is attached to the computer through this DV converter and then open iMovie. I am assuming you have the new one - iMovie 08. So you push the camera button over to the far left (if it isn't already up as I think this comes up automatically by default) and this brings up the import screen. Turn it to manual. Then press the play button (the one with the triangle). This should bring up your DVD or the wedding's recording's intro screen just like it would look on a TV. Press play on the DVD player like normal as if you are doing to play the wedding movie as you're clicking import button on this screen in iMovie and it will import it into iMovie. Then you can make your changes. Hope that helps.

Every camera is different. I have a friend who tried to plug his USB camcorder into my computer and iMovie did not recognize it. I was able to download the clips, format them and then use them but I got to tell ya, it was an arduous lengthy nightmare. If the camera is firewire, you probably will not have a problem. If iMovie 08 gives you trouble, apparently, you can download iMovie HD. If it's the right camera though, yes, it is a breeze to download movies into iMovie esp. iMovie HD. But like I said, without knowing the exact camera, it is impossible for me to tell you yes or no.

Have you considered Handbrake? Handbrake is a free open source application that will convert DVD input into MP4 (among other things) output. The mp4 (.m4v) files can be of quite high quality...high enough to be used on an HD TV through apple TV for example.)

Once you convert the DVD to mp4, you can import into iMovie 08.

Your first choice should be to get the camera and import directly, because that would have the fewest transformations and compressions. But this method would give you pretty good results too. And you will be ultimately storing your project as an mp4 anyway.

DVDs are in a socalled delivery format (mpeg2), which isn't meant and made for any processing as editing...

for using the iLife apps, you have to convert'em first, in recommended order, choose one of the following tools/workarounds:

DVDxDV (free trial, 25$, Pro: 90$)
Apple mpeg2 plugin (19$) + Streamclip (free)
VisualHub (23.32$)
Drop2DV (free)
Cinematize >60$
Mpeg2Works >25$ + Apple plug-in
Toast 6/7/8 allows converting to dv/insert dvd, hit apple-k
connect a miniDV Camcorder with analogue input to a DVD-player and transfer disk to tape/use as converter
none of these apps override copyprotection mechanisms as on commercial dvds...
http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6010.shtml
http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6018.shtml


be nice to copy rights

Tag binchen 😉

you stumble into a problem called 'video standards', US is NTSC/29.97 frames per second, lower resolution, Europe is 25 fps, higher res. ... -

your Mac handles both, you can create on a 'US' Mac from a PAL camcorder a PAL DVD.. which is NOT usable on a US/NTSC DVD player.. (but on a Mac.... computer and TV are different....); same Mac handles NTSC video too....-

soooo....
I guess, your camcorder is PAL, your DVD is probably PAL too... your Mac will automatically the standards...

and, your Mac will automatically convert the standards! importing a PAL into a NTSC (=29.97fps) iDVD project will need some (hours of) conversion... unfortunately, Quicktime does the job.. hmm.. ok. but there's a free tool doing conversions better, called JES Deinterlacer..

depending on your workflow, we can tell you how to use this app ..

for future use: use cameras with 'local' standard; in the US a NTSC device, in Europe PAL ...
aside: any European dvd-standalone-player 'swallows' NTSC disks and will show them! good for your friends here...