Imported MPEG-4 clips to iMovie08 arrive without audio
iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)
Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)
Most Sony digital cameras save their clips as MPEG VX (MPEG-1) files -- a playback only format. Use a third-party, MPEG-based application like MPEG Streamclip (free), iSquint (free), FFmpegX (donation-ware), Visual Hub (pay-ware), etc. to retain the audio content.
iSquint is probably the easiest to use of those mentioned but is limited to MPEG4/AAC (default) or H.264/AAC output. Both are compatible with iMovie '08. If you have several files to convert, simply drop them to "Batch" window and press start to begin conversion to MPEG4/AAC files. This codec is very fast but requires 2.0-2.5 times the data rate of a H.264/AAC file for the same level of quaity. Use the MPEG4/AAC option if conversion speed is more important than creating smaller files. Checking the H.264 box switches to the H.264/AAC mode. Use the "Optimize for TV" option for VGA (640x480) files for iMovie '08 SD editing.
When you become more accustomed to the application you may wish to try customizing your settings using the "Advanced" window option. Increasing the video data rate may improve the video quality. (Actually, what you are doing here is preventing the loss of addition detail during conversions.) You may also wish to adjust the "Quality" Factor slider along with increases in the video data rate. It is probably best to leave the audio settings in their default setting.
Imported MPEG-4 clips to iMovie08 arrive without audio