Samsung NV24 HD Digital camera - iMovie fells to import video clips

Otherwise, Quicktime is able to read the same video clips.
Yes and no. If you look more closely, it appears that the QT Player cannot determine the video data rate or video data size. In addition, an abnormally large number of frames are being dropped. This could indicate either a problem decoding frames or, more likely, the decoding of particular frames types/sequences. (I.e., 720p Main Profile Apple trailers play at full frame rate while your 29.97 fps sample file tops out between 15 and 20 fps.)

A previous post (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8059455) indicates that iMovie '06 was able to import those video clips, that doesn't work for me.
Neither could I. All I got was a white screen with audio. This normally indicates a lack of the proper video playback component. (Same thing with Final Cut.)

You can find a sample video clip from the Samsung NV24 HD digital camera here : http://public.me.com/herve.nivon
Thanks for posting the sample file. It really helps when attempting to analyze and problems and find solutions. Basically, QT only supports the Basic, Extended, and Main H.264 (MPEG-4/AVC) profiles. Based on what I am seeing, I suspect that Samsung is using a proprietary hybrid codec here -- probably based on a standard which is supported by QT but with added features and/or capabilities not included in the supported profile as strictly defined -- i.e., as opposed to using an unsupported profile.

Is there any way to convert it ? or to make iMovie '08 manage such video clip ?
I have yet to find a "digital" work flow that would convert the file. Most cannot even "prepare" the file for conversion. SimpleMovieX would recognize there was a video track but would not open it -- only the audio. VLC echoed my complaint about frame rates. MPEG Streamclip couldn't read/calculate frame position more accurately than to the nearest second. Sorry, but things don not look good.

I've got a solution to your problem.
I do not have this camera, but was very interested in it, so I downloaded a sample clip from elsewhere and have been trying to find a way to get it into iMovie. The work-around I've found until there is a better solution is this:

• You need the "official" DivX converter (www.divx.com).
• Use it to convert the nv24 video into a divx file.
• Then you need MPEG Streamclip (www.squared5.com).
• Use this to convert the divx file into whatever you like for iMovie.

There is a bit of clarity lost in the processing, but if you HAVE to have these videos accessible NOW, then this will definitely work for the time being...

I hope this helps! I just came across this solution while researching clips from the Samsung NV24, Panasonic TZ5 & FX37, and a Kodak M1093 (terrible video, btw). Just an FYI, iMovie takes the Panasonic HD videos no problem at all.

Best of luck!

Message was edited by: joslemmons

Thank very much HerveN. I was tearing my hair out with this one.
I think it's pretty poor that iMovie doesn't convert the videos, but thanks to ffmpegx it's not a show-stopper. I can't see any difference in quality with my untrained eye.
Now I can send my parents a video of their grandson's nativity play before Christmas. Many thanks again HerveN.