DV video quality

Well, this was fun, a thread with a million repeated comments.

The DV file in my preview pane is obviously of better quality that what is exported. The exported DV file looks like VHS quality.

Quality out = HOW the output is done.

Done correctly, a DVD from iDVD looks exactly iDVD from 06 or FCE or FCP.

We knew this with 08 and the same is true with 09.

To clarify - does iMovie '09 IMPORT interlaced video properly, but not EXPORT properly? In other words, if Apple someday fixes this problem, will I need to re-import all my video and start over, or will the interlaced (1080i) video already in my events library be fine?

Also, what is recommended for older interlaced (480i) footage?

I have been following this thread for awhile. I have an older imac with imovieHD. I never upgraded because i saw issues with next gen 08 and now 09. HOWEVER, i am now buying a new macbook, not pro, no firewire. I only have HDV ie high def tapes--i think the problem has been isolated to DV or all formats? Still can't follow the thread. Here are my questions:

1. I will continue to use imac and imoviehd to import (no firewire on notebook). All files are put to an external drive. Can i then safely bring it into imovie 09 for editing and sharing with idvd 09 with limited degredation? Or do i need to buy an older copy of imovie HD on ebay for the new macbook.

2. I will eventually buy a USB HD camera ie AVHDC format. I know that is complicated. I just hope the new macbook can handle it. They say it can. I really don't want a pro because of size.

Sorry for opening the discussion yet again. Also....when is the book coming out? I really need a lesson in sharing HD. I really want to learn how to burn to a blueray once i buy a blueray burner.

Does anyone know if the recent iMovie update had any affect on this problem? I read that they fixed the interlacing problem when exporting 1080i video but what about the DV quality problem?

I only read this:

"makes it easier to export and share videos in 720p high-definition format, and adds a keyboard shortcut for the Split command. In addition, the update corrects a rather nasty interlacing issue with HD movies, which previously required you to process your exported movies in other applications once iMovie was done with them"

Still not 1080i or p

I thought most people were having problems with DV not HD. I was still confused also. Is the issue with DV only or also HD?

Steve,

Yes I would love to use the stabilization. I got Slick Stabilizer for iM06 but have not used it. I have typical bad handheld old movies and can't go out an reshoot as some suggest. I've tried the Stabilization in iM09 and am fairly impressed. It definitely is an improvement. Hopefully Apple will add Stabilization to FPE 5.

kingstone wrote:
... I only have HDV ie high def tapes--i think the problem has been isolated to DV or all formats?

Issue with all interlaced formats 😟

Still can't follow the thread. Here are my questions:
1. I will continue to use imac and imoviehd to import (no firewire on notebook). All files are put to an external drive. Can i then safely bring it into imovie 09 for editing and sharing with idvd 09 with limited degredation? Or do i need to buy an older copy of imovie HD on ebay for the new macbook.

In general yes, you can do it. Check out Steven's guideline to have interlaced output. As option you may want to do with mine process iMovie for convenient story telling and FCE for final polishing and export HQ movie without losses.

2. I will eventually buy a USB HD camera ie AVHDC format. I know that is complicated. I just hope the new macbook can handle it. They say it can. I really don't want a pro because of size.

Check if you camcorder supported by iMovie. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3290
Hardware USB will support device simply fine.

There is no fix for interlaced output yet.

Thank you. I need to understand interlacing better:). Will look it up and buy FCE. It looks cool anyway.

Kingstone,

This was a different issue. Before the recent update to iMovie '09, exporting 720p video required an additional run through a program like JES to properly deinterlace the video. For whatever reason the option to do so through Quicktime was not working.

With the new update, 720p video exports very nicely without the need to do any additional post processing. There is, in fact, a 720p export preset now.

The iM 720p export is much much lower quality than if you use JES or MPEGstreamclip.

Steve Mullen wrote:
The iM 720p export is much much lower quality than if you use JES or MPEGstreamclip.

Sooo... the 8.0.1 iMovie 09 update is not even worth it?

How does this update affect your book?

When is your book available?

Thanks, Deborah

The 801 update does not affect DV at all. But, it has delayed my book until next week because it slightly changed text about working with HD. Plus a few new screenshots.

Steve:

You have the imovie8 book out now -- is there stuff in there thats not going to be in the imovie9. The real question is if I read the 08 book and the 09 book will i confuse myself. Looking at the table of contents there is content that you might not recover again and i am still learning basics. This board has been incredible.