Which file types does iMovie 09 accept?

Yep, it accepts H.264 MP4s for me. I don't know if it'll accept MP4s with the MPEG-4 codec. It recognizes and seems to import AVI files (with MPEG-4 codec), but I haven't tested how well those work yet.

Oh, I just checked again. It won't take a DivX AVI file. The AVI file is greyed out. So I'd say that AVI files are probably touch-and-go.

Message was edited by: sibeliusfan

Can anyone please tell me ALL the file types iMovie 09 accepts if possible?

DV
AIC
Motion-JPEG
Photo-JPEG
MPEG-4 (Supported profiles)
H.264 (Supported profiles)
Apple Animation (Movie '09 only)
Apple Video (iMovie '09 only)
iMovie '08/'09 will not accept files containing extraneous data tracks such as:
'Tween
Text
Chapter
Closed Caption
Secondary audio such as AC3
etc.
iMovie '08/'09 Will not accept files that rely on proprietary/third-party components such as
DivX
WMV
XviD
etc.

Could I please add a few follow up questions regarding this, since all my old video files are .wmv file format which of the accepted file format for IMovie 09 is it recommended to convert the files to ? Anybody having a recommendation about the best application for doing the converting ? (I currently have both VisualHub and QT Pro, but don't mind buying another application if there exist better options) And lastly when I trying using IMovie 09 to do some editing on a .dv file I had converted from .wmv using VisualHub, IMovie 09 needed to "convert clip" (which took forever even on a short clip) when I tried to use the function "change speed". Is this because I don't have the optimal file format for IMovie 09, or will this allways be the case when using this function ?

Help would be much appreciated.

which of the accepted file format for IMovie 09 is it recommended to convert the files to?
Animation, AIC, DV, H.264 (unlimited data rate) -- Highest quality but source files can be very large

Motion-JPEG, Photo-JPEG -- Medium quality, easily thumbnailed, moderate sized source files

MPEG-4, H.264 -- quality depends on the data rate used, source file size depends on data rates, can be used to produce the smallest source files where hard drive space is critical

Anybody having a recommendation about the best application for doing the converting? (I currently have both VisualHub and QT Pro, but don't mind buying another application if there exist better options)
Visual Hub is standalone and works as is. QT Pro and MPEG Streamclip both require the Flip4Mac QT component to conver WMV. Both essentially access the QT Structure in similar manners but each has some strengths and weaknesses when comparing one to the other. Frankly, I use all three applications depending on what needs to be done. All are good and useful so take your pick.

And lastly when I trying using IMovie 09 to do some editing on a .dv file I had converted from .wmv using VisualHub, IMovie 09 needed to "convert clip" (which took forever even on a short clip) when I tried to use the function "change speed". Is this because I don't have the optimal file format for IMovie 09, or will this allways be the case when using this function?
What was the frame rate of the source file you imported to iMovie '09? I suspect it may not have been 29.97/30 fps which may have forced iMovie '09 to re-write the files at a "standard" NTSC data rate in order to apply the speed change effect. (If you can find the "converted clip," please check out its frame rate, that of the file you imported, and post back if they are different so as to satisfy my own curiosity.

thanks for quick replay, will check when I get home and report back.

... NTSC data rate ...
Oops! That should have read "... NTSC frame rate ..."

will check when I get home and report back.
Thanks a lot. Am too busy to run all of the tests myself. Just noted this morning that the "Animation" and "Video" components were working in this version and still have at least another month of preliminary tests to accomplish to compare differences between iMovie '08 and '09. Apparently there have been a lot more than surface changes between the two applications.

1. As a check I tried to import directly from my Sony DCR-PC330E PAL camera into IMovie 09, but stil need to "convert clip" to be able to use the function "change speed", so it looks like it's not converting from .wmv to .dv file format using VisualHub being the problem.

2. How do I find the information about the NTSC frame rate ?

As a check I tried to import directly from my Sony DCR-PC330E PAL camera into IMovie 09
Is your iMovie '09 Project NTSC or PAL? That may be the problem.

How do I find the information about the NTSC frame rate?
Since you list "From: USA," I assumed you were working on an NTSC standards project with NTSC standards for the files. Basically, I just want to know the frame rate of the Visual Hub file you imported and the fram rate of the clip "converted" by iMovie '09. Now I would also need to know the standards preference your are using for projects, whether or not you changed the standards before starting the project, and whether or not you closed the application after making the change if you did change it.

I have obviously not the necessary knowledge about these things. I'm giving up on the converting from .wmv to .dv file format using VisualHub, and will do it the hard way by importing directly to IMovie 09 from camera all over again. My camera is a Sony PAL, and the current IMovie 09 preference video standard setting is NTSC - 30 fps. Do I need to change this to PAL - 25 fps, and will this make it easier to use functions like "change speed" ?

Yes... you need to make the change to PAL for iMovie 09. WIthout too much detail, NTSC and PAL are simular the way a pinto and a honda civic are simular. Both take gas, both turn, both have 4 tires. But that is about it.

Hey, I'm trying to rip a 5-minute selection from a DivX movie with Quicktime Player 7.6 and import it into iMovie '09. I tried exporting the selection in a variety of formats, but it seems that no matter which format I use to encode the selection, iMovie responds with the error:

"The file will not be imported. It is not compatible with iMovie."

As what format, specifically, should I export the selection? I've tried H.264, MP4 (using MPEG-4 codec), and MOV and nothing seems to be compatible.

Anyone encountered this problem before? Any suggestions?

Thanks