Is 4 GB Memory sufficient for 30 minute video?

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Level 1

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Is 4 GB Memory sufficient for 30 minute video?

I'm pretty sure my Macbook Pro (Mac OSX (10.5.6) that I've upgraded from 2 GB of Memory to 4 GB, is more than sufficient to manage a 30 minute movie I'm working on. However, iMovie seems sluggish because the wheel pops up frequently, almost constantly, just after I make any adjustment or change to my movie. That's not the case when I'm working on another project that's just a short video clip (1-3 minutes). My 30 min. movie has 79 video clips with transitions in between each one and 13 photos. I have voiceovers throughout the entire movie. It's a documentary on child trafficking in Ghana so I'm providing a lot of information to the viewer throughout the movie. So, is the 30 min. length and composition of my movie (lots of short clips and transitions and voiceover) rather hefty for iMovie '08 that would explain the wheel popping up all the time? I've also had audio adjustment problems whenever I copy audio from one clip to another and try to duck it under my voiceover but that's another issue I've posted about along with the delay/lag in trying to relocate audio or voiceover track bars and the bars don't move smoothly back and forth underneath the video clip. Thanks in advance for your input on the 4 GB and movie size question.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 15, 2009 2:30 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 15, 2009 7:32 PM in response to Macabie

Certainly having lots of RAM helps move the production process along, but, most likely, it is not the reason for the slowing down you speak of. Two GB of SDRAM would be doing the same thing.

More importantly is the question of how much free hard drive space you have. An almost full hard drive, that being less than 20GB, will usually cause the problem you have.

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Answer 2

Macabie Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 15, 2009 10:30 PM in response to Forest Mccready

I have 164.3 GB available on my hard drive so I have plenty of HD space. The iMovie project seems to be less sluggish today for some reason. The audio still isn't working well when I have a copied audio track and a voice over and I'm trying to duck the audio with my voice over. But I'm just creating separate Projects for these problem clips and addressing the problem that way to just finish editing the movie. I'm considering downloading iMovie 6 after hearing how easy it is to use, especially editing the audio. I figure it can't hurt to try it.

Many thanks for your response!

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Answer 3

Feb 15, 2009 11:04 PM in response to Macabie

iMovie HD6 is a more pro style editor than 08 and many won't give it up, even with 09 now out. However, Apple has discontinued the free download of HD6. Your only option is to find a copy for sale, possibly on eBay, where I have seen it being offered.

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Answer 4

Feb 15, 2009 11:09 PM in response to Macabie

Hi

*I have 164.3 GB available on my hard drive*

ON the internal boot drive ?

The only one that counts. Neither Mac OS or iDVD and most probably iMovie can't
use the external ones for scratch files (temp-files).

The internal one should have about 25Gb free space as a minimum and if You are
doing 16x9 full HD projects this might need to be multiplyed with 4 to 5 times
more. Just to run OK.

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 5

Macabie Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 16, 2009 1:13 AM in response to Forest Mccready

Thanks again. I figured out the problem!!! I have Time Machine and I just realized that it is causing my major audio problems and probably the sluggishness of iMovie at times. I was working on my movie and all of a sudden the audio problems disappeared and my copied audio tracks were properly ducking to my voiceovers. So I completed one video clip's audio editing and was just finishing a second when all of a sudden my program froze for a second and I noticed my Time Machine was starting a back up (it does this hourly). The clip I was just finishing the audio editing on went back to not working again. So I stopped the Time Machine's back up in progress, closed iMovie and restarted my computer. Guess what? The audio editing I had done went back to o.k. Go figure! And the program seems to be working smoothly. I'll have to let Apple Support know about this. They are normally very nice and helpful but on this particular problem, their advice on the slow program and audio problems was incorrect and misleading. Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to try and help. I had read that iMovie 06 was a great program but Apple stopped supporting it.

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Answer 6

Macabie Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 16, 2009 1:14 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

Thanks so much for your response. Please see my post above. I figured out the problem! I really appreciate your assistance and advice! Best, Lori

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Answer 7

Macabie Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 16, 2009 1:22 AM in response to Forest Mccready

Hi Forest,

I think this link is to an iMovie 06 download.

http://support.apple.com/downloads/#iMovie%20HD

Another forum member passed on the following link to a good article which talks about the popularity of iMovie 06 and provides a link to a free download. I used the link to get to Apple's download page and then I did a search for iMovie 06 and came up with the link above.

http://www.macworld.com/article/132477/2008/03/digitalvideo2504.html

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Answer 8

Feb 16, 2009 4:59 PM in response to Macabie

Thank you for that link LoriD. Apple seems to have had second thoughts about canceling the free iMovie download and they even give you iMovie HD (5.0.2), if you want it!

Perhaps it was just a matter of formatting the downloads to a new URL??

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Answer 9

Feb 17, 2009 11:49 PM in response to Forest Mccready

Hi

Can't find any Full downloads only updates that require full version 6 or 5.

Am I wrong ?

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 10

Macabie Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 18, 2009 1:36 PM in response to Bengt Wärleby

I think you're right Bengt. I looked at the downloads at the Apple website and they appear to only be updates as you mentioned. I suspect at one point, Apple did have a free download for iMovie 6.0.0 because the Macworld.com article said there was a free download and it provided a link. But if you click on the link, it brings you to the download page at the Apple site but there's no iMmovie 6.0.0 download and a search for it brings up only the 06 updates. Bummer!

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