Does anyone know about any problems connecting the Sony HDV 1080i with iMovieHD. I am looking at getting a new camcorder and start making some HD movies.
Importing HD into iMovie takes ages ..not Real Time ..so be prepared for that.
You can work faster - but theoretically (..see below..) lose a bit of quality - if you set the VCR (Playback) Menu to send out the HDV as DV: that way iMovie will edit the material as normal DV, but with greater detail than normal because of the extra pixels in the camcorder's CCD chip(s).
As there's - currently - no way to burn an HDV DVD from your edited material using iDVD (..you'd have to splash out on DVD Studio Pro, and then find a burner - not yet available - which can handle HD material..) there's no actual point in importing the original HDV footage into iMovie, as - when you've edited it - there's little possibility of actually displaying the footage, unless you can find an HDTV which will accept HDV from a camcorder ..after you've exported your edited material back to the camcorder.
Many HDTVs have a DVI connector for HD, or display HD from the TV tuner, but don't have an HD input via FireWire or 'component' video.
So although you may get the camcorder, you may not be able to do anything with the footage you shoot ..yet!
Blu-Ray, or HD-DVD, burners probably won't be available till next year ..you certainly can't burn an HD DVD using any Apple Mac's built-in DVD burner at present.
So shoot in HDV by all means; but it may be best to send the footage into iMovie as a conversion into DV to be able to make use of it. It'll be higher quality DV footage than normal, but it won't be true HD ..but at least you'll be able to copy it to a DVD when you've edited it, and then show it on
any TV.
Actually, the import speed depends on your Mac. On my Powerbook, it imports HD 1080i at 1/4 speed. On a Dual G5 2.0 GHz with 2 GB RAM) it imports it at full speed, i.e., real time. However, the audio is not played during import.
I have a Sony HDR-FX1 and have successfully imported several hour length videos at 1080i. I have found it incredibly easy to edit the video on the Powermac, and although I save the video as 1080i, when I export it either in quicktime or just click the button to make a an iDVD, I have found it converts the video to 480 resolution with very good quality.
Of course there are no Blu-Ray or HD-DVD recorders yet, but I do have a JVC HD-VCR that takes the video at full 1080i HD resolution via firewire. I'll probably wait at least a year after the first HD DVD recorders come out before taking that plunge - it will take at least a year to gauge which HD format looks like it is headed to extinction (IE: VHS vs Bets war replay). Also, a year will likely mean the price of the drives will drop by half.
I guess the point I'm making is that although there are no good output options at the moment for sharing your video in HD format, I chose not to let current memories pass by (kids grow up fast). I can record in HD, save the tapes for HD-DVD conversion later, and share them in standard Dv format on current DVD technology.
If you're not interested in capturing family video in HD, then you may want to wait a year or two for better output options. If nothing else, the cost of the cameras will be half by then, and likely be more manufacturers to choose from.
I have the Sony HDR-FX1 HD Camera and have had no problems connecting and importing HD to my Powermac with imovie 5. You can use iMovie or you can download a very good program from the Apple developer kit (it's free). I'll paste a link below that has good info on this program. It can be used as an alternative to iMovie for importing video. Also, there is another link that is very good. It's for a program that converts varions DV formats. Both of these are free programs and I have used them both without problems.
Hey Sean. I own the professional version of the FX1 the Z1U. And I've never had a problem working with iMovie. The Z1U has been the perfect camera when working with editing systems. I've now upgraded to Final Cut and still it works perfectly. So no, no problems at all. Like someone said though. Capturing the footage to my Powerbook is definately not real time. In iMovie it took 1/4th to 1/2 the time. Definately not real-time but it isn't too bad. Just plug in the camera and go watch some TV that's all. It's a great camera. But, yeah you can't burn your footage to DVD yet. Although I shoot in HDV all the time and just burn normally to DVD. It comes out as standard definition but whatever. They'll have a burner sooner or later to have hidef dvds. Until then. Hook your camera up to the hidef tv and impress all your friends. But from your original question. No problems with capturing. It works perfectly.
Hi to all, I'm new and have just posted discussions on my new Sony HDR1. I was not able to get the camera to recognize the camera. With the help from the discussions, David & Karsten, I was able to get the camera going. My G5 DP+2gig imports at real time-no problem here except there is NO audio during that process as someone has posted it earlier in a different discussion. Next, create a new project with the same format=1080i, to match that of the recorded HD tape. Turn iLink conversion=OFF. However, since my OS10.4.2 has been upgraded before several times, I did a new re install just to make sure all the components are working, esp. the apple.immediate.codec in library>QT MAKE sure it is in there otherwise the options for 1080i and 720p will be grayed out.
Hope this helps.
You shouldn't usually need to separately "..install the intermediate codec.." ..this should happen automatically when installing iMovie HD from your "iLife" disc.
If you're saying that the two "Video format" HDV options (..1080i and 720p..) are greyed out when you click 'New Project', then you probably need to do a re-install of iMovie HD.
Similarly, if you're trying to play a previously-created HDV project which is already on your hard disc, but you get the error message "
Missing HD QuickTime Component - The QuickTime component necessary to view, edit, import and export high-definition movies is not installed. It is included with the iMovie installer; please re-install" ..then just re-install iMovie HD from your "iLife" disc and that should fix it!
The HD component might get displaced if you upgrade QuickTime after you've installed iMovie HD, or if you've downloaded any other video-handling software.
I just had the same grayed out HD options situation, hence tracking down your post. In my case I had both iMovie HD and FCP5 installed, so two reasons to think I would have the intermediate codec installed. Before looking for my iLife and FCS installer discs I first searched for the intermediate codec on my drive. It seems that it was still kicking around in a previous system folder. Apparently I've had a system update since installing the applications that caused the codec to be moved or lost.
I copied the codec (the file is named exactly AppleIntermediateCodec.component) to the HD:Library:QuickTime: folder and that was enough to fix the problem, I can now make HD iMovie projects.
As composite and s-video are not HD, all HDTVs that are able to work with an external player (as opposed to say a TV that only showed over the air HD) are likely to have component cables. In addition to that there may be a DVI input, and also Firewire, but I think that Firewire is more for hard drive storage rather than as a video playing connection.
It's possible that the terms "component video" for the codec that QuickTime users, and "missing QuickTime component" meaning that the intermediate codec was not installed, can cause confusion when talked about at the same time as component cabling.
Great - glad you got it fixed, and thanks for explaining how.
But I don't understand where your "..HD:Library:QuickTime:.." folder is.
D'you mean "Library/QuickTime/HD"..? And if so, d'you mean your
own "<yourusername>/Library/QuickTime/HD" in your 'Home' folder, or the main "(hard disc)/Library/QuickTime/HD" or the "(hard disc)/System/Library/QuickTime" folder?
Sorry to be a nuisance, but as there are so many "/Library" folders in OS X it's useful to know which one!
