Converting Analogue Video to Mac....HELP!!!

Question

Converting Analogue Video to Mac....HELP!!!

Not sure where to post but hopefully I'll find some help here...

I want to convert some old family videos (on VHS) onto DVD but edit them first. I'm using a MacBook (the late 2008 aluminum model), and I have iMovie '08 installed. So, the process (as I understand it...) is to convert the old analogue video format into digital and import into my Mac (iMovie if possible), edit, and then burn to DVD.

Could somebody tell me if this is correct -- I have to buy 1) an analogue to digital video convertor, and 2) a SCART to Phono cable (which plugs one end into the VHS player and the other end into the convertor). And then the convertor plugs into my Mac via USB?

Also, could you please let me know if I could use iMovie to import the videos and to edit? (is it supported etc...),
And if possible could someone please recommend some analogue-digital video convertors as lots that I've looked at so far don't specify whether they are supported by Mac or not....

THANK YOU for your help, your feedback is much appreciated!!!

Regards

MacBook Alliminium, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Aug 2, 2009 2:27 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Aug 2, 2009 2:54 PM in response to michael.richardson

Yep, you are completely on the right track! 🙂

I use a Canopus ADVC110 for that purpose (just to mention one example), which is connected to the video player by a SCART to Phono (or is it RCA?) cable with the usual three cables: yellow for the video and red/white for the audio. The Canopus is connected to the Mac via firewire (essential, NOT USB) and I import into iMovie (in my case iMovie 6, but it matters little) where it can be edited as normal and then passed to iDVD for burning.

please recommend some analogue-digital video convertors as lots that I've looked at so far don't specify whether they are supported by Mac or not....

See above! I am not sure they need to state that, there is no extra software involved, just the same digital signal as you would get from a digital camera. The Canopus converts the analogue signal to a digital DV stream which is what iMovie prefers.

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Answer 2

red_menace

Level 6

17,030 points

Aug 2, 2009 2:57 PM in response to michael.richardson

If your MacBook has FireWire ports, you can probably get a camcorder with FireWire (iLink, IEEE 1394, etc.) for about the same amount as a player/converter. My old Sony Digital-8 has a feedthrough so that you can use it to connect the VCR (using standard RCA plugs) to the computer (using a FireWire cable). From there, you can use iMovie to edit. Check out http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1014 for compatibility information.

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Answer 3

Rod Fryer

Level 4

1,873 points

Aug 2, 2009 2:58 PM in response to michael.richardson

This is what I use.

I use iMovie to edit imported video from a birdbox we have in the garden - to keep a sort of diary of the egg laying/hatching/fledging of a family of bluetits we get each year.

It all works well for me.

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Answer 4

BobHarris

Level 9

53,003 points

Aug 2, 2009 3:06 PM in response to michael.richardson

I did my conversions using an EyeTV video capture device. Using the 3 RCA (red, yellow, white) cables from the VCR to the EyeTV, and EyeTV plugs in to a USB 2.0 port on the Mac.

EyeTV provides the video capture software for the Mac. I export from the EyeTV software to iMove for editing (although the EyeTV software does handle trimming of the beginning/end as well as any bits in the middle you would like; it does not do any of the other effects provided by iMove or other video editors).

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Answer 5

Aug 3, 2009 2:37 AM in response to michael.richardson

Thank you everyone for your feedback!

Unfortunatley I'm limited to USB input on my mac so need to find a converter that supports this, I don't plan to use the software that some of these come with, just iMovie which I already have, so I'm wondering whether any converters will work when plugged in, seeing as its just hardware, properly with my Mac even though its not specified if they are mac compatible or not....? (like one of you said, just like plugging in a digital camera). I hope this is the case!

Thanks for your help

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Answer 6

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Aug 3, 2009 2:59 AM in response to michael.richardson

You need to update to OS 10.5.7.

If you are running iMovie 9 then you can use USB, otherwise it's a no-go.

Yes, any converter that can use USB (may be hard to find) will work.

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Answer 7

Aug 3, 2009 3:26 AM in response to Klaus1

OK, thank you.

How about Final Cut Express?

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Answer 8

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Aug 3, 2009 3:36 AM in response to michael.richardson

I don't have Final Cut Express so I can't advise you. If you alerady have it, great, but it seems like overkill for this job! 🙂

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Answer 9

Aug 3, 2009 6:38 AM in response to michael.richardson

Hi mike011288;

There is a forum for the discussion of Final Cut. If you ask there you should get plenty of additional advice. I haven't used it either but I tend to agree with Klaus.

Allan

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