Possible to convert Mini DV to DVD (lossless)?

Jeremy Hansen wrote:
Yes, you can do that depending on the length. you can store whatever you want on a DVD. But, as you said, it is not a playable DVD, just a DVD-ROM. And you won't use iDVD to do it.

DVDs hold 4.7GB of data. This is about 20 minutes of DV. A dual-layer disc will hold twice that. Just capture with iMovie, put a blank DVD in your drive, drag the video files onto it, and click 'burn'.

But DVDs are a pretty poor way to store video. Why not just get an additional hard drive?

Just checking: this is DV not HDV, right?

Thanks. Yes, this is DV not HDV.

I have Mini DV tape that I've shot that I need to send to someone else to put into a documentary they are producing. Their resolution is higher than mine, so I need mine to remain as high quality as possible.

Using your method - which sounds like it would work fine - would I be able to do any simple editing at all? In other words, If I capture an entire Mini DV cassette into iMovie, could I then edit out scenes I do not wish to send along, and be able to move the remaining video sequences over to the DVD to burn them?

The final format is not as important. I could just as easily use a hard drive or flash drive. The recipient can deal with whatever I send. Essentially I just want to be able to send them selected scenes from some Mini DV tapes that I've shot, without sending them the original Mini DV tapes, and without losing any resolution in the process.

Thanks again.

Bengt Wärleby wrote:
Hi

Can I do this with iMovie '09? If so, how?

As I see it - NO

a. Lossless -
• Connect Camera and use iDVD and burn directly from this
• or Use iMovie version 1 to HD6
• or Use FinalCut any version

Thanks for the response.

1) I was not aware it was possible to connect a camera and use iDVD rather than iMovie. You can do this? I take it that if this is possible, it means no edits whatsoever and as the rest of your response suggested, the introduction of lossy compression. Have I understood what you meant?

2) Is iMovie HD6 still available somewhere, would it be easy enough to use, and could I be up and running with this without messing up other applications on my computer?

3) I don't have FinalCut and my primary reason for not using it right now is that I'd like to get this done quickly and I didn't want to get bogged down learning a complex program.

Thanks!

Jeremy Hansen wrote:
Just capture with iMovie, make your edits, and export a Quicktime movie in the same format (DV). Forget iDVD. That is for making DVD video. You just want to make a DVD-ROM.

To clarify: iMovie '09 will let me do this?! I can import than export in the same uncompressed DV?

This would be the perfect solution but I thought from the responses above this was not possible. Would be great if it were.

Bengt Wärleby wrote:
1. There are two ways - alt when You start iDVD
• Magic iDVD
• OneStep DVD

Thanks - I can try this although it sounds like it's probably best if I avoid iDVD altogether. Good to know though and will look into if other methods fail.

2. Only as secon handed - try e-bay (no free version for iM'08 owners any more)
Price is up to x2 - and rising. (Still very good value - but closing in on FinalCut Express 4)

Yes it's very Basic - but many of us love this 100 times more than iM'08 or 09

YES - It is rather tedious to install it - when You got it
• First iLife'09 has to be removed
• iLife 6 installed
• iLife09 re-installed

(Now iMovie HD6 will be in Applications/iMovie previous versions folder and working
SEE if it's not there already.)

3. Yes FCE/P is shooting high. But i love it and wanted suggestions to be as complete
as I can understand it.

If Jeremy's solution within iMovie works, that would be simplest of all. Otherwise, it sounds like at this point if I'm going to get HD6 I might as well get FC since I will get it eventually anyway. It's just that I need to do this soon and hoped to not have to deal with a software learning curve.

thanks again for your help.

Jeremy Hansen wrote:
That will work. Just be sure to export to full quality DV, and not change formats. And remember, you will only be able to fit about 20 minutes at a time on a DVD-R.

Thanks.

I was under the impression that versions subsequent to HD6 lost the ability to export DV, but if I can export exactly what I've imported plus my edits in the form of Quicktime DV, no loss in resolution, that is ideal. I'l give it a spin and if I run into problems, I'll come back to the forum and badger you some more.

Many thanks everyone for all your help!