Copy & edit DVD from external drive to iMac?

Question

Copy & edit DVD from external drive to iMac?

Can I transfer my keep-fit DVDs from my external DVD/CD writer to my iMac 2023 and then edit them? I can watch the DVD on the imac but only whilst playing it thru the writer, but in Handbrake it is like the aeriel has gone mad - is this how it should be as I need to download another app to actually edit/view it?

I seemed to save the one DVD to iMovie; how I did this I don't know. But the play back is so bad that I can't use it. Everything, picture and sound is too jumpy.

Can anyone help please?

iMac 24″, macOS 14.1

Posted on Jan 4, 2024 3:24 AM

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Answer 1

Rich839

Level 8

48,174 points

Jan 4, 2024 3:31 PM in response to barneyhairball

My comments below apply only to non-commercial DVDs. Commercial DVDs are copyrighted and copying them is precluded by the copyright laws.

For home DVDs, copy the DVD's icon to your desktop. Then follow the instructions I gave on this link:

Import a home movie DVD into iMovie for e… - Apple Community

-- Rich

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Answer 2

Rich839

Level 8

48,174 points

Jan 6, 2024 12:07 PM in response to barneyhairball

Hi,

The "horizontal scroll" is called the timeline. You must create a project in order to have a timeline. Your screen is not in a project screen at the moment. Click on the Projects button at the top of the screen. That will open the Projects Browser screen, where your projects are displayed as icons. In the upper left of the Projects Browser screen, click on the square with the + sign in it, and choose to create a project from the drop down menu. A project screen will open that displays a timeline. Drag your movie into the timeline.

Editing is done in the timeline. Your clip presently is located in the Project Browser. Very limited editing can be done in the Project Browser. Drag the video clip from the Project Browser to the timeline, where you then can edit it.

-- Rich

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Answer 3

Rich839

Level 8

48,174 points

Jan 6, 2024 1:28 PM in response to barneyhairball

Here's a link to Apple's online help menu. It has a great search feature where you can search by descriptive search word or by topic. It describes the main features of iMovie and provides step-by-step instructions on how to use them.

https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/

You can also use the Help feature in the iMovie main menu at the top of your screen.

-- Rich

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Answer 4

Rich839

Level 8

48,174 points

Jan 7, 2024 9:15 AM in response to barneyhairball

Probably the menu guide is showing the project screen timeline in the non-expanded mode. Your clip shows the timeline in expanded (zoomed) mode. Try moving to the left the slider located above and to the right of the timeline, next to the settings button. That will contract the timeline.

If you want to delete a section of a clip, place your playhead at the in-point and do Modify/Split Clip. Then move your playhead to the out-point, and do another Modify/Split Clip. That creates a segment between the two split points. Click on the segment to select it, and press Delete on your keyboard to delete the segment.

-- Rich

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Answer 5

Jan 6, 2024 11:30 AM in response to Rich839

I now have copied my DVD from my writer to Handbrake and then to iMovie.

But editing it is not easy. I cannot see the horizontal scroll of the DVD at the bottom of the screen as some advice I have found. This seems to be where one cuts/edits sections. I can see something similar in the top left hand of the screen in iMovie but it is too small to deal with. I am presuming this is where I can edit.

Can you advise further as other than see the scroll in the top left I can't see how to edit the DVD.

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Answer 6

Jan 6, 2024 12:33 PM in response to Rich839

Yes I've now put the DVD into Projects and have the timeline at the bottom of the screen. But how do I edit out some sections? Is all this info provided by Apple because if it is I can't find it.

Am I going nuts as I can hear my husband washing the dishes downstairs. I had to play with the sound as it was so low I couldn't hear the DVD. But now I can hear the dishes being washed. Confused. The sound is all over the place but how can I delete the project and start again?

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Answer 7

Jan 7, 2024 7:11 AM in response to Rich839

Can you advise regarding this screenshot please. My screenshot is not exactly the same as the one shown in the iMove link/guidance screen. I cannot delete a section so can you advise please?

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