User profile for user: kenerin
kenerin Author
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IMovie 11 DV video import quality

I have a lot of VHS and mini DV tapes I want to convert to digital to preserve them. I have been frustrated with PC issues for the past 15 years and I just made the switch from PC to Mac. All I have ever heard about is the quality of video editing capabilities of a Mac! So I bought a new Mac mini and was planning to get the Elgato video capture cable for the VHS tapes, but thought I would try the DV tapes first. I Hooked the firewire up to my JVC mini DV camera and was anticipating a great import into IMovie only to be sooo disappointed by the grainy dingy results. The transfer quality is better in my dinosaur HP using Arcsoft Showbiz! From what I have been reading this may be a problem with the new IMovie version. Mine is a new Mac Mini so I believe it is IMovie 11. I was hoping someone could tell me how to change some settings but I think I may have made a mistake switching to a Mac! Can anyone help me here???
Signed, very disappointed and frustrated New Mac User

mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Jan 30, 2011 5:11 AM

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16 replies
User profile for user: Ziatron
Ziatron
User level: Level 5
4,220 points

Jan 30, 2011 9:06 AM in response to kenerin

but I think I may have made a mistake switching to a Mac!


You did not.

and was planning to get the Elgato video capture cable for the VHS tapes


A USB device (like Elgato) can't "keep up" with a video stream, unless it uses single-field processing. This means every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage.

I have done LOTS of this. Here is how to do it.

To get your VHS video into iMovie, look at the Grassvally ADVC300. Audio and Video go in, FireWire comes out. It also comes with a nice Macintosh application that works flawlessly with iMovie 06 and iDVD 09/11 (I have used it a few times with iMovie 09 and 11).

The program that comes with the ADVC300 has some nice filters that can improve video and audio of the source material. The ADVC300 will take Audio and Video from any source (VCR, Tivo, Satellite Receiver) and convert it to FireWire (iMovie will treat it like a camera).

http://www.grassvalley.com/products/advc300

I would use iMovie 06 with iDVD 09/11, why?

iMovie 09/11 uses 'single field processing' meaning every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the footage. iMovie 06 uses ALL of the image to form the video.

If your primary workflow is editing DV clips and making DVDs, iMovie '06 is better suited. Your movie will arrive at iDVD in DV format, which is an ideal match for making a DVD: same resolution, same pixels aspect ratio, and original quality. If you share your movie from iMovie 09/11, it gets re-rendered at 640x480 or less, and then iDVD upscales it back to 720x480. The end result is obviously not as good.

iMovie 06 and iDVD 09/11 is a "lossless" combination. My movies are diamond sharp, with the same quality you get from Hollywood.

You can get iMovie 06 in a number of ways. You cannot download it FROM APPLE any longer (it was free for a time). You can also find iMovie 06 on the iLife 06 install disc. You can buy iLife 06 on Amazon or eBay.
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User profile for user: former window user
former window user
User level: Level 1
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Feb 3, 2011 2:12 PM in response to kenerin

As a long time video hobbyist, I too have been very disappointed with the so-called "upgrades" from iMovieHD. With all the snow we've recently had on the east coast, I've had some time to experiment and think I have a solution. Using you're DV footage, edit as you normally would. When you're project is completed,"Share" the movie with one twist. "Export Using Quicktime," in that dialogue box, click on "Options." Under "scan mode," choose "progressive." Do not change anything else. Save movie to the desired name and location. Voila, the resulting movie will be as crystal clear as the original dv source clips. Not sure why Apple doesn't publicize this, but it work!
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User profile for user: Ziatron
Ziatron
User level: Level 5
4,220 points

Feb 3, 2011 3:47 PM in response to former window user

When you're project is completed,"Share" the movie with one twist. "Export Using Quicktime," in that dialogue box, click on "Options." Under "scan mode," choose "progressive." Do not change anything else.


This procedure has been described by others, unfortunately the results are not as good as what you get with iMovie 06.

Using your method In my testing, with a high-end Mac Pro, (running Snow Leopard) Taiyo Yuden DVD+Rs (and a few DVD-Rs), and displaying the result using several DVD players and several televisions including a Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD Plasma TV.

The iMovie 11 videos were slightly, (but definitely noticeable) more grainy. iMovie 11 gave me more noticeable combing artifacts than did iMovie 06.

Compared to today's standards DV Video's quality is not that great, so I don't want to lose ANYTHING in my conversion, I have no quality to "spare".

Not sure why Apple doesn't publicize this, but it work(s)!


Because they know, what I know? 🙂
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User profile for user: AppleMan1958
AppleMan1958
User level: Level 7
27,492 points

Feb 3, 2011 6:52 PM in response to Ziatron

A USB device (like Elgato) can't "keep up" with a video stream, unless it uses single-field processing. >This means every other horizontal line of the video is thrown out, which reduces the sharpness of the >footage.


This is not true at all. The ElGato can capture 1080i just fine with USB, and to capture standard definition DV is no problem for the ElGato. Quality is very good as well.
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User profile for user: Ziatron
Ziatron
User level: Level 5
4,220 points

Feb 3, 2011 7:05 PM in response to AppleMan1958

The ElGato can capture 1080i just fine with USB, and to capture standard definition DV is no problem for the ElGato. Quality is very good as well.


Appleman, I'm glad it works for you, that was not my experience. My experience was more like the below. I tried it with a 8 Core MacPro so I don't think processing power was my problem.

http://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Video-Capture-Device-White/product-reviews/B0029U2Y SA/ref=cmcr_pr_hist1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar

(To be fair, most reviewers liked it.)
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User profile for user: AppleMan1958
AppleMan1958
User level: Level 7
27,492 points

Feb 3, 2011 7:22 PM in response to Ziatron

I have two ElGato devices, neither of which was the one in your Amazon link.

I recommend [this one|http://www.amazon.com/EyeTV-Hybrid-tuner-stick-Mac/dp/B0039UOTW8/ref=dp cp_ob_e_title0] for capturing 1080i from broadcast television or from a VCR or Clear-Qam channels from a cable set top box. Works with composite, S-video or cable. I have captured about 40 VHS tapes with this one.

I use [this one|http://www.amazon.com/Elgato-EyeTV-DVR-cable-satellite/dp/B003MVYTBU/ref=sr 11?ie=UTF8&qid=1296789569&sr=8-1] for capturing component video in 1080i or 720P from a digital cable box, any channel.

Message was edited by: AppleMan1958
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User profile for user: Paul Bullen
Paul Bullen
User level: Level 1
20 points

Feb 5, 2011 3:03 PM in response to kenerin

Here is something relevant I just posted on another thread:

I gather you are using DV files. Here's what you should expect after upgrading to version 9.0.2 of iMovie '11: if you have event-clips that are longer than an hour and half you will have a noticeable lack of synchronization near the end of the clip. The only way I know of reducing the gap between audio and video while still using iMovie '11 is to open the file in QuickTime 7 (not X) and trim the file so that only the footage your tying to fix is left. Save that shortened file and import it into iMovie. It should seem synchronized now. But there is probably a remaining problem: the picture quality is has been lowered by being in iMovie. To check this, open you DV files in MPEG Streamclip. If there is no improvement in quality, you're lucky. When I play my DV files (from Video8--the original analog 8mm video) in MPEG Streamclip the color and tones are much richer. In iMovie '11 (and, I think, iMovie '09), the picture is washed out, lacking color saturation and general subtlety. This makes all makes iMovie '11 (at least) essentially useless for DV files--if my experience is generalizable. What I don't know at this point is whether these two kinds of problems (lack of synchronization and picture degradation) are avoidable by using iMovie '06 or Final Cut Express.

Let me add this: The DV synchronization problem does not get solved by using MPEG Streamclip to divide up your files into 10 minute sections (as it can do) and importing the sections into iMovie. Somehow the lack of synchronization persists--even though there is no lack of synchronization when the original, long file is played in QuickTime or MPEG Streamclip and there is no noticeable problem with event-clips that were originally 10 minutes long, or near the beginning of longer clips.

Message was edited by: Paul Bullen
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User profile for user: Paul Bullen
Paul Bullen
User level: Level 1
20 points

Feb 5, 2011 3:07 PM in response to kenerin

I was wondering if I find IMovie 06 can I load it on my Mac Mini when IMovie 09 is on there or do I have to delete 09


Apparently, you can--according to several people who have posted. I will be trying to do the same thing with iMovie '06 soon. It may be that iMovie '06 is necessary for DV files. Maybe you need a "legacy" program to work with "legacy" files. Or maybe the problem is only with DV files from "legacy" camcorders. If iMovie '06 doesn't work, perhaps Final Cut Express will.

Message was edited by: Paul Bullen
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User profile for user: crunch483
crunch483
User level: Level 1
5 points

May 1, 2011 2:42 PM in response to kenerin

In the past I have had the best luck with iMovie HD 06 (see note below*) but I recently discovered that the quality in iMovie 11 (and presumably 09 as well) is way better if you first convert your DV file to ProRes 422. It seems that unlike Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC), iMovie is actually able to edit in ProRes natively.


I'm finding that the quality of the export from iMovie is even better when you also select "1280 x 720 HD" when converting to ProRes...but then you have to be careful about the aspect ratio, letterboxing, etc. and may need to crop the video after exporting from iMovie.


* When using iMovie HD 06, I used an additional trick - when iMovie HD imports the DV file, it re-encodes it. To make sure you're not losing any quality, you can then replace the DV file in the iMovie HD 06 project file with the original. Just right-click on the project file and select "Show package contents," you should be able to find the .dv file in there.

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IMovie 11 DV video import quality

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