I'm trying to import an .avi file to iMovie but the file is "greyed" out. Any ideas?
iMovie '08, Mac OS X (10.7.2)
If iMovie has trouble with a codec, you can, in Lion, select the file, right click, go to the bottom of the menu, and have Lion encode to AIC. If you can get the file off the camcorder, to your mac of course.
Hugh
Thanks Hugh, for a moment there I was very excited and re-loved my mac......Then I found it didn't work.....oooo so close.
I got "avconvert:source file not found for source file :/............/...nameofile.avi avconvert: failed to create an Export Session. Check setup."
Bearing in mind I'm not that computer literate, I'm none the wiser!
Then option B for me is almost always (free) MpegStreamclip. Drag the AVI in then convert. If Streamclip doesn't work then I wouldn't blame the Mac, there is something else wrong. Where is the AVI file, on a camera or external drive?
Hugh
Hi Hugh, I tried MpegStreamclip but when I import the file and hit play, the clock starts running but I only get a white screen.
The file is on my hard-drive and runs fine in QuickTime Player. It is 1.35gb big but surely with can't be a problem?
When in Quicktime Player, go to window, movie inspector and look at what it says in format. I have trouble understanding how it will play in quicktime but not in Streamclip. Did the file originally come from a JVC camcorder or something?
Hugh
Right, I'd downloaded the wrong version of Streamclip - I needed the beta version which also requires downloading QuickTime MPEG-2 to run on Lion - which costs £15. Having bought it and started unpacking it I get a message saying it was intended for an earlier OS version - so that's £15 wasted!
Inspector in Quicktime says "Mp42 1,600x900"
Ok, now I understand that it is beyond my experience. I checked on the web and saw that two people had either found a way to upload to YouTube, or use VLC to get it to work.
Got a YouTube account? It would be interesting to see if it uploads. You could then download the mp4.
Truth is, there are experts in this forum, or the Final Cut Pro X forum who could answer your question off the top of their heads. Me, I just don't know.
Sorry.
Hugh
jimfogden, don't give up hope yet! That £15 isn't wasted yet. The Beta version of MPEG Streamclip has some special instructions on how to install the MPEG-2 QuickTime Playback component under Lion. In particular there's an installer script called Utility MPEG2 Component Lion that they recommend you use:
The installer of the MPEG-2 Playback Component may refuse to install the component in Lion. Apple states the component is unnecessary in Lion, however MPEG Streamclip still needs it.
To install the component in Lion, please download MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b7 beta above; inside the disk image you will find the Utility MPEG2 Component Lion: use it to install the MPEG-2 Playback Component in Lion. The original installer's disk image (QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg) is required.
The current versions of MPEG Streamclip cannot take advantage of the built-in MPEG-2 functionality of Lion. For MPEG-2 files you still need to install the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component, which is not preinstalled in Lion. You don't have to install QuickTime 7.
Hugh, looking at other posts on this error, it seems to be a bug with Lion so I may need to find another way unfortunately.
It is a 3D image of a building using some sort of autocad type software from an architect.
importing avi into iMovie
