no sound after import for first section of movie using iMovie HD 6.0.4

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Level 1

123 points

no sound after import for first section of movie using iMovie HD 6.0.4

Hi,

I use iMovie HD 6.0.4 on my MacBook Pro 2.0 quad-core running 10.6.8. Other than crashing occasionally, it works fine.

My current problem is that the first section* of footage on the past two projects I've been working on, iMovie won't get the sound for the first section I import. I will hear the audio on the computer but when I play it back the audio is gone. Quicktime Player won't play audio for that section either. It isn't a setting in iMovie as later sections I've recorded will all be fine. I have the "filter audio from camera" preference in Import unchecked and I've looked to see that the pref is sticking. It has been. It isn't a matter of muting, etc since the audio works on successive segments and I haven't changed things in-between.

The next section of my footage will be fine. The audio will work in iMovie, I can hear it as it being imported, etc.

*These sections are usually music performances. I let the camera run for the first set, stop it and then if there's tape left over, resume recording. If not, I switch tapes. All succesive sections/tapes are fine.

This has only happened lately on the last two projects I've done. I am wondering if Soundflower could be the culpret.I instaleld it a few months back. Other than that I don't know what could be happening.

The audio always plays fine from the camera, a Sony DCR-TRV9 mini DV cam which was overhauled a year or so ago.

One possibility may be that I have been recording at EP speed and in this last case, I know I was using 16 bit recording rather than 12 bit for the audio. That might explain things except that I don't change that during a session. If I start with one setting, I stick with it.

Thank you for any ideas on this.

Cheers,

John

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 15" Quad core, 2.0/500/8

Posted on Mar 27, 2012 10:22 AM

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Answer 1

lipwak Author

Level 1

123 points

Mar 27, 2012 10:49 AM in response to lipwak

OK, since Apple isn't letting me edit this, I'll have to reply.

I should add this has happened with importing the footage to two machines; my MacBook Pro and my G4 Powerbook DL 1.67 ghz running 10.4.11.

I have gotten around this by running the DV cam through a DVD recorder and capturing the footage with EyeTV and then exporting that as a DV file into iMovie. It's a pain but that's the only way I have figured out how to get those first sections into iMovie with audio.

And one more bit of info. To get the Firewire into my MacBook Pro I use a dongle that converts Firewire into a Thunderbolt port. (On the G4 it can just go in as Firewire.) The dongle isn't a factor, I don't think, as later segments in the same footage have audio. I don't touch the dongle while importing. (And the MacBook Pro DOES get audio as it is importing. It just doesn't play it back on that first segment.)

Thanks.

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Answer 2

Mar 27, 2012 10:54 AM in response to lipwak

Hi John

Not having any clever answer I made one Important Observation !

One possibility may be that I have been recording at EP speed and in this last case, I know I was using 16 bit recording rather than 12 bit for the audio. That might explain things except that I don't change that during a session. If I start with one setting, I stick with it.

My Sony TRV-900E records in 12-bit when I record (only done one time - never more) in LP-mode.

I never will use anything else than SP-mode due to

• Severe problem to get audio to keep sync. Finally I solved this.

• Video was severely cut up in short segments. Finally also solved

• BUT - Those miniDV tapes are Camera - connected = When Camera dies - so will the tapes as the tolerances are to small to be able to be played of even a similar Camera - Must use same Camera as recorded to be OK

I am wondering if Soundflower could be the culpret.I instaleld it a few months back.

Can be.

12-bit - No No No

I only use

• from Camera - 16-bit 48kHz

• .aiff 48kHz

• Audio-CD (to Stereo) .aiff 44.1kHz

NO .mp3, .wma or other ailient format - I use Audacity (free on internet) and other Audio-editors to convert this to .aiff 48kHz. Always !

And one more bit of info. To get the Firewire into my MacBook Pro I use a dongle that converts Firewire into a Thunderbolt port.

I have a MacBook Pro 15" and I use a FireWire 4-pin to 9-pin Cable - no adaptor or alike - and it imports greatly (Mac OS X.6.8 and iMovie HD6 v.6.0.4)

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 3

lipwak Author

Level 1

123 points

Mar 27, 2012 12:22 PM in response to Bengt Wärleby

Thanks, Bengt. I appreciate it.

I think the SP vs LP might be it. I will try to stay in SP and always use 16 bit. I don't think I have any control over more than that. And I only have the one cam so all tapes get recorded and played back on it.

For the most part I am/have been ok if I use the G4 so I thought this was a MacBook Pro thing. (The Firewire to Thunderbolt connection)

I should get a cable to replace the dongle cuz I am not that confident that the dongle connects well enough. A cable would have better stress-relief from the weight of the cable. The dongle is iffy.

Also glad to hear that people are still using HD. I agree with what someone said about 11/9.0.4 that it's hard to do easy things and easy to do hard things with it. Most of my editing is straighforward cuts-only. HD suits me just fine.

Cheers,

John

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Answer 4

Mar 27, 2012 11:02 PM in response to lipwak

Yes

and to save the LP-mode tape I had I did as follows

• In iMovie HD6 - pref - set Import - but not as individual clips (all as oner block/clip)

• Import tape to TimeLine

• Directly after this - Select Advance Menu and Extract Audio

• SAVE

• I did - playback to Camera and a new tape and Camera set to SP-mode (16-bit audio)

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 5

lipwak Author

Level 1

123 points

Mar 28, 2012 10:45 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

Thanks for all the info.

Why is it though that the first segment doesn't get audio recorderd, even though I hear it as it is being imported?

And, why is this a recent problem? Now it happens on the G4 and the MBP. Before, the G4 didn't have a problem. I can't say when this problem started other than it has happened for the past two projects. I am not sure if both were LP recordings nor if they were 16 bit. Most of my recordings have been LP as I want to fit as much on a tape as I can for a live perfromance. Stuff I record around the house doesn't need LP so it gets SP and 12 bit audio.

I can hold to your rules above but I'm curious WHY this is happening and why now, when not before since little has changed. (nothing has changed on the G4). Is it the camera? (It was overhaued a few years ago. This probem only started a few months ago.)

Thanks.

Cheers,

John

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Answer 6

Mar 28, 2012 10:49 AM in response to lipwak

That it happens on both machines - leads me to look for the problem in either the FW-Cable (very common problem) and the Camera.

Can not be of more help - sorry - Yours Bengt W

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