I have been offered either an AVI or Quicktime version of a video, which I want to work with in iMovie11.
Can someone please tell me which I should choose? Or where on Apple's site is there a description of the differences/advantages of each?
AVI is an outdated file container long since abandoned by Microsoft. AVI files require conversion before use in iMovie.
Quicktime is a standard cross-platform codec that iMovie is geared to work with.
You should also be aware that QuickTime .mov format is a container, not a codec. (Just like AVI is a container, not a codec.)
While QuickTime Player can play just about any .mov quickTime file, imovie cannot edit all QuickTime files.
.mov can contain many different codecs. For editing in iMovie, the most common is h.264, but many others will work, including DV, Apple Intermediate Codec, Apple Animation Codec, Motion JPEG A, etc.
You can tell which codec is used in a QuickTime file by opening the file in QuickTime Player. Then press Command - I to open the inspector. The video and audio codecs will be listed next to the workd "Format:"
AppleMan1958 thanks, i'll enquire about the codec...
What do people think about the Sorensen codec for Quicktime?
vs
The Microsoft DV codec for AVI?
The AVI might work, but I would probably use a third party app like MPEG Streamclipto convert it to DV in a QuickTime container.
The Sorenson is a proprietary codec, and I didn't know anyone was still using it. You also sometimes hear of h.263, and I think that is pretty much the some thing as Sorenson. If I had to use it, I would install the codecs from Perian.org (should be free) and then drag the files into MPEG Streamclip (also free) to convert them to QuickTime h.264 or Apple Intermediate Codec - which would then work in iMovie.
AVI or Quicktime?
