How do import .mpeg to iMovie

You must use 3rd party utilities like MPEG Streamclip (an Italian app BTW!) to convert MPEG to DV which iMovie likes.

DV25

http://danslagle.com/mac/iMovie/tips_tricks/6030.shtml

Hey Matti if you are reading this. I assume Interlaced Scaling and Chroma is defaulted for a reason. Right?

I'd like to know how to go from iMovie to .mpeg (or .mpg).

Click the above link 😉

Interlaced Scaling and Chroma is defaulted for a reason

Yes, MPEG Streamclip author struggled with the Interlaced Scaling default a while back. He chose to default to Interlaced Scaling and put a notice to "Deselect it for progressive movies" (you did see that hint in the export dialog, didn't you!).

Progressive movies are a little bit sharper with Interlaced Scaling turned off (the difference is quite small, though). On the other hand, interlaced movies look TERRIBLE with Interlaced Scaling turned off if the vertical height is scaled!

...so there is a problem if the material contains interlaced AND progressive video. The compromise is to turn Interlaced Scaling on and accept that progressive material isn't as high quality as it could be. ...perfectionists will have to separate interlaced material from progressive and set Interlaced Scaling accordingly 😉

MPEG Streamclip guide says this about Reinterlace Chroma:

"If you are converting an interlaced MPEG-1/MPEG-2 file, you may wish to "reinterlace" chroma. By checking "Reinterlace Chroma" you can enable a special remapping of 4:2: 0 chroma lines so they will be split correctly between the two video fields. This is a very advanced option: only professional users may see the difference in the output movie. This option is enabled by default; disable it when you are sure your file is not interlaced. This option has no effect if the source stream is not an MPEG-1/MPEG-2 stream."

I think what Matti is saying as it depends on the input footage. You would (or would not) use the options based on what you are demuxing.

Thanks Matti. I will add that to the page as notes. Crediting you of course 😉

To convert a DVD or MPEG to DV with MPEG Streamclip (v1.5.1 or later):

Open a desired .VOB on a DVD (DVD/VIDEO TS/VTS_011.VOB, for example) or a MPEG file. Select the In/Out points if you want to extract just a portion of the video. Choose "File/Export to DV.../Compression: DV (DV25)".

Choose "Split DV stream in Segments" if the content is more than 9 minutes 27 seconds because iMovie 1-4 can't reliably handle longer clip files and it might be a good idea to limit the converted .dv file's size anyway (segmented clips play seamlessly in iMovie).

MPEG Streamclip can optionally resample audio to 48 kHz which DV (and DVD) use (use this option when converting (S)VCD 44.1 kHz audio for DV).

Other settings can usually be at their defaults. Sometimes you have to check whether the input/output is PAL or NTSC.

See also:

http://www.sjoki.uta.fi/~shmhav/SVCDon_a_Macintosh.html#edit_convertMPEG

I have also this importing problem with MPEG-2.

I understand, that it is not possible to import muxed MPEG-2 streams into imovie. Does this mean it is possible to import elementary (demuxed) streams into imovie?

Background:

I capture video with an ATI TV tuner card on my PC. The captured Video is contained in a muxed MPEG-2 File. I've got a software on the PC (dvdLab from www.mediachance.com) to demux this file into elementary audio and video streams. Is it possible to import these streams into imovie?

I'm really a bit dissapointed, that I have now the same problems to edit videos as on my PC. I need several tools to capture convert edit and author videos and DVD's. I thought I buy an apple and get rid of all these problems and all is better integrated.

Hello Mimes,

thanks for yor answer. I read about this solution several times in this forum. My MPEG-2 File is 8GB, I wonder how big it will be in DV Format. But I still wanna know if it is generally possible to import elementary steams and if I need the MPEG-2 component for 20$ for this purpose.

I am missing the audio component of an imported QuickTime .MPG file. Since iMovie does not support MPEG-1 Muxed, and MPEG-2 Muxed format files... I would appear as though that I need to download MPEG Streamclip, right?

But then what file format should I convert/export the file into so that I get both the video and audio when I Import into iMovie. using MPEG Streamclip?

as though that I need to download MPEG Streamclip, right?
what file format should I convert/export the file

There is info about this earlier in this thread.

Mimes,
Welcome to the problem that everybody has been complaining about for several years. Importing mpeg2 files into imovie or FCP. Apple should simply add this feature for us (which would be easy). The absolute best workaround for this is to use MpegStreamClip. Listen to Dan Slagle, he really knows his stuff about imovie! Go to the link for the imovie site he has, it will explain everything you need. He has helped many of us. I read your questions about this and believe me, I had the same ones before I went to his site. Hopefully Apple will add this feature to imovie or FCP in the next version.......................