Imovie displays wrong Aspect ratio

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Imovie displays wrong Aspect ratio

I have just moved to MAC from windows and I am having a problem importing an AVI file that I created on the PC in Movie Maker to Imovie. When played on the PC it retains its correct 16:9 aspect ratio. When I copy it to my Macbook Pro it plays in 4:3 ratio in both Quicktime and when imported into Imovie. I have created both an DV and DV widescreen project to import it into but it makes no difference. Why is MAC not recognising the aspect ratio. I have imported some clips directly from my panasonic GV400 camcorder and it keeps the aspect ratio. I do not want to reimport the media from tape as I have already edited and added music to the clips.

I am running tiger with Imovie 6.0.3. Any advice for a Mac Numpty.

Macbook Pro 17", Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Dec 2, 2006 9:10 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 2, 2006 9:26 PM in response to adjwoods

Hi there Mac Numpty

Welcome to this forum

Open iM. Go to File, new. Click on new. A drop down sheet opens. Name your project say, 16:9 import. Tab down to where. Name where you want the project saved say, desktop. Click on the triangle below that that says video format. The sheet expands. Click on DV widescreen. Then click on Create. Your new project will open. Now import your clips and all should be fine.

Good luck with the project. Let us now how it goes.

Carl

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Answer 2

adjwoods Author

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Dec 2, 2006 11:05 PM in response to F. Carl McIvor1

Carl,

I tried that again and it still doesn't work. When the project opens you can tell it is in widescreen, but when the clip is imported it leaves blank spaces on either side. When imported into a normal DV project it fills all the space available. I do not know why it is doing this when it if fine when on a PC?

If I cannot resolve this problem is there any way to convert it to 16:9 so MAC recognises it in Imovie?

Cheers

Woodsy

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Answer 3

Dec 3, 2006 5:20 AM in response to adjwoods

You must re-export the .avi as a 16:9 flagged .dv clip. It might be a good idea to update to the latest version version of QT.

Uncheck the "iMovie HD/Preferences.../Import/Automatic DV Pillarboxing & Letterboxing" setting, too.

I'd use MPEG Streamclip for the re-export because:

As a bug, exporting as .dv or DV-encoded .avi via QuickTime Player Pro 7.1 (at least up to 7.1.3) occasionally duplicates frames (QT 7.0 didn't do this).

You can export without duplicate frames via MPEG Streamclip (File/Export to AVI..., Compression: Apple DV - PAL or DV/DVCPRO - NTSC, Quality: 100%, Sound: Uncompressed). Remember to set the 16:9 flag.

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Answer 4

adjwoods Author

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Dec 4, 2006 12:46 AM in response to adjwoods

Matti,

thanks for your response, I have exported it to DV widescreen and it has worked a charm. It does not appear to have lost any quality and only took about ten minutes to convert a 12GB avi. Thanks for saving me. Do you have any ideas why Quicktime was displaying it a 4:3 when it is 16:9 in windows?

Woodsy

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Answer 5

Dec 4, 2006 4:34 AM in response to adjwoods

It does not appear to have lost any quality and only took about ten minutes to convert a 12GB avi.

Yes, the conversion should be lossless.

why Quicktime was displaying it a 4:3 when it is 16:9 in windows?

Maybe QT didn't recognize the embedded 16:9 flag.

Only fairly recent versions of QT Player take advantage that flag anyway.

And iMovie 6 doesn't seem to recognize 16:9 flagged .avi files no matter what -- it needs .dv files for 4:3 vs 16:9 flagging system to work (QT Player automatically scales also 16:9 flagged .avi files properly).

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Answer 6

adjwoods Author

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Dec 4, 2006 3:48 PM in response to Matti Haveri

Matti,

thanks for all your help so far. Since you are all over these problems with MAC can you enlighten me on the need for any Virus Protection on a MAC and also is there any requirement for Spyware/Adaware protection or are these only for PC. I have an Airport Extreme configured and the Mac inbuilt firewall as my only defences, is this enough?

If they are need do you have any recommendations?

Cheers

Woodsy

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Answer 7

Dec 5, 2006 12:50 AM in response to adjwoods

need for any Virus Protection on a MAC and also is there any requirement for Spyware/Adaware protection or are these only for PC.

I haven't used any virus/spy/adware protection with Mac OS X because there are no virii for it yet. Anti-virus software tend to cause more problems than they solve currently.

I had anti-virus for Mac OS 7-9 but I never saw any virii there either.

I have an Airport Extreme configured and the Mac inbuilt firewall as my only defences, is this enough?

That's my current set-up (WPA2 for AirPort). I also take care to install the security updates.

I do keep an eye on sites like MacInTouch, MacFixIt, TidBITS, Slashdot etc to spot any new security threats/virii and adjust my defences accordingly.

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