Compatible Video Formats...

kids Cancer Crusade,

Most email clients have a 10mb file size limit.

Don't use the videos you've download from youtube, or similar sites, these videos will produce very poor quality, mp4 will be 320x 240. When you bring it into iMovie it'll be resized to DV dimension 720 x 480

1.) You could request that they burn the video file as a data CD/DVD and mail it to you.

2.) I believe there are some video sites that will allow to upload/download video without any conversion/compression applied, you may have to google for these sites.

3.) FTP sites (File Transfer Protocol) is another option. A broadband connect will be needed for downloading/uploading huge video files

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FileTransferProtocol

Maybe others will chime in.

...hmm. not easy..
video 'eats' disk space... for sure, you can compress video, but all those codecs (divx, h264, ...) are for playback, not meant for editing... you could mail such files, but when you convert them back into something useful for editing, you realize a dramatic loss of quality...

best practise is, what Roy told you, to use 'snail mail' and deliver data-dvds (even those could fit max 20min of editable material ...) or miniDV tapes...

iM can handle mpeg4... but that is again a lossy codec. ...
if you're owning QTpro, you could use the more efficient codec h264, ...

.gvp is Google's own codec/'standard', only in use with the GoogleVideoPlayer...

yousendit.com allows attached files of max 2GB ... that is in 'dv', iM's native codec, 10min 😉, but in h264 you would share a lot more...

keep in mind: iM is for TV-delivery... 720x480/30fps/interlaced.. ANY other res, fps, codec... will result in loss of pic quality (e.g. youtube videos have a quarter of res!) ... if you use h264, try to keep the res and framerate ...

in recommended order: miniDV tape, dataDVD 'dv', dataDVD h264, yousendit et al ...

I don't know an awful lot, But Google video doesn't have any Size limitations if you are in a hurry get them to encode their Mpeg 4 in the H.264 codec this can be done easily on Mpeg slipsteam which is free. H.264 codec is supposed to be as lossless as MPEG 4 gets. hope this helps. Tim

Won't slipsteam deinterlace the clip? it's there in the options window.

Tim,

a) I guess you meant MPEG Streamclip (www.squared5.com), not slipsteam... 😉

b) mpeg4 and h264 are NOT lossless.. e.g. both codecs don't store 30 full frames per second, just the deltas of - in most setting - every 15th frame ...

using converter tools as perian.org, or VisualHub http://www.techspansion.com/visualhub/ allow almost any codec converted into something useful...

but, question is: what workflow, what delivery? tiny, squeezed dvix files are ease to email, ... but are no 'fun' on the telly ... huge, less compressed 'dv' streams are easy to use in iMovie.. but hard to deliver thru iNet..
so, depending on some criteria, you have to make compromises .. I know very few circumstances, which make it urgent to deliver video by email .. 3 days more, and you get a tape with superb quality ...

Mpeg4 is the format H.264 is the new compression codec that will squash it into a little file. slipstream is the software program that will do it for you. Google H.264 take a two minute look. google Mpeg streamclip. download. Take a short 5 second dv cip drag it in the box. hit file. select export to MPeg4 the encoding box should open Top box has the compression
codec H.264. Multipass will read your file a few times and encode better but it's too slow maybe for the people(in a hurry) who want to upload clips quick and painlessly.There is a deinterlace option make sure you tick/check that.
Does anyone Know if he should
A)check the frame blending box
B)check the Better downscaling box
C)what's Amr narrow?
Anyway set up a google video account and download the player
Hope this is good advice, I'm not sure.

Hiya mate. Have you ever heard of the Avox jukebox? it enables Divx to play back on telly with no problems - it's awonderful device.

Have you ever heard of the Avox jukebox? it enables Divx to play back on telly with no problems
.. is a reply to what?
you're a fast typer, but a divx-enabled-player has nothing to do with 'editing codecs' or the O.P.'s problems ... and for sure hardware encoders offers often a better playback encoding.. but the OP needs a converter (=to make files editable), no playback (=to watch whatever codec on a telly)...

besides:
Mpeg4 is the format H.264
nope, mpeg4 is a codec on its own, h264 encoded files have the same suffix .mp4 ... have a look in QTpro/iM export options ... different codecs.
again: try to be a little less.. 'hasty' ... 😉


we both should stop threadjacking, don't we.. ? 🙂

Kids Cancer Corner,

I agree with Karsten, it would be ideal to have the tapes and import them straight into iMovie (as a matter of fact that was my first thought).

However, You didn't mention what video equipment you have access to. If you only own or have access to a eg. Mini DV Camcorder, then you can only handle Mini DV tapes. Digital 8, 8 mm/Hi 8, S-VHS etc. might present a problem. You'd need additonal equipment for playback.

You could request (assuming you have a Mini DV or Digital 8 camcorder) for those that have camcorders compatible to yours send tapes and for the others send a data DVD

The picture I'm getting these are vignettes/interviews lasting a couple minutes or less that will be included in your final project.

We do know that the contributors are savvy enough to convert the video to a digital format for emailing (Probably using "Windows Movie Maker").

We also know you have a PC running Windows XP and you intend to edit the video on a Mac using iMovie.


Maybe we can help you stream line the process with a few more details.


1.) Do you have a Mini DV Camcoder (or any type of camcorder)? If yes list the type(s).

2.) On your Windows machine you should have Windows Movie Maker version 2(it comes with the OS XP installation or can be downloaded (free). Do you have any other type of editing software installed on your PC.

The reason I ask the above questions is;

Since you have a PC with Movie Maker and the contributors are savvy enough to convert the video to a video file format for emailing, then burning a file to a data CD = 700mb, or data DVD = 4gb+ shouldn't be that difficult.

When you receive the CD/DVD copy the file(s) to your PC's desktop or designated folder, open "Movie Maker" and import the clip.

Now this is where a Mini DV or Digital 8 camcorder comes into play.
From "Movie Maker" Export the clip(s) to your Mini DV/Digital8 camcorder. Once on tape these clips can be captured from the camcorder into iMovie.

If you don't have a Mini DV/Digital 8 camcorder then as Karsten pointed out you'll need a software conversion app. (eg. Mpeg Stream Clip or VisualHub) to convert your video to DV format for iMovie. Hopefully the majority of the clips you get will be AVI (uncompressed) for best video/sound quality or DV AVI (slightly compressed).

You want the highest quality video possible, so you have to instruct the contributors when they create the file to use settings for (NTSC= NORTH AMERICA and JAPAN OR PAL= just about everywhere else) digital video.

Note To Contributors:
When saving/exporting the video to a file in "Movie Maker", the Movie Setting Window will have an option for highest quality video (NTSC) or DV-AVI (NTSC) either one should be sufficient (DV-AVI will produce a smaller file size because its slightly compressed, where as, highest quality will be a huge file but better quality).

For the contributors that own Macs you shouldn't have a problem bringing the files into iMovie.

Like Karsten said a couple of days shouldn't hurt, you could work on other parts of the project while you're waiting. Or ask them to use Fed Ex if you're working under a strick deadline.

If none of the suggestions mentioned in this thread offer you a viable solution, post back and maybe we can help you obtain the best possible video in the least amount of time considering the limitations/barriers you have.

I'm not guilty of being hasty or Highjacking threads I simply don't deserve such scorn! meerly trying to LEARN and help at the same time.
Okay the dukebox I mentioned was supposed to interest you because maybe it's the best way to take a lossy compressed file and make something out of it. What if you played The file back on the T.V. while recording it on a camcorder that could be done right? Tim
no more hostilities. please.

Kids Cancer Corner,

I don't have any of that video equipment.

Well that certainly narrowed down the options, "but you gotta work with what ya got".

I just downloaded the 1 min 50 sec. (unedited) mp4 file from Google Video and converted it to DV format using MPEG Streamclip (Windows & Mac versions available)
http://www.squared5.com

When converted to DV format the file size came in around 382mb (small enough to fit on CD).

The playback was not pristine but viewable.
Daniel's "Littlest Soldiers Poem" was the bomb and will overcome any shortcomings. Everyone will be too misty eyed to focus on the quality of the video. Heck, I only saw the one clip and my eyes teared up (Darn, where's the Kleenex when you need it).

I see you were provided several versions (edited, unedited , subtitles, etc.) of the clip. I think your contributors are a little more sophisticated than you thought. -:)

Hopefully more contributors will submit there videos on CD/DVD (see my previous post) to reduce the number of conversions the video goes thru before it gets to you (every conversion process usually degrades the video).

Kids Cancer Corner,

if the parents are willing to burn it to a CD and send it? Would that make Daniel's video better or not?

Yes.
If there running Windows XP and have Windows Movie Maker Version 2 on the PC( comes with the Windows XP installation if not it's a free download). They should have no problem importing the video and saving it to a file that can be burned to a regular/ordinary CD or DVD depending on the size of the video file. If they can't burn DVDs and the file is to large to fit on one CD tell them to split the video (eg. part 1, Part2 etc.) on 2 or more CDs.

Here's a more detailed procedure for "Windows Movie Maker". (you can copy and paste this to send as an email or provide them with a link to this thread)

Note To Contributors:

When saving the video to a file in "Windows Movie Maker":

1.) In the "Movie task panel" labeled "Finish Movie" the first option is "save to my computer > Choose this option.

2.) A "Movie Setting Window" will open and will have several options for saving the video.

3.) Drill down the dropdown list and choose highest quality video (NTSC)
or DV-AVI (NTSC)
either one should be sufficient
3.a) DV-AVI (NTSC) will produce a smaller file size because its slightly compressed.
3b.) where as, highest quality video (NTSC), will produce a huge file but better quality).

4.) Once the file has been saveb it can be burnt as a data file to a CD or DVD (we're not burning a Video DVD at this point, so avoid that option if present).

NOTE:The AVI file you have, probably, has been highly compressed if it came thru email. I'd send them the instuctions also.