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General discussion

Trouble importing files into iMovie HD 6.0.3

Apr 11, 2010 9:47PM PDT

Hi all,

To cut a long story short I've used Roxio Easy VHS to DVD software to capture old Hi8 family videos to my PC.

If I go to 'Get Info' for the file the 'Kind' is listed as MPEG. However, when I was using the Roxio software, I selected DVD SP, which then comes up as MPEG-2, 4Mbps.

I now want to edit the individual files together using iMovie on my Mac. The version of iMovie installed is iMovie HD 6.0.3. Mac details:

Mac OS X 10.4.11
1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

The individual files are on an external HD and the new project is created on the same external HD. There is 300GB odd of space space, so no issue there.

When creating a new project, its asks you for a file name and also Video Format. There are a few options for video format, but not just MPEG (or MPEG 2 as it says in the Roxio Software). The closest is MPEG 4 so I select this. Just to note, it alo does not work if i select any of the other video formats.

If I try and drag drop the files into the window, or use the Import file from the toolbar, a box appears saying 'preparing', then disappears. No file is imported into the right hand menu. None of the captured video files will import.

If I try and do exactly the same as above, but using video files recorded on a Panasonic digital camera it works. If I compare the 2 files with 'Get Info', both are listed as MPEG under 'Kind' in 'General'. However, under 'More Info' there is none listed for the captured file, but for the other file, which does work, there is a dimension, Codecs (MPEG2 Muxed), duration and last opened.

I dont understand why the captured files will not import. All are .mpg (same as the fiels which do import) and work fine in quicktime, vlc, div x and realplayer.

So, all you knowledgeable folk, what could be the problem?

Look forward to your replies as its driving me mad!

Discussion is locked

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File Size
Apr 11, 2010 9:57PM PDT

Forgot to add above that the captured file sizes range from 1.27GB to 3.33GB, compared to 20MB to 600MB for the files which will import.

Not sure if this will make a difference?

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import all MPEG files to imovie
Dec 21, 2010 5:57PM PST
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really nice
Mar 28, 2011 4:39PM PDT

i just find the software in the above guide also can import avchd, avi, mpg, flv, tod, mod to imovie, really nice!

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mpeg to imovie
Jul 9, 2012 1:42PM PDT

now imovie can import mpeg2