[gez2]

I'm trying to convert some vhs footage to digital using the passthrough feature on the canon mv700i and imovie and can't get it to work. I've tried both imovie hd and imovie 4. imovie hd asks me to insert a tape then doesn't work and imovie 4 gives me a blue screen- it will import a blue screen.
Should i be able to see the movie on the camcorder screen while it converts? At present it's just blue.
I have it connected to a vhs recorder through scart to mini plug- I bought a scart IN socket so think this is all correct- I will be changing this tonight to see if that's what's wrong. The video works through the scart to a tv!
Anyone done this/ have any clue what's wrong? Thanks for any help- I'm running on a deadline to have it done for a 21st!

[bells0]

Hey

I dont have a Canon, but a JVC dv cam and converted some old videos through iMovie last week.

U need to have a scart that 'outputs' to your camcorder, not input. I have a scart end [just the scart connector box, without a lead coming out], that lets me plug the white, yellow and red plugs into which has the analogue camcorder connector on the end. On the side there is a switch - output or input. Switch to output. Plug firewire from camcorder to my Powermac and hey presto - can see whatever is playing on video.

Just a case of capturing the footage and let the video play through.

Make sure u have the settings correct on your camcorder too, as i had to set it on 'play mode' and manually adjust a menu so that input was from an anologue connection.

Think Canon have to be set to vcr mode?? Check your input settings if u can?

Good luck.

[dlefebvre]

I know that some Canon cameras don't allow pass-through. You can input an analog source in the camera or you can output via firewire but not at the same time. My best bet would be to record your VHS to DV than capture it to iMovie. Or try to borrow another camera that would allow pass-through.

[gez2]

Thanks for the responses. I did indeed have the wrong scart adapter- now got one with a direction switch to cover all the options.It still wasn't plain sailing as i had to use imovie4 to import. But then had no sound on the dv. I then open the projects in imovie hd and sound was back. I then saved 'as' in imovie hd and finally have it sorted. I presume an update to imovie hd will fix the pass-through thing with canons- i have the latest version and it still doesn't work.

[dlefebvre]

Originally posted by gez2:
I presume an update to imovie hd will fix the pass-through thing with canons- i have the latest version and it still doesn't work.

It seems to be a camera limitation, not an iMovie issue. It's also doing it in FinalCut Pro.