[macthelastredman]

can you import into idvd from usb or does it have to be firewire???

[Hydra]

Originally posted by macthelastredman:
<STRONG>can you import into idvd from usb or does it have to be firewire???</STRONG>

I believe anything that can be exported as a quicktime movie can be used in iDVD. iMovie is another story and that requires firewwire to import your movie from firewire.

-Jerry C.

[macthelastredman]

i have this program and device called interview which importing via usb and sound in...does idvd then compress that video for you???

[XPBlows]

In what format does it import in? You might be able to use Quicktime Pro...convert it to a DV stream..then use it for iDvd...iMovie...etc...

[scottiB]

iDVD uses QuickTime movies. It, itself, doesn't import anything like iMovie does. You drop the completed .mov files onto the iDVD2 window, lay 'em out how you want, etc. iDVD2 converts/compresses the high-quality .mov files to mpeg-2.

I'm sure you can import data and generate QT movies with your USB solution, but I don't think they'll be high enough quality for iDVD. USB capture solutions don't have enough bandwidth for the 720x480 resolution @ 29.97 frames-per-second (the resolution and fps used for American televison broadcast) needed for a quality .mov file.

Most USB solutions of which I'm aware max at 320x240 and 15 fps. I've never done this, but if you use a .mov of that size, I think iDVD would blow it up to 720x480 (pixelating it) so it would fill the TV screen. This is not great quality

Give it a shot, it'd be worth the $5 DVD-R to find out-.

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: scottiB ]

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: scottiB ]

[macthelastredman]

Originally posted by scottiB:
<STRONG>iDVD uses QuickTime movies. It, itself, doesn't import anything like iMovie does. You drop the completed .mov files onto the iDVD2 window, lay 'em out how you want, etc. iDVD2 converts/compresses the high-quality .mov files to mpeg-2.

I'm sure you can import data and generate QT movies with your USB solution, but I don't think they'll be high enough quality for iDVD. USB capture solutions don't have enough bandwidth for the 720x480 resolution @ 29.97 frames-per-second (the resolution and fps used for American televison broadcast) needed for a quality .mov file.

Most USB solutions of which I'm aware max at 320x240 and 15 fps. I've never done this, but if you use a .mov of that size, I think iDVD would blow it up to 720x480 (pixelating it) so it would fill the TV screen. This is not great quality

Give it a shot, it'd be worth the $5 DVD-R to find out-.

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: scottiB ]

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: scottiB ]</STRONG>

know of any cheap firewire solutions to pull some video in from a vcr...i have some old sci-fi i'd like to turn into dvds

[scottiB]

One option is to get an analog to FireWire bridge--these'll import straight into iMovie; they range from $300-$400 new (you might find some used on Ebay).

Here's a macworld comparison review: http://www.macworld.com/2001/08/reviews/converters.html

Another is to purchase a DV camera; some can work as a bridge, themselves, or you can capture it to the camera (thus having a DV, lossless archive), then import it into iMovie.

You can find some low-cost used cameras on Ebay (Canon ZR series and Sonys): $250-$500. With this of course, you have a digital camera to use for other things.

I've a ZR-10 (not the greatest camera, but my first), and I plug it into my cable box and record TV programs (nothing like editing Animal Planet shows with my pets).