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egg · Nov 24, 2003, 05:57 AM

Hi all. First post here. Looking to buy a mac :-)

My main purpose will be converting DV baby movies into DVDs. While I'd love a powerbook, the high price is making me look at the new 12" ibook 800 G4.

For 1179 euros I can get in the store here:
MHz: 800 MHz G4 CPU
256 MB PC2100 DDR-SO-DIMM
12" TFT-Display
30 GB Festplatte

Whereas, the basic Powerbook is nearly double that.

Will the Ibook allow me to capture DV from my cam without dropping frames etc?

If so, I can then copy it to an external FW HDD. From there I can do the basic scene editing/delete and menu creation etc.

The most intensive task I'll be doing is this basic video capture/editing (just involing scene deleting and menu creation). If I can avoid having to get a powerbook, then that's great.

Thanks for your help.

Chips G · Nov 24, 2003, 06:19 AM

My iBook (500mhz) can capture from a DV Camcorder without dropping any frames, just make sure that there are no applications that are writing to the disk at the same time of the capture.

drive-thru · Nov 24, 2003, 06:24 AM

What software are you planning on using for this? If you want to use iDVD I think you need to have a mac with a SuperDrive, and I don't think the iBooks have them.
I have an iBook 800 (G3) which is up to the task, but you should think about upgrading to maximum ram, although don't get Apple to do this, their prices are usually ridiculous.

egg · Nov 24, 2003, 06:27 AM

thanks for the replies.

So, I was hoping to do this:
- capture to internal 30gb hard drive.
- move file to external fw hdd
- use imovie or some over simple program to do basic transitions, scene edits, add sound and menus.
- use Toast to burn or somehow transport the external hdd to a friends pc and burn dvd from there.

discotronic · Nov 24, 2003, 08:24 AM

Originally posted by egg:
thanks for the replies.

So, I was hoping to do this:
- capture to internal 30gb hard drive.
- move file to external fw hdd
- use imovie or some over simple program to do basic transitions, scene edits, add sound and menus.
- use Toast to burn or somehow transport the external hdd to a friends pc and burn dvd from there.

Instead of using a friends burner go to http://store.mcetech.com/ They sell the iBook with a Superdrive. You could have a smokin iBook for alot less than the PowerBook. MCE is an authorized Apple Reseller also. You get a 40GB hard drive instead of a 30GB and 384MB RAM instead of the stock 256MB. For what you are wanting to do this would be a better deal and for almost the same price.

Rev-O · Nov 24, 2003, 08:55 PM

A big hard drive is a must for DV! 1 hour of DV at 29 fps eats a bit over 10 gigs (thinking closer to 15 gigs).

If you are like me, you shoot a full tape of footage, dump the whole thing to the hard drive and use iMovie to parse it out and compose it.

A hour of DV is gonna consume most of the 30gigger that comes standard in an iBook.

If you can, spring for the pb with a superdrive, so you can export to iDVD, as it is entirely too nifty.

egg · Nov 25, 2003, 02:38 AM

I'm looking at the wonderful 12" powerbook - price tag is very scary though! :-)

I'm also looking at the BTO - but don't really want to wait 4 weeks! :-0

so.. trying to convince myself that a ibook from the local store will get the job done...

hmm... maybe i should write to santa asking for the 12" powerbook with superdrive! :-)

k_munic · Nov 25, 2003, 02:40 AM

Originally posted by egg:
�

- capture to internal 30gb hard drive.
- move file to external fw hdd
- use imovie or some over simple program to do basic transitions, scene edits, add sound and menus.
- use Toast to burn or somehow transport the external hdd to a friends pc and burn dvd from there.

no need for recording your .dv stream first on the internal and then copy it to an external drive - you can do that in one step: connect your camera to your mac, connect your firewire drive to it, that's it!

iMovie is a fantastic tool for what you want to do and it's free with your mac!

BUT!
iMovie is only capable to export in any kind of quicktime format! so, you should be shure, your friends system is able to open such a file (.dv stream would be best quality) and use it for mastering a dvd! because, you cannot just "burn" a qt file into a dvd; you have to master it, which means, basicly you have to convert your .dv file into a muxxed mpeg2 stream - which is on a pc absolutly no problem...

be sure, your friend installs quicktime for windows on his machine.

has your friends comp firewire (i'm sure it has)? i would buy TWO fw hds, a big one for your mac, another one (the "transport hd") formatted for windows (windows cannot read mac files, mac can read/write windows...) - your finished project comes to the "windows hd", just plug it to your friends computer...- don't forget: video is VERY space consuming (1h aprox. = 12Gigs!)

an iBook is not able to burn dvds - it has no internal superdrive; with iDVD you can not use external dvd burners. only, but very expansive chance to do so would be an investment in dvdpro2 - 600$ plus a dvd-burner........

egg · Nov 25, 2003, 02:53 AM

Thanks.

If I keep the external drive in FAT, can't both windows and the mac access it?

Also, is it possible to create a finished dvd image which is readable from a windows buring app, nero for example?

StuartB · Dec 3, 2003, 08:37 PM

I'm trying to capture video on my iBook g4 800 with 60GB HDD and 640MB RAM, and I keep getting dropped frames...

Ideas?

biscool · Dec 4, 2003, 06:02 PM

I'm trying to capture video on my iBook g4 800 with 60GB HDD and 640MB RAM, and I keep getting dropped frames... Ideas?

Can you describe exactly what you are doing? Even my G3 600mhz imac can capture dv with no dropped frames....

StuartB · Dec 4, 2003, 08:26 PM

Originally posted by biscool:
Can you describe exactly what you are doing? Even my G3 600mhz imac can capture dv with no dropped frames....

Sony TRV520 via firewire > iBook 12" G4

Camera is properly recognized. I open iMovie, and if I hit play, the video comes from the camera at full speed no problem and it plays just fine. If I try to record/import it though, it goes about 1.5-2 seconds all jerky and then stops, and give an error about too many dropped frames. Have tried right after a reboot so no other programs should be open. I'm new to macs...is there anything I need to do for HDD setting like DMA/whatever?

My HDD (60GB) starts chuggin when I capture.

ccsccs7 · Dec 5, 2003, 01:44 AM

Originally posted by StuartB:
Sony TRV520 via firewire > iBook 12" G4

Camera is properly recognized. I open iMovie, and if I hit play, the video comes from the camera at full speed no problem and it plays just fine. If I try to record/import it though, it goes about 1.5-2 seconds all jerky and then stops, and give an error about too many dropped frames. Have tried right after a reboot so no other programs should be open. I'm new to macs...is there anything I need to do for HDD setting like DMA/whatever?

My HDD (60GB) starts chuggin when I capture.

Could this be an issue with an encrypted Home directory (FileVault in the Security control panel)?

trublue · Dec 8, 2003, 11:29 AM

Thanks man for the File Vault tip!

I just purchased a new 17" Powerbook with the stock 4200 RPM drive, and couldn't capture to disk in iMovie (import).

The performance was horrible...absolutely horrible. Dropped frames every second with the max length of any capture at 6 seconds.

I then deactivated File Vault and restarted.

Everything works so smooth right now.

File Vault is cool...but not that cool for me.

Any way...a 4200 RPM drive should have no problems IMO (although I haven't tested extensively).

Once again, thanks. And anyone with File Vault active should deactivate it.

Cheers.

-Ian