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iMove Compression Settings?
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fobside
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Apr 22, 2007, 09:58 PM
 
I am not familiar with video much. I have some video footage from a trip I took and I just want to compress it so it's easily viewable and good quality at 640x480 or so. Can anyone recommend some settings for me to use? Every time I do mp4 compression, I get fuzz when there is faster motion.
     
peeb
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Apr 22, 2007, 10:15 PM
 
Set it to maximum quality. What format are you using for output?
     
fobside  (op)
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Apr 22, 2007, 10:17 PM
 
Isn't maximum quality going to be raw DV? I don't need it that high resolution or that high file size. I was just trying to get an mp4 or mov that I could burn onto a CD for my friends that went on the trip with me, but every setting I try seems to not come out as cleanly as I'd like it.
     
peeb
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Apr 22, 2007, 10:24 PM
 
iMovie's compression iz te suxor. Look at the estimated file size in the 'share' section. If you can get away with it, maximum quality will often fit on a cd. How long is your video?
     
fobside  (op)
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Apr 22, 2007, 10:27 PM
 
It's only about 30 minutes or so.
     
peeb
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Apr 22, 2007, 10:29 PM
 
Try it on max - I bet it fits on a cd.
     
fobside  (op)
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Apr 22, 2007, 10:43 PM
 
Full Quality setting is 6.42 GB. I actually am okay with the CD export, but it's 320 x 240. I'd like it larger, but I can't figure out what settings to use.
     
JKT
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Apr 23, 2007, 05:39 AM
 
Customise the export settings and set them to the max quality. When you select Share... from iMovie's File menu, select the Quicktime settings and from the pop-up menu choose Expert Settings:



Then click share and a save dialogue will appear. At the bottom is an Options... button and a pop-up menu beside it labelled Export::



From the menu, choose Movie to Quicktime Movie and then click the Options... button which will show you this dialogue:



Click the Video>Settings... button and from the dialogue that appears, select H.264 as the Compression Type and move the slider for the quality to High or Best. If you do a Multi-pass encoding this will also be of better quality.

When back at the above dialogue, click the Video>Size... button and pick the dimensions you want to have for the video (640x480 VGA in your case).

Then you'll be good to go. You can mess with the sound settings as well if you want to reduce file size or have best quality etc.

N.B. I am using iMovie HD (from '05) so things might be a little different if you are using the newer iMovie.
     
   
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