Why MP4? at DVinfo.net

Dave Bryant · December 22nd, 2006, 07:24 PM

Why is it that video camera that record to a card or digital camera's that have video clip capabilities use .mov or MP4 when you can't use common editing programs to edit them? I have the sanyo HD1A and it looks like I will have to buy Video Studio 10 at $100 to do any editing. What I really want to use is Windows Movie Maker ll... is there a way to use MMll?

Chris Wells · December 24th, 2006, 11:57 PM

There are simple conversion tools. I personally use mp4cam2avi and like it because conversion is lossless.

http://mp4cam2avi.sourceforge.net/

If you are producing your movies in MovieMaker or similar entry level software, be sure to save originals. This will allow you to rework the video in the future when your skills are honed and your software more robust.

Dave Bryant · December 25th, 2006, 01:25 AM

What software is available that will edit straight from MPG4 (besides the $100 Ulead Video Studio 10)?

Paul Nowicki · December 30th, 2006, 11:24 PM

Buy yourself a mac and use Imovie HD... :)

David Kennett · January 12th, 2007, 05:01 PM

Serif MoviePlus 5

Peter Solmssen · January 12th, 2007, 07:03 PM

iMovie does edit Sanyo clips very well (I use it a lot more than the more expensive NLEs I also own), but it doesn't edit MP4 directly. It converts it to Apple Intermediate Codec, which allows frame accurate cutting. If you render it directly, the resulting files are very large, but you can also choose to render in MP4 H.264, which takes a long time, but results in a good looking file of one tenth the size.

Jim Babcock · January 12th, 2007, 08:47 PM

I have about 35 gigs of Sanyo HD1A footage shot in DV mode. I opened and converted it in a DV mode iMovie and then transfered it to Final Cut Pro using the DV/DVPRO preset. Video is fine but the audio still needs to be re-rendered. Something about 32 vs. 16 bit audio. Any suggestions?

Charles Miller · January 16th, 2007, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Nowicki

Buy yourself a mac and use Imovie HD... :)

I month ago I got the HD1a and a MacBook. They work well together, but I wonder why Imovie HD edits MPEG SD @ 640x480 directly, but the MPEG HD files @ 1280x720 need to be converted to the Apple intermediate format. This takes time and space on the HDD.

Has anyone got a workflow, where the conversion is kept to minimum and the resulting files are as small as the original MPEG4 files and can be worked on in Imovie HD? Or an explanation why this is not possible ...

December 22nd, 2006, 07:24 PM	#1
Dave Bryant Tourist Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Crowley Texas Posts: 2	Why MP4? Why is it that video camera that record to a card or digital camera's that have video clip capabilities use .mov or MP4 when you can't use common editing programs to edit them? I have the sanyo HD1A and it looks like I will have to buy Video Studio 10 at $100 to do any editing. What I really want to use is Windows Movie Maker ll... is there a way to use MMll? Last edited by Dave Bryant; December 22nd, 2006 at 07:58 PM.

December 25th, 2006, 01:25 AM	#3
Dave Bryant Tourist Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Crowley Texas Posts: 2	MPG4 software What software is available that will edit straight from MPG4 (besides the $100 Ulead Video Studio 10)?

January 12th, 2007, 05:01 PM	#5
David Kennett Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Ridgeville, Ohio Posts: 407	Serif MoviePlus 5 __________________ Dave

December 24th, 2006, 11:57 PM	#2
Chris Wells Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kelowna, Canada Posts: 148	There are simple conversion tools. I personally use mp4cam2avi and like it because conversion is lossless. http://mp4cam2avi.sourceforge.net/ If you are producing your movies in MovieMaker or similar entry level software, be sure to save originals. This will allow you to rework the video in the future when your skills are honed and your software more robust.

December 30th, 2006, 11:24 PM	#4
Paul Nowicki New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 23	Buy yourself a mac and use Imovie HD... :)

January 12th, 2007, 07:03 PM	#6
Peter Solmssen Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 133	iMovie does edit Sanyo clips very well (I use it a lot more than the more expensive NLEs I also own), but it doesn't edit MP4 directly. It converts it to Apple Intermediate Codec, which allows frame accurate cutting. If you render it directly, the resulting files are very large, but you can also choose to render in MP4 H.264, which takes a long time, but results in a good looking file of one tenth the size.

January 12th, 2007, 08:47 PM	#7
Jim Babcock Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 38	I have about 35 gigs of Sanyo HD1A footage shot in DV mode. I opened and converted it in a DV mode iMovie and then transfered it to Final Cut Pro using the DV/DVPRO preset. Video is fine but the audio still needs to be re-rendered. Something about 32 vs. 16 bit audio. Any suggestions?