09-22-2009, 07:25 PM

So I downloaded from the Sony to a PC onto a flash drive. From flash drive onto my MacBook. QT wouldn't recognize the vids. I've downloaded MPEG Streamclip but that won't play the MPEG vids either. Am I needing the QT MPEG playback component here???

I am running OS X 10.5.8.

What do people like to use for editing their short vids, and what's the easiest way to start uploading onto YouTube?

Thanks,
John

09-22-2009, 11:21 PM

HDD camera files are a ***** to deal with. I just started having to work with them but luckily I have Final Cut Studio's Compressor app that will pretty much convert any file to any other type of file so it hasn't been too bad, just gives me an extra step.

If you don't have FCS, there is a plugin for Quicktime Player for viewing and exporting mpeg files, but it costs 20 bucks.

09-23-2009, 01:18 PM

Is that QT plug-in your talking about the "playback component?"

09-23-2009, 03:18 PM

john, when you say PC, do you mean a non-Mac machine?

09-23-2009, 09:45 PM

yes, that's correct.

john

09-24-2009, 11:07 AM

Yeah, the mpeg2 files on my SONY HDD camera will only play back in VLC.

However, the files will import into iMovie 09 just fine directly from the camera.

Short answer, yes, you'll need the MPEG2 component with Quicktime Pro to edit these clips in Quicktime, BUT, you do not need either if you simply import the clips directly into iMovie 09 by connecting the Camera to your Macbook.

Here's a little something strange that I've noticed with my Sony camera. Mine's a High Definition camera that also shoots in standard definition.

-For HD it uses AVCHD in various 1080i resolutions depending on the quality settings. These files are completely unplayable on my Macbook when copied to my hard drive, but they work perfectly when imported through iMovie.

-For SD it uses MPEG2 at 720x480. These files are playable on my Macbook with VLC (free) and in Quicktime if I had the MPEG2 playback component (money). These files also work perfectly when imported through iMovie.

-Here's the tricky bit, if the camera has any SD footage on it at all, that is all that iMovie will see when you go to do an import. So if you have HD footage that you think just doesn't work with iMovie 09, just back up all of your SD stuff and remove it from the camera and then the HD stuff will show up in the import browser.

Oh, and iMovie 09 has a direct to youtube uploader.

09-24-2009, 12:41 PM

Here's the link to the QT mpeg plugin.

Apple - QuickTime - MPEG-2 Playback

09-24-2009, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by johnjslattery

So I downloaded from the Sony to a PC onto a flash drive. From flash drive onto my MacBook.

Was this a drag & drop action or a import via some editing software?

If a drag & drop, did you copy every single file from the root of the camera? Does the flash drive have other content on it? If not all files were copied, you may have corrupted the structure. If the flash drive has other content on it, perhaps it is confusing the Apple software.

If via an editor, what is the container file type, AVI, etc, and what are the video and audio codecs within the files?