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PAL DVD to IMovie to DV tape - Need help

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Greetings:

I have an IMac Intel Core 2 Duo running OS X and am using Imovie HD 6.

Here's my situation.

I have a PAL DVD with dialogue in a foreign language. I need to add subtitles to it. I imported the DVD file into Imovie (I first had to convert the DVD to a quicktime file). I added the subtitles and saved the new Imovie file. So far so good. Originally I exported it back to a DVD but there was some compression and the image would occasionally "jump" around, or skip a frame.

I thought I could just export the Imovie file directly to a DV tape via a Sony DSR-11 DV recorder so there wouldn't be as much compression, and I could avoid the skipping.

Unfortunately, when I tried exporting to my mini-DV tape, the result was horrible with lots of squares and distortion. (I know this since I played it back on my camcorder). Meanwhile, I can't even play the DV tape back on Imovie, since it says that "The camera is sending half-sized frames, which iMovie HD can’t accept."

I searched around online, and it seems to be an NTSC-PAL problem. I don't know how to fix it, since my DSR-11 doesn't allow me to select NTSC or PAL - it just chooses the format.

I was thinking I could export the Imovie file to Quicktime, and then from Quicktime to the DV. Would this work? It seems I would have to purchase Quicktime 7 PRO to export the file. I don't mind buying the software if it will solve the problem.

I also read online somewhere about an application called "JES Deinterlacer" Unfortunately, I'm a total amateur when it comes to films and know little about formatting sizes, ratios, etc.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can yield the highest quality video with the subtitles in place? I would hope this would be possible!

Thanks so much for any advice.

Best wishes!
 
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Follow-up

This is Fred again.

I was reading online, and perhaps a deinterlacer has nothing to do with my problem. But I'm not sure. Hopefully my description has provided enough information.

Thanks again for your help.
 
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Greetings

You say that you exported the file to DVD. Did you use the share with iDVD option?

Picture 2.png

I may be way off on this and I may have misunderstood....

Cheers M

Picture 1.png
 
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HD Space

HI:

I think I have enough HD Space. I also have an external hard drive.I could try transferring the file to my external so I have more HD space. Could that be the cause?

I also have 3 MB ram, which is the max for my system.
 
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Me again.

All I know (from bitter experience) is that if when I was running short of space on the HD whilst doing an iMovie project, I ended up with a stuttering result.

I guess that you could use your ext HD.

Another thought. have you looked at the size of the Trash (Bottom right) within your project?

Picture 3.png

If there is a great deal in there, you could consider clicking on it to empty the Trash and saving the project. It could well help.

Cheers again M
 
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Solution Found

Hi again:

Just wanted to let you know that I used the JES Deinterlacer and this solved the problem.

Hopefully no one will encounter this in the future.

Many thanks for your help!
 

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