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Sony Handycam and AVCHD: Dumb guy looking for help from smart people.

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I'm at my wits end to find the answer to this: I bought a Sony HDR CX-190 figuring all HD cameras were the same. Imported to iMovie, and the resulting dvd burned using Toast 11 looked ok, but not as good as viewing the card through my PS3. I was told by an Apple "expert" that iMovie does not render HD video properly. Again, iMovie did the job, just not as well as I figured it would. I was told to import using Final Cut Pro, which I did, but being a dumb guy, can't figure how to get from point A to Point D using FCP. I then joined this site, found some good info using Re-wrap, but had issues with that program, (Again, I'm a dumb guy). I have noticed that some people here know everything about everything, including the differences between different cameras. If anyone can help me out, I'd be most appreciative. Thank you in advance if anyone can help me. My cards and HD are bursting at the seams.
 
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chas_m

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Imported to iMovie, and the resulting dvd burned using Toast 11 looked ok, but not as good as viewing the card through my PS3.

Well of course it won't. A DVD is standard definition (720x480), whereas your HD camera (and the file on your card) are likely to be 2-4 times that resolution.


I was told by an Apple "expert" that iMovie does not render HD video properly.

If he meant that iMovie does not do an ideal job "downscaling" HD to SD, that would be true. Otherwise he's just misinformed.

If you want to save yourself a lot of hassle, buy an Apple TV and stream the movies (in HD) to your HD television. If you need to get these on standard DVDs, convert the HD files into SD "Apple Intermediate Codec" or "ProRes" files (.mov) before editing in iMovie. Then the results on the DVD will look like they do on the computer.

If you have to keep them in HD and still have them on DVDs, export the iMovie project as an HD movie and use third-party software and a Blu-ray burner to create a Blu-ray DVD (this of course will not play on standard DVD players).
 
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Thank you very much chad_m for your help. I did forget to mention that I have a blu-ray burner, so if I'm understanding this correctly, import the files into iMovie 11, edit, then export in HD to Toast and burn a blu-ray disc.

Thank you again.

Andy
 
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chas_m

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I lack a Blu-ray burner so I haven't tried it myself, but that is my understanding of what would work.
 

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