Ok after reading a number of posts on this, I'm confused. It seems as if everyone's harddrive video camcorder records in mpeg-2 format, including mine (I have the Panasonic SDR-H200 which stores .mod files and imports to mpeg-2). From what I've read, in order to import this and edit in iMovie you have to convert these mpeg-2 files to another format. The reasons being (1) you wouldn't want to edit mpeg-2 files since they are lossly; and (2) iMovie doesn't recognize them anyway.
For me, if I connect my camcorder, imovie will import videos automatically and convert them into .mov files (encoded with m2v). It doesn't appear that iMovie has any settings where you can change the output format, and personally I don't like the fact that these .mov files aren't universally readable on any computer, e.g., PC's (I think long term and don't ever want to be locked out of my video files).
As an alternative that seems to be recommended, you can get the MPEG-2 Playback Component for Quicktime, and convert the .mod files from mpeg-2 into mpeg-4 using MPG Streamclip. The mpeg-4 files are more universally recognizable (they easily play on pcs), they apparently are much better for editing, and iMovie imports them.
Now, after you edit your video, and you export the movie to DVD, doesn't it export back into mpeg-2 format?? If so, why the heck do you have to go through all that trouble in converting to mpeg-4 first?
For me, if I connect my camcorder, imovie will import videos automatically and convert them into .mov files (encoded with m2v). It doesn't appear that iMovie has any settings where you can change the output format, and personally I don't like the fact that these .mov files aren't universally readable on any computer, e.g., PC's (I think long term and don't ever want to be locked out of my video files).
As an alternative that seems to be recommended, you can get the MPEG-2 Playback Component for Quicktime, and convert the .mod files from mpeg-2 into mpeg-4 using MPG Streamclip. The mpeg-4 files are more universally recognizable (they easily play on pcs), they apparently are much better for editing, and iMovie imports them.
Now, after you edit your video, and you export the movie to DVD, doesn't it export back into mpeg-2 format?? If so, why the heck do you have to go through all that trouble in converting to mpeg-4 first?