Trouble importing a Quicktime File made in the map program of imovie 09 into FCP

Hello Everyone:

I make travel films and recently discovered the map program on imovie 09. It is really quite good. The maps look good and it is fast and easy to use.

Because my main computer, a G5 has an old operating system (10.4.11, Tiger) I cannot load imovie 09 on it.

I have a newer Macbook which has imovie 09. So I created a set of maps on the Macbook, exported them to a Quicktime file on the Macbook then plugged the Macbook into one of the external hard drives attached to the G5 and drug it over.

The file will open and play in the Quicktime player on the G5 but it will not import into FCP.

I talked to Apple Support today and they talked me into buying an upgrade to Leopard, which I probably should do anyway but will this solve the problem? I suspect not. Also, will upgrading the OS in any way put the existing FCP files at risk. A lot of work lives on this old G5 and the drives attached to it.

When I check Quicktime files that I have imported before they all have a DV/DVpro codec. The Quicktime file created on imovie 09 on the Macbook has a codec of H.264. I assume this is the problem.

I do not have Quicktime Pro. Will buying that inexpensive upgrade allow me to convert the file so it will import into FCP 4.5 on my old Tiger OS G5?

Can someone talk me through the steps of moving a file of maps made in imovie 09 on a Macbook onto my old G5 and into a FCP project?

Thanks in advance. This group has always been great and gotten me out of a lot of jams.

Regards,

Doug Jones

Quote
Doug Jones
When I check Quicktime files that I have imported before they all have a DV/DVpro codec. The Quicktime file created on imovie 09 on the Macbook has a codec of H.264. I assume this is the problem.

I do not have Quicktime Pro. Will buying that inexpensive upgrade allow me to convert the file so it will import into FCP 4.5 on my old Tiger OS G5?

Side-stepping (or avoiding altogether) the issue of OS X versions, FCP versions, and compatibility, it should be pretty easy to make use of the "map movies" you made in iMovie '09. And, FYI, if you have FCP installed, you should then also have QuickTime Pro installed (it's included with FCP).

Export the "map movie" from iMovie '09 using the QuickTime export option and choosing "Movie to QuickTime Movie" (or something similar ? I don't have a copy of iMovie '09, so the menus/commands may differ slightly). Then, click "Options" and choose DV/DVCPro as the export codec, full quality, etc. That will import and work in FCP.

H.264 is a delivery codec, and isn't really suitable for editing (and likely won't work, at all, in older versions of FCP, though I can't test it).


-Dave

Dave:

Thank you so much. The solution was so simple. I was trying to do all the things on the wrong end. The problem was at the beginning, during the export from imovie 09.

Interestingly enough I Googled further about the problem and found numerous comments with the same frustration.

Your answer was right on. You saved me so much time.

This group is so amazing.

Thanks,

Doug Jones