iMovie 4: Importing clips larger than 2 GB?

February 2, 2006 2:55 PM

In iMovie 4, how can I import a 25 minute (>2GB) DV clip without purchasing QuickTime Pro to cut the clip into smaller pieces?

I've tried to simply sneak the clip into the Media folder of the iMovie project, but I get a message that says the clip doesn't belong. Is there a way around this? It seems like an arbitrary limitation.

Is QT Pro really my only option?

posted by cramer to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

Have you tried using Avid Free DV to import and edit down your clip?
posted by Rothko at 3:37 PM on February 2, 2006

I'm I right in reading that you've already imported the video than and you're just looking to work with it in imovie?
posted by drezdn at 3:49 PM on February 2, 2006

I'm=Am
posted by drezdn at 4:01 PM on February 2, 2006

Response by poster: I'll try Avid Free DV, thanks. The ole iBook doesn't meet system reqs, but it's worth a shot. Saving pennies for a Core Duo.

I've got the video (acquired via a friend who transferred it from an old VHS tape), and yeah, I'd like to work with it in iMovie. I converted it to DV in ffmpeg in the hopes of just being able to load it in iMovie, but no such luck.
posted by cramer at 4:53 PM on February 2, 2006

Response by poster: Avid Free won't even run. Any other ideas?
posted by cramer at 6:49 PM on February 2, 2006

Have you tried opening iMovie and dragging and dropping the clip icon into the clips pane? This worked for me recently but I can't remember if I was using the format you're using. I struggled trying to find an import feature in the menus until I lit on the drag and drop solution. Good luck.
posted by firstdrop at 8:50 PM on February 2, 2006

Can't you edit the clip down once you've imported it? I've only done a few jobs in iMovie, but I do recall importing an entire school play and then being able to cut it up into bite-sized clips.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:15 AM on February 3, 2006

Response by poster: firstdrop: Dragging and dropping into the clips pane doesn't work, I get the same import error.

Thorzdad: The problem is that I can't import it. You may have imported the play directly from the camcorder. My situation is that I've got the DV as a 4+ GB file, and iMovie refuses to import it, telling me it can't import file sizes greater than 2GB.

Thanks for the ideas.
posted by cramer at 8:07 AM on February 3, 2006

You might do better with MPEG Streamclip at http://www.alfanet.it/squared5/mpegstreamclip.html

I cannot guarantee that it will deal with a 4GB file but it seems to be able to edit. You might then be able to export smaller files.

Hope this isn't another bum steer.
posted by firstdrop at 3:02 PM on February 3, 2006

It's a long shot, but do you have another program that can export the clip back to dv and then reimport in imovie?
posted by drezdn at 3:56 PM on February 8, 2006

Response by poster: drezdn: I'm a bit unclear on what you're suggesting. I've got a .dv file, or are you suggesting getting back onto DV tape, and hooking up a digital camcorder? That can't be right, right?
posted by cramer at 1:59 PM on February 10, 2006