I've got some video that I need to capture from a Canon HV30 camera. I'm wanting to import it via Firewire into my MacBookPro, hopefully using iMovie.

When I try to import the video, the computer recognizes the camera and it imports the video. However, the .DV files it produces is of rather low quality, especially compared to when you hook the camera up to a TV via HDMI. It's almost like the camera/computer is compressing the video as it's being imported. I'm trying not to do this.

Does anyone know how to import DV video in the maximum quality? I've been following some guides from Google but it never imports at a higher quality than that it originally was doing.

Thanks.

11/4/2009 10:41:01 PM

which iMovie are you using?

Also keep in mind the resolution of your MacBook Pro is a lot higher than your TV especially if its an SD tv and camera. So it just looks like shit on your computer.

11/4/2009 11:49:27 PM

it's iMovie 09 (so I guess that's version 8.0.5) and I'm using a Canon HV30 camera.

The TV I'm hooking it up to is a Pioneer Elite 1080p plasma, which looks awesome. I'm sure the camera didn't record in 1080p, especially since the camera was only about $1,100, but I would assume the quality of the video capture in the computer would be higher than what I'm getting now.

Right now, it looks almost the same as if I were to capture a video using my digital still camera, a 5-year-old Canon SD450

11/4/2009 11:55:52 PM

^ if it's got HDMI it's probably not an SD TV, so I doubt that's it.

I think the most important question that you asked is what version of iMovie is being used, and is it even iMovie HD?

ok that answers that. you gotta have something that's not set up correctly. lots of people are using the hv30 with imovie with no issues. check the hv20.com forums. I'm not all that familiar with the HVx0 series, but IIRC it's not quite as plug and play as the non-tape based HD cameras.

[Edited on November 5, 2009 at 12:01 AM. Reason : x]

11/4/2009 11:56:38 PM

I was under the impression that iMovie and iMovie HD were rolled into one iMovie 2009

11/5/2009 12:00:01 AM

^iMovie HD is just a previous version

In your iMovie preferences under Video tab there is an option called 'import video as' -> large is usually default which is what you want.

But if you are importing a DV or mpeg2 that won't change anything. Are you sure your camera doesn't have different settings for video playback quality over firewire vs. component/hdmi? Don't know anything but your particular camera model but i would check its settings. I've imported HD videos before from a Canon HD camera and its worked just fine.

11/5/2009 12:08:04 AM

I'm thinking it must be a playback setting. Some people in the hv20 forums I've read say that it's already compressed because it's stored on the tape in the DV format. But still it should look better on the computer than it does

Under Import HD Video as: Full - Original Size, there's a little bullet below the option saying "This setting has no effect for DV or MPEG-2.

I don't have the manual with me, so I'll check it tomorrow when I go to work. God knows what settings people have set on this thing.

Thanks

11/5/2009 12:10:59 AM

have you tried importing the videos using iPhoto or Image Capture?
Is the import taking a long time, i.e. longer than a couple minutes it would take to transfer a large video file over firewire? It doesn't seem like there should be any conversions or compression taking place - should just transfer the stored file directly to your computer

11/5/2009 12:34:07 AM

I always find the solution to my problem in the last place I search

It turns out the firewire setting has to be set when the cable is disconnected. During playback mode, go to the Menu -> Setup2 screen, and under DV Output, choose HDV/HD instead of normal DV (which I guess is DV)

That did the trick, and now it's capturing the video in real time at 27MB/s! My HDD is gonna fill up!

11/5/2009 12:38:55 AM

Enjoy that camera - I've got an HV20 I've used for a couple years w/ great results (along w/ final cut express and occasionally iMovie)

11/5/2009 9:42:29 AM