Sharing Full Quality HDV from iMovie HD does not export correct aspect ratio (1920 x 1080, 16:9)

After completing your edit of an HDV 1080i widescreen project in iMovie HD 6, you can export a QuickTime movie by choosing Share > QuickTime. You can also choose File > Export and then click the QuickTime icon.

If you choose the Full Quality option from the Compress movie for pop-up menu, you can export a full resolution QuickTime movie for use in iDVD or other applications.

When you import the resulting QuickTime movie into an iDVD project, the video will incorrectly be displayed with a 4:3 aspect ratio (instead of 16:9) when imported to iDVD 6 widescreen project.

Updating to iDVD iDVD 6.0.4 or later will allow iDVD 6 to import the video correctly. If you have another application you want to use the exported file with (or just want to view it with the 16:9 aspect ratio in QuickTime Player, then use one of the following workarounds.

Workarounds

There are two workarounds, one you can use if you have QuickTime Pro and one you can use in iMovie HD.

QuickTime Pro

  1. In iMovie HD, export your movie using Share > QuickTime.
  2. In the Compress movie for pop-up menu choose Full Quality and click Share. Type a name for the movie and click Save.
  3. Open the your movie in QuickTime Player.
  4. From the Window menu, choose Show Movie Properties.
  5. In the Properties window, select the Video track.
  6. Select the Visual Settings button. (If you do not see the Visual Settings button, try selecting the Audio track, then reselect the Video track to refresh the button display.)
  7. Deselect the Preserve Aspect Ratio checkbox.
  8. Set the Scaled Size settings to 1920 x 1080 pixels.

    9. If your movie was not already at 1920 x 1080, you should see it change its shape slightly after entering the dimensions "1920" and "1080" in the Scaled Size fields. If your movie doesn't take the adjustment:
    • Press the Tab key on your keyboard to make sure that the numbers are registered after you typed them.
    • If your movie has tracks other than Audio and Video listed in the upper portion of the Properties Window (such as timecode tracks or hint tracks), disable them by unchecking the corresponding boxes for any tracks other than Audio, Video and Quartz Composer tracks.

  9. Close the Properties window.
  10. Save the movie (from the File menu, choose Save.

iMovie HD

  1. In iMovie HDchoose Share > QuickTime.
  2. In the Compress movie for pop-up menu choose Expert Settings.

  3. Click Share button.
  4. From the Export pop-up menu, choose Movie to QuickTime Movie.
  5. In the "Save exported file as" dialog, click Options button.

  6. In the Video section of the Movie Settings window, click Settings.

  7. From the Compression Type pop-up menu, choose Apple Intermediate Codec.
  8. Select the correct Compressor Preset (HDV 720p or HDV 1080i) and click OK.
  9. In the Video section of the Movie Settings window, click Size.
  10. In the Export Size Settings window select "Use custom size" and set the width to 1920 and the Height to 1080 and click OK.

  11. In the Sound section of the Movie Settings window, click Settings.
  12. From the Format pop-up menu, choose Linear PCM.
  13. From the Channels pop-up menu, choose Stereo (L R).
  14. From the Rate pop-up menu, choose 48.000 kHz and click OK.

  15. Click OK in the Movie Settings window.
  16. Choose a location and name for your movie and click Save.
Published Date: Oct 11, 2016