iMovie 1.0.2: Read Me

About iMovie 1.0.2

Welcome to iMovie, an application that integrates digital video (DV) capture, scene editing, titling, transition effects, and audio to create broadcast-quality movies.

For the latest news and information about iMovie including a list of camcorders and DV devices that work with iMovie, go to the iMovie World Wide Web site at www.apple.com/imovie

The following topics are covered in this document:

• System requirements
• Installing iMovie
• Using iMovie
• Hardware compatibility
• Third-party software
• Solving problems

System Requirements

• A Power Mac G4 or PowerBook FireWire
• Mac OS 9.0.4 or later
• QuickTime 4.1 or later
• 64 megabytes (MB) of random-access memory (RAM)
  iMovie requires a minimum of 16 MB of free memory.
• A CD or DVD drive
• 2 gigabytes (GB) of available hard disk space highly recommended
• A display that supports 800 x 600 resolution and thousands of colors (1024 x 768 and millions of colors recommended)
• A built-in FireWire (IEEE 1394) port
• A 4-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable (for use with DV camcorders)

Installing iMovie

Double-click the iMovie Installer icon and follow the onscreen instructions. The application and components will be placed in a folder named iMovie at the top level of your hard disk.

Using iMovie

• When you open iMovie for the first time, click Create a New Project and follow the onscreen instructions.
  

For optimal performance

• Quit any other applications. iMovie should be the only application open.
• Do not switch monitor resolutions while rendering is in progress.
  

File formats supported

You can import the following file formats:

• Still images: PICT, JPEG, GIF, BMP, and Photoshop
• Audio files: AIFF, MP3, CD audio tracks
  

You can export the following file formats:

• QuickTime movies
• Still images: PICT and JPEG
• Video to DV tape
  

Note: iMovie does not work with clips that have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Important: Do not unplug DV devices during import or export processes.

Fonts supported

The titling feature in iMovie supports TrueType, as well as AdobeTM PostScriptTM, fonts.

Capturing live video from a camcorder

If you want to capture live video into iMovie from your DV camcorder, Apple recommends that you have a tape in your camcorder.

To capture live video from a camera, follow these steps:

1. Switch the camera to Camera mode and set the Lock/Standby switch to Standby.
Note: If you have a tape in the camcorder and video is not playing through to iMovie, make sure the tape's write-protection tab is unlocked.

2. Make sure the camera's Demo mode is disabled.
Some cameras switch to a Demo mode when left on Standby without a tape inserted. Check for a Demo function in your camcorder's settings menu and disable it.

Important: Capture video to projects on local hard disks. Do not capture video to projects saved on a server. Video cannot be reliably captured over a network to projects saved on a server.

Renaming clips

You can rename clips within iMovie. However, do not change the names of clips in your project folder. This will break links to the media in your project file.

Maximum movie and clip size

The maximum length of a movie is limited only by the available disk space on your computer. There is no limit to the number of clips that can be combined to create a single movie. However, the maximum file size of an individual movie clip is 2 GB. If you exceed this 2 GB limit during an extended duration capture, iMovie will continue the capture into a second clip.

Doing other work while rendering

You can continue working in a project while rendering transitions or titles. Performance may decrease if you have more than two render processes running simultaneously.

Emptying the Trash resets the Undo command

If you empty the Trash in iMovie, you will not be able to undo any actions taken before emptying the Trash.

About audio

This version of iMovie fixes an audio problem that introduced distortion in loud audio levels coming from the camcorder.

Changing the sound input device

Do not change the sound input device while iMovie is running. iMovie uses an external or built-in microphone as the sound input device to record your voice. To change the sound input device, quit iMovie, then select the desired device in the Sound control panel or the Control Strip.

Hardware Compatibility

Using DV devices

iMovie will not work with more than one DV device connected to your computer via FireWire.

Using additional storage devices

iMovie requires hard disks with fast transfer and access rates. If you're using additional storage devices, make sure you use drives with a sustained transfer rate of 3.6 MB or higher.

The following storage devices do not meet the minimum transfer rate or capacity requirements to work with iMovie:

• SuperDisk drives
• Floppy disk drives
• Zip drives
• AppleShare or IP-mounted file servers

Tips for using certain camcorders

Using Canon camcorders

If you cannot pause the camcorder during rewind or fast-forward in iMovie, press the Stop button instead of the Pause button.

Using Panasonic camcorders

If you try to export to tape and the camcorder LCD flashes the message "Check DV Input," then goes into Record/Pause mode but doesn't start recording, do the following:

1. Stop the camcorder and cancel the export.

2. Add a few extra seconds of black before the recording, or increase the time to wait for the camcorder in the Export Movie window.

3. When you export to tape, watch for black frames being sent to the camcorder on the LCD then press the Still button on the camcorder's VTR controls to begin recording.

Using the Sharp VL-PD3

If you attempt to export to tape and the camcorder goes into Record/Pause mode, but never actually starts recording, do the following:

1. Stop the camcorder and cancel the export.

2. Add a few extra seconds of black before the recording, or increase the time to wait for the camcorder in the Export Movie window.

3. When you export to tape, press the Play button on the camcorder's VTR controls to begin recording.

Third-Party Software

Using QDesign Music Codec 2 Professional Edition sound compression

If you plan to use this sound compression software with iMovie, you must first export a movie through QuickTime Player using this codec and register the software with its serial number. You can then export movies with QDesign Music Codec 2 sound compression through the Expert export settings in iMovie.

Solving Problems

Video standard of the camcorder doesn't match the video standard of a project

Before you create a project, connect the camcorder to your computer and turn the camcorder on. If you are using a PAL-format DV camcorder, iMovie will recognize the device and create the project in PAL format.

Performance is slow or a message says memory is low

• Quit any applications running in the background.
• Increase the amount of memory allocated to iMovie by doing the following:
  1. Quit iMovie.
  2. Locate the iMovie application (not the alias) and click its icon once.
  3. From the File menu, choose Get Info.
  4. Choose Memory from the Show pop-up menu.
  5. Increase the number in the Preferred Size field to 30720, then close the window and restart iMovie.

A message says the device is too slow
If you're using a FireWire storage device and a message says the device is to slow, you may need to update the device driver software. Go to the manufacturer's Web site and download the latest device driver. Install the driver software and restart your computer, then restart iMovie. For more information, contact the device's manufacturer.

No video appears on the monitor when capturing video in Camera mode
If you can control your camcorder within iMovie using Camera mode, but are not receiving any video on the computer's monitor while your camcorder is still on, disconnect the FireWire cable from the computer, then reconnect the cable.

A discrepancy occurs between the playhead reading at the end of a clip and the clip's duration
There is a one-frame difference between the duration of a clip and the playhead reading when the playhead is parked on the last frame. This is normal and will not affect your project.

You can't export a movie to a PAL camcorder
If you cannot record to your PAL camcorder, contact the manufacturer and check the specifications for your device. Certain PAL devices have FireWire (IEEE 1394) input disabled.

Audio dropout happens in movies that are exported to tape
If you experience audio dropout in a movie that you have exported to tape, return to your project and lower the volume level of the affected clip with the volume slider in the Audio Viewer. Then re-export your movie.

You can't delete iMovie resource files
If you experience trouble deleting iMovie resource files, do the following:

1. Select the file you want to delete.
2. Choose Get Info from the File menu.
3. Make sure there is no checkmark in the Locked checkbox.
4. Drag the file to the Trash.
5. Choose Empty Trash from the Special menu.