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Mac OS X user needs help.

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can someone give me some tips please. i want to start editing stuff but would like some pointers. i can only get the film onto the hard drive if i rip the DVD and convert it using handbrake. what would be the best settings for optimum picture and sound since i don't want to lose any quality. i'll be using iMovie HD and iDVD to author the DVD. i can't add subtitles or additional audio tracks with these programs so i am using the basics.

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You need to rip the dvd files to your HD with MacTheRipper (free). Do a macupdate.com search for it. Don't use handbrake. It's a compression app. You don't want to start with futher compressed material. Use MacTheRipper to rip the DVD (or the portion you're wishing to use) as one big VOB file. Now use MPEG Streamclip (free, again use macupdate) to export the VOB file into a Quicktime DV file. This file can now be opened in iMovieHD. iMovie uses DV or HDV source files. By the very nature of DV, you'll will be losing quality from your DVD source. This cannot be helped. DV is a terribly destructive codec when it comes to color and chroma. This should get you going with iMovie. If you want to maintain the best possible quality, you'll have to step up to the plate and get Final Cut Pro and use a lossless codec. Use MPEG Streamclip to export the VOB to Apple Animation codec or use the 3rd party SheerVideo codec. You'll need LOTS of disc space and a decent mac. You'll find that you're going to hit the ceiling pretty quickly with iMovie if you're wanting to do any serious editing. I'm not trashing iMovie. It's great for what's it's intended, home movies from miniDV camcorders. Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.

You can go about your business. Move along, move along.

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cheers mate. i do have final cut express but i'm not quite good at it. i may do a rough cut of what i'm gonna do to see how it plans out.

thanks again!

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Final Cut Express is limited to working with DV source material, hence the title "Express". I moved from iMovie to FCE. When I finally decided that I didn't want any limitations imposed on me, I ponied up for Final Cut Pro and have been happy ever since. Seeing as how you already have FCE, I'd recommend this training dvd to get used to the Final Cut workflow. That dvd is for FCE 1.0 but would be more than good enough to get you comfortable with the interface. The FCP and FCE interfaces are practically indentical. Good luck.

You can go about your business. Move along, move along.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4962/nowplayingbannermasterzc2.jpg
The Story of Star Wars
The Adventures Of Luke Skywalker