[MacDV] NTSC miniDV camcorder in France...

[Mark O'Brien]

On 8/22/03 1:21 PM, "Sean" <spenney at stemnet.ca> wrote:

> I plan to spend next academic year in France. If I take my G3 desktop
> Mac along (with a voltage converter and plug converter) how can I share
> my iMovies with friends and family back in North America?
> 
> My miniDV camcorder is NTSC. If I prepare iMovies on the G3, I guess I
> could make VCD's with Toast and send them home by mail. I guess that
> with the imminent Toast 6 I'll be able to prepare SVCD's and send *them*
> home as well.

You can also make SVCDs (or plain VCDs) today with iVCD.
> 
> If I connect the 'video out' jacks on the Mac to the 'video in' jacks of
> a SECAM (French standard) VCR, won't I just get garbage on the VHS tape?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with video out jacks on a Mac.
> 
> Can I set iMovie to output to a SECAM VCR so that at least my friends in
> France could watch the videos on their SECAM TV sets?

I believe iMovie only supports NTSC and PAL, but I understand SECAM is very
similar to PAL. Additionally, I understand multiple-protocol equipment
(NTSC, PAL, SECAM) is not uncommon in France. Maybe your friends there can
handle NTSC and/or PAL.
> 
> Also, are there any drawbacks to charging my camcorder battery with a
> voltage converter? ...or running the Mac with a voltage converter for
> that matter?

Check your camcorder's power supply. Mine (Sony) can handle different
voltages without an additional converter (just the plug adapter).

Mark