[MacDV] iMovie HD 5.0.2 bugs and fixes

[Matti Haveri]

I had high hopes for iMovie 5.0.2 update but it was a big 
disappointment after three months of waiting. Luckily there are 
plenty of workarounds so the lively discussions in the forums can 
continue :|

- In iMovie HD 5.0.2 added titles distort interlacing lines in the 
underlying PAL video. This is clearly visible in moving scenes. To 
see the bug launch iMovie HD and add a Title before adding a 
Transition or an Effect: interlacing is distorted in the underlying 
video. After this also the Transitions and Effects distort 
interlacing until iMovie HD is re-launched.

The bug was fixed in iMovie HD 5.0.2 for NTSC but in PAL the bug persists!

- Some analog to DV converters don't work in iMovie HD 5.0.2 like 
they do in iMovie 4.0.1.

1. For example, my Sony TRV320 can convert analog video to DV in 
passthrough mode in iMovie 4.0.1, but not in iMovie HD 5.0.2. 
Reportedly also neither Sony DVMC-DA1 converter and Panasonic NV EX3 
work in iMovie HD 5.0.2 like they do in iMovie 4.0.1.

iMovie HD 5.0.2 update seems to have disabled the workaround which 
worked in v5.0.1: Put a tape in the camcorder and press the 
camcorder's PLAY-button to play the tape in VTR mode (usually the 
tape must be OUT when doing analog-DV conversion!), then in iMovie 
hit the Import-button (so iMovie starts to import from the tape), 
then press the camcorder's STOP-button. iMovie should then continue 
importing from the analog source as usual.

2. It is also not possible to record live DV (i.e. the camcorder in 
Rec mode with no tape in the camcorder, so that what goes in the 
camcorder's lens, imports in real-time to iMovie) from a camcorder 
(Sony TRV320, for example) to iMovie HD 5.0.1 because iMovie 
complains "Camera No Tape". In iMovie 4.0.1 and BTV Pro this works OK 
with no tape in the camcorder.

- iMovie HD 5.0.2's Reversed and Fast-motion Effects deinterlace 
video when iMovie 4 correctly preserves interlacing by changing field 
dominance or by just skipping frames.

With iMovie 4 the movements are smooth because interlacing is 
preserved. With iMovie HD 5.0.2 the motion is jerky (especially in 
reversed) when watched on an interlaced TV.

Workarounds for the reversed clips: #1 Use iMovie 4 for reversed 
effects if the video is interlaced. #2 Another option is to add the 
Reversed Effect, then export the clip as Full Quality .dv. Then 
change the field dominance with JES Deinterlacer (check "Top line in 
earlier field" and Export as DV stream) and import the converted .dv 
back to iMovie HD.

Workarounds for the fast-motion clips: #1 Add the Fast-motion Effect, 
then export the clip as Full Quality .dv and import it back. #2 
Another option is to ignore iMovie's rendering prompt when sending 
the project to tape or iDVD, but then you need to be sure that there 
are no Slow-motion or Reversed Effects that NEED rendering (iMovie 
renders jaggy still images so you WANT to ignore the prompt to render 
them).

Jan E: Could JES Deinterlacer have a setting to render reversed .dv 
with reversed field dominance? Obviously iMovie HD continues to have 
trouble in this. What about fast-motion rendering:

I'm not sure whether the fast-motion video should be deinterlaced or 
not. I did a quick test and with 2x fast-motion the interlaced output 
was smoother but with faster paces there wasn't much difference. 
Anyone?

- Like iMovie 4, iMovie HD renders jaggy still images when exporting 
to iDVD or tape!

- In iMovie HD 5.0.2 exporting via the expert settings as a DV stream 
or .avi deinterlaces video and loses timecode

- Some iMovie HD 5.0.2 QuickTime export presets export different 
resolutions than they claim to

Email 160x120 exports as 160x110 instead, Web 240x180 as 240x170, Web 
Streaming 240x180 as 240x170, and CD-ROM 320x240 as 320x230.

[continues in the next message]