iMovie '08 DVD import and mini-DVD content

Aug 20, '07 07:30:02AM

Contributed by: brettod

We were on a project where we recorded video using a mini-DVD camcorder. However, we have only slot loading machines, so I asked if they could duplicate the discs over to full sized DVDs.

In the course of working on the project, iMovie '08 was released! I tried importing the DVDs to no avail; it was treated just like a commercial DVD, even though it wasn't copy protected. I happened to have a mini-DVD straight from the camera, so I picked up a cheap external DVD burner, and loaded in the disc. iMovie '08 then recognized it just like it was a camera, and loaded the movie up just fine!

I brought both discs over the Apple store (DVD and mini-DVD), and they couldn't find any difference between them except for physical size (same format, files, etc.). So I picked up some mini-DVD-Rs, and duplicated the full-size disc to the mini-sized disc. (The videos fit because they were still the original 1.4GB size from the mini-DVD in the camera.)

Surprise! iMovie read these mini-DVDs just fine! I'm not sure why iMovie wouldn't read the full-size discs, but it had no trouble with the same video on a mini-DVD. If anyone can tell me how to get iDVD to recognize the non-protected content on the full-size discs, please post in the comments.

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