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Video formats .dv vs .mov w/DV Codec
Hello All!!!
In terms of MiniDV video What the heck is the difference between between a video file capture thats (video.dv) vs. (video.mov –> DV Codec). The problem comes in switching between Final Cut Pro and Imovie. Imovie captures all it’s footage in video.dv format, so when you import the footage directly into FCP it seems there is some render times. My main question, is there a loss of image quality (or audio) when converting from .dv to .mov (with DV COdec) or of course the other way around. Thanks for any help you can give this calf.
-jason
eyechor.com -
2 Replies
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DV cameras record in a multiplexed format, the audio embedded inside the video stream. When iMovie captures that’s what it captures. The original native file.
Final Cut, Pro and Express, captures the material and converts it to QuickTime on the fly, stripping out the audio and putting it into separate QT tracks.
This is one of the reason when working with audio in iMovie you’re constantly having to jump through hoops. This is also why, when you bring the iMovie captured file into FCP, it needs to be rendered out, but only the audio needs to be rendered it video is not recompressed.
If you convert the DV Stream file to QuickTIme outside of Final Cut, like in the QuickTime player, it will go through a recompression cycle. However, Simon Hayward (I think), Final Cut Express user, has written a script that will take a .dv file open in QT Pro, copy out the audio and paste it into tracks in a new file, which basically does the conversion, only much faster and without any recompression.
All the best,
Tom
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop” Class on Demand “Complete Training for FCP5” DVD
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Thank you so much for your concise reply.
You Rule!
-Jason
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