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Using iMovie
Digitizing Video
Exporting Movie
Editing Movie


Digitizing Video

 

Before you begin: It is essential that you read the Using iMovie documentation before you begin your digitizing project. Click on the Using iMovie button above if you haven't yet read through these important instructions.

Setting Up
Digitizing a Video Clip
Cropping a Video Clip
Troubleshooting

Setting Up

  1. Select a digitizing station. Digitizing stations in the Knapp Center include the Macs at Stations 24-38 as well as Project Room 111. Not all stations are able to digitize all types of media. Use the following table to choose your station.

    VHS cassettes Stations 24-38, PR 111
    PAL cassettes Stations 24-28, 36, PR 111
    DVD Stations 24-38, PR 111
    Multiregional DVD Stations 24-28, PR 111
    VCD

    Stations 24-38, PR 111
    Note: Stations 30, 34-38: VCD must be put in after new movie is created in iMovie.
    Laserdisc Stations 30, 34-38, PR 111
    Live TV (cable) Stations 24-38, PR 111
    DV Tape Stations 27, 30

  2. Make sure the Extron box's power is turned on - see image below. (If the green light is off, it may be that the box is unplugged. See the computer consultant on duty for assistance.) Set the Extron box according to the following table depending on what type of media you are digitizing from.

    Extron Box

    VHS cassettes Labeled VCR
    PAL cassettes Labeled VCR
    DVD and VCD Labeled DVD (or LD/DVD)
    Laserdisc Labeled LD/DVD
    Live TV (cable) Labeled VCR
    DV Tape Labeled DVCAM

    Note: In project room 111, refer to the labels on the black computer switch box.

  3. Make sure that the Sony box's power is turned on. The Sony box is located on top of the computer tower. (If there are no green lights, press the power button on the top of the box.)

    Sony Box


  4. Set the Sony box. Make sure the green light is showing on the Analog In button. If it isn't, press the button.

  5. Check to make sure the volume on the computer is turned up before digitizing. Press up and down buttons on the keyboard, and adjust the slide next to the speaker icon on the desktop.

  6. Prepare to Digitize
  • If you are digitizing from VHS, PAL, LD/DVD/VCD, or DV tape
    • If you have questions about using one of the players, please see a consultant for help.
    • Turn on the TV.
    • Turn on the correct player and insert the tape or disc.
    • Use the player controls to navigate to the part of the video that you want to digitize. Pause the video a few seconds before you would like your digitized clip to begin.

  • If you are digitizing from Live TV (cable)
    • Turn on the TV
    • Turn on the VCR
    • Some VCRs may require that you pull open the front panel of the VCR (may be labeled Desktop Editor). You can do this from the top left corner of the front panel.
    • Use the channel up and down arrow buttons to change the channel. The current channel will be shown in the VCR display on the front of the VCR

  • If you are at stations #27 or 30 and plan on digitizing from both the VCR and DV tape player
    • Digitize all of the necessary clips from the DV tape first
    • From the File menu choose Save to save the project
    • From the File menu choose Quit to quit out of iMovie
    • Turn off the DV tape player
    • Follow the setup instructions for digitizing from VHS (step #6 above)
    • Find your project folder on the computer desktop and open it
    • Double-click on the file inside the folder to open your iMovie project
    • Follow the digitizing instructions below for VHS

  • If the movie or cable station is not being displayed on the TV or in iMovie, follow the troubleshooting directions at the end of the documentation.

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 Digitizing a Video Clip

  1. Launch iMovie from the dock, or by choosing Go -> Applications -> iMovie HD.

  2. A dialog box will open, and click on the Create a New Project button. Do not click Make a Magic iMovie.



  3. Name your project and make sure to save it to the desktop. Set the Where menu to Desktop. DV should be selected under "Video format".

    create new project

  4. Once your new project opens, you will see a dialog box that says “Your video camera is not responding to device control”. Click “OK”.

    device control box

  5. Make sure that the video is paused a few seconds before the the clip that you would like to digitize. You will be able to trim the excess off later. You should be able to see the paused movie in the movie window on your computer.

  6. When you are ready to begin recording, click the importbutton in the iMovie window on the computer, and press play on the VCR (or other player). The movie will start recording.

    Capture Toggle If you do not see an Import button on your screen, make sure that the Input/Edit toggle is pushed to the left towards the camera icon.

    Note: If you see a bright red light on the Sony box while the clip is being digitized, your video is copyright encoded. You will NOT be able to export your clips to VHS tape. You will be able to export them to QuickTime movies, digital video, or DVD. For more information read throught the documentation on the Exporting Movie page.

  7. To stop recording, click on the import button again. The movie clip will be named Clip 01 and placed into one of the "shelves" to the right of the recording window.

    clip in shelf

  8. If you have more clips to record, follow these steps again until you have all of the clips you will need.

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Cropping a Video Clip

  1. Drag Clip 01 to the large gray rectangular "timeline" at the bottom of the screen.

    The clip should appear in the large movie window.

  2. You can play the clip by using the set of controls in the iMovie window.


  3. As the movie clip plays, you can see the playhead travel along the playbar.


    The number displayed next to the playhead is the number of seconds and frames up to that point in the movie. (For example, a time of 04:11 would mean 4 seconds and 11 frames.)

    Note: If you are unable to hear the audio of your captured clip, check to make sure the computer is not muted. If the computer is not muted, see the audio troubleshooting section at the bottom of this page.

  4. To crop the movie, let your mouse hover just below the play bar, and click and drag the set of white triangles below the timeline.


    Drag the first triangle to the place on the timeline that you would like your movie to begin. Drag the second triangle to the place on the timeline that you would like your movie to end. The clip's timeline will be yellow between the start and stop points.

  5. When you have positioned your start and stop triangles where you want them, from the Edit menu, choose Crop. This will crop the movie clip to the portion that you selected. (The yellow portion of the timeline.)

  6. To share (export) your clips go the Sharing page. If you want to edit and export several movie clips, drag Clip 01 back to its shelf and drag another movie clip to the timeline. Follow these steps again until all of your clips are cropped and exported.

    Click here for documentation on how to share (export) your movie.

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Troubleshooting

If you do not see the video or cable station on the TV:

  • Make sure that all of the settings are correct in the Setting Up section of the instructions at the top of this page.
  • Make sure that the correct player is turned on and that it is playing.
  • Make sure that the TV is set to Video 1
    1. Open the front panel of the TV (under the screen)
    2. Press the TV/VCR button until you see Video 1 in the upper right corner of the screen
  • If you are trying to digitize from cable, make sure you are at one of the listed Knapp stations and that you are on a channel that Wellesley receives.

If you do not see the video in iMovie or receive a blue screen in iMovie

  • Make sure that all of the settings are correct in the Setting Up section of the instructions at the top of this page.
  • Make sure that you have pressed play.
  • If you are at stations #27 or 30, and trying to digitize from the VCR or TV, make sure the DV tape player is turned OFF.

If the video is still not showing in iMovie:

  1. Quit out of iMovie
  2. Turn off the SONY box
  3. Turn on the SONY box
  4. Launch iMovie.

If this doesn't work:

  1. Turn off the Mac
  2. Turn off the SONY box
  3. Turn on the SONY box
  4. Turn on the Mac.
  5. Launch iMovie

If these steps don't work, see a consultant for help.

If you don't hear any audio in iMovie when you are playing back a captured clip:

    1. Check to see if the audio on the computer is turned up and not muted.
    2. If the computer has sound, in iMovie, from the iMovie menu, choose Preferences.
    3. Make sure that the Video play through to camera box is NOT checked.
    4. Click OK.
    5. Quit out of iMovie
    6. Launch iMovie and recapture clip.

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