[Which format for DVDs on Mac please] .ac3 and .m2v files into iMovie/Final Cut Pro
 

Hi there,

sorry for this thread - this has probably been answered for a hundred times, but searching did not bring the appropriate answers for a absolute non-Mac-user.

I live in the PC/WinXP world and do render my EX-HD-footage via Adobe Premiere -> VDub -> AVISynth -> TMPGEnc to high quality SD DVD streams. I for my own use render into elementary .ac3 and .m2v files which work perfect in DVD-Lab pro or Encore for DVD authoring.

Now I have a client who wants to use my streams in iMovie or Final Cut Pro on Mac. They said they cannot import .ac3 and .m2v files.
What should I deliver when I want to give them valid mpeg2-DVD-streams which they do not have to reencode but can use on Mac directly? They asked for mov, but then they have to reencode and I do not have experience in best quality settings for mov. Would it be a simple way just to give them a mpeg2 system stream with multiplexed .ac3 and .m2v streams in a .mpg file? This would be most easy and safe for me...

So, will .mpg work to import or do you have any other suggestion, please?

Thanks a lot in advance,
Markus

For them to import into FCP they will have to be Quicktime files. Goinh from EX footage to mpeg and then to Quicktime is not a good idea.

I take it that your client wants to edit the footage in some way and they are working in SD (standard definition).

If so a lossless QT codec such as "Animation" may be the way to go.

I would suggest that you post a question in the Vegas forum for advice on outputting quicktime files.

Thank you a lot for the answer!
Now I know why MacOS is so stable. If the OS/software only allows very few interfaces then it is much easier to program those very stable and well tested. ;)

I cannot believe that FCP and iMovie really only allow to import .mov. Is it not possible to give those programs ready to use system or elementay DVD mpeg2 streams?! I am deeply shocked, this is, frankly said, rubbish and not acceptable...

They do not edit the video anymore, I do all the final editing for them - they just want to do the DVD authoring. I rendered for Windows with Lagarith lossless codec to anamorphic 16:9 PAL 50i avis and would encode this to mpeg2 streams. I tried to encode to mov with animation codec as you described but I think the anamorphic does not really work like intended. Furthermore the mov is 4GB in size. Since I have to upload and they have to download the file this is no fun... I have the AVID light MOV codecs - is there anything I could use better, please?

But I really would like to give them final mpgs...

iMovie and FCP can import any type of movie file that can be opened by Quicktime and that's a whole bunch of different file types. :)

I've had very good luck using the Avid DNxHD codec. (thanks Perrone!) You can download it for free from Avid and install it on both the PC and Mac computers. This is assuming that the PC can export using Quicktime.

Works great for us! :)

Ok, then I missunderstood ;)

I have installed those free AVID codecs, that's what I've ment with "light" above. But the Avid DNxHD codec is for HD resolutions only. I would like to give them the anamorphic 16:9 50i 720x576...

To shorten this: since you say they are able to import a lot, a multiplexed mpeg2+AC3-video should be no problem for them? I gave them elementary streams and they could not handle...
I will give the muxed mpg a try.