iMovie: a better mouse?
 

My wife edits hdv on our Mac using iMovie. We also have Final Cut Express but she doesn't want to take the time to learn it. Anyway, she wants a better "mouse" / pointer control thingy ;-) that will allow her to scrub quickly through her video clips to set edit points etc.

I have seen these things on the interweb in the past, they look like a mouse but have a dial like wheel that you can spin. I can't for the life of me remember what they are called! Otherwise I would simply google it, ya?! Hah!

Anyone able to help?

Some helpful web search terms.

Trackball
Trackpad
Scroll wheel mouse
computer mouse alternative

Perhaps this is what you're looking for: Contour Design | Shuttle | retail.contourdesign.com

Don't forget that the Apple Magic Mouse supports one finger "swiping" that allows scrubbing thru footage.

I have no idea how well that works compared to a jog dial/shuttle however.

I also remember this product from Griffin:

Griffin Technology: PowerMate - USB Multimedia Controller

[Non professional devices of course.]

Thanks all!

Jog/shuttle! That jogs my memory! Google brought the contour and griffin products up, they look like the ticket.

One thing that wasn't explained on either website though, what is jog and what is shuttle? Both devices have an inner dial and outer ring for these two functions, but no explanation as to how they differ. I'm assuming one is for fine frame by frame and the other for fast scrubbing?

yes - inner dial on the Contour is weighted and free spins, and designed for frame by frame movement (although you can spin it somewhat faster!) - basically think fine tuning. The outer rubber "wheel" is spring loaded, and has IIRC 4 levels of "speed/sensitivity" so you "nudge" it in the direction and amount you want to scrub through the footage, release and it stops/springs back.

Hey Dave,
thanks for the informative reply! I take it that the outer ring "springs" back to it's neutral position, leaving the selected frame displayed? IOWs, the video doesn't spring back? Can't see any use for the video "springing" back but what do I know? Hah!

Yep, the ring springs, not the video. Keep in mind you also get 13-15 buttons you can program any way you want, so you get a lot of control.