iMovie MP4 import - Handbrake vs. VisualHub

[benhinc]

I found a thread on this forum with a similar topic but it really didn't address the issue I'm encountering. I've already posted on another forum so I'm going to cut-and-paste it here....essentially, I've got an H.264 MP4 from Handbrake that imports into iMovie immediately and an H.264 MP4 from VisualHub that wants to take 30+ minutes to import. What's the deal...?

--

I've got two video files - one that I imported from a DVD-based
camcorder (you know, the kind that record directly to DVD) and the
other from my Canon A540 digital camera.

The DVD video I imported using Handbrake. Below is a link of the info
box for this file...

http://myskitch.com/benhinc/movie_info_1...004832.png

The Canon records video in 30 fps Motion JPEG...which I typically
convert to H.264 MP4 video using VisualHub. The info box for this file
is below....

http://myskitch.com/benhinc/movie_info-2...004929.png

As far as I can tell the are encoded identically except for the audio.
However, when I import these files into iMovie, the one from the
camcorder is imported *immediately* without any processing. I've
noticed this is true regardless of what the frame rate of the project
is (the DVD video files are in 24 fps).

When I import the files from my Canon, iMovie wants to process them
for 30-40 minutes. What's the deal? I was so excited to find an
encoding scheme that iMovie will import immediately but I can't seem
to replicate it using VisualHub ... only Handbrake.

I guess my next logical test would be to burn the Motion JPEG file
directly to DVD using Toast without any prior conversions...then rip
it back to the computer using Handbrake...and see if that works. Also,
how can I duplicate Handbrake's settings in VisualHub?

Arghh...video is so difficult.

[benhinc]

Follow up -

After further research, the original Motion JPEG from the Canon A540 imports in about 3 minutes...converting it to DV in VisualHub prior to import actually *increases* the import time to 8 mins (and I thought DV was the "native" format of iMovie).

Yet... the H.264 mp4s from Handbrake import without any wait time at all...they just show up and are instantly usable/editable.

Very very strange... I'd still like to replicate what Handbrake is doing on all files, any ideas?

----

Update: Here is what Handbrake looked like when I did the ripping...the only thing I changed from the default was codecs from MPEG-4 Video / AAC Audio to AVC/H.264 Video / AAC Audio. Everything else I left the same.

http://myskitch.com/benhinc/handbrake-20...012404.png

Here are the VisualHub settings...again, nothing out of the ordinary, just standard MP4 settings with the H.264 box checked...nothing specified in the Advanced settings.

http://myskitch.com/benhinc/_visualhub_-...012752.png

----

Update Again: Does this all have something to do with VisualHub being a front end for ffmpeg and Handbrake using the x264 encoder instead of ffmpeg? I am doing a Quicktime Pro export to H.264 MP4 to see if I get the same results as Handbrake...I know it's not using ffmpeg.

[benhinc]

Seems like the H.264 MP4 exported from Quicktime Pro using the settings below imports into iMovie just like the one exported from Handbrake. It *must* be related to ffmpeg. Why did I pay for VisualHub again?

http://myskitch.com/benhinc/mpeg-4_expor...021055.png

[TheTominator]

I suspect it has something to do with P-frames, B-frames, or I-frames.

iMovie wants to edit the video efficiently so it might be more picky about the frame encoding used.

[loveshine]

Thanks for posting this.
Maybe it has to do with the quicktime codec wrapper for the codec contained within. We ran into a problem importing HDV footage into FCP that was captured direct to disc. We devised a work around using mpegstreamclip but it took months of research and finally one Apple guy knew exactly what we were talking about and he said even though it's all mpeg2, Final Cut Pro needed a specific wrapper for the mpeg2.

[Monster]

why don't you email techspansion@mac.com and ask them about this?
Maybe they could tell you exactly why.

[Anonymous User]

Why people using Mac always meet difficulty in importing MP4 into iMovie?

According Apple official website, iMovie (including iMovie '11/'09/'08) can only import DV, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, MOV and M4V. Though the MP4 file format defines the storage of MPEG-4 audio, scenes and multimedia content using the ISO Base Media File Format, the MP4 file may also contain any number of audio, video, and even subtitle streams. So it is impossible for the MP4 file to determine the type of streams in an MPEG-4 file based on its filename extension alone. Therefore, you may have some clues that why people using Mac always meet difficulty in importing mp4 into iMovie.
Part 2

How can we successfully import any MP4 file to iMovie at any time?

Just try Bigasoft iMovie Converter for Mac which can convert and import mp4 and a variety of video and audio files to iMovie with ease.

The following is a step by step guide on how to import MP4 to iMovie with the help of Bigasoft iMovie Converter for Mac.
http://www.bigasoft.com/articles/how-to-import-mp4-into-imovie.html

[Anonymous User]

Well, I think I would stick with Handbrake, read this topic, might give you some helpful tips: http://www.macworld.com.au/forums/index....topic=7439&st=0&gopid=70640&