Je complète encore avec ce que je viens de trouver sur le forum de iMovie'08 (malheureusement seulement en anglais). Un certain Jon Walker serait apparemment notre sauveur. Voilà un extraits des échanges :

Re: Import MPEG 2 files into imovie 08
Posted: Jun 12, 2008 8:50 AM in response to: hibhaven
This is nuts. As a Windows refugee I can't believe I have to leave my 24" iMac sitting on my desk and use Movie Factory on my wife's little HP notebook because iMovie won't read my mpeg-2 files. Movie Factory has no problem at all reading my ancient VHS-C tapes right off my camera and then allowing me to edit them. The only way I can open them on the iMac is through VLC (a freebie program I highly recommend). QuickTime is useless unless I pay $20 or whatever for a plugin. How can this be so difficult? Why is Apple making it so difficult to transfer videos over from Windows to MacOS. I thought they wanted us to switch.
Has anyone successfully got around this roadblock? - Cliff

>>> **** Jon Walker (Posts: 6,746 From: Burington County, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 29, 2003)
Re: Import MPEG 2 files into imovie 08
Posted: Jun 12, 2008 12:32 PM in response to: cjfn
This is nuts. As a Windows refugee I can't believe I have to leave my 24" iMac sitting on my desk and use Movie Factory on my wife's little HP notebook because iMovie won't read my mpeg-2 files.
And I find it hard to believe that there are still people out there who think that that all forms of video are the same. This is like saying a Chrysler, a Mac truck, and a jet plane should all use the same fuel since they are all vehicles. If you buy a camcorder that stores files in a compression format specifically designed as a means for distribution and delivery, then it should not come as a surprise that it may need to be converted to a compression format designed specifically for editing to do a "proper" job of editing in a video editor specifically designed to edit at the intraframe level as most professional, prosumer, and consumer video editors do.
The only way I can open them on the iMac is through VLC (a freebie program I highly recommend). QuickTime is useless unless I pay $20 or whatever for a plugin. How can this be so difficult?
QT has never fully supported any of the multiplexed compression formats like MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VOB, or Flash. While some are QT "playback" only and others are playback only with the proper QT component installed, none are conversion and/or edit compatible with QT processes which are based on the temporal synchronization of up to 99 tracks of different data types and not designed for the conversion/editing of spatially synchronized audio and video stored as interspersed blocks of data in a single data stream. Just as you need the proper engine to run on a specific type of fuel, you need the proper type of video engine to play, convert and/or edit different types of video. Simply put, QT is not a "muxed" MPEG engine.
Why is Apple making it so difficult to transfer videos over from Windows to MacOS. I thought they wanted us to switch.
Apple has no say as to what types of videos you may chose to transfer. It cannot legally provide support for any proprietary codecs that may have been used to produce your original Windows content. Neither would I expect Apple to go out of its way to perform research and development in support of compression formats which are in the process of being replaced and can already be handled satisfactorily by other means currently available.
Has anyone successfully got around this roadblock?
You have three basic options here:


1) You can manually convert the files to any of the compression formats currently capable of being edited in iMovie '08 using a third-party, MPEG-based engine designed to bridge the gap between Multiplexed MPEG video/AC3 audio files and the QT structure now embedded in the Mac OS. I prefer this work flow since it gives the user the greatest control and maximizes editing options.
2) You can "image" your MPEG-2 based content in order to fool iMovie '08 into performing the the conversion for you. Your success here will likely depend on the method you employ and which version of iMovie '08 you are trying it on.
3) You can purchase a MPEG-2/GOP based editor specifically designed to edit your MPEG-2 content "natively." I don't know of any good ones for the Mac and my only experience with such programs in the past have all be unqualified disasters.

>>> **** Jon Walker
Re: Importing mpg files to iMovie Posted: Apr 14, 2008 5:41 AM in response to: swinz
At a loss at this stage - any suggestions? It may be something really simple that is not explained well in the manual or there may be a simple work-around?
Only the "Import from Camera" option applies an automatic conversion to HDV, AVCHD, or MPEG-2 to camcorder media. So if the files are stored on your hard drive, you should be able to convert them manually to an iMovie '08 compatible compression format. Applications like MPEG Streamclip (free but requires the $20 QT MPEG-2 Playback component), iSquint (free), FFmpegX (donation-ware), Visual Hub (pay-ware), etc. should work. I personally prefer MPEG Streamclip since it provide the most export options and built-in features, but this is a matter for each user to decide for himself or herself and frequently depends more on the user's choice of work flow than anything else. As a test, I would recommend you run a test file or two through iSquint. The download is free and, which you are limited to MPEG-4 or H.264 output, the "drag 'n drop" batch processor is probably the easiest to use if you have a large number of files requiring conversion. Playing with the video data rate should allow you to prevent the loss of too much quality which you run your tests to decide if you need more/better output options as offered by other applications.
Jon,
Downloaded MPEG Streamclip and tried to open .mpg file however I needed to pay $39.00 AUD and download Quicktime MPEG-2 Playback before MPEG Streamclip would play the .mpg files.
Once this was done, it was just a simple matter of exporting the .mpg file to MPEG-4 and surprise, surprise, I was able to import the clip to iMovie!!!!
A bit of a workaround but we got there in the end.
Cheers - Swinz
+ Downloaded MPEG Streamclip and tried to open .mpg file however I needed to pay $39.00 AUD and download Quicktime MPEG-2 Playback before MPEG Streamclip would play the .mpg files.
Didn't realize there was such a price difference out your way. (It is only $19.99 here.) However, this combination (IMHO) does allow you more options as to output compression formats to include DV, AIC, M-JPEG, Photo-JPEG, MPEG-4, or H,264 (with limited or unlimited video data rates). Do not, however, use the Apple Animation or Video codecs as the will import/edit in iMovie '08 but will not export properly. I also like the built-in adjustments (brightness, contrast, saturation and volume), as well as, the cropping, scaling, and frame blending features. In any event, congratulations on your success!

Import MPEG 2 files into imovie 08 Posted: May 29, 2008 7:25 AM
I have a Sony Handycam (Model: DCR SR 65E) which records movies on its HDD in MPEG2 format. When I tried to import my clips into imovie 08 (Macbook) I realized that these two are not compatible. imovie does not recognize this movie file format.
On reading the associated manual with imovie08, it clearly mentions that it can recognize MPEG2 format and will import files using USB ports.
I currently have multiple video files on my handycam but cant do much with them. I have used 3rd party converters to covert to other format (MPEG 4 etc) but it invariably degrades the quality and I dont want to consider thsi approach. Is there any way my Macbook/imovie 08 can work with the Sony Handycam?

>>> Re: Import MPEG 2 files into imovie 08 Posted: May 29, 2008 1:47 PM in response to: hibhaven
If your model of Sony HDD camera is compatible with iMove 08, you just have to plug it in via USB, then select hard drive mode on the camera's LCD screen, then open iMovie. After the access light on the camera stops blinking, be patient if you have a lot of shots, the import window will pop up and you can select what to import.
Do not copy the files from your camera via the Finder! You have to use the iMovie import window. I have the DCR-SR82 and it is really fast to import.
If you have already dragged the raw files off your camera with the Finder, you will have to convert them to quicktime with MPEGstreamclip then import the individual mov file. You might be able to drag the original files back onto the camera via Finder and then do the iMovie import. Or do the disk image hack Jon mentions.

fin des extraits
ANTO