Lame MAC questions on audio/video

Dogpatch

I have had it with computer books, online video tutorials, PCI capture cards with interrupts, lame Pinnacle, Adobe, and other software solutions for PC, and even my old HP media edition desktop computer that just crashed and burned. If you haven't heard from me in awhile, I have been stuck on a hard drive in cyberspace. All I want to do is make home movies! Not really, but that's all the sophistication I need at this point.

I want to film it or voice record something about 1 minute long, and get it on the net for others to see in less than 5 minutes. What is the best way to do it?

PLEASE no books or video series. I have converted to a Macbook Pro laptop with Windows Parallel 4.0, enabling it to run WinXP. But right now I need the advice for the MAC, as I want to phase out Windows entirely in a few months.

I've got a Canon SD800 with video and sound, great picture. Also a Olympus voice recorder DS2300 that hooks into a USB port through DSS software. What is my easiest solution that is fairly cross-platform compatible with common net video/audio formats?

This AM I took a bike ride along the Strand, and recorded a few segments in AVI format. I plugged the camera into the MAC, and it opened iphoto, which somehow recognized them as video files, and sent me packing to imovie. iMovie is apparently monopolized by Quicktime. I don't like MOV format but will use if it is easier and more net usable (which I doubt). I go to do a quick edit of a clip, try to save it, and it says I need to buy QuickTime Pro for $30. Whatever, I'll wait.

The clip goes into a Library somewhere....

I go to "share", and it looks like I have to buy some other software to share it with who and in what format?

What have you found as the best MAC solution for Youtube style adventures like this? I want to share it beyond Youtube however. I also need to retain size and quality.

any intelligent suggestions would be appreciated.

Randy

drwtsn32

Final Cut Pro....although it might be a bit of an overkill (and overpriced) for what you're doing. And honestly I don't remember in which formats it can save, but it's a very capable video editing package on the Mac.

Dogpatch

thanks, maybe something less expensive.. and EASY learning curve!

Randy

Finally-Free

Final Cut express is a cut down version of Final Cut Pro and a lot cheaper. It may have the features you want.

If you're already using Adobe software, you can get a cross platform upgrade. You need to call their customer service line to do it, but they assured me I could migrate to the MAC platform that way.

W

Dogpatch

i'll check that out...

UnConfused

Hmmm, I thought those MACs were supposed to be SO EASY especially for Video apps?

drwtsn32

Yeah, and Macs NEVER have problems!

Fact is professional apps have steep learning curves. I still don't know how to use Photoshop except for the most basic things. And you should try firing up AutoCAD and drawing a square. Damn that's tough! ;)

Finally-Free

And you should try firing up AutoCAD and drawing a square. Damn that's tough! ;)

I learned on Applicon in the early '90s. Can't remember for sure, but I think it ran on VAX or VMS.

Now I've taken up Lightwave 3D, Vue, zbrush and Poser as a hobby. Damn, talk about a learning curve!

W

Dogpatch

okay, got this up using just imovie to Youtube, pretty fast, but bad quality conversion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUHSG8mxuRM

R

Dogpatch

I have used almost all PC editing software from the early 90s forward. Learning curves are steep, but not near as much problem as hardware conflicts (over 5 PCS) and crashes, and unusable formats, not to speak of the difficulty of getting them online in a easy format for all. I used to use RealPlayer format, but doesn't seem the best now.

Lame MAC questions on audio/video

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