# Convert mpeg2 to mpeg4 and edit in imovie



## goldenmeg (Sep 9, 2007)

I have home movies which seem to all be in mpeg2 format. I would like to open them in imovie to edit and burn new dvds. At an Apple store I was told I needed QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback to read the mpeg2 format. Under the FAQs for MPEG-2 Playback, it says to export to mpeg4 (?) I need to use QuickTime Pro. 

My quesiton is, do I need both QuickTime Pro and MPEG-2 Playback? I don't want to plunk down $50 unnecessarily. How do these work together to get my mpeg2 files into imovie? Is there an easier route to do this?

Thanks, Meg


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## Captain Code (Sep 9, 2007)

You can use FFMpegX to convert between many formats.  It's a little harder to use because there are so many options though.


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## goldenmeg (Sep 9, 2007)

I'm running ffmpeg. I have a VIDEO_TS file and there are instructions in the HOW To section on converting VIDEO_TS folders to DivX (mpeg4?). I followed the instrucitons and obtained one file, movie.avi. iMovie still does not see this. Is there another step I need to go through? Or have I done this all wrong? Argh.
Thanks, Meg


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## fryke (Sep 10, 2007)

use handbrake instead. makes nice "real" MPEG-4 files iMovie should be able to handle. easily.


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## goldenmeg (Sep 10, 2007)

Success with HandBrake - thanks!!


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## bdaul (Jul 13, 2008)

Is FFMPEGX the same as FFMPEG?  I just used ffmpegx to convert a mpeg-2 file to DivX...but I tried to play it...NO SOUND?  Help?!?


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## mattepatte (Oct 6, 2008)

I was not as smart as "goldenmeg&#8221;. I bought the pro and mpeg2 program. After the mpeg2 I could play up the movie without sound!!??
I called the Apple suport but they could not help me. They told me to download a free program,VLC. Whit this program I could look at the movie with sound, but I could not move the mpeg2 file to Imovie. 
Finally I found you (after paying &#8364;50 for the programs)
Thank you again Fryke.


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## page21 (Apr 14, 2010)

I too have been scouring the net on how to best do this and handbrake wins hands down! Awesome program.


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