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Can anybody please tell me the best way to import DVD home videos onto my iMac and edit them using iMovie?
I have done the usual google search and downloaded some DVD ripping software, this iMac blocked the installation, thankfully as I was sceptical of programs like Openshiiva and Leawo software. I would prefer to use trusted software even if it means buying it, any advice on this is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Terry
iMac 27″, macOS 13.1
Hi, Terry,
You might try the free download, Handbrake, to make an Mp4 copy of the DVD home movie. You can get Handbrake here:
It is a very reliable app that is used by many on this forum.
First, insert into your Mac's optical drive the DVD disc that you want to copy. The disc's icon will appear on your desktop. Then open Handbrake and do a File/Open Source. In the resulting screen, Navigate to the DVD disc's icon on your desktop and choose it as the source. Then do File/Start Encoding. Wait a few minutes for the conversion to complete. Handbrake will copy the DVD and an Mp4 movie will appear on your desktop. Then save and import the converted movie clip into iMovie for editing.
Another way to copy the DVD into a movie file is to click on the DVD icon on your desktop to open its library contents. You will see a VIDEO_TS folder and an AUDIO_TS folder. Ignore the AUDIO_TS folder. Open the VIDEO_TS folder. You will see several files inside. Copy (copy, not move) to your desktop all of the files that have a .VOB extension. Ignore the others. Then use Handbrake to convert the .VOB files, that contain the DVD video and audio, to Mp4 files that you can import in iMovie and edit.
I would go with method No. 1, because it is easier. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the result, then try method No. 2. The quality should be fine, though. However, that would be your call.
-- Rich
Hi, Terry,
You might try the free download, Handbrake, to make an Mp4 copy of the DVD home movie. You can get Handbrake here:
It is a very reliable app that is used by many on this forum.
First, insert into your Mac's optical drive the DVD disc that you want to copy. The disc's icon will appear on your desktop. Then open Handbrake and do a File/Open Source. In the resulting screen, Navigate to the DVD disc's icon on your desktop and choose it as the source. Then do File/Start Encoding. Wait a few minutes for the conversion to complete. Handbrake will copy the DVD and an Mp4 movie will appear on your desktop. Then save and import the converted movie clip into iMovie for editing.
Another way to copy the DVD into a movie file is to click on the DVD icon on your desktop to open its library contents. You will see a VIDEO_TS folder and an AUDIO_TS folder. Ignore the AUDIO_TS folder. Open the VIDEO_TS folder. You will see several files inside. Copy (copy, not move) to your desktop all of the files that have a .VOB extension. Ignore the others. Then use Handbrake to convert the .VOB files, that contain the DVD video and audio, to Mp4 files that you can import in iMovie and edit.
I would go with method No. 1, because it is easier. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the result, then try method No. 2. The quality should be fine, though. However, that would be your call.
-- Rich
Hi Rich,
Thank you so much for the answer and for the speedy reply!
It has worked brilliantly too. I followed your instructions for method 1 and it worked as you explained. My only slight deviation was navigating to the DVD disc icon on the desktop, after clicking Open Source the finder type window appeared, although I could see the DVD icon on the desktop, I could not see it in the finder list, so I selected it from the 'Locations' on the left hand side - unless that was what I was supposed to do? Either way an .mp4 copy of the home movie was saved in the folder ready to be worked on in iMovie.
Thanks again and for pointing me to the handbrake program, now I just have to sort through my old DVD's and the many still left on the camera tapes - the ones I never got round to transferring, years ago....
Terry
Great! Glad that you got your movies copied.
-- Rich
Import a home movie DVD into iMovie for editing
