Transferring to Videotape

Until everyone has a DVD player, and until Macs with DVD burners are cheap, the best way to share your movies is still videotape. You can record from your camcorder, or transfer directly from iMovie.

To transfer from your camcorder:

1. Export your movie from iMovie to your camcorder's tape as discussed on the previous pages.

2. Connect your camcorder to a VCR using the AV cables that came with the camcorder (Figure 14.5).

   Figure 14.5. Connect your camcorder to a VCR using the AV cable included with the camcorder.

   

3. Switch the camcorder to Play/VCR/VTR mode if it's not already on.

4. Put a blank videotape in the VCR, and rewind the camcorder's tape to the beginning of your movie.

5. Push Record on the VCR.

6. Push Play on the camcorder.

7. When the movie is finished, push Stop on both machines.

To transfer directly from iMovie:

1. Connect your camcorder and VCR as described above.

2. Connect the camcorder to your Mac via FireWire, if it's not already connected.

3. In iMovie's preferences, turn on the Play Video Through to Camera option.

4. Remove the tape from the camcorder, then choose Export from the File menu. A dialog box notifies you that there's no tape (Figure 14.6).

   Figure 14.6. iMovie notifies you if you try to export a movie with no tape in the camcorder.

   

5. Press Record on your VCR, and click the Export button in iMovie.

6. When the movie is finished, push Stop on the VCR.