# Which iMovie 08 export is best?



## Another_Paul (Sep 20, 2005)

Share --> Movie or Share --> Export Using Quick time? 

I have noticed Quicktime movs are about double the size of the m4v files. Wondering which one I should use...

4 Questions:

1.What is the difference between the two? They both use QT and iTunes to play.

2.Which one should I use for distribution to PC friends?

3.Which one should I use for archiving finished projects and possibly for uses in iDVD?

4.And lastly, if I get a .Mac account, which one does it use when uploaded to Web Gallery?

Thanks 
Paul


----------



## Another_Paul (Sep 20, 2005)

Don't you all answer at once... 

I'm guessing for web, M4V is the way to export because it is half the size of QT mov files.


----------



## a7mc (Dec 30, 2002)

Maybe you're not getting much response because you kind of posed an impossible question. The only real answer is "use what you need". And if you can't figure out what you need, then you have to go back to the drawing board and figure that out first.

I CAN answer for iDVD: the best option is to export to full DV. It will export quicker and later encode quicker (otherwise iDVD has to decode the format you have, and re-encode it). Plus it's the highest quality option. Make sure you delete the DV file after you're done (it will be HUGE).

Also... saying "m4v" doesn't say much either... there are a number of m4v options. The m4v file is just the container. It depends on the compression you're using within that. I'm assuming your talking about H.264 compression? If so, yes it is the best option because it has highest quality at smallest sizes BUT only people with Quicktime 7+ will be able to view them. So that's where my comment about "what you need" comes in. Maybe you need wider distribution, maybe not. Most accessible format for web is Flash (flv). But you need some wrapper to put the flv in to put it on the web.

So you see... it's not a simple thing to answer. 

A7


----------



## Another_Paul (Sep 20, 2005)

a7mc said:


> Maybe you're not getting much response because you kind of posed an impossible question. The only real answer is "use what you need". And if you can't figure out what you need, then you have to go back to the drawing board and figure that out first.
> 
> I CAN answer for iDVD: the best option is to export to full DV. It will export quicker and later encode quicker (otherwise iDVD has to decode the format you have, and re-encode it). Plus it's the highest quality option. Make sure you delete the DV file after you're done (it will be HUGE).
> 
> ...


Thanks for answering some of my questions. I didn't know M4V, like AVI was just a container for video. I guess the H.264 compression explains the size reduction vs the QT movs. I will have to figure out what format will be appropriate for each of my projects and what my viewers would find easiest to use.

Paul


----------

