janzenman said:
I just bought a new iMac G5 and have some old footage and films that I had burned to DVD a few years ago that I'd like to import, modify, and make DVD copies of. What is the best way to import DVD footage into iMovie with the least amount of generation loss? Or is this even possible?
I have used DVDxDV
http://www.dvdxdv.com/
It's not free, but it works flawlessly.
What it does, is converts your DVD to iMovie compatible files (Quicktime Format). It also automatically segments them into files that are small enough to import (iMovie has an 8 minute??? or 2 Gig file size import restriction).
So, the resulting files are directly compatible with iMovie, and they are small enough segments to be imported.
The program is available with different licenses at different prices. The one I used was the cheapest one available ($25) and worked great for me.
The Pro version is $80, and then they also have one designed for high-definition video.
To me, $25 is a reasonable price for something that works effortlessly, and puts it in a format that is directly compatible with iMovie.
Note, this will only work for video that is not copy-protected (such as commercial movies)