iOS Compatibility Issues

Tech is nice when it works. But when it doesn't it can be a headache! Here recently I purchased an iPad 2 and I've been very happy with it. It has done just about everything I've asked it to...well, until now. I had a very simple task to perform (or so I thought) and I reached for my iPad to help me through it.

If you don't know, I'm an art teacher and I got the bright idea to record some instructional videos to show in the classroom as well as post online. Seems simple so far, right? I have a Sony Webbie HD that I used to record some video. I transferred it to my school-board-issued laptop and began showing them in class without incident. However, getting that same video on the iPad in order to edit, and upload it to YouTube has been an uphill battle, and once I think I have it figured out, another problem presented itself.

So how do I get the video off the Webbie? After searching and asking everyone I thought could help, I found out about a Camera Kit that Apple put out.





Basically it's two separate adaptors that plugs into the 30-pin dock at the bottom of the iPad. One adaptor has a USB plug at the other end, allowing you to plug in a camera via the USB cable that (presumably) came with the camera. The other, more or less, is a SD card reader. It has a slot at the other end to pop in your secured digital memory card...assuming that your camera uses SD cards. After working with these two add-ons for a while, I was able to successfully transfer the video files into my iPad. Problem solved right? Well, that one was...I now had a whole new problem. For some reason, iMovie didn't recognize any of the videos I shot with the Webbie!!! Photos work just fine, but even though the videos showed up in my 'imported' album, I was still unable to get them to show up in the iMovie app.





So how do I edit a video clip and publish it to YouTube from my iPad if the video file is not compatible? I haven't a clue. My videos are still locked away. I need another option. Someone told me I can just use my iPhone 4 to shoot the video, then use the Camera Kit to transfer the video file to the iPad for editing/uploading. That could work--using the USB adaptor and the USB/charging cable that came with the phone, the iPad recognized the iPhone as just another camera and I was able to get editable videos on my iPad. But then how would I get that same video from the phone to my laptop to show during class? Going through iTunes is much too indirect, when compared to the ease of dragging-and-dropping that my Webbie offers.

As I see it, I have two options...1) Find an easier way to transfer videos from my iPhone to my laptop or 2) Find another pocket camcorder that offers both, the convenience of drag-and-drop for school, and a compatible file format for editing/uploading on my iPad 2.

Any suggestions?

Update: Apple seems to have solved this problem with an update for iMovie. Now it would seem they have added support for video recorded from other devices. So, thanks...that was the perfect solution.