One of the benefits about digital video is that the videos can be shared with family and friends. iMovie is created for this purpose, just several steps, you can add movies to your website, publish them on YouTube, create versions for iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV, or play on iTunes, QuickTime.

If you are ready to edit avchd files, here are something you need to know.

Part 1: can i import avchd videos into imovie?
AVCHD stands for "Advanced Video Codec High Definition", the format was jointly established by both Panasonic and Sony in 2006. The "AVCHD" is a brand new high definition (HD) digital video camera recorder format recording 1080i*1 and 720p*2 signals onto certain media by using highly efficient codec technologies. The "AVCHD" is jointly established by Panasonic, the brand name for which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known and Sony Corporation.

Most of high definition camera/camcorder videos(AVCHD\MTS\M2TS, MOD\MPG\MPEG\MOI, TOD\M2T, TR, TRP, TS) can be imported into iMovie, but the formats are still very limited as following:
Tapeless Camcorder(MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and AVCHD) ;
Tape based DV-Standard and HDV (High Definition Video) ;
Part Camera\Mobile Phone video\other video recorder devices(MPEG-1, MEPG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, 3GP, MP4);
Part QuickTime compatible MOV videos;
MPEG-4 video.
Since imovie can't directly play avchd files, so it is necessary to convert the video files to imovie suitable formats like mov or mp4. With wondershare avchd to imovie converter (http://www.applemacvideo.com/articles/how-to-make-a-home-movie-using-imovie.html#179), you can easily convert avchd to imovie for mac (http://www.applemacvideo.com/articles/how-to-make-a-home-movie-using-imovie.html#179). After the conversion, it's easy to import the video files into imovie for further editor.

Part 2: how to edit avchd files with imovie (http://www.applemacvideo.com/articles/how-to-make-a-home-movie-using-imovie.html#179)?

Step 1: Load videos to make movie on Mac with iMovie
In the 'File' menu, click 'Import from Camera' to load HD videos from camera. After the conversion for iMovie unsupported avchd videos with avchd converter for mac (http://www.applemacvideo.com/mac-video-converter.html#179), click 'Import Movies' to add into project.

Step 2: Start to make a home video using iMovie
After loaded the files into iMovie, we can make a home video using iMovie now. Choose File -> New from the menu and name the project. If your footage is widescreen, ensure you choose the ‘Widescreen (16:9)’ option. Click ‘Create’.
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Tips: Understanding the iMovie interface

By default, the iMovie 08 interface is split into 5 sections. Going clockwise from the top left they are the Project Library (where all iMovie projects are listed), the iMovie project window (where the existing movie is compiled), the Viewer (where video is played back), the Source Video window (where clips are viewed and selected) and the Event Library (where all available media is listed).

Skimming video clips
Click an Event in the Event Library (iPhoto in this instance) and the Event Browser will display the associated clips.
To skim through the clips simply hover the mouse over them and move left or right. The faster the cursor is moved the faster they will skim. To select a portion of a clip, click and drag to create a selection (a yellow rectangle appears). Now click Space to playback that section.

Trimming Clips
To trim a clip already in the project, there are two options. Either select the new selection by dragging and creating a yellow rectangle around it in the Project Window and choosing Edit > Trim to Selection (or press CMD+B).
Alternatively, select the clip in the Project Window then click the ‘Clip Duration’ icon (second in at the bottom) to enter the ‘Trim Clip’ window.
Drag the appropriate selection here and click ‘Done’ when finished.
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With avchd to imovie mov converter (http://www.applemacvideo.com/articles/how-to-make-a-home-movie-using-imovie.html#179) or avchd to imovie mp4 converter (http://www.applemacvideo.com/articles/how-to-make-a-home-movie-using-imovie.html#179), just enjoy to edit avchd videos with imovie easily!

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