I'm really glad you have a workflow that works. Demuxing definitely preserves the video quality as there is no conversion going on other than a simple seperation of audio and video. My question is- don't you need to render the demuxed video? As far as I recall there is no sequence preset that allows for real-time timeline editing without rendering of the demuxed footage. If you've found some sort of setting where you can drop demuxed footage into the FCP timeline w/o rendering- share your settings.

As for "batch" processing- you're in good luck- there is a feature in MpegStreamclip where it allows a "list" to be made of "converted" files- simply drop all the files into the list and select an export settings and you'll find it decoding the entire list automatically!!!

Glad to have helped you- good luck with your future projects.

__________________
Steve Nunez (NYC)
www.stevenunez.com

I think I am missing something. I used the MPEG Streamlink and done both Demux and export to MOV. I imported them into FCP HD (seprarately) and then exported to Quicktime, imported to iDVD and burned a disk. None of them look near a good as the one I created using software included with JVC Everio. I suspect I am not setting something right in the FCP export, but I just dont' know.

Does anyone have an ideas for me, I would really appreciated it.

Thanks,

Chris

Hello Steve and by the way, I am very impressed with your art. Thanks for your video clips...I've looking for days to see some online.

Since you own the MC500, I would like to ask you if the camcorder outputs video while recording or in stand-by. Why? Well, I make industrial videos and I am currently looking for hi-quality industrial cameras... just like security cameras but with better specs.

A camera with S-Video (single CCD) output runs for about $500. No lens, no power supply, nothing... I was amazed by the size of the MC500 and would definetly consider it just to use it as a very small HQ 3CCD camera. It is also very nice that it has all of its camcorder features because that expands its uses.

The big questions are:
1- Does it output analog (AV jack) video when recording to connect it to an external monitor or recorder?
2- Can it stay on when using the power supply while in rec mode (but not recording) without going to sleep? (the manual mentions 5 minutes but I wonder if there is a workaround... some cameras stay on if you leave the door open or set it up in a menu)

These are uncommon questions about an uncommon camcorder, but at its current price, using it only as a camera makes me want to order a few before they are gone. If you have the time please let me know.

By the way, I am also a professional MAC user. Thanks for the tips. I would like to add a different workflow:
1-Consider making a DVD out of your recordings. Supposedly feasible without any conversions (Toast?) or with their own DVD writer for 0 loss BACKUP/sharing... You will end up with a compact backup, something you should have anyways.
2-Then, from your DVD backup, use DVDxDVpro to import your clips as standard DV clips into FCE, FCP or iMovie in native codec. The output quality of this program is excellent and the best I've seen. I specially like the way it de-interlaces MPEG. I pretty sure there is a demo to try it out. It is relatively inexpensive plus it does batch conversions and trimming from the original.

Even though this will bring you back to DV file sizes (something you might already be used to), you will save a lot of time while editing. I personally have not tried this workflow with the Everio (only with DVDs) since I do not own the Everio but it makes a lot of sense to invest a little and get your backup/storage medium in the process. After all, you have your DV tapes as backup/storage, why not do the same with flash/HD media?

Tecnocato
tecnocato video podcast (cc)
http://www.tecnocato.com

I am looking for ease of use here, looking for a camcorder where I can connect it to my Mac, upload my video, then use iMovie or Quicktime to edit, then use iDVD to make a DVD. Reading your post worries me, as it sounds quite complicated. If I purchase a GZ-MG21 (the model I'm thinking about), do I have to do all that conversion stuff before I can use iMovie?

That is true for all formats that use MPEG, including HDV, which relies on a intermediate CODEC.

The MPEG to DV conversion is straight forward but it is still an intermediate (necessary) step. The good part is that your original takes a lot less space to archive.

The conversion is not as bad as it may sound. It can yield to a very good final video.. just make sure that you practice sound shooting techniques and consider the limitations with MPEG. Stable video will make any video better but it will make the biggest difference with MPEG.

Conclusion: I wouldn't worry too much about the conversion since most formats, including DV, require an intermediate step. In DV it is the tedious and slow (real-time) capturing process. In HD cameras, the import is as fast as the file transfer plus the conversion time.

My advice: Download test files from the internet, download the MPEG converter (free) and do some tests to see if it works out for you BEFORE buying a camera.

__________________
tecnocato video podcast CC
http://www.tecnocato.com

Could you suggest some sites where I could download test files and the converter? Thanks.

I found most of the links in this forum... don't remember how but found plenty of .MOD files.

__________________
tecnocato video podcast CC
http://www.tecnocato.com

You can download the two videos here to test with. They may not be that exciting to look at but they are direct .MOD files that have just had the file extensions changed to .MPG.

At least you could test to see if the workflow is something you would be willing to do.

Dear SteveNunez

I'm writing this post on behalf of my friend.

She is new to Mac and the price of Final Cut software is too expensive for her.

Well, we share JVC GZ-MC100. She uses mpeg streamclip 1.7 to convert mod format to dv format. Then she imported import *.dv into imoive HD. The converted dv are not in order sequenced arrangment.
Then she uses iMovie to edit the movie before burning into dvd.

the process takes long time to be finalised.

Hey, she noticed that the black corner is displayed on the movie which she uses wide lens conversion attached to this video cam. Is it normal or please tell me what to remove these black corners

Any suggestion to improve this process ??

Thanks alot

spaceshirley

Hi everyone, I found this on another forum:

those of you with macs might want to check out

http://ffmpeg.sourceforge.net/documentation.php

it’s a command line tool that does all types of video conversion. i use it to convert the MOD files to mp4 files that QuickTime Player can play and can be imported into iMovie.

a sample command looks like:

ffmpeg -i mov012.MOD -b 8500 -ab 384 mov012.mp4

that says convert mov012.MOD to mp4 format and call the output file mov012.mp4 and preserve the data quality of the original.

good luck!

Is this of any use?

Just got a MG57. Its light and nice. I have found the info on these site very useful, but can someone teach me how to keep the 16:9 aspect ratio with clear directions and maybe the software needed to do such?

I dont have a FCP serial so can't get mpeg streamclip to work unless I pay 20.00 US. I am using ffpmegX and the bundle software "Capty Mpeg Edit EX for Everio." I personally dont see the much differences tho. But some clip I do see some awful stripes after the conversion. I wonder why.

rgds,
Dave

HELP!

Does anyone out there can tell me if there is a way to solve this perverse and insane feature of the MC-500 of ordering the clips in hexadecimal????!!!

I have a lot of footage from a looooong trip, where the MC-500 behaved beautifully by the way.

But I'm now at the stage of editing all that on a Mac, and after having converted the clips in Streamclip, I imported them in FCP and noticed that they were not in time sequence.

How can I retrieve the date information? Is it in these famous .MOI files (the x-files....)?

I need to visualize somehow the information when those clips were captured to put them in sequence, as the genial hexadecimal order doesn't allow me to understand..... I need them in chronological order.

Or is there a way to convert them from hexadecimal to decimal?
That would be enough to read them sequentially...

I know there are some utilities for this conversion for PCs of course.... but what about Mac OSX? Why JVC hates us so badly... !

Help much appreciated!

Cheers

ps: I'm surprised there isn't more complaint about this hexadecimal insane way of storing the clips.

Yes, the Hex issue is insane. The utilities for the PC, that fix this and the 16:9 header problem, are made by gracious users and not by JVC. It's crazy that users have had to develop their own tools to make the Everio camcorders work correctly. Panasonic hard drive camcorders use the same file system so they have the same problems.

Until a Mac user creates a similar conversion program, this seems like something that AppleScript could handle. I know nothing about AppleScript but the renaming process is pretty strait forward. Basically, the numerical section of the file names need to be type converted to a number (rather than text), converted from hexadecimal to decimal then used to rename the files.

Maybe you could track down an AppleScript guru to write such a thing or you could dive in and try to have a go at it yourself.

I wish there was a better option.

I've followed all the instructions in Steve's original post- I'm taking mod files from my JVC Everio G Camcorder, copying them to my 24" iMac, open it in MPEG Streamclip, I have MPEG-2 Playback, I demux to m2v & aiff, open it in Final Cut Express, render the file... but it turns out slightly faded and blurry. Even in MPEG Streamclip the mod file looks like you're looking at TV pixels up close. I don't know what I'm doing wrong b/c everywhere I read about this method people say they get great quality. The video quality is crisp when I view it from my camera on a TV, so I know it's not poor quality originally. Any ideas? I need to put a video together soon and this is making me sweat hard. Thanks!

Oh - I've also tried converting to dv w/ deinterlacing and that didn't look good either.

Why demux it? I convert them straight to the DV codec that I will use in the sequence (no rendering, better quality). It is up to your test results (taste) if you prefer de-interlacing. DV 480i is interlaced at the end as MPEG2.

Video quality maybe related to other factors such as your camera settings when you were recording.

By the way, do you know that you can make a backup DVD-Video (unedited RAW of all clips) without any conversion? If you have Toast, just drag your .mod files and presto, five minutes later you will have a raw DVD for dharing and backup. From there, you can still import the files from the DVD using DVDxDV software.

Iz

__________________
tecnocato video podcast CC
http://www.tecnocato.com