[vlc] How-tos about Mac MOD Video and Mac TOD File

[firemanx]

Part 1. About MOD and TOD files

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MOD and TOD are informal names of tapeless video formats used by JVC (MOD
and TOD), Panasonic (MOD only) and Canon (MOD only) in some models of
digital camcorders. Format names correspond to extensions of video files.
Both MOD and TOD are file-based formats that are stored in a random-access
media. Directory structure and naming convention are identical except for
extensions of media files.
 
    
Standard definition video is stored in MPEG-2 program stream container files
with MOD extension, and in most of other systems these files have extension
MPG or MPEG. High definition video is stored in MPEG-2 transport stream
container files with TOD extension, and in most of other systems these files
have M2T extension. Transport stream files can be converted into more common
program stream files without recompressing the video itself.
 


Part 2. How to transfer MOD/TOD files from video camera/camcorder to a Mac

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1.Connect camcorder to your Mac computer with cable (USB/Firewire/Wifi);

    
2.Select mode of camcorder such as Computer mode;

    
3.iMovie will automatically open Import window;
 
    
4.If DVD Player automatically open, just quit DVD Player first; 

    
5.So Now, you can preview your video or select "Import All"(make sure your
switch is set to "Automatic");

    
6.If you select "Manual", you can import specific clips to iMovie;

    
7.If you import from Tape-based devices (DV/HDV), iMovie will automatic
revise tape and import all;



Part 3. How to play MOD/TOD files on Mac?
    
MOD/TOD video files are nothing but MPEG-2 files with AC3 (MPEG-1 layer2 for
TOD files) audio. So .MOD and .TOD files can be easily renamed into .MV2 or
.MPG files and then be read easily by most video playback tools.

    
You can use  http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html VLC Media
Player  or  http://mplayerosx.sourceforge.net/ MPlayer OS X  to play MOD
files on Mac. They are all free.

     http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3312/3444124340_307537867d.jpg 


Part 4. MOD/TOD Video Files Conversion Issues
    
But those videos, renamed with other extension directly, may be not
compatible with your player or editor completely. You may lose some segments
unexpectedly. And those crude footages are uncomfortable for viewing without
editing and rearrangement. Re-encode your video with a video converter for
mac, you can view them smoothly on QuickTime, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV or edit
them to be a real movie with iMovie or Final Cut Pro.

    
The best free way is change video extension and convert renamed videos with 
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/19769/isquint iSquint  - an easy to use
and totally free video converter for Mac. It can convert videos to MP4 and
provide presettings for iPod, iMovie, etc. But this solution leads more
quality loss, because of incompatibility and faulty conversion job. If you
don't care video quality so much, this solution would be the best choice.

     http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3444162052_7422299cd1_o.jpg 
    
Another alternative is using a professional commercial programe, which
supports .MOD and .TOD files. So your video will not lose any quality while
importing. And the professional 
http://www.moviesmac.com/video-converter-mac/index.html?page=126 MOD and TOD
video converter for Mac  also gets your movie quality preserved maximally.
If you are not good at computer or movies' quality is important to you, a
professional one would be a nice choice, because of computer security,
technical supports, friendly interface, comprehensible wizard and so on.
 
    
There are two step by step reference instruction:
http://www.moviesmac.com/tutorial/mod-converter-mac.html?page=126 convert
MOD files on Mac  and 
http://www.moviesmac.com/tutorial/tod-video-converter-mac.html?page=126
convert TOD video on Mac 


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