[ladyharley01]

If this question is in the wrong place I apologize.
Okay, here is my problem:
I have OS X 10.4.11, Tiger. I also have a brand new JVC Everio hard drive camcorder. Even though the Mac recognizes the camcorder and the JVC icon pops up on the desk top, I am not able to download video. I read the JVC manual so many times I feel like I wrote the darned thing! There is a very brief description in the manual on how to download video to Mac and I followed the instructions. Before opening the Everio icon, create a new folder to desktop. Done. Open the Everio icon and drag the folders to the new folder. Done. No further instructions. I opened the folders and every one of them told me they are not movie files. Well, that's BS because some of them are.
Okay. Getting mad at myself because I knew when I bought the camcorder that it wasn't Mac compatible but I wanted the camcorder so I contacted Apple. They told me to contact JVC. I contacted JVC and got some moron who told me that I could download my video to the Mac if I had iMovie 8. I have iMovie 7 and am not spending seventy-nine dollars to purchase iMovie 8. Why? Because after doing more research I learned that even iMovie 8 can't help. More research told me to buy a micro SD card for the camcorder to capture footage on instead of relying on the hard drive AND, the Mac would recognize the micro SD card and download the footage. Wrong.
I have an HP all-in-one printer that came with my Mac and although it reads SD cards, it doesn't 'read' the micro cards. Okay. I went to Best Buy and bought a media card reader for fifteen bucks. I inserted my teenie tiny micro SD card (with the video on it from the camcorder) and inserted the the card reader into the back of my Mac.
Making full circle, the Everio icon appeared on the desk top, I opened the folders, tried to use them and again got an error message that the files were not movie files.
Now I have a very expensive camcorder, a fifteen dollar card reader I don't need and no way to download my video to my computer. However, there ARE options. I can: buy a $200.00 docking station for the camcorder that the camera plugs into and the station burns DVD's without the use of a computer. (now the cost just increased from $500.00 (for the camera) to $700.00. Using the docking station I cannot edit my videos unless I do this in iMovie which is doubtful.
My other options are: buy a PC for God only knows how much and download videos all day long but will have to buy movie editing software. Buying a PC is totally ridiculous and I'm not going to do it.
By the way, the nerd at Best Buy assured me the card reader would open my video files and I could edit them in iMovie. Liar. This is the same guy who thought I said "Smac" when I actually said I needed a card reader for my Mac.
I can't return the camcorder because it is too late.
Do I, spend more money and buy the docking station to burn my video to DVD and take a chance that iMovie can somehow magically edit my footage? Do I just plug my camcorder into my television and sit and watch my videos dreaming of the day when Apple decides to make Mac compatible with EVERYTHING or do I put the camcorder back into the box and tuck it away in a dark corner until the day Apple decides to design a Mac that can read all recording devices?
My last option is to put the damn camcorder on Ebay and sell it never to recoop my loses.
Any thoughts besides telling me to kick myself in the arse?











After contacting Apple support and JVC support, both told me to contact the other. Yeah. Thanks for nothing.

[wolfe]

Are you talking about .mod files produced by JVC? Perhaps this can help you. Be sure to read the comments section about just renaming the files.

[ladyharley01]

I went to the link you provided and read the information. The download is for PC only, no Mac. Unless I missed something.
I talked to a guy at Best Buy today and he told me to go to: www.versiontracker.com. He told me to search for Applemac soft video converter Mac 1. I found what he was referring to but couldn't understand any of it.
Any thoughts?

[wolfe]

The part I was referencing was to just rename the file extension to .mpg so the Mac will read it. No need for the download. Go to Finder, then Preferences, then Advanced and click on show extensions. Your camera files will show a .mod extension. Just relabel it i.e. change the .mod to .mpg so Mac will read it.

[ladyharley01]

I misunderstood. Thank you for clarifying. Ok. I did as you advised but the file extension "MOD" can't be changed. I know how to change extensions (jgp, etc.) but for some reason the movie file extensions won't allow me to change them.
Do you think it would be helpful if I downloaded Windows to my Mac? A guy at Best Buy suggested it. He said if I had Windows I could use almost all devices and not have to hassle around with what I'm doing right now.
What would I have to purchase? Windows XP and Parallel? This stuff is sooooo confusing.

Please advise.

Thank you

[ladyharley01]

PS,
it's telling me that it's "locked"

[ladyharley01]

I unlocked the file by opening the "info" and unchecking it. I was able to change the extension and the file icon turned into a Quicktime player icon but when I tried to open the file, it gives me the error message again: "this is not a movie file".

[ladyharley01]

I just discovered that when I take still photos with the Everio, I can save the photos on my Mac. I don't understand why I can't open video files. It's a puzzle.

[wolfe]

Did you try to import the file into iMovie?


Here are some of the issues. Permissions to open and change files, usually okay as administrator; changing the extension, it needs a standard that is recognized by your computer; installing the right codex to open files, which is what I think is your problem; the right version of Quicktime and iMovie; a smaller size file and enough RAM; searching all this on Google. ;)





Here is a link to discussion that says iMovie 08 will open the files since it has the right codex but I couldn't find a list of what it would open.

[ladyharley01]

Thank you for your post. Importing to iMovie was not an option because Quicktime is the default. When I tried to choose "other" for opening the files, iMovie wasn't highlighted.
JVC Everio just isn't going to allow me to view my videos nor save them to my computer.

Did you read my question about whether or not I should purchase Windows for my Mac? Apparently if I add Windows, I can download my videos. Seems like a stretch but I've already invested a lot of money in this Everio camcorder. It's no good to me if I can't save my videos and the only way to watch them is on my television.

[wolfe]

I was suggesting that you open iMovie and import the file, not just open it, provided you have the codec to work with files.



What you need is called a codec as described in this article. It allows you to work with the files.