.mod to .mpg file conversion

[paulwatkins]

Can anyone recommend a free software programme for converting .mod movie files to .mpg?

My JVC Everios camcorder records .mod files, but the movie editing software doesnt seem to recognize this file extension.

Does anyone have any help and advice?

I've got a great clip of me spinning off yesterday that I want to share with the LEC masses

[inkitin]

Can anyone recommend a free software programme for converting .mod movie files to .mpg?

My JVC Everios camcorder records .mod files, but the movie editing software doesnt seem to recognize this file extension.

Does anyone have any help and advice?

I've got a great clip of me spinning off yesterday that I want to share with the LEC masses

Paul

Have you tried simply changing the file extension to .mpg? Quite a lot of these odd extension files for camcorders are actually mpg files but with a changed extension name !!

[saska]

Can anyone recommend a free software programme for converting .mod movie files to .mpg?
My JVC Everios camcorder records .mod files, but the movie editing software doesnt seem to recognize this file extension.

Paul, a couple of choices on this one:
1. Just rename the files from .mod to .mpg and they will play in WMP or whatever. If you don't have Show File Extensions turned on then open My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View Tab > Untick the box that says 'Hide Extensions for known file types' > OK your way out. Then right-click on the .mod file, left-click on Rename, change the extension to .mpg, Press Enter, Windows will moan about it - ignore.
The reason this works is that .mod files as used in JVC/Panasonic/Canon camcorders use MPEG2 for video compression and MPEG1 Audio Layer 2 for the audio compression.
2. Get Squared5 which understands .mod and will output in lots of formats including .mpg/.avi/etc

after you've renamed or converted the file to .mpg, If you want the best media player on the planet and don't already know about it have a look at Videolan/VLC

[paulwatkins]

I've tried renaming the file extension to .mpg

But when I try opening the file in Windows Movie Maker or Camtasia Studio to edit it, it doesnt seem to work.

In Camtasia, I get a message pop up saying:

Error: No codec available to render this file

In WMM, I just get the sound with no images.

I just need to be able to edit the file to the short clip that I want to upload to YouTube.

[dapinky]

Paul,

Have you got 'Quicktime'? - it will play a .mov file (free download from Apple if you haven't got it).

Alternatively, go to www.download.com and look for a program called 'movavi video converter' - i run V5, but i don't know what the latest version would be! It will do what you want ('cos it does for me!).

If you can't get a free download, let me know and I'll drop round a back-up copy of the software which you legally own, but may have mislaid/lost on your last computer crash

In fact, if you go here, you can get V8 as a free download!

(I originally got it for putting films onto the kids PSPs, but now use it for lots of stuff.)

[RayD]

Is there a DVD to SD card option on the 'movavi video converter' programme?

[dapinky]

Ray,

It will rip a DVD to a variety of formats (as I say, i got the programme to enable me to put DivX DVD &.avi files into mpeg4 so i could put them onto the Sony memory cards for the PSP).

The SD card is just a storage media, and shouldn't have a specific file extension 'requirement', as such.

It is the machine (and it's associated software) that the card goes into which will determine what format you would rip the DVD to - movavi gives plenty of options, and i have put films onto SD card to play in the car, and onto micro-SD to play on the phone.

If you are looking to play films on an i-pod or similar, then the card will need to have the film converted to the appropriate .mpeg4 format, then saved onto the card (or HDD of the device) in that format.

[RayD]

Thanks Dave,

I’m right at the beginning of learning about such things having just been gifted a Mio P550 PDA to use as a Sat Nav.

Knowing you can watch a film on it from the SD card I just wanted to do it for the novelty value. Lawrence of Arabia, perhaps.

Wireless Broadband arrives tomorrow.

I shall be wanting to know the ins and outs of connecting a 360 XBox to the Internet if anyone has any tips. Apparently my son’s life will be inexorably enhanced by competing against someone in Ecuador in a game of something or another.

The things I’m not clear about are ...

Is there a subscription charge for using the facilities, and where’s it going to, £30 has been mentioned?

Do you need special games for the Internet or are they the same ones?

Is there any added security issues in connecting Xboxes together at either end of the planet over and above being on the internet via a computer?

Are these figures in keeping with Internet gaming ...Up to 40 GB download ... Highest available speed up to 8 meg ... Upload speed of 1024 Kbps ... or Upload speed of 448Kbps?

Thanks
Ray

[dapinky]

Ray,

I know little about the connection speed requirements for gaming - other than the fact that we have no problem with a 6GB broadband connection (Max 8GB, but we only get 6 where we live!).
We have up to 4 computers on the interweb, a PS3 and X-box 360, and 3 PSP's - not all at the same time, even my kids aren't that good!!

The X-box live 'package' can be bought monthly, quarterly or annually (by scratchcard) for various amounts - the £30 you mention sounds like one of the cards I've been conned out of buying in the past, but i don't recall how long he got on the web for that price.

To pay Fifa soccer / comat duty war of the worlds 7 or similar, you need the game disc in your machine, and your 'opponent' also needs the same disc (unless there is a way to fiddle it).

Any more than that - I suggest you ask any 12 year old, as they know far more than us old gits

[paulwatkins]

I've tried various methods of converting the file .mod to .mpg or .avi. I seem to able to do this ok, and I can get them to playback on various players.

But when I try to open them in Windows Movie Maker or Camtasia Studio to EDIT them, I get the 'codec not available' message or the sound element only.

All I want to do is snip the boring bit off the front of the clip and the boring bit off the tail end! Is it really supposed to be this difficult?

[dapinky]

Paul,

Are you using Vista or XP? - and which 'level' of OS?

For some reason (which i dont fully understand), the MovieMaker I had on XP Pro was different to the version on XP home, and both were better than I have on Vista Home Premium......

Which version of Camtasia are you using? and is it the full version, or a restricted one?

Do you have Nero? (if so, again which version).

I use Camtasia Studio Pro 5, Nero Ultimate V6 (and others) and don't have any problems. If you want to give them a go, feel free to drop some footage over to me and I'll see what can be done with it - before you pay out on software that doesn't work (PS - bring your laptop )

[paulwatkins]

Dave, thanks for the offer, but in desperation last night I ended up buying a bit of software!

I tried the evaluation version first, and found it really easy to use! So I bought the full version.

It allows me to convert the files to lots of different formats, allows me to edit the file really easily, and also to add in features to the movie (which I havent even looked at yet)

Anyways, thanks everyone for your help, advice and offers!

Heres the link to that off I had on saturday Dave: HERE!

[RayD]

Another question if you don’t mind ...

The 40GB download limit on our new Broadband package ... is that related to Xbox gaming mentioned earlier ... in other words does having an Xbox connected use part of that “40GB download limit”

Does anyone ever reach their limit and when they do, what happens?

Thanks

Ray