# JVC everio file edit problems



## confused2003

I have a JVC everio camcorder. 

If I save the files to my computer windows movie maker says it can't recognise and edit them to make videos. I can play them using media player. 

I can edit videos using the bundled software Power cinema but I find it very annoying. I also can only edit when the camera is plugged in to the PC - Power cinema cant seem to edit from the saved clips alone.

How do I save them to PC so that I can edit them without the camera and also using windows movie maker. I dont seem to get an option of formats to save in until I have finished my editing in powercinema. 

Im so frustrated I could throw the camera out of the window.

Please help.


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## zuluclayman

Unfortunately JVC Everio series cameras (like many of the newer HDD cameras) record and save the files as .MOD files which poor old Moviemaker and other low priced and lower featured video editors don't support. You may be able to find some freeware converters out there on the net but I can't vouch for their quality.
By Power cinema I presume you mean the Cyberlink software that comes with JVC cameras - it's certainly not brilliant but will do much the same job as Moviemaker.
You should be able to connect your camera to your PC drag your clips from the camera into a folder you have for your raw footage and then, when using Power Director or whatever the software you have is, edit your footage. If you still want to use Moviemaker as your editor just use Cyberlink to convert the raw MOD files to .avi files (leave them uncompressed if you can - golden rule of video: edit at high quality then compress if necessary)
I have an early Everio camera and use Premiere Elements for editing - if you intend doing a bit of editing and are after something with more features than Moviemaker (and also accepts MOD files) and feel you can pay AUD$155 for software that will allow you to have multiple audio and video tracks, lots of effects, transitions etc. I would look into it. 
Other software such as Sony's Vegas will also accept MOD files without conversion though it is more expensive. Corel's newer VideoStudio X2 accepts MOD files too - I haven't tried this one but free trial version is available from Corel website (most trial versions either watermark your videos or don't allow you to save more than a certain time length)

hope this helps - don't throw your camera away - get some good editing software instead:grin:


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## confused2003

Thanks for your reply. I have put camera safe in box so not tempted by nearby window. I gather from your reply that a .MOD file is better that movie maker can cope with?

I have decided that I can cope with the cyberlink software provided to make my family videos. Can you advise at all on my other problem.

I can see the clips saved on my PC. I can watch them using media player or if I go throught the cyberlink software I can 'browse' them and watch them using that. However I cannot edit them because when I click on save/edit software it doesn't give me option of where they are. I wonder if I should delete and reload the software.


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## zuluclayman

"However I cannot edit them because when I click on save/edit software it doesn't give me option of where they are."
I'm just not sure what you mean when you say "when I click on save/edit software"
What is the exact name of the software? I have PowerDirector Express - whatever you have should look a little similar to Moviemaker - a timeline at the bottom, a monitor to the right, a task pane and library pane above the timeline. Is this what you see when you open your editing software? If not you are using the wrong part of the software bundle.
If you are in the correct software - when you go to File > Import can you then locate your clips? If you can't see them where they should be - in the little drop down menu box at the bottom of the dialogue box click on "all files" instead of "video files" or "supported files". Are they there now - if so the software may not support the file type.
If they are there and you can import them to the library you can then drag them to the timeline and edit away to your hearts content.

oh - and in answer to your first question - no not necessarily better just too new for Moviemaker.


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## serotonin-106

Hey, I'm new to the forum but I own an Everio as well. If you're using Windows, go to x:\SD_VIDEO\PRGyyy (where x is the drive letter of the camcorder and yyy is the 3 digit folder number), right click a blank area on screen and go to arrange by > type. copy all the .mod files to wherever you want, then either manually or using a program like file renamer, change all the extensions from .mod to .mpg

That works for me...


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## ScottieBear

zuluclayman said:


> hope this helps - don't throw your camera away - get some good editing software instead:grin:


Actually this camera is every bit a bad as he makes it seem. I own and am very proficient with Vegas Pro 8. At $400 it is I believe as good an editing solution as you will get outside of Industrial Light and Magic. 

The wife bought the JVC while she was in Florida with her dying mom and came back to ask me to edit the clips into a DVD for the extended family.

Having to convert files using JVC's cruddy included software from .MOD to .avi prior to being able to edit is every bit as frustrating as Confused states. 

The real solution here is for JVC and other manufacturers to utilize a published standard format rather than .MOD. 

I will be throwing the camera away and buying her a Sony or a different brand that offers said format option.

I registered for this forum simply because I had to let confused know that while Adobe may work - Sony Vegas doesn't. I'll be trying Premiere at the office next week. Zulu please don't see this as any sort of attack, simply one more voice trying to get JVC to hear the dissatisfaction of their customers.

Sony Vegas 8 error msg











Scottie


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## koala

Thanks for posting, Scottie. Anyone who is anti-proprietary formats is welcome here. :grin:


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## zuluclayman

Before you buy a Sony have a browse of this and other forums to see the problems with Sony Motion Picture Browser - the software that comes with them. 
Be careful with Sony if you don't like proprietary formats - nearly all their recent camcorders require Sony software to decode, edit or play, (well Adobe Premiere Elements and full version will work with Sony files) - you should be right with Vegas though. 
I agree with you - Vegas is a very good set of software solutions - what I would use if I didn't start out with Adobe and get familiar with its ways. 
I have an Everio camera which Premiere accepts no problem - just drag and drop files to my hard drive then get media into Premiere when I'm ready to edit or can just grab from camera while connected - it is just after all an external HD.
No offence taken and I hope with my reply none given. :grin:

I think we all hope that one beautiful day the manufacturer's will get less greedy and sit down and work out a standard file format (codecs, cables and all) so that compatibility issues don't have to drive us, the consumers, absolutely batty. :sigh: - dream on, dream on....


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## niclariv

zuluclayman said:


> I have an Everio camera which Premiere accepts no problem - just drag and drop files to my hard drive then get media into Premiere when I'm ready to edit or can just grab from camera while connected - it is just after all an external HD.


How does Premiere accept it? I'm running a mac with Premiere Pro and I've got an Everio HD Camera. I try to import the TOD files made by the camera and Premiere says 'File format not supported'. 

So what are you doing differently than me?

thanks!


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## zuluclayman

First up - I am on a PC not Mac - a friend of mine had similar problems with her older Mac but not her newer one. There was some patch/software update she had to use to get it working on her older machine. I'll ask her and get back to you.
My Everio camera uses .MOD file format not TOD (typo?) I have used both Premiere Elements 2 and now 7 to edit and have not had any problems - I just plug the camera in, turn it on, open the hard drive of the camera, copy and paste the files to my computer's hard drive, open Premiere Elements, go to Get Media>PC Files and folders, locate the files I want and they come in no problems. 
If you are still having problems, look at my first post in this thread - you can use the software that comes with the JVC to convert the files to something Premiere will accept.

BTW: please don't use old threads - often they don't get read because it appears as if someone is already helping the OP by the number of posts. you can quote the relevant threads if you want someone to see what has come before.


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## niclariv

Thanks.. Maybe I should try adobe elements instead of Adobe Premiere.. Or I could start my comp up as a PC... It's a new mac, so I'd think if your friend's computer could handle it mine could - maybe it is just a patch it needs. 

TOD isn't a typo - maybe some Everio cameras save with different file extensions. This one records using two file types - tod and mts. 

Anyway, I'll try downloading Elements - and in the mean time, if you wouldn't mind asking your friend with a mac how to make it work that would be great. I've had some footage on my hard drive from the camera for ages now that I've been trying to use, but each time I just spend a couple hours trying different converters and failing to find anything that works and then give up.


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## Liddleblackduck

I had this problem. I thought it was because my virus checker had found a virus in the proprietry software (which part I duly deleted). I left it for a while. Then I decided one day to check out the JVC website. It turned out that there is a *update patch* which I then downloaded and envoked. Then, to my surprise, upon attaching the everio to my pc with photoshop elements open, it started downloading the files (it must have converted them in the process) and I was able to burn them to a CD (or two).


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