.mod Files

[Dave Braine]

I've got some video files from a JVC Everio HDD camcorder which are .mod files.

The file info is as follows:

Stream: MOV001.MOD
Path: /Volumes/UDISK 28X/PRG00A/MOV001.MOD
Type: MPEG program stream

Duration: 0:00:13
Data Size: 12.29 MB
Bit Rate: 7.43 Mbps

Video Tracks:
224 MPEG-2, 720 × 576, 16:9, 25 fps, 8.40 Mbps, upper field first

Audio Tracks:
128 AC3 2/0, 48 kHz, 384 kbps

Stream Files:
MOV001.MOD (12.29 MB)

The playback on the camcorder and through a TV is excellent. However, you can see on this screenshot the quality when seen on my Mac. Note the horse's legs. This is only evident in shots with appreciable movement, either of the subject, or the camera.

I was going to use iMovie9 because I'd read that iMovie9 imports mod files, but it didn't. So I used MPEGStreamclip to try formats that it did, and used mpeg4, but the problem still showed after import into iMovie9.

I then decided to try my old favourite iMovieHD. After importing the mpeg4 files the quality was back to normal. So I then tried using the DV option in MPEGStreamclip's export settings, and again, the problem had disappeared.

Any ideas why the quality should be different in the two formats?

 

[spinnerlys]

It is because the video is interlaced, btw, MPEG-4 is not meant for editing, better use the DV codec.

Interlaced footage does show such stripes when being played back on a non-interlacing monitor, a TV and the camcorder surely are being capable to play interlaced footage without problems.

 

[Dave Braine]

It is because the video is interlaced, btw, MPEG-4 is not meant for editing, better use the DV codec.

Thanks for that, spinnerlys.

 

[spinnerlys]

Thanks for that, spinnerlys.

No problem.

 

[Dave Braine]

MPEG-4 is not meant for editing, better use the DV codec.

Doesn't iMovieHD convert it to DV when importing?

 

[spinnerlys]

Doesn't iMovieHD convert it to DV when importing?

It should, take a look at the Movies / iMovie folder if anything was created during import.
But the double transcoding - .mod to .mp4, .mp4 to .mov/.dv - harms only quality, even if there is not that much to go on.

If you transcode directly to DV or .mov using the DV codec, you should have the option during import in iMovie to either copy or move the file to your iMovie folder.

 

[Dave Braine]

But the double transcoding - .mod to .mp4, .mp4 to .mov/.dv - harms only quality, even if there is not that much to go on.

Thanks.

iMovie HD doesn't have it's own folder in Movies, that's iMovie8/9. But, your comment made me look at an imovieHD file under the Show Package Contents option, and yes, it does convert to DV.