Tech: Camcorder video format

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 02:57 PM

Aw, Dale, you could log in, or you can e-mail the full text to me and I'll post it.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 02:55 PM

OK, I tried to post a message with first two links, then cut back to one and it still wouldn't go. Here is my last try, stripped down to the minimum. No links, just the barest HINT of how to get there. dot, dot, dot.

Videohelp dot com is the giant in the field, covering just about every nook and cranny of the video, tv, camera, hard drive, dvd ratings, you name it, it's there.

Another good source of information is Tom's Hardware tomshardware dot com

Crap, message wouldn't go, I ran afoul of Mudcat's one link only rule for guests. Oh, well, anyone who wants to go to Tom's can figure out how.

Double Crap. Still won't go. Guess I'll have to remove both links and slink away.

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 01:47 PM

I can't really recomend a program because I work with Mac--so I am familiar with a different set of tools entirely, and your problem isn't one I've had to deal with, anyway.   Here is a list of shareware programs Shareware Connection that gives you a place to start--I just got it randomly from google, so there is no guarantee of any kind-

If I were you, I'd check video forums to find how others have dealt with the problem--it is one thing to read the description of what a program is supposed to do, and quite another to find one that actually does what you want.

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Sep 09 - 06:31 AM

Panasonic and JVC are both part of the Matsushita group - surely.
DV used an AVI format called AVI DV. AVI was basically akin to BMP frames interlaced at 30 (or 25) fps. AVI DV uses spatial compression so it is akin to JPG frames.
The Everio (as far as I can see) uses MPeg4 (or the DivX variety thereof) which is a temporal compression. It encodes frames in a lossy compression over time. Key frames of a fuller (JPG) content occur at intervals that the subsequent temporal compression is based on.

All this means that if you are doing any editting AVI is your best chance of not loosing quality at each generation. AVI DV is a good substitute. MPeg4 means you get degredation on each generation of fancy editing (like squishing and titling). If you notice it, try getting the video into AVI first and then editing. Render down to MPeg4 when satified. Combining clips does not affect the quality so edit in short runs and if in AVI (or DV) it is essential because of the size of files and the rendering time.

With HD camcorders this should be less of a problem - hence the marketing push with them. Personally I would tolerate a camcorder that was harder to use if it allowed better resolution/quality when editing. I looked at the Everio as a potential purchase but can't remember why I didn't like it. Is it HDD? and all the gyrosopic problems it could have? HDD has the capacity, SD cards have the edge and you can buy a few of them, prices are falling all the time.

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 11:27 PM

I have a JVC Everio, and I cannot recommend it for much more than a door stop. Hard to use, quality seems less than I had before with supposedly inferior technologies -- first 8mm, then DV.

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: Tootler
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 05:10 PM

The camera is a Panasonic.

There are programs that will merge the two into a single MPG file, which would probably be helpful if you are going to edit with anything other than the software that came with the camera.

It would be useful to know which software, though so far I have been able to load the files into a video editor and edit them OK. Up till now I have just discarded the *.moi files.

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: M.Ted
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 04:16 PM

The .moi file hold time stamp information, no video, no audio. There are programs that will merge the two into a single MPG file, which would probably be helpful if you are going to edit with anything other than the software that came with the camera.

Subject: RE: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: Mick Woods
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 03:25 PM

You must have JVC camera - The only software that I could get decent results from was the cyberlink sruff that came with the camera, so I upgraded to the latest version power director. I don't know why JVC choose an unknown incompatable file extension, probably to save money!

Subject: Tech: Camcorder video format
From: Tootler
Date: 06 Sep 09 - 03:03 PM

My new video camera produces files with names of the form "movxxx.mod" In addition there are associated files named "movxxx.moi" (In both cases xxx is a three digit number) When I transfer these to the computer, the *.mod files are the actual videos and load in most (but not all) software so the *moi files seem, on the surface to be redundant.

In Ubuntu Linux, the file icons show as an audio file rather than a video file though the movie player will play them OK, but the VLC media player does not. I could import them into the Kino video editor OK.

In Windows, they show as video files and will play OK in Windows Media Player. but (IIRC) I had to convert them to another format to edit them in Windows Movie Maker.

Does anyone know anything about this particular format and also what is the purpose of the *.moi files?

Not a major problem, but I am curious.