Tutorial: Use an MPEG-2 Video Camera with Your Mac
I was in the market for a new video camera, and one of the hardest decisions to make is what type of media i would be looking for. There are just so many types, sizes, prices, and specs to choose from, but one thing that I knew that I wanted, was a HDD video cam.
Instead of using clunky tapes, or non-price efficient DVDs, it just saves all of the video (or images) that you capture onto a built in hard drive. However, I quickly learned that my other main essential need – compatibility with OS X – was going to be the harder part.
I looked online for any mention of Mac support for some of the cameras I was looking for and was dismayed to find that there was no documented support. But, that didn’t stop me. After a little deeper research, I found out that the Sony DCR-SR42, the Sony camera that I was seriously considering, shot its video into MPEG-2.
Unfortunately, my version of Quicktime did not have an appropriate MPEG-2 codec, so back to Google I went, and I found Apple’s own MPEG-2 codec for Quicktime. I decided that the pros outweighed the cons, so I purchased it, downloaded, and installed. After restarting, I was eager to find out if the codec had worked.
When you connect the camera, it shows up as a similar Hard Disk Drive. It popped right up on my Leopard desktop, complete with all my videos that I had recorded. Just to check that it worked, I used Quicklook (one of my favorite new Leopard features) and sure enough, my video started to play.
However, now that I was actually able to watch the video, I needed a way to more efficiently work with it. So back to Google, yet again, and I found MPEG Streamclip from Squared5. This free piece of software converts video, similar to other pieces of software, but I saw this recommended from a forum thread online.
I fired up the software and dragged the MPEG-2 file from the Finder window into the MPEG Streamclip main window. I went up to File, and chose the option to export to MPEG-4. There are a bunch of different formats that you can export to, but I chose MPEG-4 because for me, that’s the most flexible.
Just a few minutes later, (depending upon the movie size and your machine’s specs) I had imported my video into iTunes and was watching it on my iPod touch. It’s not that difficult to get your hard drive-based video camera working with your Mac, and it definitely makes it much easier to work with. You can start accessing your video and then editing it with iMovie, Final Cut, or any other movie-making software that you desire.
I used a Sony HDD video camera for this tutorial, but it should work with any HDD video cam that shoots into MPEG-2 format. What kind of video camera do you recommend and use?
I think most digital video camera owners will want to edit their movies at some point.
Is it not counter productive to have the camera save your efforts with ( lossy ) MPEG-2 compression and then convert it again to another MPEG format for importing & editing in iMovie ?
And who would want to watch movies on an iPod, for that matter ?
The MiniDV tape still seems the better solution, IMHO.
I just bought the Canon HG10 (Hi-Def, Hard Drive) last night. It uses the relatively new AVCHD codec to save videos on the drive.
Plugging it in mounts the camera as a drive in Finder (just as you showed). iMovie 08 automatically offers to import all the clips. From there things couldn’t be easier.
Most users want a plug-in-and-go solution, 90% of people won’t download and install new codecs and software.
My only issue: iMovie 08 supports AVCHD, but iMovie 06 does not. I had to upgrade to iLife 08 before it would recognize the clips.
I spent a while researching Hard Drives vs MiniDV. Here’s what I found:
MiniDV pros:
– Unlimited recording potential without a need for a computer (just bring lots of tapes on vacation)
– Built-in archiving solution (just keep the tape)
– Slighlty better video quality (hd cameras will compress your video to save it to the drive)
Hard Drive pros:
– Longer recording potential in a single session
– Easier and faster to transfer to a computer
– Easier to play back videos and delete unwanted scenes
I eventually went with the hard drive camera (the Canon HV20 is the MiniDV equivalent to the HG10) because I felt the slight reduction in video quality (if any) would be offset by the easier access to the video files (both on camera and when importing), as well as the cost savings in not having to by tapes.
i just purchased a sony hdr-sr5 (hdd in hd). incredible camera. there were tons of reports that it would not work with an apple machine. wrong answer. it works great with imovie 6. i highly recommend this camera especially if you are into the high def thing.
correction: imovie 08 is the program of choice, not imovie 6
@chris g: I was just sitting on the fence about purchasing the Sony-SR7 HDD based camera and the reason I hadn’t yet was I suspected it would not work well on a Mac. I guess I was wrong. Thanks.
I’m still a bit confused as to what AVCHD offers over a typical HD based cam?
Here is what I found on AVCHD compared with HDV:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCHD
http://digitalcontentproducer.com/videoencodvd/revfeat/dvd_focus_avchd_06222006/
http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/09/30/hdv-vs-avchd/
http://www.photography-forums.com/t77210-interesting-column-about-avchd-vs-hdv-amp-other-hd-formats.html
I was able to get the video to show but no sound. Any suggestions?
hi there,
i have a sony hdd and read in the manual that it wouldnt work on an imac. i just purchased an imac, but am too afraid to hook up my cam to it. i’m not a computer wiz so i need as much help as i can get. are you saying that i can just hook it up and start uploading my video. or do i need some special software to do it? please help.
Thanks for posting the program that converts the files as I was racking my brains wondering how I was going to tell the wife I just bought a paper weight! Seriously it is a cool camera and easy too use as apposed too tapes! Silly fools just need too opens their eyes! This way is like having TiVo so if you still wanna keep those VHS tapes too I will sell ya a whole closet full of them! lol I believe the way of the future is hard drives and the is no way of stopping it! You can work slow in your tape world but do not be upset when the digital kids are taking over the world! I am a middle of the road dude, so i at least do not wanna fall behind and keep a little ahead if I can save some time! Screw quality images, it’s quality inside the frames that counts in peoples eyes! Watch youtube and you will see! lol
peaceouTy!
TAMMpON
I have just bought a Sony DCR-SR32e and it’s been great up until I moved the files on to my imac (about 1 year old, running Tiger). I updated my quicktime with the mpeg2 business so the files will actually play now… but my problem is that my video files are of a much lower quality than when played straight through the television using the AV cable. Horizontal lines mar every movement by a subject, every sweep of the camera (no matter how slow) to the point that it is unbearable. I burned a dvd and the lines were even more pronounced. I burned a second dvd but this time I didn’t unload the mpeg2 files onto my computer first, and now the clarity is vastly improved but there is some weird visual lag and quasi-ghost trailing going on that kinda makes me feel queasy! Anyone know what I’m doing wrong? I like this camera and I want to be able to use it and I want to be able to edit my videos too (with iMovie or Final Cut Express, although the latter is a bit above my station at the time being)
Many thanks and apologies for rambling, at my wits end about it as I am at the very end of my 7 day return+refund period, and I don’t know if I’m just being dumb or if my camera actually has a fault.
I like the Sony HDD for the workflow and have had some success with converting with one exception: There does not seem to be an easy way on FF or Streamclip to optimize the conversion in terms of file size and quality. Any tips would be great! So, MP2 to ??
Hey Chubby
I was having similar problems, I found a way to fix it. When converting from .mod to dv or avi in Streamclip, make sure you check “Deinterlace”. It should fix it. I also found that converting to avi worked better. dv was a but choppy
well i got a panasonic sdr h40 that records mpeg2 footage. When i tried installing the mpeg 2 codec on my mac and then playing a video i recorded. it didnt WORK! so i cant add it to streamclip i cant import it to imovie because it says i need mpeg2 BUT I INSTALLED IT!!! WHAT SHOULD I DO?????
PozzBox ~ Convert to DV format as the intermediate format. Yes, the files will be big, but you will have lost nothing not already in the MPEG2. Edit that. Dump back to MPEG or QT or whatever you like. Get rid of any DV files you have left. This will optimize disk space and prevent a third stage of lossy encoding.
Buck’s comment looks good too. Deinterlacing helps improve quality.
Greg (Adobe guy)
nope still doesnt work. it cant play in quicktime what so ever.. only in vlc. and i need it to play in quicktime for imovie
Whoa….you had me and then I lost it. I have a Panasonic SDR H40 and was tricked by the box that says it’s Mac compatible. Photos import right away to iPhoto, but iMovie 08 doesn’t recognize the camera at all. What gives?
I bought an SDR-H40 like others because it said it was Mac compatible.
I rung the Apple store in Bristol looking for a connection lead and was told Apple do not support the H40 but then sent me a cable which does not fit. I bought a Belkin IEEE 1394 FireWire cable. Which cable should I have bought?
I am not a whizz kid but an OAP and need some help please.