JVC Everio GZ-HD7

Question

JVC Everio GZ-HD7

This post is to inform others how to convert the proprietary JVC HD file format (.TOD) used with the JVC Everio GZ-HD7 for use with FCE.

Necessary software:
• Quicktime Pro v7.2
• Quicktime .TOD conversion component (provided by JVC on CD with camera; I could not find this component online for download)
• Automator
• FCE with AIC v1.1 (Apple Intermediate Codec -- provided with FCE 3.5)

Step 1:
Load the JVC Quicktime component into your computer and reboot.

Step 2:
Copy the files with the extension .TOD from the camera to your hard drive. It requires the USB connection and not the Firewire connection (which is reserved only for the iLink protocol). Yes, it's slower but it works. Set the camera to "Back up video" and not "Play back video" when copying the files. Back up your data.

Step 3:
Use Automator to control Quicktime Pro to convert the .TOD files to .MOV files. I downloaded an excellent script from here:
http://automatoractions.com/files/compressquicktimeusingmostrecentsettings1.0.ht ml
To use this script correctly, you must first use QT to open a .TOD file and export a test clip to the .MOV format you want/need. This sets the QT export parameters that the script will use. Leave QT open, boot Automator and load the script mentioned above. Set the script preference to use the current QT export settings (choose "QT Movie", not "MPEG4") and convert all the .TOD files to .MOV files. The script allows you to set the write location of the new .MOV files so choose your location wisely; a lot of data will be generated.

It took my dual G5 about 12 hours to convert 40GB of .TOD files. Make sure your computer will not go to sleep or run a complex screen saver while this script is running.

I used the HD AIC format in the resolution of the camera (1920 x 1080i), which churned out much larger files than the original .TOD file size. I have not experimented with other resolutions yet.

Step 5:
Backup your newly converted data. 😉

Step 6:
Open FCE and use the 1080i60 AIC easy setup. This preps the program for the correct file size & type.

Step 7:
Import files as usual (command-i) into FCE and begin editing.

If anyone else has tips on using this camera, please post them. My initial results are very good for a low-priced HD camera, but using the .TOD files on a Mac is not the easiest workflow for us beginners.

Various Dual G5s, Dual G4s & a few G3 iMacs, Mac OS X (10.4.10), FCE hack

Posted on Oct 16, 2007 8:00 PM

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Answer 1

Alchroma

Level 7

23,918 points

Oct 16, 2007 11:19 PM in response to Community User

Chris,

Thanks for posting your findings. 🙂

Al

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Answer 2

scotth0

Level 1

0 points

Nov 16, 2007 9:21 AM in response to Community User

I wish I had seen your post before going through all the headaches on this one. Thanks for this, and for the automator idea. I'll give that a try.

Here's a link from JVC to a tutorial movie that explains how to work with their files on a Mac.
http://media2.jvc.com/camcorder/macHD.mov

I found it helpful. The process is different for the 1440 files than for the full HD files. I prefer full HD, so the QT .TOD conversion you detailed is the way I do it.

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Answer 3

Nov 26, 2007 7:57 AM in response to Community User

I downloaded the Automater file and ran a test on several different files captured at full HD and converted them using a half a dozen codecs at various settings, using just QuickTime, and going through the Automater, and in every case the sound is out of sync.

Am I missing something?

Bob

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Answer 4

Nov 26, 2007 11:53 PM in response to Bob - Fern Forest Productions

I'm not sure why this Automator script is being pushed as it seems not to work -- as you and others have found -- and is inefficient.

Use MPEGsteamclip V1.9 to perform BATCH conversion right from the camcorder's harddisk.

After installing the JVC OS X driver that's on the CD -- are you sure you can't simply Import TOD files directly from the camcorder's disk? You can in iMovie HD.

Each clip will take time to be converted to AIC. Try it!

Also try: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=102293

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Answer 5

Nov 27, 2007 8:06 AM in response to Steve Mullen

Thanks Steve, I'll give that a try.

I purchased your how to book for my JVC GY-HD100U last year, and it helped me out of a few jams in the beginning, thanks.

I found your advise about MPEGStreamclip on another forum last night and tried it, it worked great. I will try the direct import into iMovie next.

It's all a bit of a hassle, because I use Final Cut Pro HD, but you pay to play on the cutting edge.

Thanks again Steve.

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Answer 6

scotth0

Level 1

0 points

Nov 27, 2007 9:09 AM in response to Steve Mullen

Steve - the direct import method does not work in iMovie 08. Apparently you're getting it to work in the older iMovie HD (06). That's great. I couldn't do it that way in 08 though. Just an FYI for others on the thread. Thanks.

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Answer 7

Nov 27, 2007 5:17 PM in response to scotth0

Thank you for the kind words.

You are correct -- no Direct Import for 08. Which makes iMovie HD 6 better for the HD7.

I'm hoping the NEW FCE will do direct import.

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Answer 8

Nov 29, 2007 7:30 PM in response to Community User

- Ensure the camera is in Full HD

- Ensure the camera iLink setting to DV

- Connect the iLink/FireWire/IEEE cable to the camera

- Hit the (SELECT) button Scene selecting screen appears.

- Hit the F (function) button on the LCD to display the menu.

- Select EDIT PALYLIST

- Select NEW LIST

- Select ALL SCENES

- Use joystick to highlight desired scene. Push the joystick, a green line will appear to the right of the screen, press the joystick again and the screen will appear on the right side of the screen.

- When all the desired scenes are part of the playlist push the joystick to the right twice.

- Select SAVE AND QUIT

- Start Final iMovie HD

- Back on the camera, hit the F button on the LCD screen.

- Select PLAYBACK PLAYLIST and it will bring you to the playlist index. DO NOT SELECT ANYTHING.

- Move the joystick to the right and select START PLAYBACK.

- Once you select 'start playback', the video should start playing on the camcorder hit Import on iMovie.

- Once finished is you recorded in 16:9 iMovie will take a while to convert the files to Letterbox

- Once iMovie finishes converting to Letterbox, edit the footage as desired.

- If editing in another program is desired i.e. Final Cut Pro
+ Save project and close iMovie
+ Go to where the iMovie project was saved
+ Ctrl/Right Click on the file and select Show Package Contents
+ Open the Media folder and inside are the DV files of the footage you just imported into iMovie,
copy them to another folder and import into the editing suite of your choice

I have gotten the camera to start to "Log and Capture" in Final Cut Pro HD but it only captures for 5 second then stops capturing.

I'll keep you posted.

Bob

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Answer 9

Nov 30, 2007 4:04 AM in response to Community User

Hi there,

here is a another useful description of how to import your Full HD footage from the Everio to Final Cut Pro (and be able to work with it without any bottlenecks):

http://web.mac.com/olliq/Macland/Blog/Entries/2007/11/19Capturing_JVC_Everio_GZ-HD7_FullHD_Footage_on_theMac.html

Best regards,
the Dude

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Answer 10

KJ W

Level 1

52 points

Dec 14, 2007 8:20 AM in response to Community User

Hi, I'm newer than you! Is there any difference between using 'Playback' and 'Backup' to get the files off the camera?
Kelvin

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Answer 11

hidyho9

Level 1

0 points

Jan 6, 2008 11:34 PM in response to Community User

With the release of final cut express 4 do you still need to do all this or has final cut been updated to support this camera without all those steps

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Answer 12

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Jan 7, 2008 12:59 AM in response to hidyho9

FCE4 does not support this material without conversion.

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Answer 13

jharry

Level 1

8 points

Jan 28, 2008 7:11 PM in response to Community User

I have used the QT conversion method mentioned above to get my footage into FCE4, but I cannot do "Real-Time Processing"; I have to render EVERY TIME I add anything.

Is this related to how I import my clips?

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Answer 14

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,809 points

Jan 28, 2008 7:33 PM in response to jharry

It related to how you converted the material. You didn't convert it to the correct format. You need to convert it to QuickTime at the correct frame size, codec, frame rate and audio sample rate.

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Answer 15

Jan 28, 2008 8:43 PM in response to jharry

"I have to render EVERY TIME I add anything..."

I use this camera in conjunction with FCE and 1920X1080i AIC HD files ARE rendered on import to convert them to 1440X1080i (HDV) format because unlike FCP there is no 1920X1080i timeline preset in FCE.

Message was edited by: dan hawkins1

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