How do you upload videos from a HDD camcorder?

JVC videos aren't letting me upload video's on my mac?!?

• So I've worked really hard on this youtube skit. Took me awhile! So when I went to plug in the USB cable on my mac 2010, it said it couldn't recognize it or something like that. I really want to upload the videos fast! It was able to upload my pictures to iPhoto though. & I do not want to use any apps that will cost money. Type of Camcorder : JVC HDD Everio Hybrid - GZ-MG-130U

• Answer:

  The JVC GZ-MG130 records MOD file type video files to the internal hard disc drive. When you connect the camcorder to the Mac with a USB cable, the default connection is from the memory card to the Mac - which is why iPhoto was able to get the stills. You need to get the hard disc drive to mount to the Mac's desktop by putting the camcorder in video play mode and selecting the hard disc drive. This is in the camcorder's manual. When the camcorder's hard disc drive mounts to the Mac's desktop, open int and locate the MOD files. The directory structure is also described in the camcorder's manual. Copy the MOD file to the Mac. You will need to convert - transcode - these files to a format your computer can deal with (likely MOV). MPEG Streamclip from www.squared5.com or HandBrake from handbrake.fr are both really good - and open source. There are others. After the files are converted, then you can quit the transcoder application, launch iMovie and edit... This is not a Mac-specific issue. Other operating systems have similar transcoding requirements for MOD (and TOD) video files. I do not know what a "Mac 2010" is. There's MacMinis, iMacs, MacBooks, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacPro Tower running OSX... and all the older models, but no "Mac 2010" of which I am aware.