From HDHD Camcorders to Windows

High-definition hard drives camcorders create files that can then be moved to a computer and compressed there. For the JVC Everio, you need to connect the unit with the USB, then drag the relevant files to your hard drive. There, you must change the extension to .mpg and then use MyVideoConverter to QuickTime format. You can then playback the media using QuickTime, although you will probably have to add an MPEG2 codec to Quicktime, which you can get from the Apple website for about $25.

From mini-DV using Macintosh

To create QuickTime compressed movies on Macintosh, you should use a fast Intel machine, iMovie, and an academic version of Final Cut Studio ($499) which includes Compressor. You use iMovie to capture segments of your inerview from your mini-DV camera, which is connected to your computer over Firewire. You then drag the iMovie raw video segments into Compressor and compress using these settings, which you must install in your Compressor Settings folder which is in your User folder under /Library/Application_Support/Compressor). If you do not want to create media for streaming, you can just install the SV3VBR-VHS.setting file.

From mini-DV using Windows

To compress on Windows, you can use Cleaner. Here are the setttings we use for creating streaming media. Here are the settings you need to add to your settings folder. If you are not creating streaming media, you only need to add SV3VBR-VHS1 to your folder.

It is also possible to use the Windows Movie Maker application built in to Windows XP. The only downside of this otherwise excellent application is that it will create .wmv files, which we will then have to convert .mov files using the WMV Studio application. We are willing to do this, but please send us a test .wmv file first to make sure that the conversion to .mov will go smoothly.