Manatee

MOD and TOD camcorder files on a Mac, and how to convert them

· 7 min read

MOD and TOD files come from memory-card and hard-drive camcorders sold from roughly the mid-2000s. Both are MPEG-2 video with unusual extensions: a MOD file is standard definition and built exactly like an .mpg, and a TOD file is high definition and built like a .ts transport stream. Current versions of macOS play very little MPEG-2, so QuickTime Player, Photos and iMovie usually turn them away. The fix is to copy everything off the camcorder, rename a copy so apps know what it is, and convert it to MP4.

What these files are

On many of these camcorders the recordings sit in folders with names like SD_VIDEO and PRG001, as files named MOV001.MOD, MOV002.MOD and so on. HD models use the same pattern with .TOD files. Next to each video is a small file with the same name ending in .MOI.

  • MOD holds standard-definition MPEG-2 video and its sound in the same structure DVDs and .mpg files use.
  • TOD holds high-definition MPEG-2 video, usually 1080i, in a transport stream, the structure TV broadcasts and .ts files use.
  • MOI holds information about the recording: the date and time, and on some models whether it was shot in widescreen. It is not video, but it is worth keeping.

The extensions add a second problem. The Mac does not know what they are, and .mod is also the extension of an old music format, so an app that does recognize the name may make the wrong guess about what is inside.

Step 1: copy everything off the camcorder

  1. Connect the camcorder to the Mac with its USB cable, or put its memory card in a card reader. Some camcorders ask you to choose a connection mode on their own screen first; pick the one for a computer.
  2. When it appears in Finder, copy the whole video folder to your Mac, not just the video files, so each MOI stays next to its video.
  3. Eject the camcorder or card in Finder before disconnecting it.

Work on copies from here on. If these are the only recordings of something that matters, keep the untouched folder somewhere safe until you have watched the converted files through.

Step 2: rename a copy so apps know what it is

Renaming changes only the label, not the contents, but it tells apps which kind of file to expect.

  1. Duplicate the copied folder, and open the duplicate.
  2. Select all the .MOD files, Control-click one, and choose Rename.
  3. Choose Replace Text, find .MOD, replace it with .mpg, and click Rename. Confirm if Finder asks about changing extensions.
  4. Do the same for .TOD files, replacing .TOD with .ts.

To confirm what you have, open Terminal, type file and a space, drag in one of the renamed files, and press Return:

file ~/Movies/Camcorder/PRG001/MOV001.mpg

A standard-definition file answers “MPEG sequence, v2, program multiplex”, which is MPEG-2 in the same structure as a DVD. For a renamed TOD file, file answers just “data”. That is normal: it does not recognize transport streams, even healthy ones.

The rename alone will not make QuickTime play the files. It still finds MPEG-2 inside, and it will usually still refuse. That is what the next step is for.

Step 3: convert to MP4

Manatee bundles its own conversion engine, which reads MPEG-2, so it handles what macOS turns away:

  1. Open Manatee and choose Convert, or drag the renamed files onto its menu bar icon.
  2. Drop in a whole folder’s worth at once. Each file gets its own line and progress bar in the job list.
  3. Choose MP4.

Each MP4 is written next to its source, and the source is never modified. Everything runs on your Mac with nothing uploaded, which matters for family recordings. Manatee is free for 24 hours with every feature, then $9 once.

Manatee’s list of accepted types includes .mpg and .ts, but not .mod or .tod by name, which is why the rename comes first. If a recording stops early or refuses to convert, perhaps because the battery died mid-shot, try Manatee’s Repair mode on it. The result is reported honestly as Fixed, Partial or Not fixable, and a partial result is the part that was actually written.

How to convert an MPG to MP4 and how to convert a TS transport stream to MP4 cover the same formats under their usual names. If your camcorder recorded .MTS files instead, see how to convert MTS or M2TS camcorder video.

Check the shape, the lines and the dates

Watch a few converted clips before you throw anything away. Three things are worth checking.

Everyone looks tall and thin. Some of these camcorders recorded widescreen by squeezing the picture into the standard frame and noting “stretch this to 16:9” only in the MOI file, not in the video itself. Anything that reads only the video shows it squeezed. Nothing is lost; the clip just needs to be told its shape, which takes a video editor that lets you set the display aspect ratio. Manatee converts formats and does not change aspect ratios.

Fine horizontal lines on moving edges. These camcorders recorded interlaced video, where each frame is two half-pictures captured a moment apart. On a computer screen that can show as combing on fast motion. It comes from the recording, not the conversion.

The wrong dates. A converted file’s date in Finder is the day you converted it. After importing the MP4s into Photos, check where they land in your library. If they are filed under today, select them and choose Image, Adjust Date and Time. Naming files by date before you import (for example 2008-07-14 Beach.mp4) makes this much easier.

Standard-definition footage will also look soft on a large modern screen. Converting cannot add detail that was never recorded.

Questions

Can I delete the MOD and TOD originals after converting? Once you have watched the MP4s through, you can. If you have the space, keep the original folder, MOI files included, as an archive; it is the most complete record of the recordings.

Does renaming the files damage them? No. Renaming changes only the name. The contents are identical, and you can rename them back at any time.

Will the MP4s import into Photos and iMovie? Yes, they import like any other video. If an import still fails, Photos or iMovie will not import a video covers the other usual causes.