To Convert .MOB files

(To convert USB camcorder .MOB files for use with FCP)

1. Connect the USB camcorder to your Mac.
2. Open drive that appears on the desktop. Copy the .MOB files (in the "SD_Video" folder) onto your Mac.
3. Rename all the .mod to .mpeg and change the extension when prompted.
5. Download ffMpegX application
6. Run ffMpegX and open the first .mpeg file. Convert this to a .MOV, .DV, .AVi file or whatever format you need. Final Cut is best with DV (although uses a lot of bytes).
7. Repeat as necessary for all your .MPEG files.

You can now import into iMovie (which will in turn convert into .dv files which means you can then trash the .mpeg and .mov files) and do as you wish. This is also true for importing into Final Cut Pro/Express, or pretty much any other editing program.

If possible, get a Firewire compatible camcorder, generally one with a MiniDV tape and use that next time.