Muxed MPEG from Sony DSC camera

Question

Hi Everyone,
I just figured out a new (To Me) way to import/convert muxed MPEG files that have already been downloaded to disk. It takes advantage of iMovies `09 camera import capabilities. My old way of dealing with my old muxed MPG files was to use an app like "MPEG Streamclip" to convert the files then import them into iMovie. Great application but not a fast way of dealing with a lot of files. (Scroll down to "Here's how:" to skip my bad grammar.)
Maybe this method is not new to you or someone has already explained it but, I have not found a solution like this online. I don't know what the legal/license is on muxed MPG but it must be a inhibitive. Apple has avoided muxed MPG like a drunk uncle which has unfortunately left us Sony camera users feeling abandoned. So here it goes.
First the cool thing. iMovie `09 imports muxed MPG files directly from the camera/camera card reader. It does this fast and efficiently, very cool! Now the uncool part. If you have a bunch of muxed MPG movies that you downloaded to your hard disk lets say via iPhoto. You can not import or process those files via quicktime pro or iMovie at all. In iMovie you can't even see them in the Event Library -> iPhoto Videos. They are not going to work and they can not be imported via File -> Import. Lame, I know! But, hey what about File -> Import From Camera? Yes that works like a charm, but the files you have are not on a camera or a memory chip. How do you get those files to act as if they were on a camera.
Here's how:
If your muxed MPG movies are in iPhoto like mine then you will need to export them (File -> Export -> "File Export" tab -> Kind: "Original") to a folder in a folder. Name the first folder something like "My Muxed Video" and create a folder in it named "DCIM" without the quotes of course. To reiterate, you will have a all of your muxed videos in a folder named DCIM inside a folder named "My Muxed Video". It very important to get this right.
Now open the application Disk Utility. Click on File -> New ->Disk Image From Folder and select the folder "My Muxed Video". Because the files are already compressed choose an Image Format like "read-only". Click Save. When it's done you will have a file named "My Muxed Video.dmg".
With that done make sure iMovie `09 is open and go to the Finder. Double click on the file "My Muxed Video.dmg". The Finder will now open and mount the disk image as if it were an external device named "My Muxed Video" and because it contains a folder named DCIM which contains all your muxed files, iMovie `09 will see it as a camera and will bring up the camera import window. Awesome! Now just let iMovie import all those lovely videos like they were some sort of Apple Blessed Open Source License Free Everyone Loves You file type.
Note:
If you mounted the disk image and didn't have iMovie open then you can manually start the Camera Import with command-i or by iMovie -> File -> Import From Camera. If you have other camera devices connected you will need to choose the disk image in the Camera Import window.
Ok, I know this may seem a bit cumbersome but when you want to import hundreds upon hundreds of videos then this is the best way I've found. I got so excited when this worked that I had to write this!
Enough said, my next camera will NOT use muxed MPG!
Best of Luck!

Answer 1

Hi Ross
THANK YOU!!!! I've read lots of discussions on this and similar topics and this one worked for me. I'm sure others work as well but I am NOT technical at all and your directions were easy to understand for me. I am a new mom and new to MACs. I love my mac but the reason I got it was so that I could import movies of my little guy from the Sony HD video camera I got when he was born. I traded in my Dell because I was under the impression that the one computer that could import, read and allow me to edit (like make into short movies) was a Mac. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't! Why do they even sell HD video cameras to the general public when nothing can read or use the video, I'm completely perplexed!
I'm hoping you can help me again. Your directions worked like a charm for some of my video. When the import contained m2ts, modd, moff and mpg it worked like a charm (go figure, since your directions were for unmuxxing mpg). I tried and tried to use it for some of the other video and couldn't figure out why it worked sometimes and not others. The other imports only have m2ts, modd and moff. Is there anything I can do? Can I get these into iMovie as well? I have iMovie 09 and a MacBook Pro.
Thank you so much!