Here is a tutorial on how to convert a video using MPEG StreamClip. I am going to skip the tutorial on how to install the Perian Plug-in seeing as the site and the file it comes with have far better detailed instructions.

So the first thing you will want to do is go to www.squared5.com and download MPEG StreamClip. When you start the program you will have an almost empty box that looks like this:

MPEG StreamClip on the Desktop

Next you will want to drag your clip into the center of the box. This can be a clip stored on your desktop, in a folder, or even on the SD card. If you are converting more than a few clips you may want to have MPEG StreamClip do a “batch” conversion. I will cover that procedure in a later post.

The next step will be to click on the File button on the Menu bar. This menu will allow you to convert your video by exporting it to a particular container format. You can use any of the container formats with iMovie, but for best compatibility I recommend that you use the QuickTime format (.MOV).

Dragging the Video on into MPEG StreamClip

And now we get to the Export Settings screen. This screen is where you determine what video and audio codec to use, the quality settings, etc.

Click File, and then select which format you wish to convert to

I would recommend that you avoid most of the settings unless you already know what you are doing. This guide is far too short to cover the surprisingly large amount of options this free program gives you.

So below you will see that I have highlighted a few of the important settings found in MPEG StreamClip.

As some of you may have noticed, iMovie ’08 has issues with the audio codec used by the POV.1. The most important thing for you to do when converting your video is to make sure the sound is set to uncompressed. This will increase your file size, but the advantages of being able to edit the video usually outweigh the disadvantages of a 5% file size increase. The sound options are highlighted in blue, and I would recommend that you also output to Mono due to the fact that the POV.1 records in audio in Mono only.

Once you have set the sound to Uncompressed, I recommend that you set the quality of the video at 100% (highlighted in yellow), leaving you to select your compression method. I recommend that you select H.264 or Apple’s MPEG4 compressor. Once you have selected your codec all you have to do is hit Make Movie (highlighted in green), name the file and decide where it will be saved, and MPEG StreamClip will be begin the conversion process.

The issue with the Invalid Clips have frustrated a few of our customers on more than one occasion. Some of the causes are accidental or random. The only two that can be completely preventable are invalid clips caused by bad SD cards and bad batteries. Honestly if you are willing to pay for the POV.1 please spend the extra $10 or $20 on a decent SD card. Is it really worth loosing one of your coolest rides ever? Post after the jump.

Powerloss

This includes loss of battery connection or from an unstable power connection. The
POV Power adapter can produce an invalid clip when it becomes dislodged from
the cigarette lighter receptacle. Power loss can be tricky, so I have included
more information below.

SD card failure

Lower end SD cards including Kingston, PNY, Patriot, have higher reported instances of failure and we have seen this with other SD cards in the same price range. Here is why: We think that these cards may not write data to memory at a consistent rate and speed.

Any SD card rated below “Class 4” can generate invalid clips

Here is the technical detail (but the lesson here is that price = quality and Class
4 SD cards are worth their price for the quality and reliability they provide).
Today, these brands are known to perform well with the POV.1 (Sandisk Extreme
III or IV and Lexar cards). Now the boring technical details: The SD Card Association mandated a new Class system for speed ratings. These classes represent the minimum speed the card can write to memory. A Class 4 card is guaranteed to write to memory at a rate of 4MB/s or higher. The POV.1 needs a transfer rate of 3.5MB/s and thus only Class 4 and above cards will write fast enough. One problem is that, some of the cheaper SD cards rated at Class 4 are not up to the specification.

Signal Loss

Cable becomes disconnected. If the Digital AV cable is disconnected while the user is recording video the clip/loop that was being recorded will become an invalid file.

In rare instances, Invalid Clip could stem from these issues:

Old firmware

Users should check to be sure they are using Firmware version 1.3 or above. Older versions may produce invalid clips because the POV.1 cannot read all formatted cards from a computer. To check if your firmware is updated, go to the Setting Menu and click to the left. If you need to upgrade your firmware, go to: www.vio-pov.com

Old/damaged batteries or low-end NiMH

We have a theory about different battery types and occurrences of Invalid Clip. Here it goes: NiMH rechargeable batteries will give of a consistent voltage until the batteries are just about out of power. With alkaline batteries the voltage will steadily decrease as the battery runs out of power. Since this steady decrease is constant and mostly universal, the POV.1 battery gauge will represent this voltage decrease. Since NiMH batteries have a steady voltage of 1.2v (this is also why NiMH appear to only be ¾ full) the unit will not know to save the video clip and shut down properly, resulting in an invalid clip). (WE HAVE NOT FULLY TESTED THIS!!!!)

Component Short

If a wire shorts in the image head, AV cable, or Recording Unit then the POV.1 will make an invalid clip.

When we released the firmware update for the POV.1 we found out from our Macintosh users that there was an unexpected issue. When the POV.1 updates it will look one the SD card and expect to see two files, the VIO folder, and the .elf update file. If it finds other files the unit will lock up. When ever a Macintosh accesses a removable drive it will put two hidden files on the drive. To fix this we have released a patch to delete the hidden files off of the Macintosh for you. For instructions see below.

• Please download the file at:

http://www.vio-pov.com/files/html_emails/firmware_update_sdhc/v1_3Upgrade.dmg

• This will take you a new page that will prompt you to Save the file.

• If you have downloaded the file via the Safari web browser the .dmg file will automatically open when the download is complete. If you are using the Firefox web browser you may be given an option to open the file or download it. We recommend downloading the file and then opening it.

• Format a 1GB or 2GB SD card using the POV.1. IMPORTANT! – Be sure to back up all files on the SD card as this will erase the card. SD cards larger the 2GB will not work.

• Connect your POV.1 to your Mac via the USB cable, and make sure the unit has powered on and the POV.1 screen reads USB MODE.

• A removable media drive will appear on the desktop labeled “Untitled”. This is the POV.1.

• Double click on the .dmg file labeled “v1_3Upgrade” if it was not opened after the download.

• You will then see a new icon on your desktop labeled “v1_3Upgrade”, and this window will appear:

• Slide the file labeled “v1_3Upgrade.elf on to the icon labeled “Untitled” (You can also drag the file to the actual drive on your desktop if you prefer).
• Double click on the file labeled “Firmware_Patch”
• Close the Terminal window when it displays “Process completed”.
• Power down the POV.1 and disconnect the POV.1 from the USB cable.
• Remove the SD Card from the POV.1 and Lock the SD card, using the lock tab on the left side of the card. (Pins and label facing up).
• Re-Insert the locked SD Card into the POV.1.
• Hold down the Settings button on the recorder and press the Power button on the recorder simultaneously. Release once the LED status indicator begins to strobe red.

• The LED status indicator will strobe red repeatedly and then stop.
• There will be two brief faint strobes after the indicator light has gone off for a few seconds. Once the two faint strobes are done, the firmware has been updated.
• Power-on the recorder and check Firmware version on the INFO SCREEN, which is in the SETTINGS menu to confirm update success (FW Version 1.3).