We've got a Hitachi video camera at work. To get the video off the camera I have to export it with this *horrible* proprietary software that came with the camera. I would like to be able to grab the raw files then edit them in a better editor directly without having to pass through the hitachi horror software. Any suggestions?

The file extensions look familiar (.vro, ifo, .bup etc) but I did not succeed in opening or importing them into Windows 7 (it offers to import video files but then 'cant find' any), or Adobe Premiere etc. Video is not my thing.

We have a JVC camera which also suggest using their crappy software. I found however that the files saved with a .MOD extensions are actually more or less standard MPEG-2 and can be renamed directly to .MPG and used like any other MPEG-2 content.

Don't know anything about Hitachi but you could try if it works something similar with that.

Thanks, not having much luck with it though.

I really don't like this video camera. We used to have this old sony handycam that used digital tape. When I look at the quality of the video that came off that, it really was a lot better, even though it was taken 7-8 years ago. This thing has really awful handling of bright colours, they just turn into flat hotspots.

Anyone know if other camera brands record in 'open' or 'standard' video formats that you can just use without proprietary monkey work?

It sounds like the Hitachi software has installed itself as the default software. Try right clicking on the file and choosing the" open with " option and trying another software program that can handle video files ?

Model number?

So you cannot access the memory (removable?) and drag the files off? At least that would get you toying...

If you cannot rename them to mpg, assuming they are mpg's in some funky faux format, there are many quality converters as well. Don't run a convert in the camera!

As for the color, play with the camera. if you have exposure levels as camera do, crank it down to -.3 in all daylight cases and -.5to.7 in harsh daylight.

Non removable memory, that so sucks. Note to self on video cameras...

Does the video player at least launch when you click on the video file? Does it say cannot render? If so that is good...download K-lite codec pack and they should run. Having said that - sounds like some funky codecs and you will have to do this on every machine you wish to play these on so do a convert to standard mpg2 or mp4.

You can use Cyberlink Power Director.

.ifo and .bup look like dvd format.

See if you can open the files in eg DVD Shrink to see if they're still recognisable to DVD standards and specs.

I had a Philip's DVD recorder that had a proprietary dvd file format.

Luckily enough apart from a few extra files, they weren't that different and you could still open them in eg DVD Shrink and Vobblanker etc to edit them.