TOD format, what are TOD files, how to play TOD files on Mac

Part 1, What are TOD files?

Video file captured by a JVC Everio video camera, such as the GZ-HD3 and GZ-HD7; saved in a proprietary format that can be viewed using the Cyberlink software included with JVC video cameras.

Recent versions of other video-editing programs may also be able to import TOD files (see below); the included Cyberlink PowerDirector application can import TOD files and export them as .MPG files, which are viewable by most video-editing programs.
NOTE: Some JVC Everio cameras save video files with a .MOD extension, which is similar to the TOD format.

Part 2, MOD and TOD files

MOD and TOD are informal names of tapeless video formats used by JVC (MOD and TOD), Panasonic (MOD only) and Canon (MOD only) in some models of digital camcorders. Format names correspond to extensions of video files. Neither JVC nor Panasonic, who pioneered the format, explained meaning of the file extensions. MOD is used exclusively for standard definition video files, while TOD is used for high definition files. The formats were never given an official name.

MOD video can be viewed on a computer with a player that is capable of reproducing MPEG-2 video. This video can be easily authored for watching on a DVD player without recompression, as it is fully compliant with DVD-video standard.

TOD format is comparable with AVCHD, but cannot be directly played on consumer video equipment. Media files must be packaged into distribution formats like HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc, using authoring software. One of TOD recording modes, "1440CBR", has the same frame size, aspect ratio and frame rate as 1080i HDV, and can be loosely called "HDV on disk".

Products
JVC MOD camcorders

* 2004: GZ-MC100 (SD), GZ-MC200 (SD)
* 2005: GZ-MG30 (HDD), GZ-MG70 (HDD)
* 2006: GZ-MG37 (HDD), GZ-MG77 (HDD), GZ-MG505 (HDD, SD/SDHC card)
* 2007: GZ-MG130 (HDD), GZ-MG155 (HDD), GZ-MG255 (HDD), GZ-MG555 (HDD, SD/SDHC card)
* 2008: GZ-MS100U (SD/SDHC card)
* 2008: GZ-MG7230 (30 GB HDD, MicroSD)
* 2009: GZ-MG630 (60 GB HDD, MicroSD), GZ-MG670 (80 GB HDD, MicroSD), GZ-MG680 (120 GB HDD, MicroSD)

JVC TOD camcorders

* 2007: GZ-HD7 (HDD, SD/SDHC card), GZ-HD3 (HDD, SD/SDHC card)
* March 2008: GZ-HD5 (HDD, MicroSDHC card), GZ-HD6 (HDD, MicroSDHC card)
* June 2008: GZ-HD30, GZ-HD40 (HDD, MicroSDHC card, dual TOD and AVCHD recording)

Panasonic MOD camcorders

* 2003: SV-AV100 (SD card)
* 2005: SDR-S100 (SD card)
* 2006: SDR-S150 (SD/SDHC card)
* 2007: SDR-S10 (SD/SDHC card), SDR-H18 (HDD, SD card), SDR-H200 (HDD, SD/SDHC card)
* 2008: SDR-H40 (HDD, SD/SDHC card), SDR-H60 (HDD, SD/SDHC card)
* 2008: SDR-SW20 (SD/SDHC card)

Canon MOD Camcorders

* 2008: FS100 (SDHC), FS10 (SDHC), FS11 (SDHC)

Part 3, How to play TOD files on Mac?

Try either MPlayer OS X or VLC Media Player. They are all free.

These excellent and free multimedia players can tackle many of the video formats unknown to QuickTime. They contain a decoder to decode the .TOD files. They will also play many of the formats you will find inside the .TOD file.

How to Convert TOD Videos to DVD on mac (Snow Leopard including)