eyetv MPG to DVD conversion using ffmpegX

[by-gum]

I wish to convert eyetv MPG files to DVD using ffmpegX. The original MPGs are ok with VLC. I tried a standard ffmpegX "Quick Preset" but the resulting MPG and VIDEO_TS files have audio about 2 seconds ahead of video. Help?

[Baldrick]

Moving you to our ffmpegx section.

[by-gum]

Moving you to our ffmpegx section.

Thank you

[Case]

What are the specs of this Eyetv .mpg file? If they are DVD compliant, then you won't have to convert anything (but only author to DVD). If so, you could preserve the existing quality.

[by-gum]

Spec is:

mpeg-2, 720x576, 10000 kbps, 25 fps

mp2, 48000Hz, 256 kbps

The movie is about 2 hours.

I use a Mac (G5 OS 10.5). If the spec is ok what's the best way to "author to DVD"?

[Case]

mpeg-2, 720x576, 10000 kbps, 25 fps

10000 kbps is too high for DVD (a DVD disc in a set top player doesn't spin so fast that it can read and decode at 10000 kilobit per second)... if it really is that high. The number comes from the MPEG header, so it doesn't have to be an accurate number. (I've seen the number 8000 on MPEG-2 files, that in reality never go above 3500.) I think it's more of a maximum number ("this file never exceeds xxx kbps").

You should verify:
A true (constant or average bitrate) 10000 kbps video with 256 kbps audio of 120 minutes duration should be around 8890 MB (8.7 GB). If your file size is smaller, than the actual bitrate is lower, and might be within DVD range.
The file size is important to your target media as well:
If you want to burn this to single layer DVD, you'll have to re-encode this to fit in 4.3 GB.
If you want to burn this to double/dual layer DVD, you'll have to re-encode this to fit in 8.4 GB.

mp2, 48000Hz, 256 kbps
The movie is about 2 hours.

Looks good.

what's the best way to "author to DVD"?

There's no 'best' way. There's easy and hard, and only valid counts.
a. The easiest way is to drop the file on Toast and let it re-mux, author and burn, with 3 clicks or so.

b. I'm not sure if Eyetv MPEG files are muxed in the same way as DVDs should be, so I'll assume it's different.
Demux to .m2v (the video) and .mp2 (the audio) files. I'd like to use MPEG Streamclip (File > Demux > Demux to M2V and M1A) for demuxing, as it almost never fails and can deal with files that other tools choke on.
Next, to the ffmpegX Tools tab. Set the Mux tab.
ffmpegX's Mux tool doesn't know that .m1a is the same as .mp2, so rename your .m1a file to .mp2, so it can handle your audio file.
Use the Video button to load the .m2v file.
Use the Audio 1 button to load the .mp2 file.
Make sure the Mux as option is set to DVD (default).
Make sure the Author as checkbox is set and the option reads DVD (VIDEO_TS) (default).
Hit the Mux button.
After a while you should have a DVD folder with a VIDEO_TS folder full of VOBs, IFOs and BUPs, just like a DVD.
You can test this by playing the folder in Apple DVD Player (File > Open > Select VIDEO_TS folder).
(As video and audio have been separated in the above operation, you may want to check for sync issues.)
Next, make a UDF 1.02 disk image of the DVD folder. You may use ffmpegX's Img tool for this.
Now burn the dvd.img disk image with Disk Utility to DVD media.

It looks like a long list, but it's much faster than re-encoding.

[by-gum]

Case wrote:

You should verify:
A true (constant or average bitrate) 10000 kbps video with 256 kbps audio of 120 minutes duration should be around 8890 MB (8.7 GB).

The actual values are 2:24h abd 7.9GB so I estimate the actual rate is about 7600 kbps video. I'll need to re-encode anyway.

Case wrote:

a. The easiest way is to drop the file on Toast and let it re-mux, author and burn, with 3 clicks or so.

OK - I think I read somewhere that Toast now supports eyetv input. But does it also re-encode if necessary?

Case wrote:

b. I'm not sure if Eyetv MPEG files are muxed in the same way as DVDs should be, so I'll assume it's different.
Demux to .m2v (the video) and .mp2 (the audio) files. I'd like to use MPEG Streamclip (File > Demux > Demux to M2V and M1A) for demuxing, as it almost never fails and can deal with files that other tools choke on.
Next, to the ffmpegX Tools tab. Set the Mux tab.
ffmpegX's Mux tool doesn't know that .m1a is the same as .mp2, so rename your .m1a file to .mp2, so it can handle your audio file.
Use the Video button to load the .m2v file.
Use the Audio 1 button to load the .mp2 file.
Make sure the Mux as option is set to DVD (default).
Make sure the Author as checkbox is set and the option reads DVD (VIDEO_TS) (default).
Hit the Mux button.
After a while you should have a DVD folder with a VIDEO_TS folder full of VOBs, IFOs and BUPs, just like a DVD.
You can test this by playing the folder in Apple DVD Player (File > Open > Select VIDEO_TS folder).
(As video and audio have been separated in the above operation, you may want to check for sync issues.)
Next, make a UDF 1.02 disk image of the DVD folder. You may use ffmpegX's Img tool for this.
Now burn the dvd.img disk image with Disk Utility to DVD media.

It looks like a long list, but it's much faster than re-encoding.

Thanks - I'll try this for smaller movies. But the risk of sync issues takes me back full circle. It is unfortunate that ffmpegX doesn't perform correctly.

Thanks for all your info. It have made things much clearer to this "newbie".

[Case]

OK - I think I read somewhere that Toast now supports eyetv input. But does it also re-encode if necessary?

Yes, both on v8 and v9. (I think v9 has some additional editing (cutting) features.)

Thanks - I'll try this for smaller movies.

Always a good idea to use smaller movies for testing, as you get fast results.

But the risk of sync issues takes me back full circle.

If the recorder started video and audio at the same time (and I expect so), there should be no issue. Always worth checking before burning, though. (An offset can be set, if needed as fix on rare occasions.)
To use a car analogy : You would regularly check the speedometer, regardless of wanting to go very fast, just to know the current situation, so you know if you need to adjust anything. The check itself doesn't indicate a problem.

It is unfortunate that ffmpegX doesn't perform correctly.

Not sure what you mean. Sync issues can happen on any re-muxing and conversion, with almost any tool, if the source file has weirdness, like video and audio of different length (e.g. an offset), even with Toast.