Once again, what seems like a simple task, has spiraled out of control. All I want to do is transcode some MP4 files to reduce resolution (720x480 down to 320x214) and simplify the audio (AAC VBR 5.1 to AAC CBR stereo). Simple, right?
I have several MP4 files which were created by Nero Recode. The video codec is x264 and the audio codec is AAC. They're all at the native DVD (not BD) resolution, with some autocropping courtesy of Nero. Typically, they're 720x480. I want to make iPod-friendly versions of these files that will play on: iPod Classic 160, iPod Nano 3rd Gen, iPod Nano 4th Gen and iPhone (it's a big family). No matter how I try, I'm not happy with the results.
* Divx Converter won't use MP4 as input.
* Handbrake 0.9.3 has a known bug in the Windows version that prevents it from properly extracting AAC audio in MP4 source files. Due to the bug, it makes files with audio of such low bitrate that iPod can't play them.
* QuickTime Pro has no problem with the AAC audio in the source file, but produces files with essentially no video content whatsoever. When you play the file it produces, you see a white/blank screen. MediaInfo shows the file video to be 0.00 FPS.
* MeGui makes my head hurt trying to figure it out.
* Nero Recode freezes up on my quad-core pc when fed one of these MP4 source files, even though Nero Recode was the app that made the source file! Nero will run through the VOBs extracted from a DVD and make an MP4 in about 20 minutes on my pc, but it slows to nothing when asked to use an MP4 as the source.
* Xvid4PSP (bad name) will freeze or crash when fed one of these source files.
The MediaInfo on a typical source file is below. What app can transcode an MP4 source file like this into an iPod-friendly MP4/MPV file? I'm not afraid to use a command line interface, but I'd prefer a GUI.
=====================================
MEDIAINFO
=====================================
General
Complete name : \\Buffy\Video\KIDS\Movies\Beverly_Hillls_Chihuahua .mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 962 MiB
Duration : 1h 34mn
Overall bit rate : 1 426 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:09:55
Tagged date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:54:42
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1h 31mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1 241 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 6 260 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.500
Original display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Standard : NTSC
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.150
Stream size : 812 MiB (84%)
Encoded date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:12:41
Tagged date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:54:42
Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : No
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 1h 31mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 220 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 299 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Rear: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Stream size : 144 MiB (15%)
Title : English
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:12:41
Tagged date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:54:42
Text
ID : 3
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : subp
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 1h 34mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 5 113 bps
Stream size : 3.45 MiB (0%)
Title : English - Normal Captions
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:12:42
Tagged date : UTC 2009-05-28 12:54:42
Menu
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1
00:11:25.333 : Chapter 2
00:20:54.200 : Chapter 3
00:29:13.000 : Chapter 4
00:39:34.166 : Chapter 5
00:44:35.666 : Chapter 6
00:55:29.666 : Chapter 7
00:58:36.166 : Chapter 8
01:08:40.500 : Chapter 9
01:13:32.366 : Chapter 10
01:19:50.000 : Chapter 11
01:26:04.833 : Chapter 12
01:31:21.366 : Chapter 13
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start over with the original source files, the quality will be better and there will be no problems.
if it's not possible another program that might work, other than the ones baldrick mentioned, is mediacoder.
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