VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 3 of 3
Thread
  1. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
    Search PM
    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
    Quote Quote  
  2. I'm a MEGA Super Moderator Baldrick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Sweden
    Search Comp PM
    Try avidemux or ipodme.
    Quote Quote  
  3. 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.
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!