joining .avi`s and .mpegs

[natty]

whats best program to join .avi and .mpeg movies so no audio is lost and picture is still ok

[guns1inger]

You can either use virtualdub to convert both elements to identical specs, then use it again to join them using Direct Stream Copy. You may find only need to convert one to match the other (mpg to match avi).

Otherwise, most editors will allow you to do this on the timeline.

[steveryan]

For AVI try Virtualdub and for MPEG VideoReDo.

[j4gg3rr]

Canopus Procoder 2. <--Too Easy MPEG/AVI/WMA/Any Directshow/VFW encoder output. Not Free!

Virtualdubmod for AVI output. All video's have to be converted seperately to the same video type/resolution/audio type/audio bitrate. Then join converted file together.

eg XviD 640 x 272 won't join with XviD 640 x 480. You would have to add borders to the smaller resolution video's before encoding each one seperately to get them all the same size and Audio. <--have to learn a bit about Virtualdub and good XviD settings.

It may be easier too use a program like The FilmMachine to convert all the files seperately with DVD spec 720 x 576 and 192KB/s 2 channel AC3 with Add borders keep aspect ratio and Audio downmix to 2 channel selected. Then join with TMPGEnc Tools or some other MPEG joiner ready for authoring to DVD. <-- easiest free method with great results using CCE/Canopus Procoder IMHO. It also comes with good but not great free MPEG encoders.

Edit: I now see The FilmMachine only accepts AVI, MP4, MOV, RMVB input and no MPEG or AVS Scripts. bummer!
MPEG sources would have to be converted with something else with AC3 2.0 channel output like TMPGEnc Xpress if you choose the DVD path.
And if you had Xpress(not free) you might as well use it for the AVI files too instead of TFM.
There are other ways with good free encoders but learning how is another 20 stories.
Search for MPEG to AC3, MPEG to DVD and Besweet

[natty]

ok will give all these replies a try thanks

[natty]

I have 3 x avi movies to join all 3 have been converted to xvid and all 3 audio`s are the same but now I get this error below it dont make sense as what do sampling rates 29.97000 vs 29.97000 mean as both look same to me how do i check sampling rates on movies and what do i use to make them all the same

[guns1inger]

Try AVIDemux. I have more success of late using this to join that with virtualdub

[natty]

is there a guide on how to join .avi`s as it came up with a window saying did i want to unpack something but its not a archive here is snapshot

[guns1inger]

Packed Bitstream is part of the original encoding. You don't have to unpack it most of the time. Some standalone players don't like packed bitstreams, but I suspect it is only the older ones.

[natty]

so how do i join these 3 avi movies then with avidemux as cannot find a guide about doing this can you help please

[guns1inger]

It's just like virtualdub. Open the first avi file. Click no to the question about unpacking the bitstream. If you then get a prompt about creating a timemap for VBR MP3 click Yes. Click on File->Append and load the next segment. Repeat until you have loaded all the parts. make sure that both Video and Audio are set to copy, then click on File->Save->Save Video.

FWIW, I have never read a guide on AVIDemux. I just play around and work out what it does.

[natty]

ok i did say at 1st to unpack that bitstream at 1st try on all 3 movies and 1st movie is 1.31gb 2nd is 1.37gb and 3rd is 1.59gb but end result was something like 1.17gb which cannot be right. so next time round i said no to unpacking the bitstream then a window popped up saying about did i want smart copy so i said yes and it said something about a number 4 which i said yes to and it looked as if it was joining but now end result is i now have 1 file which is 3.96gb and another at 301mb so should i have said also no to smart copy as what do i now do with these end 2 files

[guns1inger]

I would suggest the number 4 was a reference to 4 GB. There is a 4GB file size limit to the UDF filesystem, so you can't put a single file larger than 4 GB on a DVD disc. I suspect AVIDemux was telling you this and offered to split the file - an offer you accepted.

What are you tryng to do with this uber file ?

[natty]

whats a uber file I am joining these 3 avi`s then going to convert to dvd ie: vobs with convertXtoDVD so i end up with VIDEO_TS and a AUDIO_TS folder

[guns1inger]

Do it all again, but when it asks if you want to split the file, say no

[natty]

well i have now done what you said and it still makes 2 files so i guess it defaults to doing just 4gb files and remainder is another file so i have now added those 2 files to convertXtoDVD and see what happens

[guns1inger]

Are you running a FAT32 file system on the HDD you are writing to ? That would also cause you to be limited to 4 gb maximum file sizes.

[natty]

No its NTFS system