Mpeg Streamclip Issue in Windows 7 64 with QT Alternative

[leebo]

I am having a similar issue as the one described in this thread:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/351352-MPEG2-StreamClip-1-2-for-PC-Installation?p=2...=1#post2203781

Basically, I get no scrubber and no audio. I have tried both 1.2 and 1.2.1 beta. I'm running QT alt (not giving Apple one cent for their Mpeg2 tax).

The main difference between my issue and the one in the linked thread, as far as I can tell, is that my video also does not display. I only get a single still frame, which updates only after I hit "Stop". Therefore I cannot use it to find a specific point in a video.

I am working with WMC HD recordings that have been converted from WTV files to Mpeg2. I have even tried editing DVD VOB files and Mpeg1 files but get the same issue.

My goal is to edit out the commercials and send the edited file to Handbrake for conversion into mp4.

The only other editor I know of that can do this simply and quickly is VideoReDo, but that program has issues of it's own (at some commercial breaks it locks up), and I don't want to pay for something I know in advance will give me grief.

Since the other thread had no solution I'm assuming no one has found one, but I thought I'd ask.

[usually_quiet]

MPEG Streamclip won't open and edit HD MPEG-2 files even if using 32-bit Windows. It only works for SD MPEG-2 video.

VideoReDo Plus ($50) works great for me with Windows Media Center recordings converted from .wtv to MPEG-2 TS with MCTV Converter 1.5.0. (Version 1.5.0 is faster than later versions.) The QuickStreamFix function in VideoReDo Plus can often repair problematic MPEG-2 files that are otherwise hard to edit with VideoReDo Plus. Did you try it?

[leebo]

According to several people at AVS forums, Streamclip does indeed edit HD mpeg 2 files. Besides, I also posted that I have the same issue with DVD Mpeg2 and VCD Mpeg1, so my issue is not limited to HD Mpeg2. Obviously it's something to do with my system, I just don't know what. And from searching this forum, I am not alone.

And directly from Squared 5's web site:
MPEG Streamclip lets you play and edit QuickTime, DV, AVI, MPEG-4, MPEG-1; MPEG-2 or VOB files or transport streams with MPEG, PCM, or AC3 audio. MPEG Streamclip can export all these formats to QuickTime, DV, AVI/DivX and MPEG-4 with high quality encoding and even uncompressed or HD video.

As for VideoReDo, yes, I have tried the stream fix tool and no, the issue does not go away. It happens with every recording of The Bridge, which I record on FOXHD (Charter cable). There is always at lease one commercial break with the problem. I would buy it if I did not consistently have this issue. But paying $50, knowing I'm going to be always fighting with it? I don't think so.


I appreciate you replying though.

[videobruger]

For what it is worth:

Get both scrubber and audio during playback on Windows 8 x64

[Baldrick]

Tried mpg2cut2? Ugly interface but it works pretty good after you learned the buttons.

[usually_quiet]

According to several people at AVS forums, Streamclip does indeed edit HD mpeg 2 files. Besides, I also posted that I have the same issue with DVD Mpeg2 and VCD Mpeg1, so my issue is not limited to HD Mpeg2. Obviously it's something to do with my system, I just don't know what. And from searching this forum, I am not alone.

And directly from Squared 5's web site:
MPEG Streamclip lets you play and edit QuickTime, DV, AVI, MPEG-4, MPEG-1; MPEG-2 or VOB files or transport streams with MPEG, PCM, or AC3 audio. MPEG Streamclip can export all these formats to QuickTime, DV, AVI/DivX and MPEG-4 with high quality encoding and even uncompressed or HD video.

As for VideoReDo, yes, I have tried the stream fix tool and no, the issue does not go away. It happens with every recording of The Bridge, which I record on FOXHD (Charter cable). There is always at lease one commercial break with the problem. I would buy it if I did not consistently have this issue. But paying $50, knowing I'm going to be always fighting with it? I don't think so.


I appreciate you replying though.

I had installed MPEG Streamclip beta (1.2.1b5 and 1.2.1b6) with QuickTime Alternative 1.81 on my Windows 7 32-bit system and they never worked for editing HD MPEG-2 video, although both were functional for editing SD MPEG-2 video. I went back to version 1.2 from 2008 after seeing videobruger's post and that version works with HD MPEG-2 files. QuickTime Alternative 1.81 was released in 2007 and MPEG Streamclip is incompatible with other versions of QuickTime Alternative, so perhaps that is related to some of the problems people experience using MPEG Streamclip on a PC when running Windows 7.

If you would prefer a MPEG-2 editor that can make frame accurate cuts on HD MPEG-2 files, Womble MPEG-VCR is only $19 and is free to try. It does not handle errors in the stream like VideoReDo (such errors are common if recording from an antenna as I do), but MPEG Streamclip and Mpg2Cut2 don't handle errors in the stream either and only cut on GOP boundaries.

[Edit] You seem pretty careful about following instructions, but just to make sure that you didn't miss a less than obvious step by accident when using VideoReDo's Quick Stream Fix tool, VideoReDo doesn't make its repairs and open the new repaired file for you. You must open the repaired file yourself.

[leebo]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll check them out.I downloaded the QT through a link on the stream clip web site. have to check the version, but I wouldn't think they would link to a version that was not compatible.


You gave me an idea to try and find an older version of steamclip. Perhaps the scrubber will work on that.

[leebo]

I checked my version of QT alt and it is 1.81. But although it shows up in remove programs, the regular Apple QuickTime settings still shows up in Control Panel, even though QT alt supposedly un-installed QT.

I have a question about Streamclip though: It doesn't seem like it actually "installs" on my system. I double click the exe and it runs, but there are no icons, it's not in my start menu, and does not show up under remove programs. Is this normal?

[leebo]

[Edit] You seem pretty careful about following instructions, but just to make sure that you didn't miss a less than obvious step by accident when using VideoReDo's Quick Stream Fix tool, VideoReDo doesn't make its repairs and open the new repaired file for you. You must open the repaired file yourself.

Yes, thanks. I did do that. The "error I get says something about a different frame size, or a change in frame size. I assume that sometimes FOX inserts a commercial that is a different frame size than the program, and when VideoReDo scrolls through that part, it causes it to freeze up. If I am correct, then the stream fix is obviously not changing the frame size for that section, resulting in the same error in the supposedly "fixed" new file. But it's just a guess.

Edit: Tried Mpeg2VCR. It installs, but closes within a few seconds. I tried installing it several times, even in compatibility mode, but no luck. The MS trouble shooter said it is incompatible (Win 7 64bit).

Also tried mpg2cut2. Same issue as Streamclip, in that the pic does not advance. Actually it's worse, because even after hitting stop, the frame does not update!

[usually_quiet]

I checked my version of QT alt and it is 1.81. But although it shows up in remove programs, the regular Apple QuickTime settings still shows up in Control Panel, even though QT alt supposedly un-installed QT.

As I recall, I uninstalled QuickTime manually before installing QuickTime Alternative and Control Panel Remove Programs only shows QuickTime Alternative. I would uninstall both QuickTime and QuickTime Alternative manually, then re-install QuckTime Alternative 1.81.

I have a question about Streamclip though: It doesn't seem like it actually "installs" on my system. I double click the exe and it runs, but there are no icons, it's not in my start menu, and does not show up under remove programs. Is this normal?

It is normal. MPEG Streamclip doesn't install itself in the Program Files (x86 ) directory. It is basically a "portable" program. You have to copy the unzipped folder to the Program Files (x86 ) directory yourself and add a shortcut to the Start Menu. To uninstall, you would delete the folder from the Program Files (x86 ) directory and delete the shortcut from the Start Menu.

Womble MPEG2VCR or Womble MPEG-VCR? Womble MPEG2VCR is an older editor that predates Womble MPEG-VCR, although I must admit that I never tried MPEG-VCR with 64-bit OS. I have the Windows 8.1 64-bit preview installed on another partition. I'll try installing MPEG-VCR and see what happens.

As far as FOXHD using a different resolution for commercials, that will likely confuse just about any video editor. Video files are not supposed to have different video resolutions in one stream.

[Edit]I tried the latest version of Womble MPEG-VCR with Windows 8.1 64-bit and it behaved just as you described. Womble knows there is a problem using the latest version of MPEG-VCR with Windows 7 or Windows 8 and added another link further down the page for an older version MPEG-VCR V3.14.7.2 (2009-06) which did open and allowed me to successfully an edit a 1080i MPEG-2 file.

[leebo]

Nah, I tried the same version. The file starts to play, but then the program locks up. I tried two different HD recordings. Something up with my system I guess.

And I don't know that FOX changes the frame size. All I know is that VideoReDo complains about it. I edited one episode using Studio 16 and it didn't complain at all. But it re-encodes the entire show, and outputs separate audio waves (meaning I would also have to spend time muxing them back into the video).

In any case, Studio 14 and VideoReDo both run on it, so who knows what it could be. I probably put enough time in this.
I'll spend all my time troubleshooting this instead of actually doing any editing. If I want to edit these shows I'll have to pay the $50 and live with the issue I guess.

Thanks for taking the time.

[usually_quiet]

A few members here use TMPGEnc MPEG Smart Renderer 4 to edit their wtv files. I haven't heard that it handles errors in the A/V streams like VideoReDo, but is compatible with Windows 7 or Windows 8 and has a free trial.

[Edit]I looked at VideReDo's help file, where it explains the messages in the Output Processing Complete window. The problem could be in the audio. The help file says this:

However, Audio Frame Errors can also occur if the audio characteristics such as bit rate or sampling rate change in the middle of a program. In this case, the editor will not be able to recover.