MPEG-Frame Accurate Editing

[cnelson87]

hey phase, email received and replied, I'm glad I could help!

so far so good with Capty MPEG Edit. I created my first DVD with Capty mpgs and no problems to report. I'm *guessing* that it works by re-encoding the audio, and re-encoding only the frames necessary to create new keyframes. If the audio is re-encoded, that kinda sucks, because I've been using CaptyDVD to author and I'm fairly certain it re-encodes the audio too. that's a lot of re-encoding an audio stream that was DVD compliant to begin with. but, it seems to have an option (if I can just figure out the damned Japanese instructions...) to export seperate streams, .m2v and uncompressed .aif, so I think I'll experiment with that next.

[aersloat]

So I got the ADS "USB Instant DVD for Mac." There is no serial number on the hardware box itself. There is an included CD with the software bundle. The software includes CaptyDVD and PixeDV. There is a sticker on the back of the cd sleeve with a key for CaptyDVD and a key for PixeDV.

When you launch the downloaded Capty MPEG Edit enter the key that pixela emailed in the third box of the first registration splash screen. Enter the key for CaptyDVD (from the cd sleeve) in the third box of the second registration splash screen.

FWIW, 6 days after purchasing the Capty MPEG Edit my AMEX card has yet to be charged.

[pixeljammedia]

I wonder if there is a way to make a hacked localization of Capty MPEG Edit? With Resorcerer and a japanese speaker, life using this app could be much easier.

[chikanakan]

I just localized it. Now the question is how to get the file to people. It's only 204KB. I don't have the serial numbers to run the software, but it should work. All one needs to do is just drop the English.lproj into the bundle.

It was just a quick loc job, so if there are errors, don't complain

[cnelson87]

chikanakan, I'll volunteer to try it. could you stuffit or zip it and send it to cnelson87 at hotmail dot com. I'll host it for others to d/l.

[phase52001]

cnelson87;
After getting the japanese into english; (well a kind of english); I haven't had a chance to do anything else. I'll report back after I've had a chance to try some things.

[chikanakan]

cnelson87

I sent you the file. Give it a try and let me know if it works OK. It should work fine, but sometimes strange things happen when they get localized.

[cnelson87]

thanks chikanakan! I haven't gotten into the guts of it yet but it looks like it works!!!
available for all:
h**p://www.evile.us/CaptyMPEGEdit_EN.zip

[aersloat]

Thanks for the localization.

[phase52001]

Just spent a couple of days with Capty MPEG Edit and its working great.

The English localisation is excellent.
The English translation of the help pages is also excellent.
(Confusing at times, but excellent).

Many Thanks to: brett, chikanakan, aersloat & cnelson87.
(Apologies if I left you out).

I hope its working for everyone else as well.
I'm certainly glad I posted the question.
This is an excellent site.

Again Many Thanks All.

[JGebauer]

Can someone tell me what I need to get the serial numbers? I would be quite happy to buy the software, but where and how much?

[phase52001]

One small problem ......

I copied some old VHS to DVD using a DVD Recorder.
I copied the DVD to the Macs hard drive.
I started MPEG STREAMCLIP and opened the VOBs.
I clipped out what I didn't want and exported as MPEG.
Naturally this produced an MPEG file.

i tried to import this into CME, but it wasn't recognized.
I changed the suffix to MPG and it was, but it wouldn't
import as "This File Format is Not Supported".

The MPG files I'd imported previously from my EyeTV system worked OK.

I'm happy to admit I'm new to MPEG and MPG and going up a steep learning curve.

Anyone any thoughts or ideas on this?
I'll keep at it in the meantime.

[Frobozz]

My guess is it is the format of the audio track that causing the incompatibility. DVD recorders mostly record AC-3 audio and that may be tough to edit in a muxed MPEG.

[chikanakan]

I believe the website says it doesn't support MPEG with AC3 audio.

[phase52001]

Thanks Guys.

After putting up the post yesterday I kept working on the problem and started to come to that conclusion.

I tried exporting from MPEG STREAMCLIP using the "MPEG with MP2 audio" but had the same problem. Tried a few other export options with no success. (Seperate audio streams).

Can anyone suggest a work around?
If I demux the mpeg into M2V and AIFF for example, is there a way to put it back together as an mpg that CME might accept?
Thoughts?

I'll keep looking and working on it in the meantime.

[phase52001]

Still working on it.
If you have any thoughts, please let us know.
Thanks All.

[cnelson87]

I tried exporting from MPEG STREAMCLIP using the "MPEG with MP2 audio" but had the same problem. Tried a few other export options with no success. (Seperate audio streams).

hhhmmmmmmm... that should have worked. I haven't tried "import" in CME, I usually just drag and drop the mpg into the open application window.
but sometimes these Pixela/Capty apps can be verrry picky. while CME hasn't given me a problem, PixDV has refused to open mpgs that weren't of it's own creation. what I did was this:
download MuchoFileInfo from versiontracker (freeware).
launch the app and drop your mpg on it. change the creator code to "PX85" and the type code to "MPG2" and then CME should recognize it.
HTH, keep us informed.

[phase52001]

Thanks for that cnelson87.
I'll give it a go and see what happens.

Note: the MPGs exported from my EyeTV system are fine with CME. Its only when I use "MPEG Streamclip" to make an MPEG from a DVD recorder made DVD VOBs that I have an issue with CME. Other than thats its working fine.

[pusa]

Or you guys can use "SimpleMovieX."
http://homepage.mac.com/getclockworks/SimpleMovieX/info.html

[phase52001]

Thanks Pusa. I'm downloade\ing the trial version and we'll se how it goes.

cnelson87: How do you know all this stuff?
Anyway; I did as suggested with MuchFileInfo and it did change the 2 test MPEG files I created such that CME would recognise and import them.

However; CME rejected one file as "This file cannot be edited" and the other with the message "This file format not supported".

As I've said CME works fine with MPG files that I export from my EyeTV 410 system; but when I try to extract from a DVD VOB, using MPEG STREAMCLIP, the resulting MPEG gets the above results.

It may just be one of those things that can't be around got.

[cnelson87]

heh heh, trial and error my friend. and much hair pulling.

so, the test mpgs you pulled from a dvd vob with mpeg streamclip were recognized by CME and imported, but then rejected when you tried to edit. are you positively sure the audio is mp2 and not ac3? it MUST be mp2, no other way around it. can you post a small sample on the web?

[phase52001]

I have little hair left to pull ......

I did this.
EyeTV recording. Exported as an MPG.
Imported this into CME successfully.
Did some editing then exported this as M2V and M2P.
Built a project in DVD Studio Pro 3 using the M2V and M2P files.
Burnt a DVD.
Copied this back to the hard drive.
Used MPEG Streamclip to open the VOBs.
The Video PID says "224"; the Audio PID says "192 MP2 stereo".
I exported this as an "MPEG" and as "MPEG with MP2 audio".
CME won't recognise either file unless I change the name to MPG.
Then it will import them, but rejects them eventually
"This file cannot be editied".

Now I wonder if there a difference between M2P and MP2?

It's not a major issue, but it looks like I'll need to keep at it.

[aersloat]

FWIW, I got the same "This file cannot be edited" message from CME on a tivo file I was playing with. Turned out the permissions were set incorrectly. I processed the file with a command line app and the output was read-only. I have not been having too much success so far with CME working on my series 1 tivo extractions.

[cnelson87]

well, I'm stumped. damn it! it should work.....
there might be a difference between m2p and mp2. I think, I don't know, but I think one is mpeg2 audio and the other is mpg1 layer 2 audio. that's what I've read but I don't know what it means or what the difference is. except, oddly, mpg1 layer 2 audio works and mpeg2 audio doesn't. I just don't know for sure though.
at this point all I can say is good luck, and if you get this figured out then let us know.

[wingsabove]

I've had the same InstantDVD problems with files first created by PixeDV (1.1)/Capty (1.2) and then moved over to MPEG StreamClip, FFMpeg and Mpeg2Works 4. These files are no longer recognized/imported by PixeDV. This is a serious problem because capturing old videotapes in PixeDV results in corrupted files full of data and timecode breaks - which can only be fixed by StreamClip 1.2 (latest).

The original .mpg file from PixeDV is demuxed in StreamClip as two files - .m2v and .aiff - and all data breaks are now fixed. The solution is BitVice Helper (free) which can import both files and then create a buildable disk image with the Video_TS folder. The next step is DiskUtility to burn a DVD.

The basic problem is that PixeDV 1.1 is old (osx 10.1.5) and corrupts the video and audio streams. Timecode breaks, noise and picture quality issues can also be handled by a time base corrector such as the AVT 8710.

The latest version of PixeDV for Mac 2.5.3 is available at the Pixela website, Japanese language section. I've downloaded 2.5.3 (for osx 10.3.x) and it appears to be very similar to the PixeDV 1.1 - except it is in Japanese. It needs English localization.

Can anyone create an English localization? Perhaps also tweak the source files for InstantDVD? It is designed to work with an external encoder box/card. Please reply. The MPEGEdit localization does not work with 2.5.3.

Also, most the awful issues with Capty 1.2, bundled with InstantDVD, have been fixed in ver 2.2 - available from LaCie.com in Portland OR for $75. The new version is very nice and fast. Pixela got it right on the second version.

All we InstantDVD users now need is an up to date capture app.

[thoughton]

Could someone please repost the localisation file? cnelson's webspace has expired or somoething.

If someone could do that I'll host it somewhere and post a permanent non-expiring link to it.

Cheers,

[NancyS]

Is this it? If it is, I can leave it up indefenitely.

http://www.santagata.us/CaptyDVD114_osx_1.sit