Mpeg Streamclip?

[voxsola]

I've been using Mpeg Streamclip to re-encode HandBrake videos as it allows me to adjust the brightness/contrast and audio volume... I've started using 2-pass encoding as it returns a greatly superior quality file however they will not play on my iPod... anyone know why?

If I reconvert with QT7.0.3 Pro they play and the quality is not harmed but it takes forever to do...

[rumplestiltskin]

There's a bug in MPEG Streamclip that makes 2-pass H264 incompatible sometimes. I've been told, however, that if you reduce the bitrate the resulting file will be okay. Apparently (I've been told) the 2-pass encoding makes the bitrate higher than you may have spec'd.

That being said, I've not been able to use the 2-pass H264 either. So I use the 1-pass method (or use ffmpegX).

[voxsola]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes... I did notice that 2-pass H265 encoding with Mpeg Streamclip comes out with a higher bitrate than specified. With standard 1-pass I specified video bitrate of 600kbps and audio bitrate of 160kbps and the resulting file was within the limits while 2-pass was too high so I lowered it to video - 590kbps and audio - 128kbps. The resulting file "looks" to be well within the limits but something still makes it incompatible.

I'll try going a bit lower on the video and see what happens.

[Mechcozmo]

Were you doing anything involving MPEG-2 in MPEGStreamclip? Mine always stays stuck on the first or second frame with MPEG-2 video... (I have the latest QT MPEG-2 Plugin)...

Just wondering if that (MPEG-2) could be traced to it somehow.

[voxsola]

I've wondered where MPEG2 comes into it with the files I'm converting as it's not involved so far as I know however before I could convert files to MPEG4 with MS I had to purchase the QuickTimeMPEG2.component for QT.
I've been re-encoding HandBrake videos that are too dark or VOB files ripped with MacTheRipper... no MPEG2 that I know of in there.

I've tried dropping the video bitrate to 500kbps and audio bitrate to 128kbps and still a file done with 2-pass encoding isn't not compatible with the iPod though I can't pin it down.

It still produces the best quality video although having to pass it through QT Pro is a damn nuisance and waste of time.

[rumplestiltskin]

see this:

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1443071&highlight=qmin#1443071

[voxsola]

No matter what I try I cannot get Mpeg Streamclip videos encoded with the 2 pass setting to play on my iPod... they won't copy over even if dragged from the finder window within iTunes.

Pity... 2 pass turns out a wonderful quality video but I have to waste many, many hours putting the videos through QT before they'll play...

No answer from the author as to what the problem is.

[rumplestiltskin]

Correct; the 2-pass setting does not work. However, the 2-pass setting in ffmpegX does work.

[voxsola]

OK... cool! But how do I get ffmpegx to allow me to make an iPod compatible video using the settings to adjust the brightness/contrast and audio volume?

This is important to me as HandBrake tends to turn out videos that are just too dark on the iPod. I've tried ffmpegx and maybe I'm just messing up the settings but I could not get a video that would even play let alone on the iPod.

Don't remember exactly now but I ended up with two separate files... one would not open in QT at all and the .mp4 one was 0kb. My problem seemed to be related to the mencoder codec which is needed to make the adjustments I need.

[rumplestiltskin]

You may need to use an intermediate conversion to do the brightness/contrast adjustments, and then convert -that- file to H264 for iPod. Use Handbrake to get an AVI that keeps as much of the original quality and size as possible (an AVI, as ffmpegX can use that as a source), and then drop -that- file into ffmpegX for brightness adjustment. Finally, take this newly created file and drop -it- into ffmpegX for the H264 encoding.

For the H264, use the "H264 iPod" setting, set the pixel size to whatever maximum will still be under the 76800 max, set Qmin to 3 and Qmax to 30, ME to multi-hexagon, "high quality" and "4-motion vectors" checked.

[voxsola]

I found a way to "make" the iPod play an H264 encoded with 2- pass by Mpeg Streamclip and at over 768kbps... I like around 800-900kbps although this fellow says he's gone up to 2500kbps I think that's a little extreme myself.

I'm not sure if this hurts the iPod in any way... there's no suggestion of it but I suppose I'm taking a chance... so "user beware" I suppose...

These instructions are for Windows but it works on Mac too... you just need to do a little "translating"... the folder on the iPod you will be working with is hidden so you need to access it through Terminal or make the hidden files visible with OnyX... which works well allowing drag and drop.

Also if you are going to search for the file you need to find... Spotlight won't do it... doesn't do invisible files... but a program called EasyFind does it very well. You can get that at a place like http://www.macupdate.com

The instructions for getting your videos onto the iPod and playing:

http://members.shaw.ca/Kyle-Rogers/

[rumplestiltskin]

Saved the webpage as a pdf for future reference. Wow! Tremendous possibilities. EasyFind does, indeed, work for finding and revealing the mp4 files; even shows the file size.

I'm going to try it and see what the output to TV looks like using the iPod AV cable. Will advise results when known.

[rumplestiltskin]

One add'l note: I've found that renaming H264 files once in the iPod tends to corrupt the file and requires that I wipe the iPod clean using Apple's iPod Updater. Obviously, you've not found this to be the case so it is probable that the names I've used may contain characters that the iPod doesn't like. (Parentheses, dashes, underscores). So your instructions may have resolved another problem for me!

[rumplestiltskin]

Okay; preliminary results using the technique posted by voxsola:

H264 higher than 76800 pixels don't want to play either on the iPod's screen or the TV. However, higher bitrates (tried up to 900kb) play on the TV. I did not try this on the iPod's internal screen as 320x240 on the internal screen at well under the maximum rate (ie, 300kbps) is plenty.

[voxsola]

I'm still experimenting with this a bit myself but so far so good. I try to keep my naming convention simple but I do have some numbers, apostrophes, parenthesis and dashes... doesn't seem to be a problem.

The key is to name the file in the "hidden" folder on the iPod to the same name given to it by iTunes. Then rename it from Dummy file to whatever you want in the iTunes program.

I'll try to translate the instructions a little better and post them here.

Mainly I find that Mpeg Streamclip produces a file in 2-pass encoding that I like for clarity and allowing me to set the brightness, contrast and audio volume but even if I do keep it around or under the 768kbps supposedly required by the iPod they will not transfer via iTunes... this method allows to get them on the iPod and playing. I can skip the lengthy reconvertion with QT. I'm not sure why the videos I have are so picky about these things to look good but it's mainly the Star Trek Enterprise episodes that are too dark with just HandBrake and tend to be loaded with artifacts to boot which 2-pass helps reduce.

[voxsola]

OK... I've tried to make the instructions more Mac friendly... I hope I've explained it so you can understand... I'm not that good at that...
Questions? I'll try to help...

Before this you need EasyFind as Spotlight does not find invisible files. Also I'd recommend getting OnyX available at the same place as EasyFind. Under the Appearance Tab choose to show hidden files and apply... this will make hidden files visible in Finder allowing drag and drop... easier than Terminal unless you're thoroughly comfortable and quick with Terminal.

How To Get That Video That iTunes Refuses To Copy Onto Your iPod
(The following is required for the hack)
1. Load my Dummy.mp4 (H.264 320x240, 3 seconds of color bars 33 KB) file into the iTunes library
Here it is zipped Dummy.zip (25 KB)

2. Transfer Dummy.mp4 onto your iPod

3. Use EasyFind to find all .mp4's on your iPod... sort the results by size which makes the 33-34kb Dummy file easy to find and note which folder it's in on your iPod.

4. The Dummy file we transfered to the iPod is the 33 KB file. Write down the file name iTunes gave this file (xxxx.mp4). Navigate to the file in Finder which should now be visible after you've used OnyX to show hidden files.

5. Delete the Dummy file (The 33 KB file with the name you wrote down in the previous step)

6. Transfer the video file that iTunes refuses to transfer into this folder. Easiest to open a new Finder window, navigate to the file you want, drag and drop it into the proper folder on the iPod.

7. Rename the file to the name that iTunes gave the Dummy.mp4 file (The one you wrote down above).

8. Now back in iTunes find the Dummy.mp4 file

9. Select the dummy file and press play. Watch the Name, Size and Time of the file change as it recognizes the new video. Might have to do this a couple of times til the proper info is recognized.

10. Rename the file if you wish and eject your iPod. You're good to go. I add it to a smart playlist that I made on the iPod in manual update mode... I find that iTunes has a tendency to just "quit" on me after it writes the tags but I can restart it and find the file again and make sure it ends up in the right place.

It's a little bit "hit and miss" but I've been able to make everything play properly so far on the iPod after some futzing around.

I'd strongly recommend a complete up to date backup of the whole iTunes folder before starting this just in case something gets corrupted although it hasn't yet.

[rumplestiltskin]

To avoid any possibility of renaming issues once the file is in the iPod, I rename the Dummy file to the name of the "good" file *before* dropping it into the iPod. Then I do the swap per your instructions and no add'l renaming is necessary. Works fine.

I'm going to play with some more H264 files to see if there's anything to be gained by moving from 750kb (for example) up to 1500kb. However, I'll have to try this with one of my DVDs as any AVI's I have are around 800-900kb so bumping those up to H264/1500 may not prove anything.

Frankly, moving from 300kb up to 700kb and maximizing pixel size (keeping the proper ratio but getting as close to 76800 as I can while adhering to the "rule of 16's") makes a huge difference.

[voxsola]

To avoid any possibility of renaming issues once the file is in the iPod, I rename the Dummy file to the name of the "good" file *before* dropping it into the iPod. Then I do the swap per your instructions and no add'l renaming is necessary. Works fine.

Ah... yes... that makes sense... thanks!

I'm going to play with some more H264 files to see if there's anything to be gained by moving from 750kb (for example) up to 1500kb. However, I'll have to try this with one of my DVDs as any AVI's I have are around 800-900kb so bumping those up to H264/1500 may not prove anything.

I find that 800-900kbps is good enough for videos to play on my iPod while minimizing the artifacts (pixelation)... anything higher for one thing takes absolutely forever to encode on my G4 1.5GHz PB... I'm not playing them on the TV just the iPod.