Eye TV: Author DVD with MPEG1 Video Using ffmpegx??

[midwinter]

Hi all.

I sure hope someone can answer this, since I've found nothing about it in my searches. Here's the situation:

I have an Eye TV and a ton of captured MPEG-1 video. After a good bit of trial and error, I've managed to get the hang of converting the mpg video to DVD using ffmpeg and toast.

So far so good.

I have been told, however, that there's no need to re-encode the video when I'm trying to make a DVD. Is this true? That'd sure save me a lot of time....

I've tried to select passthrough on the video, but that doesn't create a usable file. All I want to do is create a DVD using ffmpeg from a source file that's mpeg-1, but I don't want to re-encode the video.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Cheers
Scott

[midwinter]

Well, I've figured it out. Unfortunately, it isn't using ffmpegx. Major, is there any way you can make this process easier in ffmpegx?

Below is an email I just sent to Nick at el Gato's tech support:

Nick,

I thought you might like to know that I've figured out how to create a DVD using Eye TV-created video WITHOUT re-encoding the video. As I said in one of my last pieces of email to you, it is apparently possible to use mpeg-1 video on a DVD, and so theoretically it should be possible to create a DVD without re-encoding the video.

I can report that this is true. I'm watching Minority Report right now on my set-top, and I never re-encoded the video. In fact, I began encoding this same piece of video on Saturday night at 11:00 pm using the method outlined on your tutorial (and tweaked a bit during our correspondence). It is still encoding as I type. Sunday afternoon (it is now Monday at 12:30 am), I began the process of encoding a DVD using mpeg-1 video. The initial attempt it STILL encoding, and I'm not only finished with the other encode, but I'm watching it now.

Here are the steps:

1) Demux the .mpg file (I use mpegtxwrap, but anything will do). This will produce an .m1v (video) and an .mp2 (audio) file.
2) Convert the .mp2 (audio file) to an .aiff or .wav using iTunes. The only problem with this file is that it is 44.1 khz and it needs to be 48 khz. Upsample it in iTunes (in the advanced tab under "import" in the preferences) to 16-bit, 48 khz, 224 kbs. Once it's done, right-click on the file in itunes and select "show song file." Drag this file to a location you will remember.
3) Use Missing Mpeg Tools (mp2enc) to convert the .wav/.aiff to .mp2 to 224 kbs, 48 khz, stereo. This will take a little while.
4) Use Missing Mpeg Tools (mplex) to re-mux the newly upsampled .mp2 and the .m1v. This will take the longest of all.
5) Use Missing Mpeg Tools (vcdxgen) to make a VOB folder. This will take some time, too.
6) Use Missing Mpeg Tools (vcdxbuild) to make the DVD disk image for toast. Once the .img file appears on the desktop, launch toast and select utilities>mount image and mount the DVD image.
7) Test the DVD image in the Apple DVD player.
8) If all is well, launch Toast, select "DVD" from the "other" menu, and drag the disc image into Toast and burn it.

It's a bit of a pain, but it could potentially save hours and hours of encoding time. My encode was done on a G4/533 with 896 MB RAM. During this time, I was playing Diablo 2, checking email, running Word (a 250-page document, no less), converting ANOTHER mpeg to DVD, chatting, and watching mpegs in quicktime. No doubt on a computer less taxed than mine (and faster) the process would take much less time.

Thanks for all your help. I hope that you all find this useful.

Cheers
Scott

[major]

Major, is there any way you can make this process easier in ffmpegx?

Added to to-do list.

[midwinter]

Major, is there any way you can make this process easier in ffmpegx?

Added to to-do list.

Great. This is such a simple thing--upsample the audio and burn a DVD of the resulting file--but it's MADDENINGLY complicated. I have faith that you'll figure out how to do it in one click!

[kcd]

Hi all.

I sure hope someone can answer this, since I've found nothing about it in my searches. Here's the situation:

I have an Eye TV and a ton of captured MPEG-1 video. After a good bit of trial and error, I've managed to get the hang of converting the mpg video to DVD using ffmpeg and toast.

So far so good.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

If you are not affraid of french, go to macetvideo.com
Good luck
KCd