asx/asf to MPEG?

[Luke Vader]

can this be done? and if so, what program do i need to accomplish this?

there are a couple of independent horror movies that are available for a limited time that i would like to burn as a VCD, but i dont know how to covert a streaming file to MPEG or if it is even possible...

i've looked around a little bit, but i cant find anything so far...i'm not even sure if i'm searching for the answer in the best way possible...and i wasnt sure where to post this topic at, so i figured i'd play it safe and post it here first...

any help will be greatly appreciated 8)

[au7usa]

Try TMPGEnc.

[tigerman8u]

i used tmpgenc to convert and tmpgenc dvd author to create menus and copliant dvd structure. some of the asf and wmv files wouldn't convert in tmpgenc so i d/l and used asftools to convert the asf files. If you look in the convert section to your left you will see the guide i used.

[au7usa]

If you remux the ASF into MKV (Matroska) files most work just fine in TMPGEnc. Of course you must insttall Matroska Splitter filter.

Ever loaded a ASF into TMPGEnc and hit preview? I takes a while to load doesn't it? And then move the progress bar, and you'll have to wait another 5 minutes. Leaving the Audio, and Video streams compressed and remuxing to Matroska makes them behave like AVI's.

Look at this: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=102471

[reboot]

I use OSS video converter from http://www.onestopsoft.com/
Not free, but definitely a one step process, with excellent results.

[Luke Vader]

thanks for the info...i'll try those suggestions out first thing in the morning and see how it turns out...

[Luke Vader]

well, TMPGEnc worked fine for one of the files that i needed, but it wont work on the other...the one that isnt working is only 18mb and somehow or another, i actually downloaded the file for it and not just the shortcut for it...it's been so long since i did it, so i dont remember alot about it, but i used this to download the file...

WMRecorder

but that just saved the file to my HD as an asf file...but when i try to load it in TMPGEnc, it kind of locks up for about a minute and then comes up with an error saying that the file is not supported...

so, now i'm coverting it to a MKV file like au7usa suggested and that part seems to be working fine so far...but i went in to TMPGEnc just to check, and whenever i try to choose to load a MKV file, there isnt an option for that...i'm pretty sure that my version of TMPGEnc is current, so why isnt MKV files an option for it?

EDIT : au7usa, i'm pretty new to all of this, so i have no idea what you meant when you said to remux the ASF to MKV

[Luke Vader]

well, i now have the MKV file, but i dont know what to do with it...my system doesnt have anything that will play or open it, and when i try to open it in TMPGEnc, i get the same unsupported format error...

current status...confused as hell

[au7usa]

How did you remux to Matroska? I usually use GraphEdit with Gabest Matroska filters, and because i have the filters installed Matroska files play thru directshow.

If you install just the Matroska Splitter filter you should be able to open them in TMPGEnc:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84361&release_id=208995
(they should also play in Windows Media Player as long as they played before you re-packaged them)

All you gotta do to install is (There are two versions in this package);

Win98 / ME.....
Copy the file "MatroskaSplitter.ax" from the "Release" folder to your "C:\Windows\System" directory, then enter at the command line:
" REGSVR32 /S MatroskaSplitter.ax". It's always a good idea to reboot after!

Win2k / XP.....
Copy the file "MatroskaSplitter.ax" from the "Release Unicode" folder to your "C:\WinNT\System32" directory, then enter at the command line:
" REGSVR32 /S MatroskaSplitter.ax". It's always a good idea to reboot after!

Remember Unicode is for Windows 2000 and XP!

On reboot you can open up TMPGEnc and browse for your Matroska file but you have to choose "All-files" in the file type window.

[Luke Vader]

How did you remux to Matroska? I usually use GraphEdit with Gabest Matroska filters, and because i have the filters installed Matroska files play thru directshow.

i used the asf2mkv program that you mentioned earlier in this thread

If you install just the Matroska Splitter filter you should be able to open them in TMPGEnc:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84361&release_id=208995
(they should also play in Windows Media Player as long as they played before you re-packaged them)

All you gotta do to install is (There are two versions in this package);

Win98 / ME.....
Copy the file "MatroskaSplitter.ax" from the "Release" folder to your "C:\Windows\System" directory, then enter at the command line:
" REGSVR32 /S MatroskaSplitter.ax". It's always a good idea to reboot after!

Win2k / XP.....
Copy the file "MatroskaSplitter.ax" from the "Release Unicode" folder to your "C:\WinNT\System32" directory, then enter at the command line:
" REGSVR32 /S MatroskaSplitter.ax". It's always a good idea to reboot after!

Remember Unicode is for Windows 2000 and XP!

On reboot you can open up TMPGEnc and browse for your Matroska file but you have to choose "All-files" in the file type window.

now this may sound strange, but i am running XP and i do not have a C:\WinNT\System32 directory. but, i do have a C:\Windows\System like you said would be in Windows 98 and ME...and a C:\Windows\System32 directory as well...

so what should i do?

sorry for being a pest, but that seems strange to me...thanks for your help...i hope we can figure this out because the asf file is no longer even online anymore...luckily i saved it a while back, because now it is gone...

also, the file was originally an asx file, but with that WMRecorder program, i remuxed it to asf...but i do have both versions still on my comp...could this be the reason that i am having these problems with TMPGEnc? because it was originally an asx file?

[au7usa]

Sorry, i'm running Windows 2000 and it uses WinNt directory.

You should put the file into: C:\Windows\System32.

By the way if the file plays fine as ASF, then you already have the proper decoders installed. Installing the Matroska Splitter filter will just let your system deal with the new package.

[au7usa]

One last thing, substitue "REGSVR32 MatroskaSplitter.ax" for "REGSVR32 /S MatroskaSplitter.ax" (I just took out the /S switch).

Now you should get some kind of conformation that Registering the filter either succeeded or failed. Just close the box after.

[Luke Vader]

ok, i copied the matroskasplitter.ax file to my C:\Windows\system32 directory, but i didnt get a command line...so does that mean that something isnt right?

[au7usa]

Copying the file to the C:\Windows\System32 directory doesn't "REGISTER" the file, if thats what your asking. You must register the filter before Windows knows its there.

Registering a filter is simple, Here's how.

1. Click on the Start Menu, and when the menu pops up click then on the work "Run...". A window should pop up with the message "Type the name of a Program, etc., and Windows will open it."

2. When the window appears type (without quotes): "REGSVR32 MatroskaSplitter.ax", then click OK. You should see a window pop up saying "DllRegisterServer in MatroskaSplitter.ax succeeded (or failed)". See the window?

If that doesn't work try this:

A. Open NotePad and type: "REGSVR32 MatroskaSplitter.ax" (again without quotes), and save to your desktop.

B. Then rename the *.txt file to Reg.bat.

C. Last thing, double-click on Reg.bat.

[Luke Vader]

ok

i copied that file to my c:\windows\system32 directory and then did the Run thing just like you said, and a window came up telling me that it was successful...so i rebooted and then tried to open it up in TMPGEnc, but it still says that they file type isnt supported

so what should i try next?

i really do appreciate you hanging in there with me and walking me thru this...it is much appreciated...

[au7usa]

Questions first.

1. Are you able to play this file when its in *.ASF form? Check It.

2. Is the file you created with Asf2Matroska.exe almost the same size as the original? (If it isn't then your Re-Mux failed)

3. Are you sure that what you started with is a *.ASF file and not an *.AVI that someone renamed to *.ASF? (If its AVI, then remuxing with ASF2MKV will wreck it)

4. Are you able to tell me what kind of compression it uses?
(Windows Media 7 / Windows Media 8 / Windows Media 9)
Open the file in your media player and look at the properties of the file.
("File / Properties" - I don't know which player you have so look around)

*The only exception i've found to using Windows Media Compression in a Matroska file is WMV9 VFW codec - they just don't like each other.

[Luke Vader]

Questions first.

1. Are you able to play this file when its in *.ASF form? Check It.

yes, the asf plays fine in windows media player...

2. Is the file you created with Asf2Matroska.exe almost the same size as the original? (If it isn't then your Re-Mux failed)

almost the same size...the asf is 18,135 kb and the mkv is 17,424 kb...is that close enough?

3. Are you sure that what you started with is a *.ASF file and not an *.AVI that someone renamed to *.ASF? (If its AVI, then remuxing with ASF2MKV will wreck it)

the file was originally an asx file, but i converted it to asf with WMRecorder a while ago...but i do still have both versions saved on my PC...

4. Are you able to tell me what kind of compression it uses?
(Windows Media 7 / Windows Media 8 / Windows Media 9)
Open the file in your media player and look at the properties of the file.
("File / Properties" - I don't know which player you have so look around)

*The only exception i've found to using Windows Media Compression in a Matroska file is WMV9 VFW codec - they just don't like each other.

audio codec : Microsoft Audio Codec 16 kbps, 16 kHz, mono

video codec : Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V3

not sure which version of media player i have, but i'm almost positive that it isnt version 9...

[Luke Vader]

well, i think i have found out why TMPGEnc wont open the file and keeps saying that the file isnt supported...i used a program called asftools that tigerman8u suggested and i was able to covert the asf file to avi...however, the new avi file had no sound...

so then i used the WAV creator in asftools to create a WAV from the asf file...and then whenever i try to play the file with WINamp, a window comes up and says "couldnt open ACM stream : 512" and with windows media player, it says "WMP cannot play this file. The file may be formatted wth an unsupported codec, or the Internet security setting on your computer is set too high. Lower your browser's security setting and try again"

but i dont think it's a security setting being too high, because with any other file that needs a codec, it automatically downloads the correct codec...

so now i am able to load the avi file with no sound in TMPGEnc, but then when i try to load the WAV, that's when i get the file not supported message...

so do you have any ideas on what to do about this? or do you think it's better to keep with the mkv route?

[Luke Vader]

i forgot to mention that with asftools, there's an option to reencode the asf file...so i even tried doing that, which made the fasf file go from a 17.7 mb size to 52.6 mb

but still with no audio...i then tried to make a WAV from the newly encoded 52.6 mb file...but i still get the same results with that WAV as i did with the other one...

[au7usa]

Unless you've found another exception to the rule this should work.

First check for the file "mpg4c32.dll" in the directory "C:\Windows\System32"
Is it there?

Then run RegEdit at "Start / Run".

To check for this FOURCC:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32]
"VIDC.MP43"="mpg4c32.dll"

If its not there i'm guessing Windows is using a newer, but backward compatible decoder.

Let me know the situation.

[au7usa]

It took me a while to find a file encoded as Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V3, and in the ASF format. It worked despite the absence of the "VIDC.MP43"="mpg4c32.dll" entry in the Registry.
(I have the file "C:\WinNt\System32\mpg4c32.dll" though)

I tried everything i suggested to you and it worked no problem.

After a few minutes i even tried to load it directly into TMPGEnc as a ASF.
It worked with no problem.

There has to be some kind of damage to that file.

If the file will play acceptably i would suggest using GraphEdit to convert to uncompressed AVI, and then load it into TMPGEnc.

Everything i described works at my end, and i can't think of any reason it won't work on yours except "damage goods".

Sorry!

[Luke Vader]

i'm about to run to work but i will try those things out first thing in the morning and let you know...hopefully this'll do it...thanks a ton!

[Luke Vader]

[quote="au7usa"]Unless you've found another exception to the rule this should work.

First check for the file "mpg4c32.dll" in the directory "C:\Windows\System32"
Is it there?[quote]

no there isnt...but there is a file named mpg4dmod.dll and the description says "Windows Media MPEG 4 Video Decoder DMO"

so do i need to look for somewhere to download that mpg4c32 file from?

Then run RegEdit at "Start / Run".

To check for this FOURCC:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32]
"VIDC.MP43"="mpg4c32.dll"

If its not there i'm guessing Windows is using a newer, but backward compatible decoder.

Let me know the situation.

now this is odd...i did the RegEdit and i have HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion but no Drivers32 folder...

hmmm....

[au7usa]

Now this is strange, when i render the file with GraphEdit, it shows the file "mp43dmod.dll" in use, but when i play the file i can see the 3ivX Video decoder being used. 3ivX can act as compatibility decoder for other MPEG-4 formats but if its necessary why doesn't it show up in GraphEdit?

DivX 3 started out as the Microsoft file "mpg4c32.dll", so i'm not really surprized it won't decode with this. It's probably locked!

By the way do you have the "mp43dmod.dll"? If not check out the page from Microsoft Codec Download: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/codecdownload.aspx

Don't worry, these are only codecs, and the installer will check for missing components.

[au7usa]

If nothing else you could install the 3ivX package.
http://www.3ivx.com/download/windows.html

[Luke Vader]

By the way do you have the "mp43dmod.dll"? If not check out the page from Microsoft Codec Download: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/codecdownload.aspx

Don't worry, these are only codecs, and the installer will check for missing components.

no, i dont have that file either...the only thing i see in my system32 directory that looks anything like that is a mpg4dmod.dll file...

i went to that page and downloaded all 3 codec packages on that page, just to be sure...and i also went to that 3ivx page and downloaded those codecs...

so what should i try now?

[Luke Vader]

ok...i tried to mux a new avi with asftools since i downloaded and installed those codecs...but still no audio...WMplayer tries to DL the proper codecs and it looks like it succeeds, but then the video plays and there is no audio...

i tried to open the file with my DivX player and this is the message it gave me...

The video file you are opening includes audio data that is not recognized by the DivX Player.

The file contains the following type of data:

Audio data: Tag 352

then it tells me that i can play the file without the audio or i can install the correct codec and reopen the file

[au7usa]

Your on XP right? Install the Microsoft "WM9Codecs.exe", if you install any of the Microsft Codec packs, they meet the standard.

I think that 3ivX might decode it acceptably for you.

Making the file into Matroska has made it unable to play through mpg4c32.dll. It insists that you play FOURCC MP43 through ASF files, and not anything else.

My opinion now is to install the 3ivX download. It has a provision to decode what it thinks is the DivX 3 ;-) codec. DivX 3 was created by hacking the Microsoft ASF codec so you could use this compression with AVI's. If you don't like what the 3ivX package is doing you can always uninstall it.

Do you have access to an older version of Windows (another machine)?
There are quite a few missing files on your XP box and i'm reluctant to instruct you to "Hack-It-Up". I have no idea what the consequences of doing that would be.

Thats it.....i'm outa ideas!

[au7usa]

If the Video will work through asftools then maybe we should just look at the audio portion.

This is the DivX 3.11 Audio Only package.
http://www.divx-digest.tv/software/codec/divx_audio_402.zip

This is the only part of the Hacked Microsoft DivX 3 package. It shouldnt overwrite anything, and has an uninstaller.

[Luke Vader]

If the Video will work through asftools then maybe we should just look at the audio portion.

This is the DivX 3.11 Audio Only package.
http://www.divx-digest.tv/software/codec/divx_audio_402.zip

This is the only part of the Hacked Microsoft DivX 3 package. It shouldnt overwrite anything, and has an uninstaller.

damn i feel like such a nuisance...but that link wont work...when i click on it, it tells me that i have done something that isnt allowed on their server...and then when i try to right click and save target as on the link, it just offers for me to DL a html document named leech.html...

i went to the main site to try to find which codec package you were talking about, but as you know, there are hundreds of them...

could you give me a link to the page that it's located on and the name of the codec package?