EyeTV200 how to join files?

[satcure]

I use an EyeTV200 box with my G4/1.4 and it works just fine. However, some movies get interrupted by a half hour news programme and have to be recorded as two separate movies unless I simply use timed mode then edit out the news.

Also, if two programmes are consecutive and the first overruns, the last 5 minutes of the first programme appears as the beginning of the second.

In such circumstances I need to join (concatenate) the files before burning to DVD.

I see that the EyeTV software exports the files as MPEG4 when I instruct it to burn a DVD. How do I join these MPEG4 files together? Or is there a better way that I've overlooked?

(I'm guessing that I'll end up buying QuickTime Pro and also its MPEG4 plugin.)

Martin

[yonidass]

Video content must be MPEG-2 for DVD, so I'm not sure why it would be exporting to MPEG-4. What format are you recording in?

I don't think there's any way you can join files with the EyeTV software. To do that might require a bit of work. Firstly, I would record in MPEG-2 (DVD) to begin with, then export as Program Stream. From there you'll have to use another program to join them before burning to DVD. I think ffmpegx will do it if the files are the same bitrate, dimensions, etc., but there are probably others. Do a search for joining MPEG-2 files. The resulting file you should then be able to burn to DVD.

[satcure]

The files saved for Toast to create a DVD appear as QuickTime files but QuickTime doesn't recognise them. VLC loads and plays them and informs me that stream1 codec is mpgv and type is "video".

OK, I've found EyeTV device settings:
Quality: Standard (DVD120 min)
1.8GB per hour DVD-compliant MPEG-2
Video: 720x576, 25 fps, 4.0 Mbps VBR (6.0 Mbps max), IBP frames.
Audio: 48.0 kHz, 224 kbps

ffmpegx certainly looks like the answer. "Includes a series of video tools like split, join, fix, mux, demux." I'll give it a go. Thanks for the link!

[satcure]

I joined the files using ffmpegx with MPEG2 selected. However Toast Titanium 6.0.3 crashes when I try to burn the file onto DVD. iDVD says it doesn't recognise the format but VTC plays it just fine.

Now WTFDID

[sjk]

MPEG Streamclip can combine MPEGs. Run Fix Timecode Breaks (cmd-F) after opening multiple files.

You probably want to upgrade to Toast 6.0.9 even if it doesn't fix the crashing problem.

[satcure]

Oh dear, I seem to be digging myself in deeper without really understanding what I'm doing. It would help if I understood the various technical terms like "stream" and "MPEG-2" etc.

Anyway, here's where I am in trying to join the two files:

I downloaded the Toast update. (To my surprise I actually have a registered copy of Toast Titanium so I was able to do this). However, updating Toast made no difference.

I bought and downloaded the "MPEG-2 Playback Component" for QuickTime. Again, I found I'd already paid for QuickTime Pro! So I tried loading in the files to join in QTPro. I followed the help instructions but was unable to complete the operation because "Copy" and "Paste" in the Edit menu remained stubbornly greyed out, even though I'd done "select all" successfully. Gave up with that.

I downloaded Streamclip and I've read the help file (without much understanding) but nowhere can I find the magic words "join files".

So, to date, only ffmpegx has succeeded in joining the files but Toast doesn't recognise the file. I'm now considering trying the various (meaningless to me) "Save" options in the hope that Toast will recognise one!

[satcure]

Run Fix Timecode Breaks (cmd-F) after opening multiple files.

I missed that. Too busy looking for "join".

Open File
Shift-click on both filenames
Click Open
cmd-F
Save As

And, darn me, toast burned it onto DVD right away!

Thanks for your help, guys.

[sjk]

Glad you figured it out from my terse explanation. Hopefully that's more satisfying than being told exactly what to do.

You may find the Glossary on this site is helpful for definitions of terminology you don't understand. And the What is DVD? page is a good overview, with enough technical detail that "amateurs" might ever want or need to know.

I'm curious why you were surprised that your copy of Toast is registered, though maybe I don't really want to ask or know.

[satcure]

No, don't ask.
It's just that a few pieces of software have accumulated over the years (since 1987) that I would term "donationware". That is to say, they were already on the Mac when I bought it (and I've bought lots). With the advent of OSX, however, I seem to be paying for everything!

Thanks for your help and for the leads. I'll be doing some reading. I need to get up to speed on this.

Martin

[satcure]

More problems

I joined another movie together but Toast announces an error when it reaches the join. I can resave the movie from QuickTime Pro but then when I burn a DVD there's no audio.

Clues, anyone?

[sjk]

I'd guess it's Toast's infamous "Couldn't complete the last command because there is a problem with the source material, Result Code = -18774" error. I hadn't noticed that problem using MPEG Streamclip to join MPEGs/VOBs since I've only done it a few times for EyeHome playback, not burning.

Looks like ffmpegX may be the better choice, unless the recent MPEG Streamclip 1.3 update writes a Toast-compatible MPEG file. Or maybe try saving demuxed audio/video streams from MPEG Streamclip and see if Toast can handle those instead of the single muxed file.

[satcure]

I've given up with this one and trashed the EyeTV files. The previous one joined OK so I don't understand why Toast objected this time. You are right about the error message. I didn't know it was infamous.

I'll play some more when I have time. Right now I have a web site to reconstruct so I need to concentrate on that. I really appreciate your help on this. I know what a pain it is to try to explain things to newbies. (I do it all day long but not in relation to video!)

Martin