MPEG-2 Editor/Clipper that won't re-encode for Mac?

[DrHogie]

Hello all. I have a number of MPEG-2 video files (dumped from capture device) which I'd like to clip out the commercials on and then stick onto a DVD. The problem is, I'd really like it if it won't recompress the files, since they've already been encoded in MPEG-2 and look pretty good, not to mention the time involved.

I know there is a Windows app called WOMBLE that I've seen in the past that does this. The problem is all I use anymore is my Powerbook. I don't have ready access to a Windows machine where I can do the editing. Are there any apps I can use in the Mac world that can let me edit our commercials from these MPEG-2 files without re-encoding it?

Thanks in advance,
DrHogie

[havema-1]

MPEG Streamclip can edit to the GOP.

http://www.alfanet.it/squared5/mpegstreamclip.html

Capty MPEG Edit EX for Mac OS 9/X can do frame-accurate MPEG2 (not VOB or MPEG1) editing.

http://www.pixela-1.com/capty_mpeg_edit_ex/

I've heard that Womble works OK via Virtual PC because just editing MPEG doesn't tax the CPU much.

[gshelley61]

Have you checked the Mac OS video tools section?

https://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=15#15

There may be something in there that will work...

[DrHogie]

I'll try that Capty software if I can find a trial on their website -- I wanna test a file or two to make sure it will edit properly and that it won't leave any mis-sync issues.

I'll also give WOMBLE a try in VPC -- thanks for the information

[AntnyMD]

The Capty MPEG Edit EX is perfect for clipping out commercials, and works perfectly on MPEG2 files that are encoded to EXACTING DVD standards. I had the software fail repeatedly on MPEGs captured via the ADS USB Instant DVD box. Apparently the hotter the box gets, the more likely it is to capture GOPs longer than the DVD spec allows, and Capty MPEG Edit EX rejects them. Everything I've recorded on my settop DVD Recorder is accepted.

MPEG Streamclip still has its uses, and is also an excellent piece of software. In addition to being able to open Quicktime, MPEG2 and MPEG1 files, you can then export the video to any other Quicktime format provided you have codecs installed. Capty MPEG Edit EX will only output MPEG2 or DV.

(Thanks to Frobozz for mentioning Capty MPEG Edit EX!)

[Smithers]

AntnyMD - What format do you record on your settop DVD Recorder that can then be read by the mac and imported into Capty MPEG Edit EX?

I have a Sony DVD recorder that can record in +/-R and +/-RW but I just can't see which is the best format that both the mac can see and Capty MPEG Edit EX is happy with. (Both a +R/RW disc and a finalised -RW disc seem to have vob files in them which, of course, Capty MPEG Edit EX won't touch).

Thanks

[AntnyMD]

Change the .VOB extension to .MPG and Capty will get a clue.

[Frobozz]

Change the .VOB extension to .MPG and Capty will get a clue.

Interesting. I've never tried that. Given that Capty MPEGEdit also can join MPEGs, I guess that's how you'd put a VOB set togeter.

What I do with my Pioneer standalone recorder is use Toast 7's media browser to extract the MPEGs from my VR-mode DVD-RW or finalized video-mode discs, then I use Capty MPEGEdit to edit the MPEGs. In order to use the results in Toast I must save from Capty MPEGEdit in elementary streams and drag the .m2v file to Toast.

[AntnyMD]

I dont think my Sony recorder records in a VR mode when I use DVD+RW discs. I just pop the disc out of the Sony recorder and put it in the PowerBook. I rip the disc in Title mode with MactheRipper so it creates one continuous .VOB. I rename the extension on the file from .vob to .mpg (not .mpeg, Capty doesnt like .mpeg either) and edit in Capty. I havent upgraded to Toast 7 yet so I don't have that neat media browser thing.

[DrHogie]

I tried finding a trial version of Capty on their site, and couldn't. I think I'm going to grab a copy of Womble and try to see if I can borrow a PC from my brother to get this editing done.

Thanks for the advice everyone

[AntnyMD]

Yes, there is no trial for Capty MPEG Edit EX. Also I need to correct something I wrote earlier -- Capty will also output to other codecs from QuickTime, not just DV.

[Smithers]

Change the .VOB extension to .MPG and Capty will get a clue.

Interesting. I've never tried that. Given that Capty MPEGEdit also can join MPEGs, I guess that's how you'd put a VOB set togeter.

What I do with my Pioneer standalone recorder is use Toast 7's media browser to extract the MPEGs from my VR-mode DVD-RW or finalized video-mode discs, then I use Capty MPEGEdit to edit the MPEGs. In order to use the results in Toast I must save from Capty MPEGEdit in elementary streams and drag the .m2v file to Toast.

After some experimentation, I've found that the only reliable way to get an MPEG file from a DVD that Capty MPEGEdit is happy with is to use Toast 7's media browser although my un-finalised (VR or video-mode) discs are not recognised. (I'd rather avoid having to finalise a disc if at all possible). So the only combination that worked was a recording from a +RW disc (I would assume a +R would be fine too).

Another little quirk I've found is that the saved MPEG file from Capty is not recognised by the Quicktime Player as having any sound although VLC and MPEGStreamclip play it fine. ffmpegX "sees" that the file has sound when you drop it on but doesn't encode any (the log file says no sound detected).

The only way round this I've found so far is to run the saved Capty MPEG file through MPEGStreamclip and save it as an "MPEG with MP2 sound" file which ffmpegX deals with perfectly.

[Frobozz]

The reason QuickTime Player won't play sound from the Capty MPEG Edit MPEG is that it has AC-3 audio. That's why changing the audio to MP2 does work. But I wouldn't do that. There is an AC-3 codec available for QuickTime that might be working with 7.0.4. It is described in a recent thread in this forum.https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=289199

[Smithers]

The reason QuickTime Player won't play sound from the Capty MPEG Edit MPEG is that it has AC-3 audio. That's why changing the audio to MP2 does work. But I wouldn't do that. There is an AC-3 codec available for QuickTime that might be working with 7.0.4. It is described in a recent thread in this forum.https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=289199

I do have that codec installed but it appears to be for Divx/Xvid files only.

It's not really a problem not being able to play the file with audio in Quicktime as I can always use VLC and it's only really a temporary file on it's way to Divx/Xvid.

What is the problem is ffmpegX which recognises that there's audio but then doesn't encode it. It's the same with an "MPEG" file exported from MpegStreamclip hence the experimenting in the past and having to use "MPEG with MP2 audio". The obvious answer would be to use "Elementary Streams" (i.e. m2v & ac3) but the last time I tried, ffmpegX had a problem adding the audio file to the m2v too.

Any other possible or neater suggestions would be welcome!

[Frobozz]

When you say that ffmpegX won't encode the existing AC-3 audio I'm assuming that you mean it won't multiplex it. No audio encoding is needed.

I wonder what is happening here. My standalone recorder is a Pioneer so I'm accustomed to DVD-R and DVD-RW. I don't know what the Sony does with DVD+R and DVD+RW. It's disappointing to read that you need to finalize the VR-mode discs in order for them to be recognized in the Toast media browser. That isn't the case for mine.

Once you extract the MPEG with Toast you can open and edit it okay in Capty MPEGEdit. As I noted in an earlier post, Capty MPEGEdit does something to its eaved program streams that make them unrecognized by Toast. However, Toast has no problem with the elementary streams. I'm wondering if this same issue is contributing to the problem with ffmpegX. What is the problem you had when trying to use elementary streams from Capty MPEGEdit instead of program streams?

Also, why are you using ffmpegX for this? You could just drag the .m2v to Toast and let it author and burn a video DVD. Toast automatically adds the AC-3 file (or asks you for it if Toast can't find it).

[Smithers]

Yes, sorry, I maybe should have been clearer that all my references above are with regard to just producing a Divx/Xvid file not for burning back to a DVD. The AC3 file would need encoding to MP3.

I'm going to persevere with trying to get the unfinalised -VR disc recognised in Toast although now that it appears Toast and Capty MPEGEdit recognise my +RW discs, there's not a great need. I didn't actually think that Capty MPEGEdit would take files from +R/RW because the spec says -VR or "DVD-Video" formats which I assumed still meant -R/RW.

In ffmpegX, trying to encode either an MPEG or m2v/AC3 elementary stream into Divx (ffmpeg or mencoder engine) with MP3 sound produces a file with no sound. Trying to produce an Xvid file (ffmpeg or mencoder engine) produces a "ping" straight away with a file of Zero KB (i.e. no video or sound).

I've tried searching back through the ffmpegX forum for similar scenarios but no answers have jumped out at me yet.

[AntnyMD]

I used to be a big fan of ffmpegX, and for people who like fiddling around with all kinds of settings, its right up your alley ... but ..

it's just easier to make a DivX from a DVD-Video file in MPEG Streamclip. Yes, you need the MPEG2 decoder from Apple (dont complain .. you saved up to buy that laptop, so save up and buy the component) and the Xvid codec plugin for QuickTime. My DivX certified DVD player even plays 3ivx video as long as its in an .avi container.

All I'm saying is its 2006: the days of The Hard Way to Encode Anything on the Mac are gone.

[willrob]

What is the advantage of making DivX DVDs? I realize the output is smaller yet high quality, but why not simply author the standard way? Can one see the difference?

[Smithers]

I used to be a big fan of ffmpegX, and for people who like fiddling around with all kinds of settings, its right up your alley ... but ..

it's just easier to make a DivX from a DVD-Video file in MPEG Streamclip.

I think I'm starting to agree with you with regard to ffmpegX - maybe I'll get a reply sometime from my post in that forum, I am a registered user after all.

I do love MPEGStreamclip (yes - I do have the MPEG2 component), but it's a bit limited with it's avi exporting. It'd be great to be able to utilise Divx encoding and the 3ivx doesn't have the option to encode MP3 sound. ffmpegX's main attraction for me is the speed of encoding (especially using mencoder) but it's pretty useless to me at the moment with the missing sound problem and sync issues too.

[Frobozz]

What about having Toast 7 create your Divx video? Select the Divx Disc format in the Video window, drag in your .m2v (Toast adds the AC3 automatically), select the video to activate the Divx button for customizing the settings. Then choose Save as Disc Image to have Toast create the Divx video. When it's done mount the disc image file and drag out the video to copy it to your hard drive.

[Smithers]

Good idea!

Do you know, I keep forgetting just what Toast 7 can do now. In this scenario I can use it to import a "Capty MPEGEdit -friendly" file and then use it again to encode to Divx.

Don't need to go the disc image route though - you can just use the export button at the bottom.

Tried one little test file - certainly seems to take longer than ffmpegX did, but at least it's got sound on it and it's in sync!

Thanks

[AntnyMD]

Just learned a couple of interesting things.

MPEG Streamclip is now available for Windows XP.

MPEG Streamclip can convert to DivX with MP3 audio if you have DivX Pro 5.1.1 installed.

[pianoman719]

I'll try that Capty software if I can find a trial on their website -- I wanna test a file or two to make sure it will edit properly and that it won't leave any mis-sync issues.

I'll also give WOMBLE a try in VPC -- thanks for the information

My reading suggests that on the PC side, some people prefer VideoReDo to Womble for basic cutting of MPEGs and fixing timecode, broken GOPs, bad sync, etc. People claim the guy behind VideoReDo is very responsive to user requests. This might be relevant if you're trying to use a PC app on a Mac using Virtual PC. -Pianoman