convert to .mpg

[zonker132]

I want to convert some files to .mpg to put on the web. Right now they are in .mp4, but I think I have them in other formats like .dv. I read ffmpegx can do this, but I don't see it listed as an option. Maybe this is a really stupid question and I'm just not looking for the right thing. I also have toats titanium and final cut studio and I never see the .mpg option for exporting anywhere. Any help? Thanks.

[redwudz]

Since you are running the Mac OS, you would likely get more answers in our Mac Forum. Moving You.

And welcome to our forums.

[Case]

Use a VCD preset (VCD mpeg2enc), then tweak that by removing some classic VCD constraints, making it more suitable for web (and less for tv).
Change the video size (no longer a predefined VCD size needed), then change the video bitrate accordingly; audio bitrate can go as low as 64 kbps; you may change to a Generic MPEG-1 encoding profile option; there is no need to split on size or author to disc images.

[zonker132]

Thanks for the help. However, it exports the video and audio as separate files, .mp4 and .mp2 respectively. Obviously, I want it all one file togeter as a .mpg. I got two files to come out like that, but I can't figure out how. Whats making this happen?

[zonker132]

sorry i meant to write .mpv and .mp2, not .mp4

[Case]

It is normal for mpeg2enc to create a separate video file (mpv) and audio file (mp2) first, but it should 'mux' them together into one .mpg file afterwards.
Little things like spaces or special characters in the filename or path (folder names, disk name) could cause the muxer module to fail.
You may try to resume the process using Tools>Mux. Set the Option to MPEG-1, and turn off Split.

[zonker132]

I deleted all spaces in the names and paths and the muxer still fails. What else could be causing this?

[Case]

In the ffmpegX Progress window, press the blue "i" to get to the Log, in a new window called Process Information. Maybe it contains an error message?

[zonker132]

OK, I think I finally solved it. I was selecting an empty audio track, thinking that they started at 1, instead of 0. Oddly, ffmpegx still has little regard for what I tell it to save the file as, often using fragments of what I typed or the names of folders around it.

Thanks for all the help. I just have one last question, slightly unrelated. What is the easiest way to drop the audio levels after a video is exported? I suppose I can convert the .mp2 to .wav and use something like garagband, the convert it back and mux together. Is there any easier way than this?