TubeStick and splitting large mpegs

[benblack]

Hi folks

I've recently purchased a TubeStick digital TV receiver for my Macbook, and while everything seems to be working quite well, I am having a spot of bother getting recorded video on to a DVD.

The software that comes with the TubeStick, "The Tube", creates a file of extension 'ttrec'. In order to get this file into a format readable by my DVD player I convert the file to MPEG-1 (using The Tube). Now I have a 1.6GB ttrec file, and an 8.5GB mpeg. (BTW approx 42 minutes of recording)

If I want to get this data on to a DVD, I need to either recompress/downsample (very time consuming and painful) or split the movie. Can anyone suggest an MPEG-1 splitter, or maybe divulge the secret of what a 'ttrec' file is?

[terryj]

According to the website, it says you can export
the recordings to iMovie. This should be
DV stream conversion. This would be significantly
better than MPEG-1, as it would be raw DV.

With this exported type of file, you can do anything you
want. Edit it in iMovie or FCE/FCP/Final Cut Studio.
or, just drag and drop the DV file into the
Video tab in Toast Titanium and make a DVD
out of it.

I would go that route if possible and not worry about the
properitary "ttrec" file, which stands for "TheTubeRecording".

[benblack]

Hi terryj,

thanks for that suggestion. I'm having a go now at converting the DV stream to DivX (using Toast). It's still a pain in the butt though; I have to convert the proprietry video (in The Tube) to MPEG-1, then convert MPEG-1 to something usable in Toast (or another app)... I was hoping I could easily split the MPEG-1 and save some time by bypassing the second conversion step.

[benblack]

The conversion to DivX was going to take about 6 hours, so I killed it.

BTW, when I tried to rename the .ttrec file I discovered it is actually a folder, inside which the movie data is packaged in a .tvm file... anyone seen this file type before?

[AntnyMD]

The plot thickens.

[terryj]

so the Export to Imovie option the website lists is actually
an MPEG-1 file? and NOT Dv Stream?

That sucks and I would ask for money back if that is the case.
Export to any version of iMovie before Imovie 08
REQUIRES the conversion be to DV Stream for easiest
import. If the "The Tube" software isn't doing that, i would point that
out to the people who make it.

Why are you converting the file though to DIVX and then making
a DVD using Toast? Toast 7 and 8 will use MPEG-1 assets
as they are and make a DVD out of them, no conversion step needed.
Remember, if you can play it in Quicktime, you can use it Toast.
(Toast relies on Quicktime for most of it's ability to transcode files,
esp. version 7). I've done tons of Mpeg-1 content to DVD...you
won't get better quality than the Mpeg-1 file, but if you wanted
to say join two or three VCD/SVCD into one DVD, it's pretty flawless
for the most part.[url]

from filext.com on .tvm:
.tvm
my guess it is their properitary format for the program.

[benblack]

Sorry, it does export DV (my bad). I *meant* to say I need to convert the DV to something usable in Toast (as it is way too large @ 9GB). I am currently trying to make a DVD from this DV, but it has already been running for half an hour and is showing about 20% done (and it's only a 42 minute recording). It ruins the whole experience when I have to do 6 hours of re-coding just to play the recording on my DVD player.

[terryj]

the DV file at 9GB is Normal.
I just converted an iShowU conversion of 12GBs as DV Stream,
dragged/dropped it into Toast's Video-Tab and made a DVD of
it in 2 hours, on a MBPro 2ghz.

So what's the problem then?

if it is a time issue, then you need to get out of Software Encoding,
and get a Hardware Recorder. Software Recording ALWAYS takes
a bit, here on this forum we reccommend overnight
encoding as not to tie up the computer during work hours.

If you have a DVD-Recorder, go down to the Apple Store or your
local CompUSA, get a mini DVI to Video Adapter, and hook it up
to the mac, and play it out to the DVD Recorder.
Doing so will enable you to get it to DVD in real time,
at under 1 hour.