mp4 to mpeg-1

[Jonahinthewhale]

Can anyone...Please...for the love of all that is holy PLEASE!!!! Get me a video encoder that simply works. Eveyone I have tried either doesn't work at all in the format I want or promises it does and doesn't really! I am recording video with IShowU for mac in Mpeg4 format cause it is the best quality for the file size. and I simply want to convert the files to Mpeg-1 VCD stanard so that I can fit as much video as possible on a single DVD. Most internet vids I find are not worth converting to anything larger than MPG1 cause it is simply taking a low quality vid and making large file out of it. If I make it into VCD I can fit lots of vids on one dvd. Lots of converters promise this (Iskysoft video converter, etc) but this sound is usually off or somthing of that nature. I just want a video encoder that converts all or most video to VCD mpg format. Anyone...Please! P.S. forgive my despiration.

[aedipuss]

mpeg-4 is a better more compact format than mpeg-1. leave the vids in mp4. no one is using mpeg-1 anymore. the bitrate of vcd mpeg-1 is 1150kbps and at that rate mpeg-4 is far superior even at much larger screen sizes.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Why not record in MPEG-2 if you want to make a DVD?
2000kbps/352x240/MPEG-2 will look alot better than VCD standard.
BTW: you might want to ask this in the Mac forum.

[Cornucopia]

I think what the OP wanted was to get the max amount of available time on a DVD (so could be playable on settops). Since this would severely compromise quality with Full or 1/2-D1 MPEG2, it actually does make sense to go down from there to DVD-compliant MPEG1, which is ~1/4-D1 (aka SIF aka CIF, or 352x240). On a DVD the MAX bitrate for MPEG1 is supposed to be ~1.85Mbps, but you can of course go down from there. And some DVD players will accept higher bitrates than that.

So, at 1.42Mbps (about the rate of a regular VCD), you could get ~6 1/2 hours on a SL disc, and ~12 hours on a DL disc.

To the OP:
Do this in 2 steps.
Convert the MP4 to a Lossless AVI (HuffYUV, Lagarith, etc) using any converter that accepts MP4 and can output AVI (like Vdub). You'll need a lot extra hard drive space. Then,
Convert from the AVI to MPEG1 using TMPGEnc (older version in trial mode--still works for free with MPEG1!!!). You'll get pretty decent MPEG1. There are better MPEG1 encoders out there, but that one is near foolproof for that kind of material. I have done this before successfully.

Scott

[AlanHK]

I think what the OP wanted was to get the max amount of available time on a DVD (so could be playable on settops). Since this would severely compromise quality with Full or 1/2-D1 MPEG2, it actually does make sense to go down from there to DVD-compliant MPEG1, which is ~1/4-D1 (aka SIF aka CIF, or 352x240).

I haven't actually tried this, but DVD accepts MPEG2 at 352x240. I'd expect that this would give better results than MPEG1 at the same resolution and bitrate, for one thing it's variable bitrate, not fixed like MPEG1, so should make more effcient use of the available bits.
Also, there is more choice in MPEG2 encoders now than MPEG1.

You can save a few MB by cutting down the audio bitrate. I generally use AC3 at 128 kb, which comes to about 1 MB/minute, you can cut that down to 64 or even lower if it's mostly speech.

[Jonahinthewhale]

Thanks everyone for the post. Yes, I have been doing video encoding for a long time and I a fully aware of quality verses space. Most of the videos I am making are for older folk who are NOT computer literate and the videos I'm making are usually lectures, not movies. I don't need them to look great I just want to be able to fit 8 hours of video on one disc instead of 2 in high quality. High quality is actually easier. Thank u cornucopia, U have an idea of what I want and I have already done that with success. I just am trying to cut out as many middlemen(programs) as possible. Iskysoft media for instance promises this kind of conversion is one FAST swoop. But as I have experience more times then I can count, there is always a MAJOR flaw. Iskysoft the sound is offset about half a second and doesn't have an adjustment option. TMPgenc does the same thing. I just don't what to HAVE to use 2 or more programs. I just found out last night that Roxio toast allows direct drop of as many mp4s and want and adjust space automatically. But conversion time is unbearable. I hope this makes things more clear. 1 program. 1 converstion. WORKS!

[Jonahinthewhale]

I just tried Iskysoft with MPEG-2 option and was able to get the file size low enough to be just as good as Mpeg-1. However, Same problem as before. Ofset audio. MP4 uses ACC audio. Could this have something to do with it.?

[poisondeathray]

Were the original .mp4 clips in sync?

Are you on a mac? (you might get more appropriate help in the mac subforum)

[jman98]

I just tried Iskysoft with MPEG-2 option and was able to get the file size low enough to be just as good as Mpeg-1. However, Same problem as before. Ofset audio. MP4 uses ACC audio. Could this have something to do with it.?

I can't say for sure that AAC isn't your problem, but I don't think that's likely. Maybe Iskysoft is just crap. A lot of video and audio programs that cost money are just junk. DVDSanta, for example, costs $30 US to buy and no experienced person here would ever recommend it, yet people still bought it. Many of them regretted it.

I agree with poisondeathray that from looking at your first post it seems that you are doing everything on a Mac. You really needed to post in our Mac forum as when you use the other forums like this one, we all assume you are using Windows. Using a Mac ties your hands and your options are limited, which is probably why you bought Iskysoft - it was one of the few choices you had. No one on this thread may know anything about your capture device and any quirks it may have. That's why you needed to post this in the Mac forum to begin with.

[Jonahinthewhale]

Sorry, I have used a PC for 20 years up until this year and last time I used this forum I was using a pc. If someone could send me a link to the mac forum I will post this question there. To poisondeathray, Yes, the mp4 is in sync.

[Baldrick]

Moving you to our mac section.

[sanlyn]

[quote="AlanHK"]

I haven't actually tried this, but DVD accepts MPEG2 at 352x240.

352x240 is non-DVD-compliant MPEG-1, not MPEG2 DVD (interlaced 352x480). If the MP4's are interlaced, the OP will need an interlaced DVD conversion.

Better off just saving them as MP4's to several DVD disks. However, the OP originally said he wants to transfer the videos to a "data DVD". A data DVD won't play as a kosher DVD-movie in a DVD player because it's data, not "DVD". He'll have to convert to a standard DVD interlaced format (352x480 on up) or use another digital format.

Again, you have the compromise between bitrate, time, and quality. Won't get better quality by going from MPEG4 to MPEG1. No way. MPEG1 looks godawful anyway.

[terryj]

Bah, I do this all day with VisualHub and it works out ok.

Drag the .mp4s into visual hub,
Set the setting to make "author as DVD".
Set Quality slider to between LOW and STANDARD to get all items fit to a
disc.
Select "Burn When Done".
Insert Blank DVD, click Go.

now finding a copy of VisualHub, that will be the trick....

[Jonahinthewhale]

Terryj, I had my hopes REALLY up! I found the program as a torrent and it seems to be really great software. However, I'm having the same problem as before. It converts to the format I want and the size I want, BUT THE SOUND IS STILL OFF HALF A SECOND. WHY? WHY? WHY is this so hard for these conversion programs to get right on. Or at least allow for an audio adjustment. And again, The sound on the original mp4 file works just fine.

[Jonahinthewhale]

Terryj, you are my own person Video Savior!!!!!!! Turns out I had two versions of the video on my desktop and I checked the wrong one. I noticed it and tried again. In the words of doc brown...It works! It Woooooorks!!!!!!! Thank you so much. PS I love this forum. Admin, Never leave me.

[Jonahinthewhale]

Terryj, one other question. Is there a way to know what DVD settings to put on so that I don't go over the 4.7gb standard dvd size? Like an auto adjust no matter how many vids I put in the software? Mpeg has the option of file size. Anything like that for VOB?

[AlanHK]

I haven't actually tried this, but DVD accepts MPEG2 at 352x240.

352x240 is non-DVD-compliant MPEG-1, not MPEG2 DVD (interlaced 352x480). If the MP4's are interlaced, the OP will need an interlaced DVD conversion.

According to https://www.videohelp.com/dvd It does accept 352 x 240 pixels MPEG1 or MPEG2:

Video:
Up to 9.8 Mbps* (9800 kbps*) MPEG2 video
Up to 1.856 Mbps (1856 kbps) MPEG1 video
720 x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Full-D1)
704 x 480 pixels MPEG2
352 x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Half-D1, same as the CVD Standard)
352 x 240 pixels MPEG2
352 x 240 pixels MPEG1

And what do you mean by "non-DVD-compliant MPEG-1"? How is it "non-compliant"? It's also within the standard, and I have actually tried this and it works on several players; it's the standard way to convert VCDs to DVD.

[terryj]

Terryj, one other question. Is there a way to know what DVD settings to put on so that I don't go over the 4.7gb standard dvd size? Like an auto adjust no matter how many vids I put in the software? Mpeg has the option of file size. Anything like that for VOB?

from the VisualHub Manual:

Quality settings are not available with “Author as DVD” is checked. Quality will then be automatically decided.
Author as DVD
Checking this box will tell VisualHub to create a full-fledged DVD from the input files. VisualHub will add up the running
times for each video in the File List, and choose quality and bitrate settings in order to guarantee that all files will fit on
one DVD.

So, check the box "Author as DVD" and just fill up the window with your content ( drag/drop)
and VH will calculate your runtime, and adjust quality to fit the 4.7GB DVD-5 standard,
automagically. ( use the LOW and STANDARD slider when you have a few ( 5 or less)
videos under 30mins in length a piece, for a manual adjustment).
More than 5 vids, let VH do the work.
Trust me, it does the job.....

[Jonahinthewhale]

Where has this software been all my life! I have been wanting something like this for years. The best part is...Its fast! I put 4 hours of video on one dvd just to see how it works and it is awesome. With this program I don't even need to convert to mpeg. Thanks again Terryj and thank you everyone for your help. I hope this forum helps others in the future.

[lordsmurf]

MPEG-1 from VCD from can be both compliant and non-compliant. It's mostly a matter of GOP length and sequence headers.

[sanlyn]

MPEG-1 from VCD from can be both compliant and non-compliant. It's mostly a matter of GOP length and sequence headers.

Thanks for that tip, lordsmurf, I'll update my knowledge base on that one. I should'a guessed so, though, because my Panasonic ES20 does make MPEG-1 when it records those ugly 6-hour videos .

[terryj]

Where has this software been all my life! I have been wanting something like this for years. The best part is...Its fast! I put 4 hours of video on one dvd just to see how it works and it is awesome. With this program I don't even need to convert to mpeg. Thanks again Terryj and thank you everyone for your help. I hope this forum helps others in the future.

u r welcome!