Need to combine separate m2v/wav files for YouTube

[LouAnne]

Hello - A few years ago I prepared an avi file to burn to a dvd (I no longer have the original avi). So, now I have an m2v and a wav file. I'd like to post the video/audio on YouTube but I'm not sure of the best method. I want to keep the best quality possible.

With a standard avi file, I have been using the Adobe Flash Encoder to create flv files for YouTube. But that wont work with the two separate files, as far as I know.

I could easily convert the wav file to mp3 if that would help.

Thanks for any help.

[manono]

With a standard avi file, I have been using the Adobe Flash Encoder to create flv files for YouTube.

Why? Just upload the AVI (assuming it's an XviD or DivX file). Why degrade it some more by converting it to FLV before YouTube then gets its grubby paws on it to ruin it some more?

So, now I have an m2v and a wav file.

Assuming they're DVD compliant, mux them using Muxman and then upload that (maybe after converting the resulting VOB to MPG). If it doesn't load one or the other, then it's not DVD compliant.

By the way, if you got the M2V and WAV file from that DVD you made, then just use VOB2MPG on the VOB and then upload the resulting MPG file.

[Baldrick]

You could try multiplex the m2v and wav to a mkv with mkvtoolnix / mkvmergegui . Upload the mkv to youtube directly and let it convert.

Or use muxman as manono mentions and make a vob and upload to youtube.

[LouAnne]

Why? Just upload the AVI (assuming it's an XviD or DivX file). Why degrade it some more by converting it to FLV before YouTube then gets its grubby paws on it to ruin it some more?.

I don't want to upload avi's because of the huge file size. They are DV avi's. Also, when I researched uploading to YouTube (years ago), it was my understanding that they would not reconvert flv files. The quality seems good when uploading my flv's.

So, now I have an m2v and a wav file.

Assuming they're DVD compliant, mux them using Muxman and then upload that (maybe after converting the resulting VOB to MPG).

So, you're saying that YouTube will not convert the mpg's?

By the way, if you got the M2V and WAV file from that DVD you made, then just use VOB2MPG on the VOB and then upload the resulting MPG file.

Yes, I have m2v and wav, not vob's. This sounds like a lot of conversions, or is it?

[LouAnne]

You could try multiplex the m2v and wav to a mkv with mkvtoolnix / mkvmergegui . Upload the mkv to youtube directly and let it convert.

Or use muxman as manono mentions and make a vob and upload to youtube.

I will have to research this. My thought is to convert files myself in such a way that YouTube will not reconvert, thus retaining top quality. Is it better to let YouTube convert files?

[manono]

YouTube always reencodes. It's been years since it was possible to upload it in a format they accepted without reencoding.

And yes, you wouldn't have wanted to upload the DV AVI. I was thinking it was an XviD or DivX AVI.

[LouAnne]

I got it sorted. I found this thread http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=150905 which gave me some more options.

I originally tried MPEG StreamClip, but it crashed just after opening the m2v file. I tried a few things but never figured out why.

I then tried Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD paid version. The thread above gave me crucial information such as to rename the m2v file to mpv. Also, how to locate the lpcm audio option. I like Womble because it produces an mpeg file and it seems to do a straight multiplex without any reencoding. The resulting mpeg looks good on YouTube, so I'm happy.

Cheers

[manono]

The resulting mpeg looks good on YouTube, so I'm happy.

Do you have a link? The last I checked YouTube didn't resize based on the DAR. You have to add an AR tag to the video to get it to play with the correct aspect ratio.

http://support.google.com/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=146402

[LouAnne]

Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G703h24Gk9M

Keep in mind that the original source was a VHS tape from 1985! Every other video on my channel is a avi-->flv conversion.

manono, that's good info about aspect ratio tags, but I was aware of that. I always use the yt: stretch=4:3 tag. As far as I know, that's all I need for my 4:3 content.

*I had to put spaces in the tag to keep the forum software from putting a smiley-face there, lol.

[manono]

Oh, you already knew about it? Yeah, it looks good.