Oops!
You probably have received an e-mail that Stowe had created a new show for VMX the afternoon of Feb. 4.
We did not, but started the process in error trying to make a 2-hour DVD by combining several shows, starting with the Wilhem Lange lecture posted sometime ago. Following Matt's instructions, we changed the name of the new file to BBFLange 59-53 so it cannot be confused with the original BBFLange file.
We cancelled the process as soon as we discovered what was happening, and I hope we stopped it in time. If we didn't, I hope someone with more knowledge than me can erase it from the VMX files.
We were trying to follow Matt's instructions as to the process of combining mpeg4s into a longer DVD to play in Stowe. The instructions were fine, and we simply goofed, and our apologies to all concerned.
But while I have your attention, maybe someone experienced in the ways of Imac can help us solve our next problem. Using Matt's process, we can now combine two or more mpeg4s into a single file approaching two hours. But we need the DVD to be exactly 2 hours. We do this all the time with non-VMX shows on our PC by adding some short shows of our own we can edit in a way that will end the DVD exactly at the 2 hour mark.
The problem is that I haven't been able to do this on the iMac. For some reason, iMovie won't accept the VMX mpeg4s or mpeg2s. I think I should be able to do it in the Mpeg Streamclip application I have downloaded, but I can't get it to accept my non-VMX mpeg2 filler shows.
Does anyone have a solution for me as we really need to burn the DVDs on the iMac, and we can't have irregular TRT on the DVDs.
Again my apologies for the posting notice and my appreciation for any ideas how we can edit our own filler programs on the iMac to make 2-hour DVDs there to include VMX files.
Thanks.
Ted Bermingham
Hi Ted, There is a much
Hi Ted,
There is a much easier program that can do all of this for you. It's called 'Visual Hub'. This program used to and might still cost $30, but it's development has been discontinued, so there is a chance you might not have to pay anymore (I didn't test installing it because I already have it). So you can download it here: http://www.geekmeetsgirl.net/visualhub_tools.php
Even if it still does cost $30, you can try it for free to make sure it works. I think if you try it once you will find it's well worth the money. Here's what you would do once you download and open the application:
At the top of the Visual Hub window, you will see it says 'To: ' followed by a bunch of tabs. You would select the 'DVD' tab. Then you will see a few options come up, and you can even check off 'Burn when done' (you'll need to put a DVD-R in the computer so it's ready). Then all you do is drag all the files you want into the box that says "Drag the files to be converted below". You can put in as many as you want, and they can be any format you want. Then you need to check off the box at the bottom of the window that says 'Stitch Videos Together'. Then just press start!
Hope that helps.
Emily
When you say Matt, do you
When you say Matt, do you meant me? I can't remember advising anyone on this matter, but I can certainly help with this process. You are correct in that you can do this with MPEG Streamclip. I am about to go into a staff meeting, but I will post more on this later. It is not entirely obvious how to do it with Streamclip, but it is very easy. Keep an eye out for my next post.
Matt Goudey
Video Technology Coordinator
Vermont Community Access Media
208 Flynn Ave Suite 2G
Burlington, VT 05401
802.651.9692
Hi Emily and Matt: I
Hi Emily and Matt:
I see now you read both discussions; sorry for the duplicate.
Thanks for the replies. I will download Visual Hub.
I am also interested in seeing Matt's reply. (Yes, it was Matt who told me about Streamclip.)
I will report which seems to work best for a PC-biased non-tech, in case anyone else coming on VMX wanders into this particular maze of needing exact TRT DVDs.
Thanks to you both for getting back so fast. You should be working for Fairpoint!
Ted
In MPEG Streamclip, once
In MPEG Streamclip, once you have the converted MPEG2 file, or MPEG4 file, you open Streamclip, go to the Lists menu option, click on Batch list, and a new window will open. Select all the files you want to join at once, then drag them into the batch window. Two things to know about this. One is that you have to drag them in all at the same time, not one at a time, so you need to do a multiple selection. Two is that the files will be joined in alphabetical order, meaning that the file that comes first alphabetically will be the first part of your new movie, and so forth. The resulting file will take on the name of the first original movie. The way to create an order of your choosing is to preface each movie with numbers. When it's all done you can rename the finished movie. You also have to save to a different location than the original movie becaue you can't have two files with the same name in the same directory.
Matt Goudey
Video Technology Coordinator
Vermont Community Access Media
208 Flynn Ave Suite 2G
Burlington, VT 05401
802.651.9692
Emily & Matt: Thanks for
Emily & Matt:
Thanks for your app suggestions.
I don't like to bother you with such a special problem, but I sure am running out of ideas fooling with it at this end.
I have worked with both Mpeg Streamclip and Visual Hub all afternoon & evening. Both allow me to stitch together VMX files with one of my own. This file I include as filler so I can edit it to end the new file exactly at 2 hours, something the Stowe setup requires. So this stitching function works well in both.
But I can find no way on either app to edit my filler program down so the DVD ends at the end of two hours.
All I need is a slider which shows duration length to the second, make one cut and one fade to black transition; we are not talking any kind of creative editing here.
Can either of therse applications do this?
I tried using iMovie which I used daily for several years when it first came out years ago. I find now that its current version does not indicate the duration of the file as the slide moves, as most editing apps do and the only way to easily determine the two-hour mark. Maybe I am missing something here, but I couldn't find it and Help was no help.
And when I transfer the new file to my PC where I can easily edit it before burning, all the resulting DVDs have freeze-frames or other glitches and thus have proved to be unusable. I have used 3 different computers and burners, including a professional Pioneer, so I don't think the problem is in the PCs.
The bottom-line is that since we all met in Hardwick, I have spent well over 20 hours trying various ways and have yet to produce a playablable 2-hour DVD. This is why I feel I must find away to edit the new file on the iMac and then burn the DVD there. (Buying and then learning another full editing system like Final Cut Pro is not an option.)
If I can't do it all on the iMac as I envisioned, with the existing apps or some other inexpensive and intuitive editing system, I don't see how we can use VMX programs at all. Not a pleasant thought at this point for either me or Stowe Cablevision.
Any suggestions will be very much appreciated. I can't believe Stowe is the only channel to want standard length VMX programs or DVDs, so I am hoping there is a solution out there somewhere.
Ted
So far as I know, you can't
So far as I know, you can't edit video in Visual Hub -- it's just a conversion tool. In MPEG Streamclip I know you can trim movies to exact lengths, but I don't know that you can add fades or other effects (maybe Matt has a different answer). However, I do have one option you can try.
If you don't want to add the fade until AFTER you've combined all your clips, then I think you will need to export from Visual Hub/MPEG Streamclip to MOV or MP4 or an iMovie support format so that you can open it in iMovie (MPEG2 won't work). Then open it back up in iMovie. Then you need to turn on Advanced Tools. To do this, go to the very top menu where it says 'iMovie' (next to the apple at the top left of the computer screen) and choose 'Preferences'. Then a window will come up and on the 'General' tab there should be a checkbox that says 'Show Advanced Tools'. Check this box. This should turn on a bunch of advanced features, and I believe one of them is showing clip duration. I don't have iMovie 09 in front of me, so I can't test this. It may start showing it in the player if you double-click the clip. It may show it in the timeline. I am not sure. Or it may just bring up a clip inspector when you double-click and then you might adjust the duration there.
The other option would be to know how long you need the filler clip to be before adding it to the other clips, then edit the filler clip first in iMovie. Then add it all together in MPEG Streamclip or Visual Hub and export direct to DVD.
Neither Streamclip nor
Neither Streamclip nor Visual Hub is an editing program. They are conversion programs, so the ability to make edits is limited and to make fades is impossible. You can trim, but you can't fade out. You should be able to do this with iMovie, but at this time I am not sure how. I will crack open iMovie and figure it out. Never used it before to be honest. I have had Final Cut since I bought my first Mac, so...
I have two suggestions for you at the start. The first is, there must be some kind of tutorial built into iMovie. Apple is very good at wanting their users to know how to use their applications. And, if there isn't one, I highly recommend signing on to Lynda.com and checking them out. You can get a one month membership for something like $20, and they have greate video tutorials for tons of apps. They also offer support files if you don't have your own media. We use it all the time here for our members and for our staff. One of the best online deals I have ever used. You may also be able to find the information at the apple.com Discussionis page for iMovie:
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=141
Don't give up on the VMX just cause of a little snag! We'll get you sorted out...
Matt
Matt Goudey
Video Technology Coordinator
Vermont Community Access Media
208 Flynn Ave Suite 2G
Burlington, VT 05401
802.651.9692
Just got back to the office
Just got back to the office to find both Emily and Matt's prompt replies for which I am grateful.
I will follow the suggestions of both , and I will report back any progress or break-throughs I can discover, as I do want VMX to be available in Stowe.
If all else fails, I can give up the transition, as it is my own production that will be ending abruptly. Probably I am the only one who cares anyway, but I will keep trying to find a way to do it right. I may have to construct some special shows with music and no narration, so the cut won't be so troublesome. But hopefully I can find an editing solution following Matt and Emily's suggestions.
I have also moved my back-up Sony DVD player into the studio so I can test each DVD on it for freeze-frames and other glitches. Then I will know it should play ok on the same players in Stowe. I have found over the years of burning DVDs for broadcast that discs will play differently on different make and quality players. Testing takes time, but it is still better than a freeze-frame over the system.
One other concern I have is I have found at least one VMX show that has 15 secs of bars & tones and then 15 secs of black. I always preview at least the start of each download so I haven't had a problem at the start. I worry about too much black left after the credits which I can check easily only if I can do it with the iMovie time-line.
Anyone else notice shows that don't start and end cleanly?
Thanks.
Ted
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