MP4tools Users - Beta Released With New Encoder Option

[emmgunn]

Hello MP4tools users. As some of you may know, MP4tools is going through a conversion from applescript to obj-c. As part of this complete re-write, the latest beta includes a new encoder (ffmpeg) which may eventually become the primary tool for creating MP4/M4V files. Initial testing has shown improvements in speed, sync, codec compatibility and the handling of large files. Subtitles are still proving problematic, but we'll see how that goes . There is a "Try New Encoder" checkbox in the main window that must be ticked to override the old encoder (mencoder). If interested, give it a try and let me know how it goes via the beta e-mail address on the download page. And don't forget it's still beta . Feel free to include any feature requests in your e-mails.

Cheers.

[sfxguy]

I may be blind but I do not see the "try new encoder" check box.
Can you post a pic of what it looks like?

Also, why don't you add in tagging options like subler?
If this had that it would be my one stop shop for converting my mkv's.

[emmgunn]

The original comment, "a Try New Encoder checkbox in the main window" is a little vague I suppose . Look for it in the MP4 tab, in a box next to the Convert button. Also, make sure that you're using version 3.2.b10.

As to the tagging question. The decision to convert from applescript to obj-c was primarily driven by the expanded tools available in the obj-c environment. So the goal is to include features like tagging in the near future. For now, the goal is just to find the bugs introduced during the conversion to obj-c.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by emmgunn

The original comment, "a Try New Encoder checkbox in the main window" is a little vague I suppose . Look for it in the MP4 tab, in a box next to the Convert button. Also, make sure that you're using version 3.2.b10.

As to the tagging question. The decision to convert from applescript to obj-c was primarily driven by the expanded tools available in the obj-c environment. So the goal is to include features like tagging in the near future. For now, the goal is just to find the bugs introduced during the conversion to obj-c.

I'm excited for your product. I still have to wonder how your utilization of ffmpeg will compare to handbrake. But I am anxious to give it a go.

Edit: So I just took a look at the beta. No Constant Quality setting, only 1 or 2 pass constant bit rate? Do you plan on adding CQ at some point?

[sfxguy]

Originally Posted by emmgunn

The original comment, "a Try New Encoder checkbox in the main window" is a little vague I suppose . Look for it in the MP4 tab, in a box next to the Convert button. Also, make sure that you're using version 3.2.b10.

As to the tagging question. The decision to convert from applescript to obj-c was primarily driven by the expanded tools available in the obj-c environment. So the goal is to include features like tagging in the near future. For now, the goal is just to find the bugs introduced during the conversion to obj-c.

Ahh, I bet it is there in b10, but your link points to b9.
Do you have b10 up yet?

[sfxguy]

Does b10 fix any of the sound sync issues I get a lot when re-muxing my MKV's?

I have a lot of MKV's that play fine in VLC but when I do the audio conversion in mp4tools, (I usually convert to AAC 5.1 and add a 2-channel track,) the audio is out of sync on both tracks by the end of the movie so I end up doing a full handbrake conversion, which always works.

(Note I just did a conversion of an MKV in b9 as described above and the audio was out of sync, I then did a remux in subler and left the DTS track as it was in the MKV, which said it was AAC 5.1 and the sync was fine, I did not have subler down-convert the audio)

[emmgunn]

Originally Posted by mic j

I'm excited for your product. I still have to wonder how your utilization of ffmpeg will compare to handbrake. But I am anxious to give it a go.

Edit: So I just took a look at the beta. No Constant Quality setting, only 1 or 2 pass constant bit rate? Do you plan on adding CQ at some point?

Added encode options are being considered. The goal, however is to try to keep the process as simple as possible, so there is a little bit of debate on how the best accomplish this. An "advanced settings" option is the leading candidate right now. Feel free, you or any current users, to make requests for what options you'd like to see. Right now, however, the focus is to get an implementation that works with the basic settings, since the vast majority of processing is passthru for the video.

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Originally Posted by sfxguy

Ahh, I bet it is there in b10, but your link points to b9.
Do you have b10 up yet?

It's been up for a few days actually. Try to refresh the beta page in your browser.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by emmgunn

Added encode options are being considered. The goal, however is to try to keep the process as simple as possible, so there is a little bit of debate on how the best accomplish this. An "advanced settings" option is the leading candidate right now. Feel free, you or any current users, to make requests for what options you'd like to see. Right now, however, the focus is to get an implementation that works with the basic settings, since the vast majority of processing is passthru for the video.

I agree with your approach. I use mp4tools for mostly passthrough work and occasional joining of files. Knowing the quality of the product, I get excited at the thought of having one tool that can do what it currently does along with additional function. But it has to basically work well before the layers could be added. Seems like the major complaint with it is audio/video sync. So if that can be address well, it will be a winner.

Combine the function of Handbrake (CQ), Subler (metadata and subtitles), and MP4Tools and I will happily give you access to by CC.

[sfxguy]

Originally Posted by sfxguy

Does b10 fix any of the sound sync issues I get a lot when re-muxing my MKV's?

I have a lot of MKV's that play fine in VLC but when I do the audio conversion in mp4tools, (I usually convert to AAC 5.1 and add a 2-channel track,) the audio is out of sync on both tracks by the end of the movie so I end up doing a full handbrake conversion, which always works.

(Note I just did a conversion of an MKV in b9 as described above and the audio was out of sync, I then did a remux in subler and left the DTS track as it was in the MKV, which said it was AAC 5.1 and the sync was fine, I did not have subler down-convert the audio)

Just ran the same MKV in b10 with the new encoder, (video pass through, AAC 5.1, and add 2-Ch track.)

It is in sync now!

Great job!

[emmgunn]

Originally Posted by sfxguy

Just ran the same MKV in b10 with the new encoder, (video pass through, AAC 5.1, and add 2-Ch track.)

It is in sync now!

Great job!

Good to hear. There are still some things to sort out with the new process, so keep an eye on the beta page for updates, and be sure to send bug information to the beta e-mail.

[Nutdotnet]

The beta seems to be much more reliable than the current version. However, the converted video file isn't showing up where it should. In the current version, if I leave the "save converted video" line blank, it will save to the folder where the original is. In the beta - I have no idea where it's saving (or if it even is)...

On a side note - I emailed you earlier this week asking for a refund for my MP4Tools purchase. It's the perfect piece of software for what I'm trying to do but it's so unstable that it's unusable.

[Mackan]

Originally Posted by Nutdotnet

The beta seems to be much more reliable than the current version. However, the converted video file isn't showing up where it should. In the current version, if I leave the "save converted video" line blank, it will save to the folder where the original is. In the beta - I have no idea where it's saving (or if it even is)...

On a side note - I emailed you earlier this week asking for a refund for my MP4Tools purchase. It's the perfect piece of software for what I'm trying to do but it's so unstable that it's unusable.

That's why it's shareware. You can try it out first. Then you would probably have discovered it was unusable for you. I believe purchases are not refundable, as stated on this page.

[Nutdotnet]

Originally Posted by Mackan

That's why it's shareware. You can try it out first. Then you would probably have discovered it was unusable for you. I believe purchases are not refundable, as stated on this page.

While MP4Tools is shareware, part of its limitation when you are using the "demo" version is the inability to drag and drop multiple files. As this is what I wanted to do (I have hundreds of movie/tv shows that I want to convert to .mp4) I went ahead and made the $5 purchase. Unfortunately, this is where it is unstable, when I want to add a queue of files.

Converting single files at a time works fine. Dragging and dropping multiple files seems to cause the program to crash more than 50% of the time.

As the old adage says - "Assuming makes and "ass" out of you...and you."

[chenks]

unless i'm missing something obvious, this beta is not creating a 6 channel AC3 audio track even when it is told to.
using these settings shown (which are the same as i used in the non-beta), it creates a 2 channel stereo and a 2 channel AC3 track.



this is what was created



it's also not setting the stereo as the first audio track, whereas the non-beta version does.

it has fixed the audio sync issue, but it has created 2 other issues which kinda are show stoppers.

[Nutdotnet]

Originally Posted by chenks

unless i'm missing something obvious, this beta is not creating a 6 channel AC3 audio track even when it is told to.
using these settings shown (which are the same as i used in the non-beta), it creates a 2 channel stereo and a 2 channel AC3 track.

Image

this is what was created

Image

it's also not setting the stereo as the first audio track, whereas the non-beta version does.

it has fixed the audio sync issue, but it has created 2 other issues which kinda are show stoppers.

I'm currently chatting with the developer on multiple issues that I'm experiencing with the beta. The beta is much more stable, but it appears to be throwing errors that I'm not getting with the "stable" release. I think there's something that's he's missing that's probably an easy fix for him. I'll keep you posted.

[fkuebler]

I had to make video files containing only either a single AC3 2 channel or 5.1 channel audio track compatible to both iTunes playback and Apple TV3. Being a video rookie, I tried iFlicks, remux, subler, iVI, MP4tools for doing this. Maybe I did something wrong, but only with iVI and MP4tools I could successfully do the required task.

I liked MP4tools a little better, but I found, that the beta appeared more stable than the previous 3.1.4.

Unfortunately MP4tools caused a slight audio/video de-sync with my videos (3.1.4 does not). Not much, but noticeable. Therefore I had to resort to iVI for doing my app. 150 conversions.

Just to let you know...

EDIT: I also noticed a slight audio distortion, when I converted an AC3 5.1 mp4 into an AAC+AC3 m4v and listend to it with QT. It sounded like kind of a faint echo. With the same video converted in the same way with iVI I did not notice this problem.

[ryedarrow]

Originally Posted by fkuebler

I had to make video files containing only either a single AC3 2 channel or 5.1 channel audio track compatible to both iTunes playback and Apple TV3. Being a video rookie, I tried iFlicks, remux, subler, iVI, MP4tools for doing this. Maybe I did something wrong, but only with iVI and MP4tools I could successfully do the required task.

I liked MP4tools a little better, but I found, that the beta appeared more stable than the previous 3.1.4.

Unfortunately MP4tools caused a slight audio/video de-sync with my videos (3.1.4 does not). Not much, but noticeable. Therefore I had to resort to iVI for doing my app. 150 conversions.

Just to let you know...

EDIT: I also noticed a slight audio distortion, when I converted an AC3 5.1 mp4 into an AAC+AC3 m4v and listend to it with QT. It sounded like kind of a faint echo. With the same video converted in the same way with iVI I did not notice this problem.

I too have noticed that faint echo in QT, I think it's quicktime trying to play both audio tracks at the same time. If you open the video in VLC it will play fine (same for ATV).

----------

So I use MP4tools all the time and really like it. However, I am getting random crashes of the app when I do batch projects.

Normal workflow is to take MKV's and do video pass thru straight to MP4 and just encode the audio if it needs it.

The app often crashes and I have to start the batch project over. Problem is I can't seem to duplicate the issues to figure out what is causing the problem.

Anyone else run into this?

[snebes]

I just updated to 3.2.2 from 3.1.4. I don't know if it uses the new encoder by default. But it seems that the files that it encodes are not able to be converted by iDentify 2--it crashes.

Also, it seems there isn't a way to automatically tell it to not include subtitles now.

I'm just providing the feedback here incase anyone else has this problem, as it could relate to the new encoder.

Going back to 3.1.4 for now.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by snebes

I just updated to 3.2.2 from 3.1.4. I don't know if it uses the new encoder by default. But it seems that the files that it encodes are not able to be converted by iDentify 2--it crashes.

Also, it seems there isn't a way to automatically tell it to not include subtitles now.

I'm just providing the feedback here incase anyone else has this problem, as it could relate to the new encoder.

Going back to 3.1.4 for now.

Hope you contacted the developer about your issue's. He's very responsive to feedback on his product.