Joining Mp4 Files

KettyKrueger · Sep 9, 2007

Hi All

Just got my AppleTV [how do you insert the Apple logo?] and I'm loving it.

Just one question - how do you join MP4 files? I've ripped them using the 'AppleTV' setting with Handbrake. I've tried using iMovie to import them but it would have taken somewhere in the region of 1265 minutes to import them!! [I'm using an iMac Intel core Duo, 1GB of RAM].

I've also tried another prog [sorry name escapes me] but that failed too because of the file type.

Anyone got any suggestions? Sorry if this post is a bit vague, happy to provide more info [specific file info, etc].

Thanks

GreatDrok · Sep 9, 2007

KettyKrueger said:
Hi All

Just got my AppleTV [how do you insert the Apple logo?] and I'm loving it.

Just one question - how do you join MP4 files? I've ripped them using the 'AppleTV' setting with Handbrake. I've tried using iMovie to import them but it would have taken somewhere in the region of 1265 minutes to import them!! [I'm using an iMac Intel core Duo, 1GB of RAM].

I've also tried another prog [sorry name escapes me] but that failed too because of the file type.

Anyone got any suggestions? Sorry if this post is a bit vague, happy to provide more info [specific file info, etc].

Thanks

I've done this using Quicktime Pro. Just open the first movie, then drag the next one into the same window and so on. You can trim the joins if you need to and then export it all as a Quicktime movie or any of the other formats that Quicktime supports.

WyLLyM · Sep 9, 2007

joining mp4's

I use "VisualHub".

it converts, joins, and burns, movie files in all sorts of
formats, including settings for appletv, and ipods specifically.

I think I paid 29.00 us, for the program, but it was well worth it.

Hope it helps

Bill

AeroQ · Dec 16, 2007

There's another option:
SimpleMovieX

You can join to mp4 movie by copy and paste and then save it to mp4 without reencoding.
It's very very fast.

Note that I'm the developer of this app.

Regards, BJ

chris200x9 · Dec 16, 2007

AeroQ said:
There's another option:
SimpleMovieX

You can join to mp4 movie by copy and paste and then save it to mp4 without reencoding.
It's very very fast.

Note that I'm the developer of this app.

Regards, BJ

not to hijack the thread, but, you sir are awesome. I'm hoping to buy it as soon as I get some money, thank you.

zedsdead · Dec 16, 2007

AeroQ said:
There's another option:
SimpleMovieX

You can join to mp4 movie by copy and paste and then save it to mp4 without reencoding.
It's very very fast.

Note that I'm the developer of this app.

Regards, BJ

This seems very cool...I have been looking for a Chapter Creator/Renamer program (Metadata Hootenanny Forces the new File to be a .Mov)...I just want to make sure, if I buy this, does the new file created save as a native MP4/m4v...this is vital for adding Artwork in iTunes...as stated, other methods (quicktime pro or Metadata) force a .mov container, which prevents artwork from being added.

mindcrash · Dec 18, 2007

I would be very interested in this as well. I am ripping The Godfather Part 2 and want to join the movie files together so it's setup as one movie in iTunes/AppleTV as opposed to 2.

How do you edit the chapter numbers so it's ordered correctly if you join them?

If Quicktime forces the movie into a .mov format, can you just convert it back to mp4?

wmealer · Dec 18, 2007

mindcrash said:
I would be very interested in this as well. I am ripping The Godfather Part 2 and want to join the movie files together so it's setup as one movie in iTunes/AppleTV as opposed to 2.

How do you edit the chapter numbers so it's ordered correctly if you join them?

If Quicktime forces the movie into a .mov format, can you just convert it back to mp4?

A few different ways to accomplish this...

You'll need to convert both discs individually with either HandBrake or Visual Hub first (keep quality as high as possible here since you may end up encoding the video twice)...

Then combine in QTPro and export to the "AppleTV" preset.

Or if you have VisualHub, you could drag both mp4s into your window, and stitch videos together here.

Another option would be to drag all your vob files, in succession, into VisualHub, stitching them together here, and therefore encoding only once. The only caveat being that you need to rename disc 2's vobs to something other than disc 1's vob filenames. If you don't, you'll only end up with the second half of your movie, since (for some reason) VisualHub will over-write the second half on top of the first half.

All of these methods have worked for me, with some trial and error, on the 2-disc LOTR movies. Also keep in mind if you use VisualHub, it's a good idea to constrain filesize to 4290MB in "Advanced." Thru lots of trial and error, this keeps your output to just below 4GB, still leaving room for any cover art/metadata you want to add.

With regard to chapter numbers, I have no clue.

On the quickTime mov question, you need to use the export command to get a reliable, AppleTV-ready mp4.

mindcrash · Dec 18, 2007

wmealer said:
A few different ways to accomplish this...

You'll need to convert both discs individually with either HandBrake or Visual Hub first (keep quality as high as possible here since you may end up encoding the video twice)...

Then combine in QTPro and export to the "AppleTV" preset.

Or if you have VisualHub, you could drag both mp4s into your window, and stitch videos together here.

Another option would be to drag all your vob files, in succession, into VisualHub, stitching them together here, and therefore encoding only once. The only caveat being that you need to rename disc 2's vobs to something other than disc 1's vob filenames. If you don't, you'll only end up with the second half of your movie, since (for some reason) VisualHub will over-write the second half on top of the first half.

All of these methods have worked for me, with some trial and error, on the 2-disc LOTR movies. Also keep in mind if you use VisualHub, it's a good idea to constrain filesize to 4290MB in "Advanced." Thru lots of trial and error, this keeps your output to just below 4GB, still leaving room for any cover art/metadata you want to add.

With regard to chapter numbers, I have no clue.

On the quickTime mov question, you need to use the export command, to get a reliable, AppleTV-ready mp4.

Great advice. I just got VisualHub so I'll play around with that. I need to do this with those LOTR DVDs of mine too, so this will be good to get the process down.

I think I'll encode using handbrake first, I generally use the AppleTV preset, but customizing it for the 2-pass encoding. Is this going to be good enough when combining these files?

Thanks!

wmealer · Dec 18, 2007

mindcrash said:
Great advice. I just got VisualHub so I'll play around with that. I need to do this with those LOTR DVDs of mine too, so this will be good to get the process down.

I think I'll encode using handbrake first, I generally use the AppleTV preset, but customizing it for the 2-pass encoding. Is this going to be good enough when combining these files?

Thanks!

HandBrake's AppleTV preset should be fine for each individual mp4. On long movies such as this, VisualHub will probably compress them even more in the joining process, to fit within the 4GB size constraint. Good luck!

MikieMikie · Dec 18, 2007

mindcrash said:
Great advice. I just got VisualHub so I'll play around with that. I need to do this with those LOTR DVDs of mine too, so this will be good to get the process down.

I think I'll encode using handbrake first, I generally use the AppleTV preset, but customizing it for the 2-pass encoding. Is this going to be good enough when combining these files?

Thanks!

If I'm not mistaken, in the Advanced pane of VHub, there's an option in a dropdown that says (something like) don't re-encode -- just pass through. So if you click the "stitch" box and set it not to re-encode, it should go much faster and you should not lose any video quality.

Note that re-encoding of audio is necessary during a stitch.

Also do the math if you're not re-encoding -- make sure it's under the 4Gb limit.

-- Mikie

phoxrenvatio · Dec 18, 2007

okay, i'm broke (therefore cannot buy some of this software) i have handbrake, but every time i use it to rip LOTR-EXT it doesn't rip the last few scenes per DVD, does anyone have a way around this?

wmealer · Dec 18, 2007

phoxrenvatio said:
okay, i'm broke (therefore cannot buy some of this software) i have handbrake, but every time i use it to rip LOTR-EXT it doesn't rip the last few scenes per DVD, does anyone have a way around this?

hmmm... my only ideas are to ensure you have the latest HandBrake, and to rip to your hard disk with the latest MacTheRipper before using HandBrake. This is how I ripped my LOTR trilogy. Although I only ripped the main feature, without the extras.

phoxrenvatio · Dec 18, 2007

wmealer said:
hmmm... my only ideas are to ensure you have the latest HandBrake, and to rip to your hard disk with the latest MacTheRipper before using HandBrake. This is how I ripped my LOTR trilogy. Although I only ripped the main feature, without the extras.

Thanks, i'll try that

MikieMikie · Dec 18, 2007

phoxrenvatio said:
okay, i'm broke (therefore cannot buy some of this software) i have handbrake, but every time i use it to rip LOTR-EXT it doesn't rip the last few scenes per DVD, does anyone have a way around this?

I had no trouble ripping LOTR with MacTheRipper, then encoding it with Handbrake.

It's easier on the hardware, too.

-- Mikie

phoxrenvatio · Dec 18, 2007

MikieMikie said:
I had no trouble ripping LOTR with MacTheRipper, then encoding it with Handbrake.

It's easier on the hardware, too.

-- Mikie

sorry if this sounds stupid, but how is riping w/ MacTheRipper easier on the hardware than ripping w/ handbrake?

MikieMikie · Dec 19, 2007

phoxrenvatio said:
sorry if this sounds stupid, but how is riping w/ MacTheRipper easier on the hardware than ripping w/ handbrake?

Multiple seeks with Handbrake.
Drive usage time increases dramatically.
Heat generation significant.

-- Mikie

spice weasel · Dec 19, 2007

wmealer said:
A few different ways to accomplish this...

Then combine in QTPro and export to the "AppleTV" preset....

On the quickTime mov question, you need to use the export command to get a reliable, AppleTV-ready mp4.

Do you have to export to the AppleTV present in QTPro? Why not just open both movies in QTPro, select all for one of them, paste into the other, and then select "Save as" and give it a file name? It saves it as a .mov, but can't AppleTV handle this? I ask because I don't have an AppleTV yet and have been encoding all of my movies in the hopes of soon getting one. This is how I created single files of the LOTR trilogy, so I hope it will work with AppleTV.

wmealer · Dec 19, 2007

spice weasel said:
Do you have to export to the AppleTV present in QTPro? Why not just open both movies in QTPro, select all for one of them, paste into the other, and then select "Save as" and give it a file name? It saves it as a .mov, but can't AppleTV handle this? I ask because I don't have an AppleTV yet and have been encoding all of my movies in the hopes of soon getting one. This is how I created single files of the LOTR trilogy, so I hope it will work with AppleTV.

I've found in my experience with .mov files that they aren't as reliable as an .mp4 that was specifically exported for use on :apple:

tv. I wouldn't go and re-encode all your files just yet, but wait until you have an :apple:

tv to play with and see if your current files work. I'm only saying there's a chance they won't. If you ripped them individually with HandBrake (with its AppleTV preset), and then combined them as you said, you should be golden. I'm just a little leary of the .mov container when it comes to playing them on :apple:

tv. But if it works, good.

If the .mov doesn't happen to work for you, as long as your .mov file falls within :apple:

tv's strict specs, you can use QTPro to export to an .mp4 without re-encoding anything. Just make sure to select "passthrough" in your export options for both the video and audio streams.

phoxrenvatio · Dec 19, 2007

KettyKrueger said:
Hi All

Just got my AppleTV [how do you insert the Apple logo?] and I'm loving it...

": apple:" without the space between ":" and "a". Thus, :apple:

or, you could just click on the apple logo in the smilies pane next to your entry

edinz · May 14, 2008

using ffmpegX to join mp4 movies

ffmpegX version 0.0.9w for MacOSX will join MP4 file together, quickly, without having to recode them all, as you would with Quicktime Pro. It is shareware, but fully functional. Tools -> Join. The only down side is that you need to seperately install mencoder and mplayer, but there are links and instructions in the ffmpegX web site.

http://www.ffmpegx.com/

Good luck,
Edwin.

Bonesone4 · Oct 21, 2008

AeroQ said:
There's another option:
SimpleMovieX

You can join to mp4 movie by copy and paste and then save it to mp4 without reencoding.
It's very very fast.

Note that I'm the developer of this app.

Regards, BJ

So SimpleMovieX will not recompress the files you already have? That'd be perfect!

Bones

timbck2 · Apr 1, 2011

MKVTools 2.4.4 (the most current version at the time of this writing) does the trick. It's under the "Tools" tab.

Omne666 · Apr 2, 2011

MPEG Streamclip does it easily as well. Just drop the files you want onto it and then save it to a new name...no re-encoding.

imahawki · Apr 26, 2011

Omne666 said:
MPEG Streamclip does it easily as well. Just drop the files you want onto it and then save it to a new name...no re-encoding.

I tried doing this with the LotR extended editions. The merge appeared to work but the second half has no audio, even though the second disk plays fine before being merged. Both were ripped with rip-it and encoded using the same settings under Handbrake. Both play fine individually but the audio problem after merging (second disk only) persists. Thoughts?

Joining Mp4 Files

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