[Steve SpotOn]

I want to create a series of 'muxed' mpeg2 files. ... I want individual good quality files that can be played in Windows Media Player ... I don't want to author a DVD as the 'play list' of files will be changed/added to regularly.
It also needs to cope with PAL 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.

I create out of Final Cut Pro 2 files...a .m2v and a .aiff ....is there an easy app that will simply mux these and create a single mpeg file?

I've looked at ffmpeg but can't get my head around the options... can it do it?

TIA

Steve

[Diggory Laycock]

I've been trying to learn this stuff today as well. (for MPEG-2 files from a DVB TV receiver)

ffmpegx is pretty easy for muxing - there aren't that many options in the 'tools'->'mux' section.

Stick the m2v file in the video section, and the m2a file in the first audio section.

Just select MPEG-2 from the "mux as:" pop-up, and you probably want to unselect 'split mpg'

I found that ffmpegx sometimes spat its dummy when starting the muxing process, if it does that try "The missing MPEG tools" app which (from my meagre experience) works more frequently - even though they use the same unix tool underneath.

[Spoffo]

This is easy to do in Toast. As long as the m2v and aiff are in the same directory and have the same name (as is normally the case when they are created) You just drag the m2v to the Video window of Toast and select the output format (usually disk image is easiest). When you click "go", Toast finds the associated aiff file and muxes the two. They're created as .VOB files, but that's just a labelling issue. They're MPEG2 inside, and usually all you have to do is change the extension in Finder to open them in other apps that work with or play MPEG.

[Steve SpotOn]

Thanks for those suggestions.... really appreciated.

I did get a bit further with ffmepg and the theory is there in that muxing does appear to be straigth forward in the 'tools' section. However the resulting .mpg file will play OK in Quicktime but 'sticks' in Windows Media player - plays about 35sec OK then sequence jumps to about + 1 min ... missing out some 30 sec of the programme!

I'll explore 'The missing MPEG tools' and Toast options and report back.

Thanks.

Steve

[Steve SpotOn]

Ok I've done a bit more on this:
'The Missing Mpeg Tools' has the same effect as ffmpeg... creates a file that will play OK in Quicktime but in Windows Media it jumps at the same point (I have tried diferent files and a very short clip seems to work OK but longer files seem to stick/jump).

I struggled with Toast in creating a 'disc image' it purely creates an image of the toast files (no muxing)... I went back to some of my DVD Studio files and tried one of the .vob files. I renamed it on my Mac as a .mpg... Opening it in Quicktime gives a file with no audio??? But same file on a PC, renamed as .mpg and it plays absolutely fine (muxed)!

So I this is the route I will use...
1. out of FCP as .m2v and .aiff files
2. into DVD Studio and create Video TS and Audio TS Files
3. Take .vob files from the Video TS folder over to the PC and rename as .mpg

Bit long winded but I suppose the DVD is useful as a back-up.

Steve

[Mullet]

This is simple. If you have Final Cut 5, then you can use Compressor 2 to create a transport stream mpeg2. It's on pages 125 and 143 of the Compressor user manual.

Good Luck,
Mullet