Now with Stitching, Chapters & MP4
by st373n on Sep.08, 2009, under Uncategorized
An update in now live for ReduxEncoder 1.2.4 this release add the stitching feature to combine files into one large file and works for Apple Device formats and MP4.
Stitching for AVI files will follow shortly.
Chapter Markers can now be encoded into m4v files at intervals of 5, 10 or 15 minutes and are compatible for navigation within Quicktime, iTunes, and VLC.
Encoding to MP4, AVI and WMV is now possible but take note that not all feature are yet enabled for those formats.
29 Comments for this entry
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Welcome to my blog, here you'll info relating to ReduxEncoder, a video transcoding tool for mac os x, and any other mac coding projects that I am working on. Follow updates at twitter.com/st373n
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September 8th, 2009 on 4:22 pm
Thank you for putting your effort into resurrecting the VisualHub code. It is greatly appreciated!
When I tried using ReduxEncoder 1.2.4 to convert a 720p MKV file, it takes a lot longer to start the conversion process, and it takes about 4-times as long (about 4 hours) to convert the same file as it does using VisualHub (about 1 hour). I’m running ReduxEncoder 1.2.4 on a Mac Pro under Snow Leopard.
Just wondering if this is an issue that you are already aware of and working on?
September 8th, 2009 on 4:30 pm
Hi Harvey!
Thats interesting and strange I hadn’t noticed it going any slower and i do convert a fair bit of stuff from one format to another, anyhows I’ve just run some quick tests against ReduxEncoder VisualHub & Handbreak using a trailer from the apple site i had saved (for interest its the Star Trek HD trailer) Test Mac 1 is a MacPro 1,1 Dual 2×2.66Ghz 10GB Ram 10.6 & 10.5.8 , Test Mac 2 is a MacBook 2Ghz Core Duo 2GB Ram 10.5.8.
ok so the input file is already highly compressed from apple’s website and not an mkv but just for comparison here what i got:
Test Mac 1 in 10.5.8 : ReduxEncoder – 1:14sec – Handbreak – 1:58sec – VisualHub – 1:52sec
Test Mac 1 in 10.6.0 : ReduxEncoder – 0:22sec – Handbreak – 0:34sec – VisualHub – N/A
Test Mac 2 in 10.5.8 : ReduxEncoder – 3:47sec – Handbreak – 4:11sec – VisualHub – 3:59sec
I will grab a mkv and run some comparisons when i get some time but generally mkv files seem to convert to m4v at a speed of about 45minutes for an average 720 1.4gb mkv,
i’ve no idea if thats good or bad, its just the speed i’m used to – whats your opinion?
September 8th, 2009 on 4:45 pm
Hi, I have a AppleScript Error when I start the encoding process : “Illegal comparison or logical. (-1726)”. Why ? Thank you
September 8th, 2009 on 6:39 pm
Hi Pfali,
Your the second person to report that issue, can you let me know if your on 10.5 or 10.6 and what the language and region settings of your mac are, a while back there were some errors when the region settings used a comma instead of a period and i wonder if this may be whats causing this error to appear.
Thanks
if you prefer email you can send to reduxsupport @ easelnet . com
If anyone wants to roll back to the previous version 1.2.3 download link is here
September 9th, 2009 on 12:03 am
Hey I was wondering, when do you estimate the program to be complete? I am really anticipating the Xbox 360 encoding feature, I haven’t found anything that can encode video correctly for this format in H.264 mp4. VisualHub was great but I would’ve preferred a easier system than trying to set the correct settings myself.
September 9th, 2009 on 12:27 am
Hi, There is no timeline set for completion of the project, although I usually decide to work one area of it until its done and then move onto the next section, things don’t usually happen like that and a fix in one area may break something elsewhere and so forth. But I can give you an outline, the development cycle is to get all the currently listed formats converting, and then to add the advanced options to those working formats, then perhaps to add any extra features I can think of or that users request, then there is bug reports, localizations, manuals and probably another OS update somewhere in the mix, and then once its all ok and working and everyone is happy to move the code over to Objective C for a version 2.0 build.
However have you tried the H264 AppleTv MP4’s on your 360, I dont have a 360 so cannot try myself. But be assured my fingers are typing code as fast as they can
September 9th, 2009 on 1:33 am
http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/support/xbox360/digitalmedia/videoplaybackfaq.htm
is a good overview of what xbox360 supports playback wise
As for ps3, I would guess that you could encode to bluray specs at the high end… some info on x264 encoding for bluray here -
http://forum.doom9.org/archive/index.php/t-124835.html
September 9th, 2009 on 7:24 am
I get the same error as @pfali when I start an conversion: “Illegal comparison or logical. (-1726)”
I’m on a Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quad-core, 6GB ram, OSX 10.5.8
Loving the progress on this project so far.
September 9th, 2009 on 9:35 am
Great Job! I did some speed tests and found RE was comparable to visual hub. Also, you are supporting this, whereas visual hub is not very happy with Snow Leopard and I keep getting applescript errors. I have had a couple of RE errors with batches – script errors and then leaving the files as temps but finished and working. I’ll make a note next time.
Otherwise, thanks for the resurrection.
PS. My main use for the program is to make iPhone (WiFi setting) files of TV shows which stream beautifully from my mac mini web server to my iPhone. So cool.
September 9th, 2009 on 9:49 am
Hi Jeremy – thanks for the links i will be sure to take a look
September 9th, 2009 on 1:30 pm
how does one contact you directly?
September 9th, 2009 on 3:34 pm
hi you can email reduxsupport @ easelnet . com
September 10th, 2009 on 4:23 pm
I can’t get stitching to work. When I put 2 files in m4v and check “stitch together”, I get a box asking for a name for the combined file. However, there’s no combined file. I’m using Snow Leopard; and I’m very glad you are working on this. VisualHub started giving AppleScript errors after I updated to Snow Leopard, so I have just deleted it now.
However, I would love to be able to stitch movies together.
Thanks.
September 10th, 2009 on 4:49 pm
hmm and your exporting to m4v, do you get the two converted files saved? and are you providing just a filename for the combined file or a path and filename?
September 10th, 2009 on 6:10 pm
Hey jeremy, that’s a good link but I prefer this One: http://support.xbox.com/support/en/us/nxe/gamesandmedia/movies/videofaq/viewvideoplaybackfaq.aspx
If only so I don’t have to keep clicking stuff open and closed
September 10th, 2009 on 6:54 pm
Hey when I try to convert a mkv file I get this:
Applescript Error
MP4ERROR: MP4Open: failed: No such file or directory
ERROR: unable to open for write: /Users/m89maru/Desktop/Die Hard 2 Die Harder 1990 BluRay 1080p DTS.post.m4v (1)
September 10th, 2009 on 7:46 pm
Hi its because your file path has spaces in its name, this needs to be fixed in the application, again one of the differences between how applescript is processed in 10.5 and 10.6, thanks for spotting the error.
September 11th, 2009 on 3:36 pm
I too am getting the Applescript error “Illegal comparison or logical. (-1726)”. I get it on two different machines.
Power PC Dual 2Ghz G5, 10.5.8
MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz, Core 2, 10.5.8
It happens with both version 1.2.3. and 1.2.4
Thanks!
September 11th, 2009 on 3:39 pm
Mark it seems that problem is happening on Leopard but not on Snow Leopard hope to have it resolved soon.
September 11th, 2009 on 8:19 pm
Reply to the stitching issue:
I have two m4v files in the window. I change the place for the export to my desktop. I include just a filename for the file I want to be a combined file; but what I get is another copy of each of the files in the window … no combined file.
I thought perhaps the combined file was going someplace else; but I have used Easy Find, Find Any File & File Buddy and cannot find a combined file anywhere. I have repeated this exercise at least ten times. I know I must be doing something wrong; but I can’t see where I’m going astray.
Thanks for your help. BTW I am using a late 2008 Intel MacBook, running Snow Leopard. I have 4 gb of matched memory.
September 13th, 2009 on 12:14 am
Hi robbchadwick
When stitching files together the process of events is that first the files are converted to the output file, so if for example you input 2 avi files and export to m4v you should end up with 2 m4v files, these two files are then stitched together and output as a combined m4v file. Upon completion you then end up with 3 files, I have chosen not to automatically delete the two converted files because if the stitch were to fail then at least the time spent converting to another format is hopefully not wasted as you end up with playable files albeit not joined.
Regarding your issue it sounds as though for some reason the resulting stitched file is not being moved to the destination on completion , if you look inside /tmp/retemp/ you should find a file called reduxencoder_combined.mov which is the temporary stitched file. (Do this before clicking ok in the Conversion complete dialog and before closing ReduxEncoder otherwise the temp files are deleted)
However your problem will hopefully be resolved when I next release an updated ReduxEncoder as the stitching code has had quite a big makeover since last week. (It was starting the stitch when the first file had finished causing problems if the second file wasn’t ready)
September 13th, 2009 on 4:05 am
First of all, thank you for reviving the Visual Hub in this new format. I am sure that it will soon be the hit that Visual Hub once was. I have a question for you….I have converted and burned to disk two different files, but both times my DVD player refused to play the file, and displayed the notice “Playback prohibited by area limitations”. Is there some sort of regional coding that happens during the conversion that prohibits playback in North America? Or am I missing something obvious? Thanks in advance for your advice and assistance.
September 13th, 2009 on 8:39 am
Hi whitney there is no region code added by ReduxEncoder – perhaps it should add one or at least set a region of 0. I need to do a bit more work on the dvd section anyway as currently is doesn’t process more than a single file, but thanks for that info.
September 22nd, 2009 on 4:23 am
Hello, I am having the same issue as robchadwick. Everything seems to be working perfectly but I just end up with the two files. I am not sure where to locate the /tmp/retemp/. I am at the point where it is asking me to select okay upon completion.
I am on a current generation iMac 3.06 with 8GB RAM.
Thanks!
September 22nd, 2009 on 8:23 am
Hi /tmp is in the root of your harddisk but its a hidden folder,
choose Finder, Go, Go To Folder.. in the box type /tmp/retemp
October 27th, 2009 on 9:05 pm
Same error message: Illegal comparison or logical. (-1726)
I think it is because I am running leopard AND trying to convert a flv to dvd?
Other than this glitch (if it can be called a glitch), I love the software.
October 28th, 2009 on 2:10 am
Hey jdog, yep thats a known Leopard bug – but pleased your liking what works.
October 29th, 2009 on 2:16 pm
I also like how you reply to all the comments, too.
So, I did get the error message but let the file (~750mb) run to completion (the only way to tell it had run to completion was to check in the location where the new file was being written and, when it was able to playback, I knew it was done) and it did indeed convert the flv to mv4. Thanks, again for everything.
October 29th, 2009 on 5:37 pm
Jdog, thats interesting to know that it did complete the conversion ok in Leopard, even with the applescript error . Thanks for the feedback.