Adding meta data to MP4 video files?

[Zero1]

Hi guys, I'm looking to start using MP4 more often but I'd like to tag them with some info such as the encoding date, who encoded it, what year the video was made, source (ie DVD), comments, copyright, and any relevant weblinks.

I have been using abcAVI http://abcavi.kibi.ru/?tk which allows you to add a lot of information to avi files, it's very handy. I'm basically looking for a similar program but for MP4 video files. I'm using h264 and aac, so I'd like the meta data to conform to the MP4 standard (as opposed to using some unsupported way of inserting info).

I'd actually prefer a CLI app to add/edit meta data, I could add a command to my batch file for it and have the whole process execute automatically.

I've been using mp4box recently for all my muxing operations and I understand it can tag the language ID for audio and video tracks etc. Is there a way to tag the video/subtitle track to read "Default" or "Angle 1" as opposed to a language?

Also, does mp4box allow adding of the meta data that I'm trying to do? To be truthful I didn't really understand the commands in the CLI, so if it can I'd be really greatful for an example ;)

Hate to ask so many questions, but google didn't turn up anything useful, maybe my skills are fading :(

[Kurtnoise]

We can't do such things (i.e encoding date, who encoded it, what year the video was made, source (ie DVD), comments, and any relevant weblinks....) with mp4box. Maybe in the next releases.

Edit : There is a command to add a "copyright".



or switch to an other container. ;)

[SeeMoreDigital]

You can add/adjust MetaData information of an audio or audio+video file using mp4UI, however it might bork your encode upon close :(

Foobar2000 can do the same: -

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7889/metadata9li.gif

That said it would be great if there was a "stand-alone" dedicated tool to do this sort of thing...... Can anyone oblige?


Cheers

[Kurtnoise]

There is tg which is dedicated to A/V mp4 tags files. We can add artist/title/album/tracks/total tracks/comment/year/genre...

Grab it here : http://kurtnoise.free.fr/mp4tools/


@SMD : yeah, it uses command line. I know you like that...:D

[Zero1]

Thanks guys, of the apps I did find previously tg was the most fitting for me, the only problem I had was it wouldn't store names with spaces, kept giving me errors; well I figured out you had to put the field in quotes " " and it stores the spaces fine. Silly me.

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12075&st=50

You can find a slightly updated version there.

I'm content, though some more/different fields would have been nice.

Cheers

[Kurtnoise]

though some more/different fields would have been nice.
Like what ?

I would just like to mention that these infos are only available in quicktime or iTunes concerning audio mp4 files.

[bond]

You can add/adjust MetaData information of an audio or audio+video file using mp4UI, however it might bork your encode upon close :( hm should be ok if you disable the "make isma complaint" and "optimize on close" options of mp4ui

[neo75903]

still does anyone how mp4box meta works?
coz it is easier to use cli in batch files :)

[Elias]

You can add/adjust MetaData information of an audio or audio+video file using mp4UI, however it might bork your encode upon close :(

Foobar2000 can do the same:

That said it would be great if there was a "stand-alone" dedicated tool to do this sort of thing...... Can anyone oblige?Winamp supports this style of meta tagging in mp4 as well, and it tags it without b0rking anything. However, this is not in compliance with the MPEG-4 standard, and for some reason, Winamp changes the video and audio bitrate (you know, when checking in winamp view info) after tagging. bond says that gpac can tag mp4 files accordingly to the MPEG-4 standard, but you'll have to ask him for more information.tags are a special issue in mp4 because there is an official tagging standard for mp4, but the power of itunes (which uses a private tagging way) lead to that people use only the itunestagging
and as always private stuff leads to a mess...

i would say there are two good mp4 libs available: the one from mpeg4ip and the one from gpac

mpeg4ip tags in the itunesway, gpac i think in the official mpeg way (but i have to admit i never really tested it so i dunno much about it)

[neo75903]

I found this text in mpef4ip doc, saying
"mp4tags - sets iTunes tag information"
but I caint find any mp4tags.exe ... :s

I also caint find any manuals regarding tagging with mp4box, Caint figure out what "mp4ox -h meta" says ...

Anyone a little introduction? ... thx :)

[bond]

yeah mp4tag from mpeg4ip was the first tool to allow itunes tagging outside itunes and all the other tools took the mp4tag code

also i didnt say that mp4box tags the mpeg way, i only said i think that it does it and that i never tested it ;)

[SeeMoreDigital]

I guess some of following QT7 settings also be classed as MetaData options?

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7821/qt7settings9wt.png


Cheers

[bond]

Winamp changes the video and audio bitrate (you know, when checking in winamp view info) after tagging.it propably because of what bill may mentiones in the last post here (http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1248571&forum_id=327349)

[Elias]

SeeMoreDigital: I've tried those meta tags in QTPro. They're only added in the track, and only QT can display them. I think it's proprietary Apple stuff, because if I remember correct, mov files have the same option.

[bond]

qt tags differently than itunes

[Elias]

qt tags differently than itunesYes, but these are not exactly tags. They're kind of like the component handler field name in dumpster (but it's not the same field, and I've never found them by looking in dumpster).

[SeeMoreDigital]

I must admit.... It's the "Visual Settings" I find interesting!

That said, most of the settings I've tried so far can be stored in the MP4 container and appear to be recognised in QT7.... So they must be stored somewhere!


Cheers

[bond]

Yes, but these are not exactly tags. They're kind of like the component handler field name in dumpster (but it's not the same field, and I've never found them by looking in dumpster).try to look in the udta atoms

[Elias]

try to look in the udta atomsThanks! It was there actually. However, I can't find this with all my mp4 files. Some have udta atoms, and some don't. It appears that mp4 files done by QuickTime has a udta (because I always add comments to the tracks). Is it possible to add udta atom without QTPro, like, with dumpster?

[Elias]

it propably because of what bill may mentiones in the last post here (http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1248571&forum_id=327349)As far as I can tell, those posts had nothing to do with my statement.

[bond]

As far as I can tell, those posts had nothing to do with my statement.bill may writes that mpeg4ip rewrites the file and therefore the bitrate gets modified to the correct value aka changes

[Elias]

bill may writes that mpeg4ip rewrites the file and therefore the bitrate gets modified to the correct value aka changesSo the values are actually inaccurate by default in every non-meta tagged (winamp style) mp4 file?

[bond]

ups i linked to the wrong thread before, the right one is this (https://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1260081&forum_id=59136)

So the values are actually inaccurate by default in every non-meta tagged (winamp style) mp4 file?no, i didnt say that
i only said that mpeg4ip based tagging solutions seem to rewrite the stream when tagging, which means that it recalculates the bitrate of the stream which means that it can differ from the original bitrate signalled in the stream

[Elias]

i only said that mpeg4ip based tagging solutions seem to rewrite the stream when tagging, which means that it recalculates the bitrate of the stream which means that it can differ from the original bitrate signalled in the streamWell as long as it doesn't hurt the mp4 file, or modify it into some incompatible way concerning the mp4 standard, that somehow hurts its compatibility in soft/hardware players, then I'm cool with it.

http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/5937/mp4metatags4cz.th.png (http://img494.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mp4metatags4cz.png)

But I've noticed that the free space atom disappears after the meta tagging. Is this where the meta tags are stored, and after meta tagging, it doesn't show up in dumpster because it's not MPEG-4 compliant? What purpose is the free space atom for anyway?

[Elias]

I just noticed that the latest Winamp release (5.11) doesn't change the bitrate any longer when meta tagging mp4 files. At least so far with the tests I've done. Does this mean that older Winamp versions handled iTunes mp4 tags in an improper way?

By the way, Gabest has now added reading for this style of meta tagging in mp4 :)

[bond]

I just noticed that the latest Winamp release (5.11) doesn't change the bitrate any longer when meta tagging mp4 files. At least so far with the tests I've done. Does this mean that older Winamp versions handled iTunes mp4 tags in an improper way?no, it propably doesnt tag by using mpeg4ip anymore? or you didnt use the faad2 based plugin (which is based on mpeg4ip)

By the way, Gabest has now added reading for this style of meta tagging in mp4 :) great! that is itunes tags i assume?

But I've noticed that the free space atom disappears after the meta tagging. Is this where the meta tags are stored, and after meta tagging, it doesn't show up in dumpster because it's not MPEG-4 compliant? What purpose is the free space atom for anyway?afaik the itunes files have this free space atom. its definitely not needed for anything regarding the specs. the itunesstyle tags are stored in the udta atom

[Elias]

no, it propably doesnt tag by using mpeg4ip anymore? or you didnt use the faad2 based plugin (which is based on mpeg4ip)I don't know, I've never chosen a plugin when tagging with Winamp. Only used Winamp's built in mp4 meta tagging options. But I think that this one has been changed or modified nowadays anyway, because the old one couldn't read the entire search path if you marked it with the mouse and pulled the mouse to the right (provided that it had a longer name than the url field in the view info window).

great! that is itunes tags i assume?I thought you were against this since it wasn't complying to any mpeg-4 standard? I'll have to install iTunes and check this up, but mpc can now read the meta tags done by winamp, that's for sure. I don't want to install iTunes anyway, since I don't like that player, but I guess I'll have to yield for the sake experimenting :)

afaik the itunes files have this free space atom. its definitely not needed for anything regarding the specs. the itunesstyle tags are stored in the udta atomThe free space atom was there before meta tagged, after the meta tag, it disappeared. I didn't use iTunes.

[bond]

but mpc can now read the meta tags done by winamp, that's for sure. I don't want to install iTunes anyway, since I don't like that player, but I guess I'll have to yield for the sake experimenting :)yep these are itunes style tags

[Elias]

yep these are itunes style tagsThen they should be safe for use?

[bond]

Then they should be safe for use?if winamp reverse engineered the itunes tags correctly, yes

[Elias]

I can now report that the mp4 meta tags that Winamp 5.11 does, is shown in QT 7.0.3 in the information window. These tags are the ones that show up in mpc as well. Although not part of the MPEG-4 iso standard, this tagging system is the closest we got imho.

[Elias]

The Winamp 5.11 mp4 tags also show up in iTunes, in case anyone here cares :)

[bond]

tg tags also seem to be shown correctly in quicktime, but you have to be aware that for setting extended characters with tg you need to do the following procedure i described here (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12075&view=findpost&p=344927) for getting correct utf-8 tags

tags sets by mp4tags of mpeg4ip dont show up in quicktime, so i assume this tool doesnt tag correctly and shouldnt be used

[Kurtnoise]

Heya,

I've just made my own function to convert unicode to UTF8 strings. So, now we are able to tag properly mp4 and/or m4a files. :)

To test, you need :
mp4tags from mpeg4ip (http://kurtnoise.free.fr/mp4tools/mp4tags.zip)
MP4Tagger, a simple GUI (http://kurtnoise.free.fr/mp4tools/MP4Tagger.zip)

This is a debug version, so please test it.

http://kurtnoise.free.fr/mp4tagger.gif

http://kurtnoise.free.fr/mpc_tags.gif

If it's ok for you, I'll included it into Yamb. Last point : mp4tags doesn't screw up chapters files embedded in mp4 files. ;)

[bond]

seems to work fine! qt displays the subs as it should :)

i assume you changed something in the sources of mp4tags? if yes, what? how do you handle the utf-8 input/output mismatch problem?

[Elias]

@Kurtnoise: did you try to check with iTunes? It might be good to check with iTunes just to be on the safe side.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hi Kurt,

Could it be developed and tested as a totally separate tool from YAMB also?


Cheers

[SeeMoreDigital]

@Kurtnoise: did you try to check with iTunes? It might be good to check with iTunes just to be on the safe side.It does not seem to work with iTunes.

However, the MetaData information is displayed in mp4UI, Foobar2000 and bizarrely, QuickTime 7 player.

EDIT: It does work with iTunes but only if the file extension is .M4A (not .MP4).


Cheers

[Elias]

It does not seem to work with iTunes.

However, the MetaData information is displayed in mp4UI, Foobar2000 and bizarrely, QuickTime 7 player.iTunes is b0rked, seriously. It can't tag mp4 files properly (or I never managed to do it).

[SeeMoreDigital]

iTunes is b0rked, seriously. It can't tag mp4 files properly (or I never managed to do it).Actually, I've just discovered Kurt's tool does work with iTunes......

But you have to change the file extension from .MP4 to .M4A :eek:

[Kurtnoise]

i assume you changed something in the sources of mp4tags? if yes, what? how do you handle the utf-8 input/output mismatch problem?
I didn't change something in mp4tags sources...My function is built with the graphical interface. That's why we need the GUI to tag the files properly (i.e with the special characters).

[Kurtnoise]

Could it be developed and tested as a totally separate tool from YAMB also?
I think yes...MP4Tagger doesn't need Yamb to work.

[bond]

I didn't change something in mp4tags sources...My function is built with the graphical interface. That's why we need the GUI to tag the files properly (i.e with the special characters).so how does this work? dont you create a .bat file?

btw you also need to feed mp4box with utf-8 tracknames. via .bat files this isnt done, which means tracknames are not stored as utf-8 via bat files

[Kurtnoise]

so how does this work? dont you create a .bat file?
no...no bat files because this is in the code. In the GUI, each strings are in unicode. Thus, my function convert these strings in UTF8. Then, this result (i.e the command line transformed in UTF8) is fed up to mp4tags.

btw you also need to feed mp4box with utf-8 tracknames. via .bat files this isnt done, which means tracknames are not stored as utf-8 via bat files
give me a short example coz here tracknames with special characters work fine with mp4box.

[bond]

no...no bat files because this is in the code. In the GUI, each strings are in unicode. Thus, my function convert these strings in UTF8. Then, this result (i.e the command line transformed in UTF8) is fed up to mp4tags.how can you feed mp4tags with a cmdl if not going via bat files or the prompt?

give me a short example coz here tracknames with special characters work fine with mp4box. the whole issue is described here (http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1352589&group_id=84101&atid=571738)

[SeeMoreDigital]

Does the "MP4Tagger" tool the the capability of reading/amending files that have already been tagged.

If it does.... I don't think it's working :eek:


Cheers

[Kurtnoise]

how can you feed mp4tags with a cmdl if not going via bat files or the prompt?
what did you write on prompt cmdl ? So, this is the same thing...

here is a snapshot with a command line :

http://kurtnoise.Free.fr/cmdl.gif

mp4tags feeds this cmdl...and it works fine. If you don't know how to write special characters, write a html file and open it with a html editor to see the code.


Does the "MP4Tagger" tool the the capability of reading/amending files that have already been tagged.
no

[bond]

mp4tags feeds this cmdl...and it works fine. If you don't know how to write special characters, write a html file and open it with a html editor to see the code.so you use "placeholder characters" instead of the really wanted characters, right?

the only html editor i know is the text editor and this doesnt show me these placeholders ;)
what tool exactly can i use for finding these?

[JoeBG]

@ Kurt

Can I use your tagger with commandlines like tg.exe? Would be very very very important for me. Can you please include this :) :) :) :) :)

[bond]

@ Kut

Can I use your tagger with commandlines like tg.exe? Would be very very very important for me. Can you please include this why tg? it seems to produce borked .mp4 files

[JoeBG]

why tg? it seems to produce borked .mp4 files
I´m only interested in the use of commandlines.

[bond]

I´m only interested in the use of commandlines.mp4tags.exe is also a cmdl tool...

[JoeBG]

mp4tags.exe is also a cmdl tool...

Sometimes I´m a little stupid => problem solved :)

[Kurtnoise]

so you use "placeholder characters" instead of the really wanted characters, right?
basically no...even if it was true, how can we know all these placeholder characters ? And regarding the code, a just "replace to" will be not very efficient imo.

Shortly, how my function works : first, I grab the length of the string. Then I play with bytes..;) More details here (http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html)...

the only html editor i know is the text editor and this doesnt show me these placeholders ;)
what tool exactly can i use for finding these?
Mozilla, nvu, dreamweaver...and probably some others.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hi Kurt,

How does the "picture" linking work.... are there any players that can make use of it?

Plus....I've noticed that both iTunes and mp4UI offer a couple more tagging options: -

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5149/metadata9sx.png

Can these options be added to MP4Tagger?


Cheers

[Elias]

Why don't you all just use Winamp (latest version) and give Kurtnoise a break? He has enough to do with BeLight/YAMB. Winamp does the job perfectly.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Why don't you all just use Winamp (latest version) and give Kurtnoise a break? He has enough to do with BeLight/YAMB. Winamp does the job perfectly.Sufficed to say.... not everybody uses WinAMP :eek:

And Kurt's tagging tool could hopefully grow into someting very useful to us all

[Kurtnoise]

Hi,

How does the "picture" linking work.... are there any players that can make use of it?
only iTunes and Winamp as far I know...maybe fb2k too with some extra plugins.

Plus....I've noticed that both iTunes and mp4UI offer a couple more tagging options: -

Can these options be added to MP4Tagger?
sure...but are they really interesting ?

btw, I've some idea to extend this tool : grab some infos from the input files, a masstagger using a freedb like, patches mp4tags to extend utf8 reading/writing...So, pray to have something before 2020 !!! :D


@Elias: Winamp mp4 tagging works fine with video files ?

[SeeMoreDigital]

btw, I've some idea to extend this tool : grab some infos from the input files, a masstagger using a freedb like, patches mp4tags to extend utf8 reading/writing...So, pray to have something before 2020 !!! :DInteresting....

How far do you think your MP4 Tagging tool can go?

Could it be used say, to add or even re-name existing chapters, re-name existing audio streams, re-name existing subtitle streams. Or even adjust some of the container level settings within MP4 A/V files?

By-the-way... Here's a prototype GUI design I started thinking about around six months ago... Now don't laugh: -

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6601/proposedgui011lf.png


Cheers mate :)

[Elias]

@Elias: Winamp mp4 tagging works fine with video files ?Yeah. All standard compliant mp4 files work great.How does the "picture" linking work.... are there any players that can make use of it?How do I make use of this? Can Winamp tag like this?By-the-way... Here's a prototype GUI design I started thinking about around six months ago... Now don't laugh: -
I don't see anything to laugh about. Great GUI.

[Kurtnoise]

How far do you think your MP4 Tagging tool can go?
I've no idea...

Could it be used say, to add or even re-name existing chapters, re-name existing audio streams, re-name existing subtitle streams.
I'm ok with add but not with re-name...for me this is useless.



By-the-way... Here's a prototype GUI design I started thinking about around six months ago...
sounds good indeed...;)


edit : could be great to split this discussion in a new thread...

[SeeMoreDigital]

edit : could be great to split this discussion in a new thread...Good idea....

And here's another "slightly updated" GUI design proposal: -

http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/5900/proposedgui6ow.png


Cheers

[vlada]

What about MP3Tag (http://mp3tag.de/)? It supports MP4.

[Kurtnoise]

but only audio files...

@SMD: what IDE did you use to create this ?

[SeeMoreDigital]

What about MP3Tag (http://mp3tag.de/)? It supports MP4.You're not wrong... In-fact it seems to support tagging for loads of file types ;)


Cheers

[smok3]

yep, mp3tag seems to work fine with mp4 video files as well (well, it shouldnt matter anyway.)

[SeeMoreDigital]

SMD: what IDE did you use to create this ?I use HyperSnap to create these GUI design proposals ;)

Shame it can't be used to create interactive GUI's :eek:


Cheers

[Kurtnoise]

mp3tag doesn't work for me with my weird sample (3 video tracks/3 audios tracks/subs/chapters...yeah, it's just a test sample :p ). But, it works fine with mp4 audio files.

Shame it can't be used to create interactive GUI's
what you mean by interactive ? You must code something to have some interactivity. :p