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Old 13th December 2011, 19:19   #79  |  Link
Cela
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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 185
Quote:
Originally Posted by Masutin View Post
...Is there software where video playback is used within the program to make adding time codes easier. E.g. you pause the video, press a key shortcut, and the time for a chapter is added. Subtitle editors work in such a way.
AFAIK there is no general chapter generation program available. For my personal convenience I adopted a simple workaround.
I accept COPY (Ctrl+C)/PASTE (Ctrl+V) as 'key shortcut'
and use an accompanying "Videoname_chp.txt" tect file:
1. Use a video editor program to replay the video.
2. If supported by the video editor, set a suitable chapter timecode display format.
3. Navigate to a location of each chapter candidate.
4. If supported by the video editor, copy the displayed chapter time code and paste it into a simple textfile "Videoname_chp.txt".
5. Add an annotation. You may call it chapter name.
6. If your authorung program supports it, use the chapter textfile as input for chapter menu generation.

Unfortunately not many video editor programs support steps 2 and 4 properly.
Not many video editors support to select the chapter timecode display format (step2).
Not many video editors support the COPY (Ctrl+C) from the timecode display window (step 4). This means that the displayed values must be typed manually into the text file. (Beware of typos!)

I tested the following video editors:
* Good old Mpeg2schnitt provides a perfect solution for PAL mpeg2 footage for steps 1 to 5. It supports several tc formats. I often use it to convert from one tc format to another tc format. Furthermore it supports COPY/PASTE of the tc format from/to its Marker list. Double click on any tc entry in the Marker list jumps to the corresponding time position in the video. Furthermore, the Marker list practically works like a windiows tect file and thus offers to except any kind of annotation and/or chapter text.

* Adobe Premiere Elements has a hh:mm:ss:ff (example: 00:26:13:06 ) tc display window and allows to copy . Furthermore it allows to enter a new tc value into the tc display manually or by PASTE and by doing this jump to the entered tc. It is not possible to select any other TC format.

* MAGIX Video delux MX has also a hh:mm:ss:ff (example: 04:26:13:06 ) tc display window but does not support COPY/PASTE its content. It is not possible to select any other TC format.

* Cyberlink Power Director 10 has a Chapter feature which allows to add a chapter name and displays a hh:mm:ss:ff (example: 00:26:13:06 ) tc display window in the Chapters Room. COPY/PASTE is not supported, though.

* VideoRedo TV Suite HD (VDR) has also a hh:mm:ss:ff (example: 04:26:13:06 ) tc display window but does not support COPY/PASTE of its content. VDR comes with tc format hh:mm:ss:ff but allows to change it to hh:mm:ss.ff format. Furthermore it has a view option Show Frame Number which displays the frame number. The tc display field is display only! But double clicking on it displays an Enter TimeCode sub-window with sub-fields Hours, Minutes, Seconds and Frame#. Unlike in Premiere Elements it is not possible to COPY or PASTE the complete tc-value (example: 04:26:13:06 ) from or into these sub-fields. Thus COPY/PASTE is very limited, practically useless. But in Show Frame Number mode, the Frame number field inthe Enter Frame Number sub-window does support COPY/PASTE! Thus VDR is suited for step 4 in Frame Number mode. Depending on your authoring program a tc conversion program like ChapterGen is needed to convert the tc format.

Conclusion:
Mpeg2schnitt is my first choice for mpeg2 PAL footage.
VideoRedo in Frame Number mode is my first and PRE10 in its hh:mm:ss:ff mode is my second choice for h.264 HD footage.

"Videoname_chp.txt" file is my hub for all chapter related activites. iI use it parallel to the video editor programs. Best of all, the "Videoname_chp.txt" file is supported by the great, free AVCHD authoring program multiAVCHD. multiAVCHD uses the hh:mm:ss.mss (mss ... 3 digit millisecond fraction) tc format. So, for h.264 HD footage a tc conversion program like ChapterGen is mandatory to convert the tc format.

Sounds complicated, but isn't.

Any easier procedure from h.264 TS (m2ts) to AVCHD with annotated chapter menus?
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