DV to MP4 (H.264/AAC) With Datecode, Timecode, and Metadata?

[funkydoobie]

I am a newbie to H.264, MPEG-4, etc., and the various tools that support these technologies. This website has been extremely valuable in helping me to understand how to put the tools to use, but I am still struggling with a few things. I was hoping to post my desired outcome and see if someone could point me in the right direction.

My basic desire is this:

Capture (Mini)DV video to hard drive and automatically split into scene clips
(No problems here)
Convert DV video into (spec compliant) H.264 video / AAC audio
Extract datecode (e.g., 05/11/2005 12:45:31 PM) and timecode (e.g., 00;00;01;23) from original DV file, and (somehow) store in new H.264/AAC file. (I have figured out how to extract the timecode from the DV file as a subtitle file -- various utilities exist to do this; however, I haven't figured out how to embed or otherwise change timecode in an H.264 file. Note that I also do NOT want the datecode/timecode to be part of the video -- I just want it somehow embedded in the file.)
Store everything in a (spec compliant) MP4 container
Eventually, I would hope to "tag" these files with keywords and other meta data (such as what you can do with image files (EXIF) or mp3 files) and then import them into a digital media catalog (such as iView Media Pro or similar).


The eventual goal is to be able to keep small video clips on the hard drive that can be searched by keyword, etc. Once I figure out which clip I want, I can easily check the timeocde and meta information (e.g., tape number) and then easily find and re-capture the source video from the original tape.

I don't think the last bullet (above) is possible today, but I'm hoping all other steps can be accomplished. There is a utility that seems to do everything (CatDV Pro: http://www.squarebox.co.uk/professional.html), but it's not free and I don't like that it creates QuickTime MP4 files (I think I read that the QuickTime mp4 format is not spec compliant...?).

I've been using DVDate (http://paul.glagla.free.fr/dvdate_en.htm) to create the datecode subtitles from the DV files, and have been trying to use MeGUI to do the rest. I think I can actually create MP4 files (x264: H.264, NeroDigital: AAC), but when I also try to "mux" the subtitles, I get an error. I also tried using Nero Recode, which seemed to work, but -- again -- I think I read that Nero doesn't create spec compliant files either.

Eventually I'd like to write up and contribute a guide on this, so I was hoping someone else in this forum has already figured this out and can point me in the right direction.

Any suggestions?

It's actually been suggested that I should try the Matroska container format, but I've experienced similar changes there as well.

I thank you in advance! :)

[vlada]

To mux SRT subtitles to MP4 I would try YAMB. To extract subtitles from DV AVI I use program DV_DateCode (http://www.skydiver.de/stef/datecode_en.htm).

[Mtz]

If you want to play the MP4 on standalone, mux the subtitles only with Nero Recode. It accepts .srt subtitles and you can put them at any position/size/font you want.

enjoy,
Mtz

[vlada]

But muxing VobSub subtitles in MP4 is a nasty hack from Nero. It is much more easier for Nero Recode when converting DVD to MP4 but it is not a standard. The only standard subtitles format is TTXT that YAMB (MP4Box) uses (it can use VobSubs like Nero too!).

Almost all today's players can render text subtitles, the manufacturers are just too lazy to implement them for MP4. This compatibility hell is leading nowhere. Using hundreds of nonstandard hacks just to make it play on some crappy SAPs. If you need this, use VobSubs. But if you use the best video player - PC, TTXT is much better format. You can choose font, size, position, color etc. during playback and change it anytime you want. The subtitles will also have much higher quality. And also it is standard compliant.

[NukemBy]

Hi gurus,

I'd like to resume that ancient thread because years later i can't find suitable answer, actually answers for many questions.

Pre-conditions are:

* I have around 30 DV tapes with home video and when captured to HDD into the AVI container they have date and time codes.
* I'd like to get rid of inefficient MJPEG format (i.e. re-encode files into H264) and put into container supporting date/time codes and chapters and (probably) keywords

The questions are:

1. Which tool can re-encode AVI -> MP4-or-MKV keeping the time code? Or is it possible to embed timecode from the externally provided text file (manually created)?
2. Which tool can add chapters into MP4-or-MKV? (is it possible at all?)
3. Which tool can play MP4-or-MKV with time-code displayed like sub-titles and navigate by embedded information about chapters?

Alternatively, if there are still no tools able to do this, any guides to look for to implement this programmatically (on Windows) are also appreciated.