Why are there no free transcoders that actually work worth a damn?

[Katie Boundary]

they all either don't take MOD files, don't export to MPEG-2, have the most annoying watermark ever, or crash at 99%

[Groucho2004]

I'm pretty sure that ffmpeg and/or avidemux can do all that.

[Katie Boundary]

ffmpeg isn't even a transcoder but AVIdemux seems to be working. It does not, however, have the ability to export an mpeg-2 stream with the actual .mpg extension, which is a pretty serious oversight

[Groucho2004]

ffmpeg isn't even a transcoderWTF? Of course it is, probably the one that supports most formats.

AVIdemux seems to be working. It does not, however, have the ability to export an mpeg-2 stream with the actual .mpg extension, which is a pretty serious oversightWhy do you need .mpg? MPEG-TS or MKV are widely supported formats.

Also, if by "export mpeg-2 stream" you mean an elementary stream, the extension would be .m2v; .mpg is just another container format.

[StainlessS]

FFmpeg is a free software project that produces libraries and programs for handling multimedia data.
FFmpeg includes libavcodec, an audio/video codec library used by several other projects,
libavformat (Lavf),[6] an audio/video container mux and demux library, and the ffmpeg command line
program for transcoding multimedia files.


It is a quite incredible transcoder.
Wikipedia:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFmpeg

EDIT: FFMpegSource is something entirely different, an avisynth source filter using code from FFMpeg project.

[Katie Boundary]

Well then the transcoder part is hidden pretty well in the various ffmpeg directories.


Why do you need .mpg? MPEG-TS or MKV are widely supported formats.

Also, if by "export mpeg-2 stream" you mean an elementary stream, the extension would be .m2v; .mpg is just another container format.

I don't think that MKV is supported by the DVD specifications.

[dipje]

MOD files are camcorder files with often (not always) contain mpeg-2 videostreams, even dvd-compliant video streams.
So the trick is most often NOT to transcode the file (recompressing, taking time and reducing quality) but to remux the file (repack the .mod file to a regular .mpg file with the same videostream inside, no changes done to it)

From the MOD / TOD wikipedia page is even this example:
ffmpeg -i myClip.MOD -vcodec copy -acodec mp2 -ab 192k myClip.mpg

The wikipedia page states that the audio is mpeg layer 2 or dolby digital.. so... 'mp2' or 'ac3' in common terms. So in the above example, I don't see why they do '-acodec mp2' instead of '-acodec copy' to just copy the audio stream.
This will give you a .mpg file with the raw unchanged video and audio stream form the .mod file. Basically, this is the quickest way to transform the file into something that is easier to play or load in other programs.
If you want to re-encode the file into modern codecs to reduce filesize or stuff like that it's another ballgame, but I guess this will be a safe way to start with it:
ffmpeg -i myclip.MOD -vcodec libx264 -preset slow -crf 19 -acodec aac -ab 192k -f mp4 myClip.MP4

I don't take things like 'interlaced video' into account here, and if it's indeed camcorder footage, interlacing might actually be present. Preserving interlaced fields or de-interlacing during re-encoding is something I'm not going into right here, but if all you want is to create a .mpg with the datastreams of the .mod file, the first ffmpeg command should do just fine.

There are probably many ffmpeg GUI helper-programs around, but I don't know them since I'm fine with the command line, you can search and try those for yourself. Specially with the attitude I seem to detect in your opening posts.

[Groucho2004]

Well then the transcoder part is hidden pretty well in the various ffmpeg directories.Again, what? ffmpeg is a single executable file.

I don't think that MKV is supported by the DVD specifications.You did not specify what your target format should be so I had to guess.

You can still convert your .mod to mkv as an intermediate container. There are authoring tools that can create a DVD from MKV. Or you could do what dipje suggested above.

[StainlessS]

Katie, I sometimes find that the easiest way to find most recent software is VideoHelp site.
Just Google the tool name and VideoHelp.
Here is FFMPeg:- https://www.videohelp.com/software/ffmpeg

They usually have a number of older versions too, useful sometimes for eg XP users.

On linked page there are also a number of FFMPeg FrontEnds / GUI's.

EDIT: And a number of Guides / HowTo's.

[manono]

I don't think that MKV is supported by the DVD specifications.
Neither is MPG the last I looked.

What Is DVD? (https://www.videohelp.com/dvd)

You might extract a DVD compliant M2V from your MPG and then use it for authoring a DVD, but you might be able to do the same from an MKV. Same with the audio, if DVD compliant. DVDs contain authored VOB files and not MPG.

[johnmeyer]

Her comments about ffmpeg indicate a total lack of understanding of how to use that amazing tool. Not only is it a transcoder, but if you look up in the dictionary under "transcoder," it will probably say, "see ffmpeg."

Also, why the heck does everything have to be free??. I realize that some people are on a budget, but when it comes to media, commercial software is pretty amazing. Of course there are some things where the free software is actually better, but not always. Whenever I buy anything, from a toaster oven to a video transcoder, I always look at what is the best thing available, and then, if it costs money or has some sort of strings attached (as is sometimes true of the "free" stuff), I look to see if I can afford it. I never start out by restricting myself to only those things which are free. What's the point of doing that? It is a sure way to end up with an inferior end result.

[Taurus]

Thanks John,
you took the words right out of my mouth!
I pay for tools like NLE's and some dedicated plugins.
And the rest is avisynth, ffmpeg and it's derivates.

[Katie Boundary]

Neither is MPG the last I looked.

*facepalm*

of course, you're right. I shouldn't have been so concerned with the extension.

You might extract a DVD compliant M2V from your MPG and then use it for authoring a DVD, but you might be able to do the same from an MKV. Same with the audio, if DVD compliant. DVDs contain authored VOB files and not MPG.

The DVD-authoring program that I found doesn't even seem to care. It will transcode most video files even if those files are already DVD-compliant MPEG-2.

I think I need a better authoring program.

Also, why the heck does everything have to be free??.

Because what little money I have, I need for vodka.

[manono]

The DVD-authoring program that I found doesn't even seem to care.
Yes, some will do the demuxing (video and audio extraction) behind the scenes, so-to-speak. But unless you feed it elementary streams to begin with, it will have to be demuxed. It won't be able to create a DVD directly from an MPG or MKV or anything else that isn't elementary streams.

And any authooring program that forces a reencode of already DVD-compliant assets should be immediately replaced. However, I ran into a couple in my early days that reencoded by default, but the reencoding could be turned off by looking around. Or maybe something you think is already compliant really isn't.

In any event, for a pure authoring program without even the capability of reencoding, nothing beats the free Muxman. No menus, though. You can create the menus somewhere else when you need them, and then replace the 'dummy' video created there with a Muxman authored video. I do that all the time.

[dipje]

Did you notice that I and others gave you an answer to your original question, so that you get a .mpg file without much trouble or cpu power, without re-encoding? What your dvd-authoring program does with it is up to you.

[Katie Boundary]

In any event, for a pure authoring program without even the capability of reencoding, nothing beats the free Muxman. No menus, though. You can create the menus somewhere else when you need them, and then replace the 'dummy' video created there with a Muxman authored video. I do that all the time.

Sweet! I still haven't learned how to create menus, and my current program wants to force menus into the DVD, so this looks like an excellent option.

Did you notice that I and others gave you an answer to your original question, so that you get a .mpg file without much trouble or cpu power, without re-encoding?

Yes, and if my Linux computer was still functional, your advice would have been very helpful.

[johnmeyer]

Because what little money I have, I need for vodka.Spoken like a true Russian. Nostrovia!

[dipje]

Don't get what Linux has to do with the answers. There are plenty of tools available that do what you want on all three major platforms. But, good luck anyway.

[Ghitulescu]

This thread is an example of Christian attitude.
Inspite many false statements, false ideas, and even insults, the offender has been tolerated and guided back to the good path.
The progress is impressive: from the "perfect" VCD to DVD in less than 1 year. The next step, bluray, is expected soon, and 4k should be reached even faster :) :)

[hello_hello]

I think the Christian attitude/entertainment ratio is about 1:9 for me, so I don't think that's why I tune in for each new episode.

Mind you if Basil Fawlty was a woman and posted in video forum....

I think think she gets away with it because you know it'll be a frustrating endeavour, you know every post contains at least one wrong claim, you know by next thread someone else will have said ffmpeg isn't a transcoder, you know there's no gratitude and each thread doubles as an ignore list updater, and you there's a risk of being abused via a gif or jpeg image, but ultimately it's like being unable to divert your eyes from watching a train wreck in progress.

[manono]

Be nice, hello_hello. I think Ghitulesco makes a good point.

However, there must be some sort of a rule somewhere about bringing religion into it. Maybe 'Christian' can be replaced with 'tolerant and forgiving' as I doubt Christianity has a monopoly on those virtues.

[hello_hello]

It was entrapment! :)

[Katie Boundary]

Don't get what Linux has to do with the answers.

Well, this:

ffmpeg -i myclip.MOD -vcodec libx264 -preset slow -crf 19 -acodec aac -ab 192k -f mp4 myClip.MP4

...looks pretty much indistinguishable from Linux jibberish. If it's not Linux jibberish, then maybe you should clarify exactly what the hell you're doing/using.

Be nice, hello_hello. I think Ghitulesco makes a good point.

Que?

*reads Ghitu's and Hello's posts*

Oh, you misunderstand. I'm still using VCD-compliant MPEG-1 for all of my personal archiving needs other than Andromeda and Birds of Prey. The DVD thing is a totally separate project that an ex-friend got me started on, and which probably won't go any further unless his current psychotic episode comes to an end.

[smok3]

That is actually an old style gibberish, new style is documented here
https://www.ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html

[Katie Boundary]

That is actually an old style gibberish, new style is documented here

https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18403656_1855156031415517_983727442528712084_n.jpg?oh=7c0cb95318907c0c54604b72400852e4&oe=59BC8840

[dipje]

You asked for an answer to a problem you were having, I and others gave you one.. with free tools even. You said ffmpeg wasn't a transcoder, I and others told you that it is _the_ transcoder and explained how it does exactly what you want and more.
If ffmpeg is too hard for you to use, go visit the newbie section or, like I said, go google for one of the many free GUIs for ffmpeg.