Hi there!

I have a Muxed MPEG1, 320 x 240 file that Toast 5.2.1 does not accept to
be burned as VCD. (error message says: xxx.mpg cannot be used to create
a Video Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/
Multiplexer)


I have exported it into .mov format using Quicktime Pro 6.2, but I get a
much lower quality video file, and no audio at all.
If I try to export it as Toast Video CD, Quicktime says: "Cannot export
the file; there is no video track"

Why is that?

How can I create a VCD out of this file? Is it maybe somehow damaged?

txs in advance.

Txs, I have just tried the first step, but there's no audio in the newly
obtained xxx.dv file...

Craig D. <me[at]my.net> wrote:

> Open in Quicktime, export as DV file (takes a while). Open the DV file
> in Quicktime, export as Toast VCD. Works for me.

MatFox <MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it> wrote:

> I have a Muxed MPEG1, 320 x 240 file that Toast 5.2.1 does not accept to
> be burned as VCD. (error message says: xxx.mpg cannot be used to create
> a Video Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/
> Multiplexer)
> How can I create a VCD out of this file? Is it maybe somehow damaged?

The only way I know to do with withough recoding it is to use TMpegEnc's
multiplex option, only problem is that is Windows only, don't know if
you have access to a Wintel machine...
--
-> The email address used in this message *IS* valid <-

In article <1fxj1w4.triq845x95dpN%{$PW$}[at]womar.co.uk>, Paul Womar
<{$PW$}[at]womar.co.uk> wrote:

> MatFox <MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it> wrote:
>
> > I have a Muxed MPEG1, 320 x 240 file that Toast 5.2.1 does not accept to
> > be burned as VCD. (error message says: xxx.mpg cannot be used to create
> > a Video Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/
> > Multiplexer)
> > How can I create a VCD out of this file? Is it maybe somehow damaged?
>
> The only way I know to do with withough recoding it is to use TMpegEnc's
> multiplex option, only problem is that is Windows only, don't know if
> you have access to a Wintel machine...

Not necessarily damaged, just encoded as non-compliant with the VideoCD
specifications (bit-rate, framesize, and a bunch of other things have
to be exact or within specified ranges for compliance). If it plays in
QT Player, the odds are that it is just out-of-spec.

To demux and remux the file, you can use ffmpegX.

One thing that frequently works, almost always with files that are
close to the spec, is to use VCD Builder or GNU vcdtoolsX to create img
or bin files and then burn those in Toast.

Other useful tools to have on hand are VCDGear, mpgtx, and VCD CopyX.

--
Spenser

sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:

>
> Not necessarily damaged, just encoded as non-compliant with the VideoCD
> specifications (bit-rate, framesize, and a bunch of other things have
> to be exact or within specified ranges for compliance). If it plays in
> QT Player, the odds are that it is just out-of-spec.
That's possible... The file has been created in august 1999.

>
> To demux and remux the file, you can use ffmpegX.
>
> One thing that frequently works, almost always with files that are
> close to the spec, is to use VCD Builder or GNU vcdtoolsX to create img
> or bin files and then burn those in Toast.
>
> Other useful tools to have on hand are VCDGear, mpgtx, and VCD CopyX.
great infos, txs a lot!

sam grey <sgrey[at]invalid.com> wrote:


>
> Does the original MPEG1 file play okay in Quicktime Pro? And you're usre
> it's an MPEG1 file?
yes; that's what the QT info window says.
It has been created in august 1999, and this scares me a bit...

In article <1fxj8un.y377xi1woozw8N%MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it>, MatFox
<MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it> wrote:

> sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> >
> > Not necessarily damaged, just encoded as non-compliant with the VideoCD
> > specifications (bit-rate, framesize, and a bunch of other things have
> > to be exact or within specified ranges for compliance). If it plays in
> > QT Player, the odds are that it is just out-of-spec.
> That's possible... The file has been created in august 1999.
>
> >
> > To demux and remux the file, you can use ffmpegX.
> >
> > One thing that frequently works, almost always with files that are
> > close to the spec, is to use VCD Builder or GNU vcdtoolsX to create img
> > or bin files and then burn those in Toast.
> >
> > Other useful tools to have on hand are VCDGear, mpgtx, and VCD CopyX.
> great infos, txs a lot!

If you want a REALLY good expose of all your options, complete with
links to software, go to the 2-part article (of May 20, 2003) at
www.videobuyersguide.com/editorials/video_on_mac.htm

On Thu, 3 Jul 2003 3:13:57 -0400, MatFox wrote
(in message <1fxijur.101cbyd17xturmN%MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it>):

> I have a Muxed MPEG1, 320 x 240 file that Toast 5.2.1 does not accept to
> be burned as VCD. (error message says: xxx.mpg cannot be used to create
> a Video Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/
> Multiplexer)
>

Toast is very fussy- over half the VCD files I download give this error
message. If you have access to VirtualPC (even v.2 with win95 works), get
TMPGEnc and, using the 'Mpeg tools', 'Multiplex' it. The output of this will
be accepted perfectly by Toast, and there will be NO loss of quality.
(remultiplexing is not recompressing). I use this and it works with *any*
mpeg file, whether VCD-compliant or not.

Dave 6100 <powermac6100[at]hotmail.com> wrote:


> Toast is very fussy- over half the VCD files I download give this error
> message. If you have access to VirtualPC (even v.2 with win95 works), get
> TMPGEnc and, using the 'Mpeg tools', 'Multiplex' it. The output of this will
> be accepted perfectly by Toast, and there will be NO loss of quality.
> (remultiplexing is not recompressing). I use this and it works with *any*
> mpeg file, whether VCD-compliant or not.
I have just done everything you said, with a PC (Window W2K), but I
still have the same problem: Toast gives the same error message as
before multiplexing the file: [xxx.mpg cannot be used to create a Video
Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/ Multiplexer]

Any other suggestion?

In article <1fxsmyi.1pou454m545asN%MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it>, MatFox
<MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it> wrote:

> Dave 6100 <powermac6100[at]hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> > Toast is very fussy- over half the VCD files I download give this error
> > message. If you have access to VirtualPC (even v.2 with win95 works), get
> > TMPGEnc and, using the 'Mpeg tools', 'Multiplex' it. The output of this
> > will
> > be accepted perfectly by Toast, and there will be NO loss of quality.
> > (remultiplexing is not recompressing). I use this and it works with *any*
> > mpeg file, whether VCD-compliant or not.
> I have just done everything you said, with a PC (Window W2K), but I
> still have the same problem: Toast gives the same error message as
> before multiplexing the file: [xxx.mpg cannot be used to create a Video
> Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/ Multiplexer]
>
> Any other suggestion?

As I posted, amongst other things, in one of the early responses to
this thread, Toast wants a _conformant_ mpg if it is going to build the
Video CD. However, if you create the image to burn yourself, you can
bypass this check -- use GNU VCDToolsX to create a .bin/.cue pair from
your mpg, then just drag the .bin file into Toast's VideoCD window.
This has worked for all but one non-conformant MPEG-1s that I've
received, and the one where it didn't was really screwed up.

--
Spenser

sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:

> As I posted, amongst other things, in one of the early responses to
> this thread, Toast wants a _conformant_ mpg if it is going to build the
> Video CD. However, if you create the image to burn yourself, you can
> bypass this check -- use GNU VCDToolsX to create a .bin/.cue pair from
> your mpg, then just drag the .bin file into Toast's VideoCD window.
> This has worked for all but one non-conformant MPEG-1s that I've
> received, and the one where it didn't was really screwed up.
Txs a lot, now it has perfectly worked!
As the mpeg file of the movie is really good (a non-broadcast
transcription of a classic '60s movies) the resulting VCD is extremely
good!

txs a lot again!

In article <1fxijur.101cbyd17xturmN%MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it>,
MatteoXYZ1963[at]excite.it (MatFox) wrote:

> Hi there!
>
> I have a Muxed MPEG1, 320 x 240 file that Toast 5.2.1 does not accept to
> be burned as VCD. (error message says: xxx.mpg cannot be used to create
> a Video Cd. Please use the "videoCD" option in your MPEG encoder/
> Multiplexer)
>
>
> I have exported it into .mov format using Quicktime Pro 6.2, but I get a
> much lower quality video file, and no audio at all.
> If I try to export it as Toast Video CD, Quicktime says: "Cannot export
> the file; there is no video track"
>
> Why is that?
>
> How can I create a VCD out of this file? Is it maybe somehow damaged?
>
> txs in advance.
>

Run it through ffmpegX's default settings for VCD. That should fix it.
--
Cheers,
_Chas_
http://www.apple.com/switch
non-spammers can write to chasm at mac (dot com)

sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:

->As I posted, amongst other things, in one of the early responses to
->this thread, Toast wants a _conformant_ mpg if it is going to build the
->Video CD. However, if you create the image to burn yourself, you can
->bypass this check -- use GNU VCDToolsX to create a .bin/.cue pair from
->your mpg, then just drag the .bin file into Toast's VideoCD window.
->This has worked for all but one non-conformant MPEG-1s that I've
->received, and the one where it didn't was really screwed up.

I've been following this thread because I'm in a similar situation...
I have one .mpg (from a disk that will contain 17 .mpgs) that Toast
doesn't like...

I've tried creating my own .bin file with VCDToolsX, but when burning
(vcd format) in Toast, it always fails at a certain point, requiring
abort. I can't be certain, but the timing of the failure is about
where the problem track falls, ie., about 2/3 thru the disk...

I need to fix this single file to make it into a compliant mpeg (like
the others seem to be)... I've tinkered with Astarte and (I think)
demuxed the problem track, but now I don't know how to remux it into an
acceptable file.

[my understanding of this stuff is severely minimal, so please overlook
obvious stupidities]

Any idea if I an on the right track?

Tia,

In article <100720031302234264%flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net>, jeff in la
<flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net> wrote:

> sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> ->As I posted, amongst other things, in one of the early responses to
> ->this thread, Toast wants a _conformant_ mpg if it is going to build the
> ->Video CD. However, if you create the image to burn yourself, you can
> ->bypass this check -- use GNU VCDToolsX to create a .bin/.cue pair from
> ->your mpg, then just drag the .bin file into Toast's VideoCD window.
> ->This has worked for all but one non-conformant MPEG-1s that I've
> ->received, and the one where it didn't was really screwed up.
>
> I've been following this thread because I'm in a similar situation...
> I have one .mpg (from a disk that will contain 17 .mpgs) that Toast
> doesn't like...
>
> I've tried creating my own .bin file with VCDToolsX, but when burning
> (vcd format) in Toast, it always fails at a certain point, requiring
> abort. I can't be certain, but the timing of the failure is about
> where the problem track falls, ie., about 2/3 thru the disk...
>
> I need to fix this single file to make it into a compliant mpeg (like
> the others seem to be)... I've tinkered with Astarte and (I think)
> demuxed the problem track, but now I don't know how to remux it into an
> acceptable file.
>
> [my understanding of this stuff is severely minimal, so please overlook
> obvious stupidities]
>
> Any idea if I an on the right track?
>

Well, if all you need to do is remux it, use ffmpegX. On the Tools tab,
Browse to the m1v file for the first box, browse to the mp2 file for
the second box, then select VCD from the popup next to the Mux as
button, then click the Mux as button. ffmpegX will launch Terminal and
open a second Terminal window to show the progress.

If you do need to Demux it, you can also do so on the Tools tab. Browse
to the MPEG file in the first box, leave the second empty, and click
the Demux button.

--
Spenser

sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:

->Well, if all you need to do is remux it, use ffmpegX. On the Tools tab,
->Browse to the m1v file for the first box, browse to the mp2 file for
->the second box, then select VCD from the popup next to the Mux as
->button, then click the Mux as button. ffmpegX will launch Terminal and
->open a second Terminal window to show the progress.
->
->If you do need to Demux it, you can also do so on the Tools tab. Browse
->to the MPEG file in the first box, leave the second empty, and click
->the Demux button.

I just tried Demuxing the original .mpg file as suggested, and ffmpegX
says "finished" a split second later... but if it has done anything, I
don't know where to find it... And the original file remains
unfriendly to Toast.

Remuxing yields a syntax error in the Terminal.

I appreciate your help.... this stuff hasn't yet become very user
friendly!

In article <100720031459039360%flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net>, jeff in la
<flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net> wrote:

> sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> ->Well, if all you need to do is remux it, use ffmpegX. On the Tools tab,
> ->Browse to the m1v file for the first box, browse to the mp2 file for
> ->the second box, then select VCD from the popup next to the Mux as
> ->button, then click the Mux as button. ffmpegX will launch Terminal and
> ->open a second Terminal window to show the progress.
> ->
> ->If you do need to Demux it, you can also do so on the Tools tab. Browse
> ->to the MPEG file in the first box, leave the second empty, and click
> ->the Demux button.
>
> I just tried Demuxing the original .mpg file as suggested, and ffmpegX
> says "finished" a split second later... but if it has done anything, I
> don't know where to find it... And the original file remains
> unfriendly to Toast.
>
> Remuxing yields a syntax error in the Terminal.
>
> I appreciate your help.... this stuff hasn't yet become very user
> friendly!

Are you absolutely certain that the file in question is an mpeg-1 file?
Just because some Windows user put that extension on the filename
doesn't make it so. What does QT Player Pro say about it when you check
the Movie Properties (check the Tracks popup)?

If ffmpegX says "Finished" that quickly, I'd be willing to wager that
it isn't a muxed mpeg track (or is incredibly short).

--
Spenser

sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:

->Are you absolutely certain that the file in question is an mpeg-1 file?
->Just because some Windows user put that extension on the filename
->doesn't make it so. What does QT Player Pro say about it when you check
->the Movie Properties (check the Tracks popup)?
->
->If ffmpegX says "Finished" that quickly, I'd be willing to wager that
->it isn't a muxed mpeg track (or is incredibly short).

It is a short clip (1min30sec), but not THAT short...

Well, if I'm reading this correctly... I open the file in question,
then go to Movie Properties... The popup on the left gives me the
choice of Movie or Mpeg1 Muxed Track.

Under Movie / General it says 1 Track, 170.3 kbytes/sec, 15mb

Under Mpeg1 Muxed Track / General it says the same things, along with
Track Type: MPEG1 Muxed...

Seems to be the right thing... It plays fine... but Toast chokes on
it...

In article <100720031527090546%flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net>, jeff in la
<flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net> wrote:

> sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> ->Are you absolutely certain that the file in question is an mpeg-1 file?
> ->Just because some Windows user put that extension on the filename
> ->doesn't make it so. What does QT Player Pro say about it when you check
> ->the Movie Properties (check the Tracks popup)?
> ->
> ->If ffmpegX says "Finished" that quickly, I'd be willing to wager that
> ->it isn't a muxed mpeg track (or is incredibly short).
>
> It is a short clip (1min30sec), but not THAT short...
>
> Well, if I'm reading this correctly... I open the file in question,
> then go to Movie Properties... The popup on the left gives me the
> choice of Movie or Mpeg1 Muxed Track.
>
> Under Movie / General it says 1 Track, 170.3 kbytes/sec, 15mb
>
> Under Mpeg1 Muxed Track / General it says the same things, along with
> Track Type: MPEG1 Muxed...
>
> Seems to be the right thing... It plays fine... but Toast chokes on
> it...

Playing fine and being VCD-compatible are two separate issues. A
VCD-compliant MPEG-1 will have a data rate of 224 kbits/sec for the
audio and 1150 kbps for the video. It will have a frame size of 352x240
(NTSC) or 352x288 (PAL) at a frame rate of 29.97 (NTSC) or 25 (PAL).

It looks like your file is a wee bit fast (170.3 KB/sec is over 1360
kbps). You're going to need to reencode it, making sure the audio and
video are in sync.

--
Spenser

In article <100720031806139557%flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net>, jeff in la
<flopshotSTOPSPAM[at]covad.net> wrote:

> sbt <dogbreath[at]chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> ->
> ->Playing fine and being VCD-compatible are two separate issues. A
> ->VCD-compliant MPEG-1 will have a data rate of 224 kbits/sec for the
> ->audio and 1150 kbps for the video. It will have a frame size of 352x240
> ->(NTSC) or 352x288 (PAL) at a frame rate of 29.97 (NTSC) or 25 (PAL).
> ->
> ->It looks like your file is a wee bit fast (170.3 KB/sec is over 1360
> ->kbps). You're going to need to reencode it, making sure the audio and
> ->video are in sync.
>
> I see... and is reencoding it something I can do to/with the existing
> file on the computer? Or do I need to somehow output and rerecord it
> to my hard drive? (which frankly, it is not worth my time to do...
> but I do want to try and better understand this)
>
> Thanks again,

It depends upon what software you have. Reencoding it will undoubtedly
result in some quality loss since you're going to be using lossy
compression on an already compressed data stream. Cleaner should do the
job, but I tend to demux, convert the streams to DV and AIFF, combine
into a DV Stream in QT Pro, then reencode with Toast's plugin or
ffmpegX from the DV stream to VCD-compatible mpeg-1.

--
Spenser

sbt wrote:

->It depends upon what software you have. Reencoding it will undoubtedly
->result in some quality loss since you're going to be using lossy
->compression on an already compressed data stream. Cleaner should do the
->job, but I tend to demux, convert the streams to DV and AIFF, combine
->into a DV Stream in QT Pro, then reencode with Toast's plugin or
->ffmpegX from the DV stream to VCD-compatible mpeg-1.

Great. Thanks for all the information... I through with this for the
night, but I'll attempt your demux solution later...

Regards,