[Klaatu]

Until I can get a new G4 with Superdrive I have to see about converting my current video project to SVCD.

What's the best way to do that? I've tried ffmpegx but I wasn't too thrill with the results. The video was jagged and jerky. Someone else has suggested Forty-Two but I haven't tried that yet. Any other suggestions?

 

[MacDaddy]

forty-two is not for making SVCD, its for ripping DVD's into DVD, VCD, or SVCD, and it is a horrible program.

If you can get ahold of last months MacAddict, they have a GREAT resource on how to make a high quality SVCD with Menu's
I will be writing a simple tutorial for my forum when I get a chance!

 

[Klaatu]

You know, it's times like this that it #@! sucks to be a Mac owner.

But first, a thousand thank yous to MacDaddy for pointing out the MacAddict article.

Turns out its the July 2003 issue. Well, f**k me slowly with a chainsaw, do you think I can find it in the middle of July?

I started wide. Called up Chapters and Indigo. August just came out. July gone. Ditto World's Biggest. "Maybe Great Canadian News?" someone suggests. One right around corner. Walked there. Nope. "But convenience stores don't have to send theirs back," one suggests. Thus begins a trek of an hour-and-a-half, 20 blocks, and upteen stores -- came up empty everywhere.

As I glance over at my trusty Mac, it's given me a lot. For that I'm grateful. But tonight, as I ponder about stuff like overburning and svcds -- things I truly want and need right now, and easily accessible in the pc world -- I'm pissed

 

[mac java]

In support of your mac, here are the links for the free software from the July macaddict issue.

What you need:

toast 5.1.2 @ www.roxio.com
media pipe @ http://mediapipe.sourceforge.net
MissingMpegTools @ http://homepage.mac.com/rnc
MissingMenuGen @ http://homepage.mac.com/rnc
Apple Developer Tools @ http://developer.apple.com/tools/macosxtools.html

VideoLAN Client @ www.videolan.org
and your choise of video editing app ( iMovie, FCP)

Hope this helps.

 

[MacNutt]

Too cool, mac java!

I missed that issue too. Thanks for providing the links!

What you have just done is one of the BIG reasons that we all keep coming back here for more. This community is an incredibly helpful resource.

I hope I can help YOU out with something in the future. Perhaps a few others here at ehmac feel the same way.

If you have something you need help with...just ask.

Somebody in this online community will step up with the solution. Or a link...or a suggestion

And I think that this is one of the very best things about being here.

 

[Dr.G.]

Macnutt, as a Mac novice, I echo your accolades to the unsung MacMavens within our community. I have gone to the MacWorld forum, and even posted two questions there, but it lacks the warmth and "kinship" of our ehMacLand community.

 

[Klaatu]

Thank you Mac Java.

Has anyone used this software? So far I've tried ffmpegx and Cleaner 6 to decode full quality iMovie files into svcd format and the results are awful. Mostly movement is jerky, pixel artifacts throughout, and the interlacing problem persists.

Looks like I have a weekend full of setting up and testing.

 

[MannyP Design]

If I recall, VCD isn't going to yield flawless results. The target viewing space for this codec is your television -- which means less resolution and quality that you'll be used to with DVD mpeg.

Generally speaking the quality will be relatively equal to that of a VHS tape. What you view on a Mac's monitor (especially an LCD one) will look 10 x worse than on a TV.

Speaking of which, I watched the Chasing Amy DVD on my iMac G4 for fun and I was amazed at how much detail it picks up. You can literally see the filmgrain! Of course they filmed it on a slightly less stock than the typical feature film stock.

 

[Klaatu]

I can output directly to vcd with iMovie. But I don't want that (for the reasons you describe). I'm looking to output to SVCD which, in my experience, is a notch above svhs (about twice the lines of resolution as vhs and vcd). Vhs is muddy, and vcds shows much pixelization but I've seen excellent quality svcds that I couldn't distinguish from dvd. Sharp lines, smooth movements, vibrant colours. That's what I'm after.