Merging m4v files

I've ripped some DVDs of TV series for iTunes, but Handbrake insists on converting them as 13 separate .m4v files... I'd like to merge them into 3 or 4 larger files.

Google seems to come back either with Windows programs or QuickTime Pro... as I only anticipate needing the facility a few times I'd prefer not to have to pay for it

Any suggestions?

Filmredux(was VisualHub) can stitch http://transcoderredux.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/tr...

MacRumours is reporting a lot of problems with that:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=584869

but I'll keep an eye on it, thanks.

Does terminal work?

Type:
cat [drag in and drop the files to concatenate] > ~/Desktop/combinedFileName.m4v

I doubt it, as I understand it mv4 is a container rather than a file format, but I'll give it a try when Handbrake eventually finishes its queue

You can do it in iMovie, if you have it of course..

Well, the command works (of course), but the resultant file doesn't . The player only sees the first of the concatenated files, presumably because the header isn't modified.

A member here kindly sent me a copy of VisualHub, which seems to be working but is far too slow with 600+MB files... if its estimates are to be believed it's going to take upwards of 20 hours to merge three files .

I might give QuickTime Pro a go after all- now the Store is open again I see it's only twenty quid, I thought it was rather more than that...

I've got the version of iMovie that came bundled with Leopard, will that do it?

And does it actually produce a merged file? I'd got the impression (don't know why ) that it simply picked up files from a "playlist"...

You can import the m4v files from iTunes or iPhoto, or anywhere else I guess, then drag them into your current project and stitch them into one movie
After that, it would pay you to have a look at the export or sharing options to ensure that you can get the right output.
I've done it in the past and exported to iDVD, using iMovie v.4 and v.7. with some success.
That was some time ago, and I learned how to do it on the fly, so it can't be that difficult

I think that whatever you use is going to take hours, especially if QuickTime is involved

Edited by deleted (Wed 04-Mar-09 11:48:24)

In reply to a post by cyclic999:

I learned how to do it on the fly, so it can't be that difficult

That's the way I usually operate- when all else fails, RTFM

I think that whatever you use is going to take hours, especially if QuickTime is involved

Ah well, I usually leave the computer on 24/7 anyway

Thanks for the help.

In reply to a post by cyclic999:

I think that whatever you use is going to take hours, especially if QuickTime is involved

Estimated 6 hours to import one file, and I've got 13 of 'em just for this one series, probably just as long to export again...

It's time to re-think the options

Yes probably the headers, don't know if this is quicker than iMovie but try save as QT movie then redo the terminal exercise.

I can only "save as" if I buy QuickTime Pro

I may end up doing just that in the end, but I'll try setting up the series as a "compilation" in iTunes. It seems to work for playback on the Mac, but Apple TV doesn't seem to use the same grouping/sorting information, so I may have to pull a few fast ones here and there

I read somewhere that Pro might be free after the next OS X update. Some seem to think that'll only be an option with Snow Leopard

That's handy to know (even if just a rumour!), thanks.

Didn't Apple charge for upgrading from QT6 to QT7 as well?

Visual Hub is excellent Bill and it might be going slow because you may need to change the decoding from Quicktime to FFmpeg. To do this, click on the 'Advanced' tab and then check the 'Force' box and chance the encoding to the abovementioned FFMpeg or even VLC if that works. Oh, you might need to download and install FFmpeg too!

It worked for me.

I think the real trouble is that I want to decode/encode about 6GB-worth of mp4 files in around 15 minutes... as nobody is going to lend me a Cray XMT I'll have to think of another way of doing it

I've got it pretty close to what I wanted to do by somewhat unorthodox use of some of the iTunes info fields, many of which aren't really relevant to movies but still work

Thanks for the tip though- I tried downloading the VH documentation, but it seems it's no longer available

http://www.microwarehouse.co.uk/catalogue/item/ELGTV...

Interesting

El Reg gave it the thumbs up. Interesting indeed!

And a lot cheaper than a Cray

There's also a benefit they don't mention- with Handbrake maxing out both cores on the iMac, other apps can suffer a bit...

Yep, it frees up your Mac to do it's thing, basically. Bonus.

My credit card is beckoning

Some reviews and posters on forums have questioned the quality of its encoding. In fact although the review mentioned doesn't say anything about quality, you can see from the screen grab comparison that the Elgato seems to knock the stuffing out of the colours. Elgato only gives you 1-pass encoding where as Handbrake gives you more quality options. it all boils down to the quality you want. And you can't use the Elgato Turbo.264 to assist Handbrake

Bill have a look here http://forum.macformat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=18376&h...

Thanks... some mixed opinions there.

Lack of subtitle support is a fairly major problem (not for me, but other viewers of the files), and not being able to choose which is the "main feature" could be.

Not bothered that it won't do HD, nor do I . (Not on the Mac anyway- that's why I got the PS3, as a BluRay player)

Think I'll hang on and wait to see if a Mark 2 comes out...

I've been using the Turbo to assist Eye TV encoding, as well as using it as a standalone app. There's no doubt that there is an increase in the speed, depending on how high you want the output quality, but as I only use it for the Touch, lower will suffice.
Elgato were doing a deal on it...... don't know whether it's still on.