Editing out Video (ie. commercials)

[TIVOROCKS]

I have found that MPEG-VCR will support frame by frame editing of .mpg files. An MPEG2 version MPEG2-VCR is not available as a demo. Does anyone know if MPEG2-VCR will use the m2v file extracted from the DTivo directly? I'm looking for anybody's experience with this program before I plunk down the $250.

The extraction process from DTivo to pc to SpruceUp! to DVD is quite painless. If MPEG2-VCR doesn't support an m2v file is there another software option out there that supports frame by frame video editing of an m2v that someone can recommend?

Thanks...

[captain_video]

I think that MPEG2VCR will work with m2v files created from a SA Tivo but not a DTivo, but I could be wrong. Run a search for MPEG2VCR and you should find some posts on the topic.

There are alternative methods for editing tystreams that have been found to work. SpruceUp is not frame accurate but will allow you to insert chapter stops at 1-second intervals. DVD Maestro is frame accurate and will give you the precise control you're looking for.

1. Extract and import your movie into Maestro in the same way that you currently do with SpruceUp.

2. Set your chapter stops at the beginning and end of each segment you want to edit out of the video clip. Make sure you retain a short segment at the very beginning of the clip to retain the header info or you won't be able to author the video later on. A 1-second segment should be all you need for this.

3. Compile the video project in Maestro as a title set.

4. Open up the main VOB file in Smart Ripper. Select the segments you want to keep and re-rip the VOB file. A new VOB file will be generated, less the unwanted segments.

5. Do a simple demux of the new VOB file using TMPGEnc. This will creat an m2v and mpa file. Rename the mpa file with an m2a extension.

6. Reauthor the new m2v and m2a files from scratch using either SpruceUp or Maestro and DVD Patcher as before.

The new files will contain the original video clip but the unwanted segments will be edited out. The beauty is that there is no loss of audio sync using this process. Links for downloading all software can be found in the DirecTV Tivo Hacking forum on page 3 of the How Tos Only sticky thread. I believe Smart Ripper and TMPGEnc can be downloaded from the Doom9.org website.

[TIVOROCKS]

captian...

ok, thanks. I did this technique using SpruceUp! without any real problems at all. I have used SpruceUp! for alot of DVD backup work so I was familiar with it. The results were a step in the right direction. However I tried to edit/author the same video in Maestro but am having some difficulties.

- My m2a and m2v import into Maestro without a problem. I then doubleclicked on the "movie1" icon in the upper left margin. I then drug the m2v and the m2a into their positions in the new window that was created. When I select play the video plays normally but there is no audio. Is that normal? Did I leave out a step that will play the video with its audio?

-Second...it appears that I can set up chapter points frame by frame. Hitting the letter "S" on the keyboard or hitting the "pause/arrow" button in the movie window will move the video one frame at a time in the forward direction. Nothing I try is working to scroll backwards in the video one frame at a time. Can you go backwards to set up the chapter points?

I'd like to use both Maestro and SpruceUp! to get my finished product...

Maestro to get the initial VOB with frame by frame chapters
SpruceUp! for final authoring (menus, etc) of the new ripped VOB without the commercials.

thanks,
ted

[captain_video]

This procedure was sent to me by another member. It might be the answer to your question. Delete the .txt extension to revert it back to a Word document.

[TIVOROCKS]

captian...

You da man! This doc filled in the gaps. Thanks...

I have commercial free success! However, SpruceUp! would not take the cropped m2v unless I left the first commercial segment on the m2v (surely due to your header info point made above).

This was no problem as I just created a chapter point #2 at the beginning of the show and pointed my start button target to chapter 2 instead of 1.