[geeks] Apple software: the stuff you "gotta have"

[Michael Parson]

On Sat, 13 Oct 2007, Bill Bradford wrote:

> Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:24:27 -0500
> From: Bill Bradford <mrbill at mrbill.net>
> Reply-To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
> To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
> Subject: Re: [geeks] Apple software: the stuff you "gotta have"
>
> On Sat, Oct 13, 2007 at 08:03:38PM -0500, Michael Parson wrote:
>> I've not been able to make Quicktime play mpeg2 files, even with that
>> component.  I'll get the first frame, but the picture never changes.
>> The audio plays fine, however.  If I try and seek into the file, I
>> just get a black screen (still have audio though).  If I seek to near
>> the end of the file (last minute or so), I will sometimes get the
>> video started.
>
> Are these just TiVo-sourced MPEG2 files, or *any* MPEG2 files?  How
> are you extracting them from the TiVo?

TiVo-sourced mpeg2 files.  I am using the Tivo Transfer.app that comes
with Toast 8, my sister is using the Tivo2Go software for Windows under
VMWare.  Both programs give us a .tivo file.  She uses Direct Show Dump
under Windows/VMWare, I use the cli based tivodecode.

I've not tried to play other mpeg2 files.

>> In any case, that plugin doesn't seem to allow me (or her) to import
>> the mpeg2 files into iMovie.  For now, I've got her set up with
>> ffmpegX and have her converting to .mp4 files that iMovie can then
>> import.
>
> Check out VisualHub (.net).  Well worth the $24; I've not had to use
> ffmpegX in *months*.

I wrote a wraper around the command-line ffmpeg bits, didn't cost me
anything. =) with minimal tweaking, I am able to use it on both Mac
systems and my Linux box to do 3 conversions at the same time.

-- 
Michael Parson
mparson at bl.org