Hi Hudl,

I wondered if you had ever thought of adding a feature such as this to the GUI (in the next version).  Keep the stop button for when someone really wants to stop the GUI now, but add a "dry up" button, for those times when you want to finish the conversion in progress, but not start a new conversion.

Thanks for your consideration, and this is an awesome tool!

Hi! Thanks for your suggestion. Sounds nice.

You have to know, that I note all feature wishes but order them between essential and eyecandy (where eyecandy is imortant for me too! ;-)).

I first want to make a really stable base and add features later. So, it's possible you will see this feature in a future version but please don't expect it too soon (well, depending on the difficulty to implement it). Thanks!

Hey hudl,

Alrighty!  I got the conversion workingfrom HQ .wtv  to HQ .mpg, but not all the .wtv files convert correctly still.  Below is the debug log for one that failed to convert properly.  When it converts, it shows a split second of the actual show, then the rest is just a grey screen.  I am able to convert other shows from this channel, just not the one identified below.  Let me know what you think.

Stu

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: --- PROGRAM STARTED ---

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: check for java: user set dir "C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin\"

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: showErrorOnJavaFault: 1

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: outputDir: C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: deleteIntermediateFile: 1

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: showConverterProgress: 0

8/7/2012, 6:45:21 PM: ============================================================

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: -------- conversion started

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: currentFile: Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: converting from wtv to mpghq

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: callFunc: "convert_wtv2mpghq"

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: callFunc: "convertTo_wtv2mpghq"

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: callFunc: "checkStream"

8/7/2012, 6:45:35 PM: run (get streamInfo): "C:\Program Files\MC-TVConverter\tools\ffmpeg\ffmpeg.exe" -i "C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv"

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: streamInfo: stream has MPEG2 video

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: streamInfo: stream has no AAC LATM audio

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: streamInfo: stream has no E-AC3 audio

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: streamInfo: stream has AC3 audio

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: user settings: convertAacLatm [0], convertEac3 [0], convertWithFfmpeg [0]

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: Convert WTV using remuxTool

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: callFunc: "convertTo_wtv2mpgRemuxTool"

8/7/2012, 6:45:36 PM: run: "C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin\java.exe" -cp "C:\Program Files\MC-TVConverter\tools\remuxTool\remuxTool.jar" util.WtvToMpeg -i "C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv" -lang eng -o "C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv.mpg"

8/7/2012, 6:52:01 PM: ---- file successfully converted: "C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv.mpg"

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM: rename file to: "C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.mpg"

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM: renameFile - old filename: "C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv.mpg"

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM: renameFile - new filename: "C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.mpg"

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM: get orig file created date: 20120806215802

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM: set converted file created date to: 20120806215802 - "C:\Upstairs Backup\TV Shows\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.mpg"

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM: move original file: "C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv" - to - "Recycle Bin\Perception_TNTHD_2012_08_06_21_58_00.wtv"

8/7/2012, 6:52:02 PM:

8/7/2012, 6:52:03 PM: -------- conversion finished

8/7/2012, 8:37:08 PM: --- PROGRAM CLOSED ---

If remuxTool outputs no error but the result is not ok, please try to check the checkbox "use alternate conversion method" in settings to use ffmpeg to convert the file. If that fails and because you already had problems with ffmpeg too (what I addressed on the previous page), I think your only hope is that the new version of ffmpeg is able to convert it. You will have to wait for the next version of my GUI or create a custom profile to use a new version of ffmpeg for it (some parameters have changed so it can't be simply replaced in the current version).

Let me know if you want to take on this task or be patient... ;-)

Hey Hudl,

So I think the problem is that the programs that I am trying to convert are marked as copyright protected.  Would that make sense as to why the conversion fails?  I changed settings to use ffmpeg to convert but still no luck.  Let me know the difficulty level of changing the parameters you mentioned previously :)

Definately. The tools I use are not able (and never will be able) to convert protected recordings. So there is no need to try a custom profile.

Anyway, if you want to create one to suit your needs (higher/lowr quality audio or video,...) on working recordings, you can read the help file where I explain how to create one. Let me know if you need help.

Hello,

Just started using MC-TVConverter the other day.  I was wondering if I could get some tips on how to control a few things in the profiles, specifically with the avi output.

I am trying to get an avi that has 5.1 channel AC3 (Dolby) audio (if the source is 5.1 otherwise 2.0) with a video bitrate limited to 5Mbps MPEG-4.

If this possible?  I've tried tweaking the profiles a bit, mostly relying on what has been entered on the other profiles, but when I try to adjust the bitrate or the audio the conversion does not complete.  It immediately says it is finished and I am left with a 0kb avi file.

Any help would be great!

I am new to MC-TVC.  I have been working to try to convert files to mp4 files that can be played by my PS3 and so forth.  I convert the file, and I am not seeing any errors. However, the resulting file "stutters" terribly. as it plays.  I skimmed through the 56 previous pages, but I didn't find an answer. There's probably one in there somewhere- anyone able to point me at it?

@StHapns247

If you want a profile for XBOX, this is the main reason why I rewrote the profiles and audio handling in the next version. It will detect the channels used in the original stream and then process it accordingly to get hte best quality (including to keep the surround). I'm still testing the best settings which is a real pain but you can try the following command, which gives the best possible quality while limiting the bitrate to 5Mbps:

-filter:v yadif -f avi -vcodec mpeg4 -vtag DIVX -sameq -b:v 5000k -maxrate 5000k -bufsize 1835k -acodec copy

Use this if your stream has ac3 audio. If it has 2 channel audio, it's best to convert it to mp3. This will maybe also need a new version of ffmpeg (ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds) as some parameters have changed.

@Hal-

I don't own a PS3 so I unfortunately can't test the output. I didn't hear any complaints about it though until now... If you want to try handbrake (http://handbrake.fr/), which I also use within my GUI, you can test the profiles used there and then change the profile within MCTVC accordingly. There is also the possibility that there is something wrong in your network configuration, if you stream your files (try it locally). Do all other files play well? Could you please post a full log of the data of a working file (right click a file within MCTVC and select "streaminfo: ffmpeg"). Thanks!

Thanks hudl.  Just tried the Xbox 360 avi option, but every time I try to convert it immediately comes up with the Conversion Finished notice and gives me a 0kb avi file.

I did update ffmpeg following the link you provided... I extracted the ffmpeg.exe file into the Tools/ffmpeg folder in the MC-TVConverter directory.

Do you have any suggestions as to what I may be doing wrong?

Please provide a full debugLog (see help file). Maybe there is a problem with your stream.

I have attached the debug log.  Please note that I  have tried this on several files, all .wtv files, with the same result.

Thanks for looking into it!

i noticed after installing mctv that in the control panel - add/remove programs, the name of the program doesn't appear, only 2.1.0

might want to add the name of the program to wherever this string appears in the installer

@smitty12345: I fixed it already for the next version. Thanks for reporting!

@StHapns247: ffmpeg can't read the file for whatever reason ("mpeg_decode_postinit() failure"). Have you tried to play the WTV on another PC? Is the file copy protected? Is only this broadcaster affected or only single recordings? I see you already have the latest version of ffmpeg so there is nothing I can do about it unfortunately. Maybe you could try another compiled version of ffmpeg but I doubt it will work...

Nearly all other free tools out there use ffmpeg, so it will be hard to get it work. If remuxTool also is not able to convert it (use the mpeg HQ profile with JAVA installed or use the GUI of remuxTool) I don't know of any other free solution. Other profiles don't work either?

It is just this profile that does not work.  In fact, the DiVX HQ (.avi) profile works fine even with the new version of ffmpeg.

I am able to convert these files with other software, but they are all manual.  The draw of MC-TVConverter was its folder monitoring and automation.