chapter markers in mp4 file?

videoITguy wrote on 6/18/2014, 6:40 PM

MAYBE is the answer - here is what steps you take -
On the VegasPro timeline enter markers and marker names - names must be alpha character based - don't use integers or leading numeric characters.
From the VegasPro timeline render to your favorite variant of an Mp4 container - and then again from your not so favorite
Post your complete results with details for all to see.

musicvid10 wrote on 6/18/2014, 7:21 PM

Different kinds of chapter markers, but assuming you want the kind that will be recognized by most players, search for 'drax' under my user name. It can turn Vegas data into mp4box type chapters.

john_dennis wrote on 6/18/2014, 7:42 PM

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=655182

ushere wrote on 6/18/2014, 9:18 PM

thanks guys (and jm),

works brilliantly with vlc, but no go with wmp....

i'll explain a little more what's going on if i may...

i have a 35min trainer with maybe 5 chapters (not decided on yet). i would prefer they released it on usb, which they agree with (which is also what all my clients have been doing for the last few years), HOWEVER, this if for a statewide government dept whose computers are locked, with only windows media player on them.

so...

a. how can i get wmp to play a mp4 with chapters (if that's at all possible?}

b. could i create a wmp playlist from a single file?

c. can i put a dvd on a usb that wmp will play directly?

d. could i put vlc portable on the usb and directly link it to the file (i obviously want KISS, since these will be going out to non pc literate clients)?

i get the feeling that as we progress ever faster forward there's a few major steps we've seemed to have overlooked in the basics ;-(

musicvid10 wrote on 6/18/2014, 10:17 PM

The only player-friendly chapters in use started as Quicktime (iTunes) m4v, but now are recognized by many mp4 players.

Windows Media Player won't recognize the mp4 chapters at all, I'm sorry to say. Same lack of cooperation that goes back almost two decades.

You could always give them DVDs. Everyone knows how to play those.

ushere wrote on 6/18/2014, 10:37 PM

thanks...

this really does feel like i'm going backwards.

any chance of putting a dvd on a usb and getting it to play automatically?

i ask cause it seems some trainers have notebooks without dvd drives...

musicvid10 wrote on 6/18/2014, 10:51 PM

It all depends on their default player and settings, over which we have no control.
A Youtube video with private links, perhaps?

Rainer wrote on 6/19/2014, 12:37 AM

I think you might have found a use for PGMX (see this thread http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=898791&Replies=1)

ushere wrote on 6/19/2014, 12:59 AM

@ rainer - only problem is you need a player for it. no go on locked-down computers.

a passing thought - can i use vlc portable on a usb that automatically opens a specific file?

if so, what would be the steps i'd need to do it?

this whole thing is giving me a headache....

well i tried....

created file with drax. loaded that and vlcport on usb. created one file playlist. put shortcut to playlist on root of drive. voila, seems to work ok.

not particularly elegant, would like to know if there's any other options?

musicvid10 wrote on 6/19/2014, 8:06 AM

"created file with drax. loaded that and vlcport on usb. created one file playlist. put shortcut to playlist on root of drive. voila, seems to work ok."

Would you please write a tut on that when you can?. It seems useful.

ushere wrote on 6/19/2014, 6:42 PM

@musicvid10 - i will do as soon as i've tried it with mpc (media player classic) portable...

i'm a bit worried that the vlc interface might not suit some clients whereas the mpc gui is a bit more familiar....

===============================================================

ok, have opted to use mpc rather than vlc since mpc displays chapter titles and has a more 'familiar' gui. however, this works for vlc as well.

1 prepare mp4 with relevant markers (chapter points) IMPORTANT, put 1st marker at START of tl otherwise drax wont recognise import > then render as normal

2. change tl measurement to 'time' > edit details > view markers > click top right box to select all > open notepad and paste. you should see something like this:

00:00:00.000 this start (*drax NEEDS first tc to equal 000000)
00:00:10.000 and this is 1
00:00:20.000 could be 2
00:00:30.000 might be 3
00:00:40.000 certainly 4

btw. if there's a top line of text - something like chapter / name, simply delete it so it looks like above.

3. do the drax thing - see tut for that elsewhere.

4. install mpc PORTABLE on usb.

5 create another folder for actual video file (i do this so it can be easily accessed for download to local computer if necessary)

6 open mpc and load file > view playlist > save playlist to mpc folder

7. go to root of usb > create shortcut to playlist (this avoids having 'strange' extension that might confuse people)

VIOLA!

as follow up i finally make mpc folder hidden, again, so as not to confuse people.
i also change shortcut icon to something more appropriate.
finally if the usb is ntfs, i go properties > security > change rights to read only. that way the files can't be deleted or altered. of course the usb can be reformatted if need be, but at least that's a conscious effort.

seems to work ;-)

BUGGER - works perfectly on the pc created on where the usb drive letter remains constant - move to another pc and of course usb drive letter might change and no go.
obviously i need to make drive paths relative fo the usb, but all i've read on the net usually refers to an .exe rather than a 'playlist'.
could anyone please help me out here by telling me step by step how to make my root shortcut to / and playlist relative on the usb...

==============================================================

to wrap this thread up:

@echo off
Start ..\VLCPortable\VLCPortable.exe ..\..\video\nst.m4v

and / or

start "" %~dp0/VLCPortable/VLCPortable.exe %~dp0/video/nst.m4v

both .bat(s) work perfectly.... i also converted them to .exe for icon change and to stop any confusion with users.