Video Conversion Software or Custom Development Needed

StrangeSolutions · 15th December 2008, 17:12

I am looking for a pre-existing application that can convert 3GP, DVD (.vob), and AVCHD files that have been uploaded to a server to WMV format. In the case of the DVD it needs to include the date time stamp (from subpicture 1) in the output WMV file. We need to control the app via c# via an API or command line to convert the files.

A secondary need is a component that can be included in a .net 2.0 c# app that can allow the user edit the WMV file to remove one or more sections and create a new single video from what remains.

We are willing to pay for the app / project. If you know of an app that fits the bill please post it here, or contact me via www.gotstrange.com if you can develop an app that fits the description above.

Sharktooth · 16th December 2008, 04:30

the first part could be done quite fast. if you had time to look around, there are plenty of conversion programs, GUIs, etc.
the second part is somewhat tricky and may require most of the dev time. you're asking for a component that basically does what a video editing application does... all in one component...
nothing is impossible but that would be quite a huge work.
ill think about it tonight though.

Ábudos · 16th December 2008, 04:33

Write something yourself. It wouldn't be too difficult if you use preexisting DirectShow filters.

Sharktooth · 17th December 2008, 04:46

well, he's asking for help... so probably doing it from himself is not an option.

StrangeSolutions · 19th December 2008, 16:01

I would be happy to write it myself if I could find any documentation on converting DVD files to WMV with the date time stamp included, but after a good deal of research I have not found enough info to make it happen, and I have no experience in working with DirectShow. I need whatever assistance I can get at this point.

As for the editing, we only need to be able to cut out sections from a WMV and splice the remaining portions back into one file, which is a lot less functionality then a full video editing application. I can create a simple GUI to capture the cut points, but have not found a good library to perform the cuts. I was using WMEncBasicEdit to split the video and WME to rejoin the segments, but found that the MarkIn time is not always accurate and it produced inconsistent results.

We still have not found an applicaiton that converts DVD to WMV with the date time stamp included so if you can provide the name of a quality application it would be greatly appreciated.

jfcarbel · 4th January 2009, 12:52

Why not use a tool like Handbrake and use its CLI mode for conversion

As others said the editing part is tricky and I myself have been looking for tools that you can embed into an app that allows scanning thru the video file in an edit window and adding cut points and having it generate some kind of timecode output that can be feed into cutting/recoding program via CLI interface.

It would be awesome if the top tool like VideoReDo had a CLI, but commercial programs rarely ever supply a CLI for fear of being re-wrapped in a new GUI and sold.

My question has always been - Is there an open source tool for recutting a DVD without recoding that provides a CLI and accepts input file of cut points? Not sure what those cut points could be as I am not real technically educated about the VOB format.

JohnnyMalaria · 4th January 2009, 19:51

Any custom programming involving DirectShow beyond the most primitive functions can require a *lot* of time as there are always the most odd-ball and unexpected gotchas which end up consuming much of your time. Coupling this with a GUI only adds to the resource - be it your own time or money to pay for someone else. I've written such things for other people so have been through that painful experience more than once.

Depending on your quality expectations, here's what I would do to achieve the first goal:

Play the DVD on a conventional DVD player that can display the time/date. Connect the S-video output to the input of a DV camcorder or standalone DV converter. Using the FireWire output, use Windows Media Encoder to capture the video directly to WMV format.

For the second problem, Windows provides DirectShow Editing Services (DES) that comes with sample code for simple editing. Plopping a single WMV file on the DES timeline and creating new clips based up in/out frame markers should be quite trivial.

Also, this CodeProject example provides the basis for splitting WMV files:

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/audio-...select=2475444

15th December 2008, 17:12	#1 \| Link
StrangeSolutions Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2	Video Conversion Software or Custom Development Needed I am looking for a pre-existing application that can convert 3GP, DVD (.vob), and AVCHD files that have been uploaded to a server to WMV format. In the case of the DVD it needs to include the date time stamp (from subpicture 1) in the output WMV file. We need to control the app via c# via an API or command line to convert the files. A secondary need is a component that can be included in a .net 2.0 c# app that can allow the user edit the WMV file to remove one or more sections and create a new single video from what remains. We are willing to pay for the app / project. If you know of an app that fits the bill please post it here, or contact me via www.gotstrange.com if you can develop an app that fits the description above.

16th December 2008, 04:30	#2 \| Link
Sharktooth Mr. Sandman Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Haddonfield, IL Posts: 11,768	the first part could be done quite fast. if you had time to look around, there are plenty of conversion programs, GUIs, etc. the second part is somewhat tricky and may require most of the dev time. you're asking for a component that basically does what a video editing application does... all in one component... nothing is impossible but that would be quite a huge work. ill think about it tonight though. __________________ MPEG-4 ASP Custom Matrices: EQM V1(old), EQM AutoGK Sharpmatrix (aka EQM V2), EQM V3HR (updated 01/10/2004), EQM V3LR, EQM V3ULR (updated 04/02/2005), EQM V3UHR (updated 17/12/2004) and EQM V3EHR (updated 05/10/2004) Info about my ASP matrices. MPEG-4 AVC Custom Matrices: EQM AVC-HR Info about my AVC matrices My x264 builds. Mooo!!!

17th December 2008, 04:46	#4 \| Link
Sharktooth Mr. Sandman Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Haddonfield, IL Posts: 11,768	well, he's asking for help... so probably doing it from himself is not an option. __________________ MPEG-4 ASP Custom Matrices: EQM V1(old), EQM AutoGK Sharpmatrix (aka EQM V2), EQM V3HR (updated 01/10/2004), EQM V3LR, EQM V3ULR (updated 04/02/2005), EQM V3UHR (updated 17/12/2004) and EQM V3EHR (updated 05/10/2004) Info about my ASP matrices. MPEG-4 AVC Custom Matrices: EQM AVC-HR Info about my AVC matrices My x264 builds. Mooo!!!

4th January 2009, 12:52	#6 \| Link
jfcarbel Programmer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 501	Why not use a tool like Handbrake and use its CLI mode for conversion As others said the editing part is tricky and I myself have been looking for tools that you can embed into an app that allows scanning thru the video file in an edit window and adding cut points and having it generate some kind of timecode output that can be feed into cutting/recoding program via CLI interface. It would be awesome if the top tool like VideoReDo had a CLI, but commercial programs rarely ever supply a CLI for fear of being re-wrapped in a new GUI and sold. My question has always been - Is there an open source tool for recutting a DVD without recoding that provides a CLI and accepts input file of cut points? Not sure what those cut points could be as I am not real technically educated about the VOB format. Last edited by jfcarbel; 4th January 2009 at 13:00.

4th January 2009, 19:51	#7 \| Link
JohnnyMalaria Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 602	Any custom programming involving DirectShow beyond the most primitive functions can require a lot of time as there are always the most odd-ball and unexpected gotchas which end up consuming much of your time. Coupling this with a GUI only adds to the resource - be it your own time or money to pay for someone else. I've written such things for other people so have been through that painful experience more than once. Depending on your quality expectations, here's what I would do to achieve the first goal: Play the DVD on a conventional DVD player that can display the time/date. Connect the S-video output to the input of a DV camcorder or standalone DV converter. Using the FireWire output, use Windows Media Encoder to capture the video directly to WMV format. For the second problem, Windows provides DirectShow Editing Services (DES) that comes with sample code for simple editing. Plopping a single WMV file on the DES timeline and creating new clips based up in/out frame markers should be quite trivial. Also, this CodeProject example provides the basis for splitting WMV files: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/audio-...select=2475444 __________________ John Miller Enosoft DV Processor - Free for personal use

16th December 2008, 04:33	#3 \| Link
Ábudos Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 35	Write something yourself. It wouldn't be too difficult if you use preexisting DirectShow filters.

19th December 2008, 16:01	#5 \| Link
StrangeSolutions Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2	I would be happy to write it myself if I could find any documentation on converting DVD files to WMV with the date time stamp included, but after a good deal of research I have not found enough info to make it happen, and I have no experience in working with DirectShow. I need whatever assistance I can get at this point. As for the editing, we only need to be able to cut out sections from a WMV and splice the remaining portions back into one file, which is a lot less functionality then a full video editing application. I can create a simple GUI to capture the cut points, but have not found a good library to perform the cuts. I was using WMEncBasicEdit to split the video and WME to rejoin the segments, but found that the MarkIn time is not always accurate and it produced inconsistent results. We still have not found an applicaiton that converts DVD to WMV with the date time stamp included so if you can provide the name of a quality application it would be greatly appreciated.

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