WRAA!

So I recorded a bunch of footage last week from my Xbox via the ATI TV software (version 7.9, because everytime I look into updating, all I see is one confusing mess from hell as to what files I need to grab). I record it in Mpeg 2. Today, I move everything to the iMac with the intention of editing it with Final Cut and iMovie. Of course, NEITHER of them like Mpeg 2, as I just found out. -_-

So I go on a hunt for a converter to change it to Mpeg 1, which Final Cut is alright with. Of course, every single one of those converters throws some god awful watermark over the CENTER of the video since it's freeware. Searching for cracks, serials, and the like got nowhere. Not like it would've mattered though, because every test I ran through these coverters came out looking like CRAP compared to the original.

So right now, I'm looking into just refilming ALL of it. Yeah... That'll be fun to arrange again considering I need this by Sunday, I have classes all week, my friends have classes all week, and most are probably working Saturday. *snarl*

There again though, even if I CAN work that out, the TV software is a total piece of flaming CRAP when it comes to actually USING custom settings for recording. It has presets for Mpeg 1 recording, none of which I like because they don't have the video size I want. So I make a custom one. Now, WITHOUT FAIL, everytime I've told it Mpeg 1 and then gone to select it, it's MAGICALLY changed it to ATIVCR.... WTF? Select a preset, make a copy, play with it's settings. Same deal.

So idealy, I need either a free converter that'll do a pretty good job changing this Mpeg 2 to Mpeg 1, with the audio intact. Or a way to make the ATI software stop being a communist whorebag and use the settings I assign it.

Why must technology be such a pain in the *** to work with?

I'm going to go cool down now.

So you're blaming ATi and the software because you didn't research into what FinalCut can work with? Right...

http://www.tmpgenc.net/e_main.html

Last I checked it's freeware, with no watermark.

No. I'm blaming ATI for being a flaming piece of crap that doesn't know how to handle user created presets. Reread what I wrote on that.

Yes. Using Mpeg 2 was my error, but I couldn't recall if I'd used Mpeg 1 or 2 with success the last time I did this, and I wasn't able to check at the time (ie: The iMac generally sits in a room on the other end of the house, and when we started recording, it was in use).

Alright, that program fails. It won't even LOAD the Mpeg2 for conversion.

"File '*insert file location here*' can not open, or unsupported."

Now if I tell it the same file for audio, it'll use it, but not for video.

If your setup is remotely similar to mine what happened is when you recorded with the ATI software it recorded your video with an ATI hardware codec probably making the video unplayable on your iMac. Didn't you get any other video software bundled with your ATI TV tuner? If you did, capture the video with that and you should have no problem. You might even be able to use something like Windows Movie Maker to capture the video.

ATI TV Wonder VE. Bought it off someone here at Massassi.... I can't remember who now though. Came with everything.

That's not the problem though.

I HAVE the ATI drivers and software. It records fine, and should, to the best of my knowlege since I haven't tested them all, record in WMV, AVI, Mpeg 2, and Mpeg 1. It has presets for ALL of those formats. Various changes in compression and resolution mainly. Here's the problem. The user is given the ability to create their OWN preset. IE: I want Mpeg 1 with no compression in as large a resolution it can manage. Now, in the setup screen, this all looks fine. But once I hit OK and go to select that preset, the format is not Mpeg 1 anymore, it's ATIVCR. I think I've even had the resolution change on me before too. It simply IGNORES all of the information I just gave it.

So I'm stuck using whatever presets install with the software, since it REFUSES to use anything I'll setup correctly. Cross platform compatability here isn't really the issue. The bare basics of the problem are that I'm stuck using whatever I'm given, I couldn't remember what Final Cut and iMovie supported, recorded everything in the wrong file format, and now can't convert it.

I find it very odd that you can't use MPEG-2 in Final Cut.

But if that is really true, then chock one up for Premiere again. Which fully supports MPEG-2. w00t.

As for the ATI software, did you try upgrading/downgrading the software?

Every time I look into it I see a mess of files on ATI's website and haven't got any clue what I need to grab, because some of those seem to depend on other files, or are case specific. I WOULD grab everything, but recently that wasn't exactly an option due to my being on a modem. Now that I'm back at school, I might just grab everything here and take it home.