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[babgvant]

Is it possible to combine multiple video files into a single "file" in MC? If not, can it be added to the feature request list?

Use case is movies like the Lord of the Rings where there are multiple M2TS files that make up a single entity.

Thanks

[Hendrik]

I don't think that is supported (yet).
Especially when you want to see it in a fluid transition - seamless playback of multiple files in DirectShow is sadly more complicated then one might think.

[babgvant]

Yeah, for proper playback the source filter would have to support it, but I'd be happy with anything that represents multiple files as one in the UI and simplifies resume points and playing them.

[Hendrik]

... and there is no standard way of doing something like this in the source filter.

[babgvant]

... and there is no standard way of doing something like this in the source filter.

Maybe you can work something out with J River

[jgreen]

Particles now will play a piece of a single file, I wonder if JRiver could create Particles that would play multiple files and/or multiple pieces of files?

JRiver?

[JimH]

Particles now will play a piece of a single file, I wonder if JRiver could create Particles that would play multiple files and/or multiple pieces of files?

You should be able to make a playlist of particles.  MC treats them just like any other file.

[babgvant]

You should be able to make a playlist of particles.  MC treats them just like any other file.

A playlist simplifies playback, but unless I'm missing something I don't think it solves the UI concern (i.e. presenting multiple files as a single movie).

[jmone]

Interesting Idea of using particles in a playlists, as one of the issues with joining LOTR D1 and D2 is the end of D1 has about 3 seconds of Black / Mute content that ruins the fluid transition unless you edit it out then mux the two streams together.  

[InflatableMouse]

Can't you simply mux multiple files into a single mkv or mp4 or something?

I remember doing that with certain files in the past. You'd get a rediculously large file but from what I remember they played just fine.

[jmone]

OK - I tried the Playlist of Particles and while it worked pretty well, there is still non fluild transistion between the "tracks" as the Direct Show filters are recrated.  Still it is much simpler than my efforts to edit and mux together D1 and D2 together (+ redo all the chapter points on D2 etc etc)

[jmone]

The other "option" I tried on BD discs (and the "Correct Way") would be to create a custom Playlist File (mpls) that refereced the sequence of files, their duration, chapters etc.  Editing/Creating mpls is another PITA however.

[Daydream]

MKV seamless branching.

[babgvant]

Can't you simply mux multiple files into a single mkv or mp4 or something?

I remember doing that with certain files in the past. You'd get a rediculously large file but from what I remember they played just fine.

It's possible, but not for the casual enthusiast.

[Daydream]

But a casual enthusiast will watch ~12 hours of Lord of the Rings uninterrupted?

BTW you can make a 50KB file and play everything from it (you won't have to remux anything, just have all contents in the same folder). That's seamless branching, segment linking, ordered chapters and all the fancy specs of MKV put to work.

[JustinChase]

Using particles to give just the film (cut off the credits of the first two films), combined with the suggestion to allow a file/particle to point to a 'required' next and/or previous file would help resolve this.  I first saw this suggested in reference to forcing audio tracks to always play together.  It's an elegant solution.

In other words, The Fellowship particle would have no credits and require The Two Towers to follow it (as seamlessly as possible).  The Two Towers would require The Fellowship to proceed it, and require The Return to play next.  the Return would only require The Two Towers to proceed it, but that would in turn require The Fellowship to proceed them all.

Bookmarks would persist so you don't always have to watch from the beginning.

Video isn't the ideal use for the feature, as some songs really do need to go together, always; but the ability can be useful for videos also.

Any other way to facilitate this is welcome also, because I agree with the feature request.

[ldoodle]

It's possible, but not for the casual enthusiast.

Plus you would need to scale back a few frames from Disc 1 to remove the 'Please eject this disc and put disc 2 in' type messages!

Unfortunately I rip films in full menu glory so I cannot do this!

[jmone]

For those wanting to join LOTR here is a thread from last you on it.  You will want to read it all as there was plenty of trial and error.

[apgood]

Why can't you just use the stacking function? That presents whatever is stacked as one iten, then when you click on it, it plays the first file and then when that is finished then next. Problem is that you need to use the stack playback option and there is no way to do this from theater view and it isn't the default playback mode for stacked items. If it were made the default option or at least selectable as such for a given stack then that would be my preference.

[rick.ca]

BTW you can make a 50KB file and play everything from it (you won't have to remux anything, just have all contents in the same folder). That's seamless branching, segment linking, ordered chapters and all the fancy specs of MKV put to work.

Could you explain or provide a reference for how to do that? I tried this, but couldn't get it to work.

[jmone]

If you are trying to use MKV Ordered Chapters you are out of luck with RO as this is not currently supported by LAV though it is on his dev list - http://code.google.com/p/lavfilters/issues/list

[jmone]

FYI - I've added a post here http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=125903&page=42 to see if we can create a playlist that can span two disks.  This would be a good solution as:
1) MC already supports selecting BD Playlists
2) It would keep the direct show graph running so we would not have the slight gap you get when using separate particles.

[rick.ca]

If you are trying to use MKV Ordered Chapters you are out of luck with RO as this is not currently supported by LAV though it is on his dev list - http://code.google.com/p/lavfilters/issues/list

OIC. Thanks.

The fact that the same 5-year-old blog I used was referenced in a comment to the issue suggests these Matroska features are not getting much use. Just another daydream, I suppose.

[Daydream]

No, it's only that your kung-fu is not so good about this.

There's a couple of pointers:
- the files you want to string along have to have the same structure (type of audio/video/subtitle tracks and number of tracks)
- the dummy file you create has to have the same structure as the other files (easiest way to do it that comes to mind is to split 1 second (or less if you can) from the beginning on one of the movies, with mkvmerge - it has a function to split files by time code
- pay attention to the the SUID of the files. Remuxing files usually changes the SUID, so work only with tools that allow editing/inspecting mkv headers without remuxing (mkvmerge has a Header editor, look in File menu). The rest is all about writing xml and stuff as indicated on the link you already have.

I may put together a step-by-step guide with pics if I have time.

Regarding popularity. I remember a time when all encodes where put in AVIs. MKV what, another container, bleah. Now pretty much every thing that is not ISO or folder structure is saved as MKV. It boggles the mind that the most flexible container is not fully used. The specs are free, we just need a proper GUI for its functions. And a flipping splitter other the Haali (maybe Nev decides to up the priority for this featureset in his splitter development). There are already tools - X-in-1 Generator - that can create beautiful things with MKV.

Turning things closer to MC, JRiver seems to / may choose a different approach. Particles is - in my opinion - a (higher) abstraction, closer to database relationship. All the stuff I'm talking about MKV is a file-folder relationship. JRiver may have their reasons not do dive too deep into supporting MKV, but since they did developed stuff that nobody else has (say, I don't know... Red October), I don't see why they wouldn't show more love to MKV. Doesn't stand to reason that while most people will find it too difficult to breath and edit XML MKV headers at the same, they will come to the only one application that would support these features with a proper GUI?

[rick.ca]

No, it's only that your kung-fu is not so good about this.

It felt like I had lost my mojo, but 'kung-fu'? I don't think my attempt lacked patience, energy or time...

I may put together a step-by-step guide with pics if I have time.

I suppose I would need that. I believe what I tried was as you describe. But what's the point, if MC can't play the result?

Doesn't stand to reason that while most people will find it too difficult to breath and edit XML MKV headers at the same, they will come to the only one application that would support these features with a proper GUI?

I agree. From what I've been able to make of particles (while accepting it's an unfinished and possibly experimental feature), it doesn't provide a practical solution for many things—because it will not provide smooth playback for multiple particles. That may not matter much for the 'virtual movie' case, but it's useless for providing direct access to 'tracks' in a music video (unless it's only for viewing one) or stringing together the parts of a miniseries. I'd rather Matroska be supported. I might then make limited use of particles if I could do things like automatically make particles from chapters.

[Daydream]

I suppose I would need that. I believe what I tried was as you describe. But what's the point, if MC can't play the result?

For possible readers stumbling upon this thread: playback is possible, it's just not so clap-clap-done like Red October got everybody used to. Video Mode: Advanced - Custom, then change the splitter used to Haali (still for possible users: if you do that and your PC, brain, house explodes, and/or you are teleported straight into outer space, it is NOT my fault.)

Here's an example of a Chapter.xml file that will play back all 3 movies (you can copy it pretty much as is, just change the SUID and the timings if different for some reason):

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- <!DOCTYPE Chapters SYSTEM "matroskachapters.dtd"> -->
<Chapters>
  <EditionEntry>
    <EditionUID>1</EditionUID>
    <EditionFlagHidden>0</EditionFlagHidden>
    <EditionFlagDefault>0</EditionFlagDefault>
    <EditionFlagOrdered>1</EditionFlagOrdered>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000000000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterTimeEnd>03:48:11.727000000</ChapterTimeEnd>
      <ChapterUID>100</ChapterUID>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>0</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
      <ChapterSegmentUID format="hex">97baa0f84793e675a30cb1629be885be</ChapterSegmentUID>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Fellowship Of The Ring</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000000000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterTimeEnd>03:55:25.122000000</ChapterTimeEnd>
      <ChapterUID>200</ChapterUID>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>0</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
      <ChapterSegmentUID format="hex">b5b43e471f318cdf9e201203b3c2d627</ChapterSegmentUID>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>The Two Towers</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
    <ChapterAtom>
      <ChapterTimeStart>00:00:00.000000000</ChapterTimeStart>
      <ChapterTimeEnd>04:23:10.786000000</ChapterTimeEnd>
      <ChapterUID>300</ChapterUID>
      <ChapterFlagHidden>0</ChapterFlagHidden>
      <ChapterFlagEnabled>1</ChapterFlagEnabled>
      <ChapterSegmentUID format="hex">8d6e737552da231f91abb67f069d46ec</ChapterSegmentUID>
      <ChapterDisplay>
        <ChapterString>Return Of The King</ChapterString>
        <ChapterLanguage>eng</ChapterLanguage>
      </ChapterDisplay>
    </ChapterAtom>
  </EditionEntry>
</Chapters>

The file that will play everything (here "Lord of the Rings.mkv") is 439KB and is 1 sec cut from the beginning of Fellowship. It looks like below when loaded in mkvmerge (image shown after muxing the chapters in it). This is just to reiterate that it has to have the exact same structure - type and number of tracks - as the files that will be daisy-chained.


NOTE: here, my original separated files had chapters of their own. These chapters are not shown when doing what we're talking here and, if I remember correctly it's not exactly advisable to mix stuff like that (the dummy mkv ad the individual files, both having chapters). The dummy file can have everything, even each individual movie's chapters but that's more work. It'll look like a movie entry with sub-entries.


So you have this small mkv file, mux the chapters in it, done.

In MPC-HC it looks like this:



And so it does in MC:



In MPC-HC it does not blip, stumble, there's no crackling sound or any sign whatsoever that there's a transition. It is as smooth as it gets, and I'm pretty mighty picky.
In MC your success may vary and will have to try which combinations works best (with Madvr, with EVR, with whatever, between all the things RO(HQ) does and the additional customization required, some stuff may go nuts). In my experience it worked fine (hence the screenshot).

So yes there are a million things that can go wrong since there is no official support in MC. All I'm trying to prove is that it's doable.