Hi @johnebaker,

That didn't work. I can't do MPEG-4 export with surround. I do have the 5.1 Option set in Master, but no pop up message. The Channels option is set to Stereo and greyed-out. I do have Automatic 5.1 playback set in program settings. I tried switching the MPEG-4 Codec from "Default" to "Main Concept" but that didnt help at all (so back to Default). Can anyone make a MP4 with surround?

The only AVCHD option is by "Burning" (no Export option). Copying and renaming the MTS file does work (PowerDVD, PLEX PC and PLEX TV), but this is even slower to mix down and it also looses the other streams. However, I expect the quality is better and it is one file, so I dont have to re-join the VOBs so thats an improvement. I need to do a bit more work to see which is better.

In summary I see two weakness with Magix: No simple export with surround sound (MP4, VOB, MTS or other). No management of the video/audio streams. You have to select one and stick with it. If streaming is the future then there needs to be some improvements! Ability to select captions and audio tracks. I hope someone from the development team has a process for capturing user requirements 😀

Cheers, John

@john-m33

Hi

. . . . The only AVCHD option is by "Burning" (no Export option) . . . .

What version of number MEP 2016 Plus are you running - Help, About.

MEP 2016 has several AVCHD options under export as shown below

Default (Intel) codec - you will not have the top 3 (crossed out) they are custom presets I created

Main Concept codec

Added:

. . . . I see two weakness with Magix: No simple export with surround sound (MP4, VOB, MTS or other). No management of the video/audio streams. You have to select one and stick with it. If streaming is the future then there needs to be some improvements! . . . .

MEP has been capable of producing mp4 for streaming since MEP 17 Plus. In MEP 2016 the option, Streamable, is under the advanced settings of the export dialog for both the Default and MC codecs

Assuming you mean multiple video/audio streams within the mp4 file format then this is beyond the scope of MEP.

Video Pro X the next NLE up can create discs with multiple audio streams, however only a single video stream.

For multi stream video/audio you need the MVC - Multi Video Component - codec for encoding.

HTH

John EB

...For my home videos I would like the option of having subtitles (and background music) on or off without having to create several versions of the same video.

Hi,

MEP and VPX cannot do closed-captioning, if that is what you mean by subtitling. It can only do titles, which can be placed anywhere. Lower-thirds are just titles with some animated graphics.

With VPX, you can have various audio files. This is intended to be multi-language, but instead of multiple languages, they can just be one that plays no sound (define the track but put nothing on it) except for the regular audio from the video (and anything else that is not a defined language track), and the other with music plus the regular audio from the video. There is only one video version containing the regular audio, plus two or more audio files that overlay the regular audio with whatever was on the selected track, selectable by the user from the DVD/BR menu. So, a menu choice of "No music" would play the video with its regular audio, and a file containing no sound. The "With music" choice would play the video with its regular audio plus the audio file that contains the music. This cannot be done using MEP, only VPX.

John CB

Hi @john-m33

. . . . I see two weakness with Magix: No simple export with surround sound (MP4, VOB, MTS or other).

I have no problem exporting to MPEG2 or MPEG4 with Surround sound (AC3) from the file File menu in MEP2016, either from a .VOB or from an MPEG4 H.264 file and playing back via DNLA in 5.1 on my 2013 Panasonic Smart TV.

For export MPEG2 choose a DVD AC3 template and for MPEG4 choose an AVCHD Transport stream template (AC3) and set to surround sound in Advanced encoder settings.

I presume you have "Displayed" or "Extracted" the surround channels in the timeline on the clips you are exporting, the mixer is set to 5.1 and you can hear the individual channels playing in the timeline?

Peter

Thanks @johnbaker and Scenestealer

For some reason I had missed the AVCHD option (under MGEG-4 Export). Perhaps having made a few AVCHD Burns (exports) it is now appearing on the list (and no doubt was always there with Display All checked). I dont know if AVCHD is the same as MP4 but it does seem that with MEP16+, AVCHD supports surround sound export and MP4 doesnt. What I have noticed, is that exporting AVCHD to a m2ts file from the Export menu is taking over double the time as creating an AVCHD disc image (with similar export settings - no idea why), so I think I'll opt for the create disc image and then grab the MTS file from the stream folder. This is quicker and better than making VOB files and then joining them into one at a later stage.

Sound like I want the MVC codec: Can that be added to MEP16?

I had made streamable MP4 but now re-working to get the AC3 5.1 Audio.

I'm a PLEX fan. Its free! An advanced form of DNLA which pulls in movie (and music) information, artists, etc. and builds a menu system for browsing from your Smart TV. Its worthing looking at if available (I have a Smart Samsung TV).

@browj2 Thanks. I probably do mean closed captioning. I add captions (titles) to photos and video clips and make them into a movie, so it would be nice to have the option to turn them off. Likewise with background music. VPX looks interesting! I'll have a look at Magix VPX the next time I feel the need to upgrade.

@john-m33, @browj2, @Scenestealer

Hi all

Back in March last year I raised this topic of exporting mp4 file format with 5.1 surround sound using MEP or VPX and this was passed on to the support team, with the response that 'feature request is already in discussion internally and it should not be that difficult to implement.'

Perhaps a few 'nudges' are in order.

@john-m33

. . . . Sound like I want the MVC codec: Can that be added to MEP16? . . .

AFAIK the encoder is not available for non commercial enterprises, the last time I looked at it a few of years ago the licensing fee was in 5 figures range per year. The decoder was available, however it appears to have disappeared.

Note: please use the full number of the MEP version to avoid confusion with older versions.

HTH

John EB