.mpv?

[David Ells]

A broadcast client has asked me for delivery in .MPV fromat. Not M4V, not M2V, MPV. I can barely find anything on the web about the format except that it seems that it was used a very long time ago as a variant of a basic mpeg file.

Needless to say I can't figure out how to convert to that format with Adobe software on my Mac. MPEG Streamclip also seems to be unable. Any ideas how to placate this client with something close enough? Or some free software that can convert for me?

I don't have a direct line to the person who is requesting the format so I'm stuck with guessing what's best for now.

[Christopher Young]

Two pieces of software I know of use this .MPV file extension. They are MainConcept Reference Encoder and Cinema Craft Encoder. Neither of them are cheap but both are pretty good tools.

Under their DVD settings they can output a .MPG 'program stream' or an MPV 'elementary stream.' If you select program stream you get an .MPG file that combines both video and audio. On the other hand if you select elementary streams you will output two separate streams, one video and one audio. The video elementary stream has the file extension of .MPV. In either case .MPG or .MPV you can nominate the audio file to be either an MPG or Dolby Digital AC3 file.

On that basis I would suggest that your client is asking for an .MPV elementary video file without audio. Seems a bit odd? Usually I would imagine they would want the audio as well. Just tell them that .MPV is a video only stream and ask them how they would like the audio, MPG or Dolby Digital.

I have just output an MPV test file along with an AC3 file and Sony DVD Architect would not see the MPV file only the AC3. Next I renamed the .MPV extension to .MPG and now DVDA sees the file with no problems. That got me curious so I had a look at the media info breakdown of this .MPV file. It appears to be nothing other than a common or garden MPEG-2 video file. Check the attached JPG for the file info breakdown of the .MPV file.

If you have any encoder that can output separate MPG video and audio elementary files where the video file comes out with an MPG video extension try just renaming the extension to .MPV and I think you will be good to go.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[David Ells]

Wow, thanks for that information, Christopher! Your solution with the mpeg-2 file sounds best. I'll try to get in touch with the concerned party directly as well to make sure this is really what they want.

Thanks again!

[Christopher Young]

Good luck!

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[David Ells]

You know what, I think the issue is just that they made a typo. The 'o' is right next to the 'p' after all.

:)

I'm 95% sure that this is what happened. I'll let you know if that is indeed the case.

[David Ells]

Yeah that was it. They wanted an .mov. Well I learned a lot anyway.

Thanks again, Christopher!

[Christopher Young]

"No probs." As we say down here. That's what is good about this place. You can always learn something.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney