2013-08-17, 22:17
Hi all...what format does XBMC save recordings in? I would like a PVR that saves in some familiar format...such as .mp4...mpeg2 or whatever. I can't seem to find one that does. I appreciate any assistance! Thanks Lynn
2013-08-17, 22:57
It depends.
It's up to the backend to do the recording, so it depends on your backend. The standard way is to save the raw stream as a .ts file. Some support alternate containers but still store the raw stream. Furthermore some may support transcoding or at least provide facilities to automate that part using external tools.
It's up to the backend to do the recording, so it depends on your backend. The standard way is to save the raw stream as a .ts file. Some support alternate containers but still store the raw stream. Furthermore some may support transcoding or at least provide facilities to automate that part using external tools.
2013-08-17, 23:38
.ts is by the far the most standard format used digital tv. Its probably worth sticking with this format, and just getting used to working with it, otherwise your options will be a lot more limited.
2013-08-18, 00:04
Thanks for the info. Last year I bought a Silicon Dust Prime...my intention was to use Windows Media Player to record football games. I collect my schools football games. Of course the Windows Media Player saves in .wtv...which can be changed to a different format but it is a lengthy process...and I haven't found any software so that I can edit out the commercials. I am not a video whiz...I just want something simple to record...save...burn to DVD and view later. Plus...a football game is some 20-30Gb as .wtv...not something you can burn to a DVD. Is there a solution that approximates what I want to do? Thanks again for the help! Lynn
2013-08-18, 01:41
Most pvr backends simply record what is broadcast. Sounds like you are recording an hd stream, so you will need to transcode down to sd resolution and mpeg2 codec to make a dvd. This will be made harder by wmc's weird file format, but that's the penalty for using it.
2013-08-18, 03:14
I can't really tell the difference between...say...an mp4 and the .wtv that WMC records. Yes...I do record in HD...that was the purpose...but the file size is prohibitive. For the past 10 years or so I have recorded in a much lower resolution but they fit easily on a DVD. Hard to watch after getting used to HD...but better than nothing. I have a few games that someone else did in .mp4 (either by recording or converting) and it fits on a DVD. I apologize for being so ignorant of the technical aspects of video. On eBay there are recorders that leads you to think they are recording in HD...but I think what they are selling is upconverting playback. The units are $150.00 or so...I don't think you would get HD recording for that...but I wonder just what quality it would be? Close?
2013-08-18, 03:33
So are you wanting to write a dvd like you put in a standalone dvd player or are you just wanting to get a file in any format that will fit on a dvd as data?
Anyway try handbrake to create an mp4. Start with a small source file as it will take a while. Experiment until it creates a file you are happy with. Size/quality is a tradeoff.
Anyway try handbrake to create an mp4. Start with a small source file as it will take a while. Experiment until it creates a file you are happy with. Size/quality is a tradeoff.
2013-08-18, 21:38
Yes...I just want to burn them off on DVD's...but I want to maintain as much quality as I can. Playing them standalone in a DVD player would be nice but not essential. I want them off my hard drive and onto a DVD for safety and for the space. I'll look at Handbrake...thanks!!
2013-08-18, 22:20
I downloaded Handbrake and converted a test file to .mp4. Thanks! It was much quicker than I expected. Does anyone know of software (hopefully freeware!) to edit the commercials and whatnot from either the MP4 or wtv files? I think I will be set when I get that solved. Thanks again...this has been a big help!
2013-08-22, 13:42
... although avidemux still has issues with H.264 encoding, which is almost certainly what you have once Handbrake has done its magic (and may be what you started with as well, depending on your broadcaster). Cutting H.264 is generally an inexact science because of how the format works: it's never as neat as cutting an MPEG-2 stream, for example (look up I-frames for more information if you want to become that video whiz 
).
comskip is worth looking at, some people have great success with that - it depends on how obvious the commercial cues are (e.g. on-screen graphics changing, aspect ratio changes, etc.). Be aware that it can't handle variable (versus constant) bitrate files, though, which is the default output of Handbrake.
If you're playing the results in XBMC, you could use Edit Decision Lists instead of cutting the file, which allows for some tuning after the fact since they're just text files you can edit at any time.
And if you're just struggling for space, you could always buy a portable external drive or a bluray burner and avoid the 4.5Gb limit of a DVD.
).comskip is worth looking at, some people have great success with that - it depends on how obvious the commercial cues are (e.g. on-screen graphics changing, aspect ratio changes, etc.). Be aware that it can't handle variable (versus constant) bitrate files, though, which is the default output of Handbrake.
If you're playing the results in XBMC, you could use Edit Decision Lists instead of cutting the file, which allows for some tuning after the fact since they're just text files you can edit at any time.
And if you're just struggling for space, you could always buy a portable external drive or a bluray burner and avoid the 4.5Gb limit of a DVD.
