FYI: MSP8 do not support MPEG-4 import/editing

sveinan · Post by **sveinan** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:50 pm

The only feature I'm really looking for in MSP8 does not seem to be present (at least in preview). Cannot, after testing and reading documentation, find any reference at all to MPEG-4 support for MSP8. So for now I'm really disappointed in MSP8

Don't Ulead see that for both private (solid state video recording) and professional (HD broadcast) contents, MPEG-4 is an important factor that is starting to take hold.

So for now anyone using Ulead products still have to go for the MPEG-4 plug-in in VideoStudio 9/8.

If, in the unlikely event, MSP8 final release should include MPEG-4 support. I will eat my words, and happily upgrade from MSP7

But for now I'll have to go vent my frustration somewhere

GeorgeW · Post by **GeorgeW** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:02 pm

When you Render to .avi, what options do you have for the compression types?

I have a reference to mpeg-4 there (xVid), but I don't know if that was a codec that was already installed on my machine...

ejskater16 · Post by **ejskater16** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:04 pm

I'm confused...

In my MSP8 demo I am able to render a Quicktime movie file with MPEG-4 compression... is that not what you were asking about?

sveinan · Post by **sveinan** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 7:03 pm

Thanks for the replies. But I think you misunderstand my situation a little. As my subject states it's more the import / editing part of MPEG-4 that's really missing.

I know MSP8 have some limited possibilities for export to MPEG-4. But even that solution is not satisfactory. You are only able to export to an AVI container with Microsoft MPEG-4 type 1 & 2 and with some external codec, maybe type 10 / AVC / H.264. With QuickTime you end up with a MOV container, although it gives you type 10. Another problem is that none of these exports give you a real 'native' MP4 file container. Yes I know you can do this by taking an AVI export through QuickTime Pro 7.0 manually and get a MP4 file container, type 10 and all. But it is not user friendly and efficient, which it should be. And the import / edit problem still remains.

What I was hoping for was having MPEG-4 support through the whole process: import / edit / export. I do not want any: convert MPEG-4 to this / then import this / process it / export this / convert to MPEG-4 with external program solution. Each step degrades the quality and does not make for a user friendly and efficient solution.

Look at it this way. If you were forced to import / edit / export MPEG-2 contents the way you need to do MPEG-4 contents in MSP8 today. Would you be happy? I want MPEG-4 support built into MSP8 the way MPEG-2 is.

I did bring up this problem in a support case to Ulead in connection with MSP7. Got the reply that the issue would be forwarded to relevant departments, and that it was a possibility for next major release (MSP8). Guess the feature got below the 'important enough' line

Enough of my frustrations. I do not really expect any instant solution to this. But I still wanted to make others aware of the problem, especially Ulead

It may not be a big issue now. But there will be more and more users asking for this soon. For me MPEG-4 type 10 / AVC / H.264 is the current and future storage medium for all my video, both when it comes to quality and size.

post keywords: mp4 mpg mpeg mpg4 mpeg4 mpeg-4 type10 10 avc h.264 h264 import not no support supported

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:01 am

Just reporting your issue to the public beta reports page will get it before Ulead.

MSPro is a bit more flexible than other programs when it comes to adding I/O for filetypes as it uses a *.vio (video input output) library to add file formats. An example of this is how easily you can add a frameserver. As such you never know what'll be there when it hits the streets.

BTW: if you have an external MP4 encoder that can take *.avi input frameserving the timeline to it could be an option until somethign else shakes out. This is a VERY effective technique. DebugMode makes a freeware frameserver (Google "debugmode frameserver")

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 4:40 pm

FOLLOWUP:

I see that Ulead UK is posting a free patch (Sep. 8th, I believe) for VideoStudio 9 that adds HDV and MPEG-4 to that program, which is often used as a testbed for MSPro features.

As such I've asked Ulead if the MPEG-4 module is going to be included in the final version of MSP8 when it's released, so stay tuned.

sveinan · Post by **sveinan** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 7:23 pm

Really appreciate your feedback Terry. Looking forward to hear anything from Ulead about a possible plug-in. You say Ulead uses some modules called VIO for Video formats. I'm no expert on their API structure for these modules, but it gives me hope that the MPEG-4 format could be made available through this. If not standard in release, we may get it later. And I don't care if there is a cost attach, I'll happily pay for a separate plug-in.

About the Debugmode FrameServer product. I'm not an expert on the concept, have tried it a little before. So I gave it a shot. From what I can see the VIO module from Debugmode only support to output from MSP. No input. Although that gives possibilities to make flexible output, I'm still left with no direct import possibilities for MPEG-4. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It was a quick test.

As you also point out I should report feedback to Ulead. Have done a 'Product Feedback' form for MSP8 Preview Release about this issue. Maybe I'll get some answer. If so I'll post the info here.

Thanks again

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:26 am

If you're interested in getting the software development kit for Ulead editing products you can download it here;

http://www.ulead.com/download/sdk.htm

sveinan · Post by **sveinan** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:05 am

Thanks for the link to the VIO SDK. Will take a look at it if nothing materializes in the form of MPEG-4 support in the release version of MSP8. I see that Apple also have a public SDK for QuickTime (http://developer.apple.com/sdk/). But as of now they've only released it for MacOS X for v7, Windows SDK is still not available (not strange considering they're at Public Preview 3 of QuickTime 7 for Windows). But it may be possible to make a merge of these two to get a seamless integration of MPEG-4 type 10. But as any developer knows, the description of the concept may be easy, the actual implementation is what takes time

So for now I will wait and see if any hint of MPEG-4 support comes directly from Ulead.

sveinan · Post by **sveinan** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 12:43 pm

Looks like I may be in luck, for once

I see that the plug-in info page, for release of MSP8, shows an Ulead MediaStudio Pro 8 MPEG-4 Plug-in (Coming Soon). I just hope it supports MPEG-4 type 10 (doesn't say for now), they just love to turture their customers with non-technical information

Antonio G · Post by **Antonio G** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:14 pm

Yes it seems so, besides we don't know how soon it will be and it has a price tag of $29.99 and Ulead is already offering MPEG4plug-in for Video Studio 9 for free.
About quality, in the MSP 8 page it refers "near DVD quality" and in VS9 the wording is DVD (MPEG 2) quality.

No ref to High Definition.
Other like Nero Digital refers to industry standard both for video and AC3 sound and to H.264 AVC, besides this one can be a proprietary version and I don't know how compatible it can be with regular players.

But this subject deserves some kind of clarification from Ulead, to my understanding.