Extracting MPEG-2 files from your DVD using MPEG Streamclip

For your program to air on Seattle Community Media, it must be converted to an MPEG-2 file that is compatible with our broadcast server. Though it would be ideal to simply export an MPEG-2 directly from your timeline, many editing programs do not have this feature. However, many of these programs will allow the creation of DVDs which contain MPEG-2  encoded  video within them. The goal of this tutorial is to help you extract an MPEG-2 file from your DVD.

If you are creating a DVD for the sole purpose of extracting this data for playback on Seattle Community Media, it is recommended that you keep the functionality of the DVD as simple as possible. The ideal DVD would contain no menus and only one program per disc.

MPEG Streamclip provides an option for trimming extraneous material such as color bars and slates. To unlock this functionality, it is necessary to install Quicktime Alternative (free) if you are using a PC or the Apple MPEG-2  Playback Component  ($20) on a Mac. If you create your DVD without the need trim anything, these options are irrelevant.

The most recent version Quicktime Alternative is incompatible with MPEG Streamclip. You must download version 1.81 which is available here:

http://www.filehippo.com/download_quicktime_alternative/2615

The Apple MPEG-2 Playback Component is available here:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/D2187Z/A

The Process

1. Insert DVD into drive.
2. Open the MPEG Streamclip application. (If you are using an ingest station at SCM, you will find a shortcut on the desktop.)
3. From File menu, select “Open DVD”.
4. From the “Browse for Folder” window, select “Computer,”  and then select  “DVD RW Drive” and click OK.
5. MPEG Streamclip will start loading your DVD. If you are prompted to “Fix Timecode Breaks,” click OK.  A window may appear saying: “Do Not Skip Any Frame.” If so, click OK.
6.  If Quicktime Alternative or Apple MPEG-2 Playback Component have been installed, proceed to step 7. If not, proceed to step 10.
7. Each DVD may function differently at this point. In some cases, such as a DVD with no menu and only one program, the program may immediately appear in the MPEG Streamclip window.  Other times, such as with DVDs with more than one program, you may be prompted to select from one or more “titles.” In this case, select “1” and repeat the process with the other titles that you wish to use.
8.  Verify that the program is complete. If there is more than one title on the DVD, identify which program it is. If there are color bars or slates at the beginning of the program, these will need to be removed.
9. By moving the play head underneath the video, you may select new in and out points for your program to remove any extraneous material at the beginning or the end. The arrow keys are useful to fine tune these points. Select “I” for the point to begin the video and “O” for the end.
10. Select “Save/Convert (as) MPEG with MPEG-2 audio” from the file menu and save your file.
11. Use the following naming convention for the title of your file: “program_title_year_month_day.mpg”.  For example, if the first airing of your program is to be on August 15, 2011, the file name would be: “title_11_08_15.mpg”. Replace spaces with underscores.

12. NEW naming convention information: If your program contains material that may be suitable only for mature audiences, add "_mature" to the end of your file's name (showname_yy_mm_dd_mature).  Failure to do so could result in a suspension of privilages.

13. Extracting MPEG-2 files from your DVD using MPEG Streamclip

    For your program to air on Seattle Community Media, it must be converted to an MPEG-2 file that is compatible with our broadcast server. Though it would be ideal to simply export an MPEG-2 directly from your timeline, many editing programs do not have this feature. However, many of these programs will allow the creation of DVDs which contain MPEG-2  encoded  video within them. The goal of this tutorial is to help you extract an MPEG-2 file from your DVD.