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MP4 Files with TOC
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I think I already know the answer to this but I thought maybe the forum might have a trick or two to offer.

I would like to make an MP4 training video that has a Table of Contents, or a menu. I realize that the feature can be done in PowerDVD. However, I do not want to produce a DVD. Thus - is there any way to accomplish what I want for files other than a DVD?

Thanks for your help.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Mar 14. 2018 19:30

ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
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Hi Dekade -

I'm not sure about a table of contents, but I was helping a uni student with something similar recently. She was wanting to put chapter markers (not a table of contents) in a video presentation.

In tracking down how to do that, I came across this tutorial. Maybe it'll meet your needs.

In PDR, without using Create Disc, that can't be done (to my knowledge).

Cheers - Tony
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Alain II [Avatar]
Member Joined: Jan 20, 2015 01:34 Messages: 136 Offline
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Quote Hi Dekade -

I'm not sure about a table of contents, but I was helping a uni student with something similar recently. She was wanting to put chapter markers (not a table of contents) in a video presentation.

In tracking down how to do that, I came across this tutorial. Maybe it'll meet your needs.

In PDR, without using Create Disc, that can't be done (to my knowledge).

Cheers - Tony



Hello Tony,

Interesting program! Will that work with another codex?

Alain II
ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
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I'll let you know after my student returns for our next session. Thus far we've only downloaded the app and checked through the help file.

I try to take a hands-off (the mouse) approach & let her have control... so I haven't even touched it again since she left.

Cheers - Tony
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Quote . . . I'm not sure about a table of contents . . . I came across this tutorial. Maybe it'll meet your needs. . . .
Cheers - Tony

Thanks Tony, Your post inspired me to search further and I came up with some good information. Your student may be able to use this also. Here it is.

  1. I have been preparing an entire scenario for creating and watching training videos here at home. (By the way - I'm doing this for my own usage to train my wife to use a computer. My venture is not for commercial purposes.)

  2. I decided a few weeks back to go with ZOOM PLAYER as my media center app choice for viewing my training videos. It is much more diversified and technically sophisticated versus VLC (In my opinion)

  3. Taking the Drax tip from you, to heart, I set out to see what else is available.

  4. During my searching I discovered that a video player app must be able to support chapters before the feature of chapters will actually be of benefit

  5. That led me to re-evaluating my player of choice which is ZOOM

  6. So, checking out the INMATRIX website, again, led me to something really interesting from INMATRIX.com, the creators of the Zoom Player app for free and for purchase.

  7. INMATRIX has its own chapter maker; check this out - https://inmatrix.com/zplayer/chapters.shtml

  8. I briefly studied the link and determined that it is a really cool integrated feature.


All that said - I have yet to incoporate or try the chapter adding feature for MP4's. However, with the advanced technical base of INMATRIX I think the chapter and bookmark feature will prove to be quite rewarding. However again . . . I would like to be able to have an index to choose a chapter from. That feature may or may not be available within INMATRIX ZOOM PLAYER. As of yet, Idon't know, I will see.

In closing - my last option was to create individual MP4 videos, place them into a 'Master Topic' windows folder (where the Master Topic is any given subject matter of training), and let my wife select which video she wants to learn more about and/or review.

Time will tell which method works best. I'll try to keep the forum updated. Anyway - it's all interesting. Might even be a feature for Cyberlink to consider for the future.

Thanks for helping me,

Dekade
ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
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First - Alain II - as far as I can tell, DRAX works with .MP4 & .MOV files. It wouldn't even look at .mkv, .m2ts or .wmv. The good news is that it does what it says it'll do reasonably easily.

Dekade - that's excellent research. I downloaded the free version of Zoom Player and put it through its paces before JJ (student) arrived this afternoon.

We set up her chapters using both Zoom & Drax. That all went well & works as expected. Sadly, the Zoom formatted chapters only work with the Zoom Player, where the Drax formatted chapters are more universal.

I haven't yet tested it playing directly on the TV & skipping chapters with the remote, but I fully expect it to be fine.



Another thing we did, & this would probably suit your purposes, is to set up playlists in WMP & MPC-HC. A playlist is as good as a Contents page - just select & play.



Cheers - Tony
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Quote . . . Sadly, the Zoom formatted chapters only work with the Zoom Player, where the Drax formatted chapters are more universal. . . .
Cheers - Tony

I am going to be trying the chapters feature in PD16 in the next few days. I am hoping that PD16 chapters are readable by Zoom Player. Here is an INMATRIX tutorial that represents why I want so badly for the Zoom Player to work - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KTTauc4zAQ

Starting at the tutorial timeline of about 2:45 you will see the OUTSTANDING Table of Contents simulization. That is the reason I am so excited about it. If Zoom Player chapter reading is limited to Zoom Player then I still feel it is an outstanding tradeoff versus Drax. However, those comments are coming WITHOUT personal trial and error; thus, they are not realistic evaluations at this point. Nonetheless - very exciting and promising.
ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
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Hi Dekade -

Yes - it works just as described in that tutorial.

Once your chapters/bookmarks are set up, just hit Alt+N and you're in the Chapter Browser. From there you can directly play from any selected chapter marker.



We're both learning!

Cheers - Tony
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Quote Hi Dekade - . . . We're both learning!
Cheers - Tony

Yes. I'm enjoying this interaction. I do likewise agree with your input about the playlists. True that is a definite possibility, but, it still limits playlists being media player specific. I'm still seeking the solve all, and I think it keeps coming back to Zoom Player. I love its table of contents feature.

On your last post I need to see if I understand you correctly. (I haven't experimented yet, I keep getting delayed by other projects demanding attention; yuk). Are chapters made in PD readable by the Zoom Player, both by minutes/seconds and name of chapter -or- one or the other?
ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
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Quote: Are chapters made in PD readable by the Zoom Player?


As the chapters created in PDR only apply when you burn to disc or create a folder in the Create Disc module, that's the only way Zoom Player will read the chapters. i.e. if you open the DVD/BR in Zoom Player, or if you open the .VOB file created by PDR, Zoom Player recognises the chapters and responds appropriately.

Back on my other little investigation about whether the chapters created by either Drax or Zoom are recognised when playing the video directly through a TV media player... I'm pretty sure the answer is NO, though it may be just the TV I used to test. No "skip" button on the remote caused the video to skip to the next chapter.

Cheers - Tony
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