How to merge .m4v files with chapters included?

I am unable to merge two .m4v files in quicktime pro and keep their chapter structure. Is this even possible?
Yes, but chapters will retain their original names and the file container will be MOV. Actually, your sequence seems correct but here is a video for you to cross-check your work flow. I would, however, recommend you put both files into an new player to ensure neither of the original files is accidentally messed up in case of accidents.
TUTORIAL 030: Merging Files in QT Pro

NOTE: Tutorial was made in a hurry and I made a mistake in describing the initial paste short cut sequence.

Apple TV hardware does allow for the .mov container. I have one and many .mov files in my library.
Do not "export" again just to get a new "container". An export would introduce new compression.

1) is there any way to use your method that give me a final .m4v?
Well, your questions are certainly getting harder. How a bout no, yes, and maybe.

a) No, I do not know of a direct approach for simply changing the file container. As you may have noted, QT now checks the Video Track "Sample Description" and if the extension does not match the description, QT sends you a "nastygram" modal message and refuses to open the file.

b) Yes, it can be done indirectly. In this case I used the SimpleMovieX ($35) from Aero Quartet of Catalonia, Spain. While I tend to use QT Pro and MPEG Streamclip for most day-to-day work, this application does have some unique features to which I resort when needed. One is the "Keyframe" combined indicator/skip option, one is its audio manipulations, and another is the way it handles H.264/AAC MOV file container conversion. (I also do a lot of "track management" work that leaves me in an MOV file when I actually want MP4 or M4V file container features like being able to associate external "artwork" images in iTunes.) In any event, this application does actually go through and correct the descriptors before it copies the appropriate data to the new container making QT ever so happy with the new MP4 container. At this point, if I modify the MP4 Extension to M4V in the Finder, QT then does not issue the modal message and does use iTunes as the default application to open the file.

c) Maybe the file is considered to be a real M4V file and maybe it is not. I have not, for instance tried to add a "Passthrough" AC3 secondary audio track and check to see if the resulting file will play correctly via TV. So there may yet be some internal distinctions of which I am yet unaware. Other than that, the file does indeed seem to function as any other iTunes file created by direct M4V data compressed export.

Anyway, this is from the "for whatever it is worth" department and you can invest $35 in the application or try to find another application capable of doing the same thing. MPEG Streamclip, for instance, will not work here but I have not actually looked around for anything else.

2) if I use the final .MOV that you get at the end of your tutorial, will exporting as "apple tv" or mpeg 4 etc. compress it again?
Yes, it will. In addition, depending on the application used to perform the export, you may lose the chapter track also.

I take it back. It seems that the same issue has occurred where the first set of chapters from the first movie are visible but the second set of chapters that are added on at the end are not visible or navigable.
Have you performed a "stepwise" check -- i.e., checked the input and output at each step in the properties window? E.g., does the source "B" file actually still have a chapter track that was not accidentally deleted prior to copy to temporary memory? when the tracks are pasted to the target file, do they actually appear in the "Properties" window before saving the file? Does the chapter track only disappear from the saved files?

Frankly, I am in somewhat of a loss here as I have no problem performing this process as you saw in the quickie tutorial.

So I'm not sure what I can glean from the properties window.
"Properties" window will tell you if the chapter track is present and, if so, tell you its status. E.g., look at the following:





Depending on the application actually used to chapter the file, the text track containing the chapter data may be named as either "Text Track" or "Chapter Track." In either case it serves the same function. In addition, the "Properties" window will indicate the status of your "chapter" track -- i.e., whether it is "active" (will be included in your copy) or not. I suspect you may be using a chaptering application that leaves the track inactive and are not activating the track as required. Therefore, it is not being copied to temporary memory and, as a result, it is not available to be pasted to your target player.

My apologies for stealing someone else's thread, but I found the discussion here very informative. However, I still have a question to ask on this subject of joining two titles while retaining the chapters.

I don't have QT Pro, nor do I have MPEG2 Playback. I was told that I can open all the titles that I want to join together using MPEGStreamClip (which I have) and then create a single title from it. But, to see what it is doing, I need the MPEG2 Playback. This usage is very rare for me and so I don't want to spend money on it unless I can avoid. Second, will it work? From this discussion thread, I see that QT Pro will re-encode which I would like to avoid if possible. I want to playback the combined title on my Apple TV.