can you make an mp4 with closed captioning?

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can you make an mp4 with closed captioning?

I'm trying to make a MP4 with Closed Captioning SCC file to be used for online viewing. I've tried making the mp4 and attaching the SCC file in compressor and it does not attach the SCC file. When I chose MP4 and then go to inspector and change the format to h.264 it will attach the SCC file. The problem with that is the file size is to large to load for our platform we use.

In my timeline, I can export QT conversion and choose mp4 as my file format and then choose h.264 as my video format. This works well with the education platform our teachers use, but it does not give me the option to attach a SCC close captioning file.

SO, Where can I make an mp4 with a h.264 video format and attach a SCC closed captioning file in FCP, Compressor, QT or ??? without downloading a 3rd party software. Is there a work flow I'm not getting?

Thanks for your time

Posted on Feb 12, 2013 9:34 AM

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Answer 1

Russ H

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22,432 points

Feb 12, 2013 10:25 AM in response to cougars89

I don't see why not, but I don't have an SCC to test. Hereis a tutorial in which the instructor uses both an MPEG2 and an m4v file (Apple's MP4). Also, if I start with an MP4 preset, it does give me a choose Close Caption File option.

Russ

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Answer 2

cougars89 Author

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Feb 12, 2013 11:32 AM in response to Russ H

In reading the link, it seems you can only add CC to a QT file or a Mpeg 2 file. I have not yet found a way to add CC to a mp4 file.

http://documentation.apple.com/en/finalcutstudio/workflows/index.html#chapter=6% 26section=4%26tasks=true

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Answer 3

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 12, 2013 12:36 PM in response to cougars89

I'll try to test this later since I'm not at a computer. If you absolutely need mp4 you. Could always bake in the CC in a mov and make that into an mp4.

Russ

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Answer 4

Feb 12, 2013 1:56 PM in response to Russ H

In my limited experience, the only way I successfully embedded closed captioning (for broadcast) was in a m2v wrapper in compressor. I had to use very specific settings, which I don't have available right at this moment, but that was the only one that worked good enough.

Jb

Oh, and a good way to test is to use VLC

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Answer 5

cougars89 Author

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Feb 12, 2013 4:23 PM in response to cougars89

So I did what the link said in Russ H posting and I made a QT file with subtitles that turn off and on. BUT it's still not in a mp4 setting. I'm trying the same export from compressor but I changed the file format to mp4 in the inspector and will see if it kicks out with CC. In the past it has not OR maybe it has attached it but QT player and QT player 7 won't let it show the CC in the mp4 file.

Maybe I will use the VLC method that Grapevine suggested and see if they are attached. We use the JWplayer in our Angel teaching software to stream videos for our students.

I am also taking that working QT video that does have the CC working and dropped it into streamclip and trying to change it to mp4 with CC that way.

GAH! what a pain!

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Answer 6

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 12, 2013 5:48 PM in response to cougars89

Sorry not to be more responsive, but we've had a bit of weather in this part of the world and in past 3 days I've paid more attention to shoveling, cutting up trees, and raking snow off roofs than to video compression.

If you can't do mp4 with CC, I would again suggest baking in the CC to a .mov file and bringing that back in to Compressor to make an mp4.

Russ

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Answer 7

cougars89 Author

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Feb 13, 2013 8:33 AM in response to Russ H

Define baking in?

The process of taking the same qt file that had the captions and changing the file format to mp4 didn't work.

Now I am taking the qt that was exported and had captions that worked and trying to change that into mp4. I am thinking that because we use the JWPlayer to view onlinve video that I may end up trying to make a FLV next.

We will give your idea a try if I understan baking in the cc correctly which is taking a qt file that works with cc and putting it into compressor and exporting out a mp4 file. OR did you mean making text that is on all the time like a name graphic and there is no .scc file embeded into the file.?

R.

Good luck with the snow. We've had a VERY mild winter on the west side. mid 30's to low 40's. This is suppose to be our snowy month too.

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Answer 8

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 13, 2013 8:41 AM in response to cougars89

cougars89 wrote:

if I understan baking in the cc correctly which is taking a qt file that works with cc and putting it into compressor and exporting out a mp4 file. OR did you mean making text that is on all the time like a name graphic and there is no .scc file embeded into the file.?

I think the answer is yes to all of the above. Put another way…

I meant encode the mov with the closed caption file as a single self contained .mov (presumably h.264).

Then use that new mov as a source file and output your MP4.

Russ

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Answer 9

cougars89 Author

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Feb 13, 2013 8:45 AM in response to Russ H

Just got that file out in which you just posted (so I did understand you correctly) and it is an mp4 but does not have CC.

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Answer 10

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 13, 2013 9:18 AM in response to cougars89

Sorry not to have been more clear in the first place and then apparently misunderstandng your follow-up.

If you match up the SCC with the MOV file and encode it as a .MOV, hopefully that works and you have a MOV with CC. Since you need MP4, you should be able to run that MOV file through Compressor and output an MP4.

Russ

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Answer 11

Feb 13, 2013 9:23 AM in response to cougars89

If you can successfully create a MOV w/captioning, I guess you could try to use Handbrake as an alternative to transcode it to an MP4, just make sure you choose the subtitle track in the options.

Jb

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Answer 12

cougars89 Author

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Feb 13, 2013 9:23 AM in response to Russ H

When I match the SCC up with the MOV I do get CC when I run it through compressor, When I run that MOV file into compressor and output an MP4 there is no CC. even though the .mov had it when I put it into compressor.

Does QT player have the ability to play an MP4 with CC? It does for a QT file, but it doesn't give me the option of CC when I try and play a MP4.

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Answer 13

Feb 13, 2013 9:24 AM in response to cougars89

I guess you could try to use Handbrake as an alternative to transcode it to an MP4, just make sure you choose the subtitle track in the options.

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Answer 14

cougars89 Author

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Feb 13, 2013 9:28 AM in response to Grapevine Graphics

It's looking like a 3rd party software will be needed since I cannot make a MP4 with CC in compressor or out of the timeline.

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Answer 15

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 13, 2013 10:00 AM in response to cougars89

Sorry. Misplaced optimism on my part.

Taking a different tack, are you sure that a Quick Time h.264 won't meet your needs? If file size is the only issue, you can meet your requirements by various methods, like adjusting bit rates.

Russ

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