need help with script for MPEG Streamclip

I do not want to re-encode or anything that is on the option list, I only want to change to 16:9.

Unfortunately, this is not something you can do in MPEG Streamclip (or most other conversion apps) without recompressing the data. An app like QT 7 Pro can reset the default aspect/initial display dimensions for QT 7 bassed apps (e.g., QT 7 player app or GarageBand) but cannot reset these settings for QT X apps like the QT X player or any of the newer versions of iMovie. On the other hand, an app like Subler can reset the aspect ratio and default display dimensions for both QT 7 and QT X based apps without having to recompress the video data—but only if the source video is aleady MPEG-4 AVC and the audio is already in an M4V compatible compression format.

First of all, I know nothing about how to write a script. I have a ton of movies that are in 320 x 240 resolution and I would like to use MPEG Streamclip to makt them 16:9.

If MPEG Streamclip were capable of doing what you want, it would not be necessary to script anything, simply open the batch list, drop your files to the batch list, define the export settings, and then apply the defined settings to all files in your list simultaneously.

Also, some of the older videos identify the sound format as TSU and the sound will not play in ay player I have. Any ideas what this is and how to convert?

Have absolutely no idea what TSU audio is. Do you happen to know the audio tag associated with this audio?

On your first point, unfortunately all my movies are in .mov, so I reckon that knocks out Subler.

Not necessarily. As already stated, the data must be M4V file compatible. That means H.264, AAC, AC3, and Text (Chapter) tracks in an MOV file container can be handled since Subler will re-mux the data (including modified video aspect/display) tracks to an M4V file container.

On you second point, I have not been able to find an option in batch mode that will only change the aspect ratio without re-encoding the video which causes a loss in picture qaulity.

Unfortunately, as implied by my previous comments, very few apps have this ability.

As for the TSU audio, when I check the movie inspecter in Quicktime Pro all it says is 'TSU', Mono, 8.000 kHz, I think this may have been someone's personal audio codec invention back in the early '90s when .avi was like the Wild West when it came to encoding.

Sounds "legacy" based on data rate but I have yet to find anything on this format. Would likely need a sample source file to investigate further. Suspect that, at a minimum, the audio would have to be transcoded if a compatible app/codec can be found and an AAC conversion would likely limit your sample rates of 8.000 KHz or 11.025 KHz unless you waste additional file space by increasing the data rate which won't really improve the audio.

TSU audio might (maybe) have something to do with this:

http://technologysolutionsutah.com/

I downloaded Subler and will give it a try when I get a chance.

Let me know if you have questions regarding the use of Subler. (Can be reached either here or via email.)

As for the TSU files, I tried a few apps to change the biterate, but I have nothing that goes to 11.025 KHz. They skip from 8 to 16. Any suggestions. I even tried all my apps on Parallels, including Window Movie Classic with no luck. Have the distinct feeling that they are all trashbound. LOL!

First step is to locate an app the supports TSU and then worry about transcoding it. Was primarily referring to the fact that QT only supports certain data rate and sample rate combinations for AAC which would be a good audio compression format to target if your source video is already H.264 and you wanted to use Subler to correct the aspect/default display dimensions. If the source video is not H.264, then your only solution would be to either transcode the files (which you indicate you don't wish to do) or use QT 7 Pro correct the aspect/default dimensions and only view the files QT players based on QT 7. In either case, the audio would have to be converted to a QT compatible audio compression format.

On another totally different topic, since you seem to know a lot about working with movie files, do you ever work with adding subtitles in .srt format to movies? I have been using Handbrake, but sometimes it does not always add the external file to the converted movie. Submerge seems to be a good option from my research and Road Movie seems kinda interesting. Any experoence or suggestions?

Sorry, I don't use SRT files at all. I normally burn subtitles directly to the video track if wanted.

This movie I am working on now is odd, in tha I have two .srt files, but neither subtitles all that is spoken. One file shows what the other does not and I cannot figure out how to combine them, Any ideas?

These could be "forced" subtitle tracks. That is, some videos may include a track that renders all audio in any language to the subtitle track. However, videos can also include a "forced" subtitle track that only renders one or more foreign languages as a subtitle track but does not render the "host language" audio as a subtitle track. (Would actually have to see the source file to determine what is going on in your case.)

Basically what I do is burn the complete ("unforced") subtitle track for foreign films that have no "English" audio track to the video track—e.g., the "Zatoichi" series of 25 films. However, in the case of videos that already have an "English" audio track plus foreign audio on the "English" audio track, I normally only burn the "forced" subtitles for just the foreign language segments to the video track since I don't need or want the English host language subtitles cluttering up my screen.

Not really quite clear on what you use to hard code subtitles into movies without using .srt files.

Enable the HandBrake "Burned In" option in the "Subtitles" tab window to hard code subtitles to the video track.

The "Burned In" option is always greyed out since I have been using Handbake. Sorry about the answered points screw up.

Have you consulted the HandBrake "User Guide?" Capabilities vary depending on file container and subtitle track types. I mainly use MKV and DVD image files with VOSUB or PGS subtitles but while I can "passthrough" multiple subtitle tracks, I can only hard burn one to the video track. E.g., see example below: