This morning, I have to edit a fucking lot of video clips on DVD. Those clips are recorded by a DVD video recorder attached to an endoscope.
What I have to play is a hacker-like game, and I hate to play this game. Sorry for geek out, but it is painful to rip the DVD by MacTheRipper, then Demux the VOB files to Mpeg 2 Video and AC 3 sound files by MPEG Streamclip, then transcode the Mpeg 2 Video files to Quicktime Mpeg 4 files by DiVA, then import to iMovie for editing. After the editing, I have to covert the Quicktime movie clips to a powerpoint playable VCD resolution Mpeg 1 by ffmpegx. It is similar to a glucose particle go through a Kreb's cycle. Most importantly, each step takes a lot of my time. For example, I had ever spent half a day in converting a 10 minute DVD to a powerpoint playable Mpeg1 file on a eMac G4 1.25 Ghz.
I have to say it once again, it is painful!
I think I need to save some of my brain cells here. I decided to use 1/3 of wage today to do something that can save my time. I broke my promise again: I bought from AppleStore (online) using one-click purchase. I bought a Quicktime Mpeg 2 playback component for HKD$ 140. I know you may be now booing and say "I have downloaded this thingy from xyzb$%bq via bit torrent for free, you stupid guy!" But, it is a office setting and I always support Apple software and hardware. I have to confess that buying a software download from AppleStore(online) is a pleasure. I could download the software component instantly after the credit card verification.
This little missing component saved my day. I can now omit the demux process and "M2V => QT" and even iMovie editing because MPEG Streamclip powered up by that component. MPEG Streamclip can now export a MPEG 1 file from a VOB. It is a very useful stuff for the poor guy who received a bunch of DVDs from client as the footage. It is not expensive at all.
Update 12:09 : I have done all the conversion in one single morning, which I expected to take 3 days.