[REL] Katie Morag (2013) TV Series

[ghost]

I know, everyone just says that VLC is the best video player. Not to my opinion. I prefer MPC, included in the K-Lite codec pack.
Yes, you need to install a codec pack, but why not? It is done very quickly, and doesn't harm your computer. I never have any problem with any file format and everything is playing smoothly.

And MPC gives your more infos about the video file. Example:
[Image]

[pillowbaker]

Thank you for this recommendation. Years ago, back on my old computer, I used to prefer ZoomPlayer. I absolutely loved it. I think the recommended codec pack back then was the CCCP. Anyone use that anymore?

I have been reading that MPC had both HC and BE versions. You use anything specific?

I have also been reading many other recommendations for MPC that claim a codec pack is unnecessary, and it will play nearly anything without one, like VLC. Does that seem possible to you?

As for Katie Morag, I am going to start digging around to see if 1080p is an option for the first season!

[Night457]

I am curious if your GUI-based method results in a file the same size as the one that ffmpeg created, 737.06mb...

I got 754,752 kb, which would be (math...) 737.0625 mb. The same size "compression" as your ffmpeg version. I guarantee my GUI uses ffmpeg because everything does, but all it takes is a few bits difference to give it the different hash that it has. (Confirmed.)

the program simply called "Media Player" (which came with windows for me) plays the m2t with the subtitles well enough.

That is the successor to WMP. I am glad they improved it! Of course I may have done it wrong because this is the first I have used WMP in many years.

m2t?? WTF! I never had a video fie with this file extension. I know m2ts (used in Blue-ray's) and mts and ts, but not m2t.

At first I misread M2T like DreamScape did and thought it was the same as M2TS, which I know. MTS is apparently compatible with both, but they are not the same as each other. I did not quote all the information because my post would have gone on forever.

I think you can simply remux it using MKVToolnix or XmediaRecode.

I started with Avidemux, but that gave a silent video because it did not recognize the audio! Then I used XmediaRecode and it worked perfectly. My next step would have been HandBrake, which I am confident would work. (Because ffmpeg alone works.) Eventually I might have thought of MKVToolnix ... but I am thinking slowly today.

BTW: MPC (my default player) plays it without any problem.

I expect with subtitles too, since it does not have the VLC subtitle problem. MPC seems to do everything.

I have MPC-BE as a backup, with the MOSTLY working VLC as the main video player. The only real problem I have with MPC-BE is that default settings give strange colors to videos. I suppose I could research and figure out some setting to change to fix it, but that does not interest me. Also, the menus for MPC-BE are endlessly nested and complicated, taking so much searching to find the simplest and most common options.

[ghost]

I have been reading that MPC had both HC and BE versions. You use anything specific?

I never thought about different MPC's. I don't know what's the difference between them. I use HC.
Maybe you don't need to install a codec pack. I'm just usung the K-Lite pack for years.

My next step would have been HandBrake

Then you would reencode the video.

[Night457]

I think that MPC-BE was the only one with a version that still works with my ancient computer but I am not sure. (Meaning that the HC is too advanced for my needs, so that is the version pillowbaker should use.) I don't remember whether or not I installed a codec pack. I vaguely recall doing so with K-Lite for KMPlayer back in the day, so I know it is not difficult.

Handbrake ... darnit! I thought Handbrake had an exact copy function. I forgot that it did not. That shows how much I do NOT use it. What I DID try, I was using Copy rather than Convert or Recode.

[DreamScape]

MPC-HC was discontinued in 2017. I've been using MPC-BE and VLC, depending on my needs.

[ghost]

MPC-HC was discontinued in 2017.

[Image]

[pillowbaker]

Oh man, it seems ghost is on top of everything. Glad we got you here as a technical wizard.

To keep things on track, how would you go about downloading the Katie Morag episodes from BBC? It seems HolaVPN has been pretty inconsistent for maintaining access to the site. I know Stefan Duke is currently working on it, but I am still curious, just in case.

[ghost]

It seems HolaVPN has been pretty inconsistent for maintaining access to the site.

Yes, they give you only a very limited time in the free version. Did you try the UrbanVPN browser extension? This is the only option that I have in mind if you want it for free.

[Night457]

Sorry all, but BBC is too damn clever and detects UrbanVPN as a proxy/VPN/whatever and NOT in the UK.

I don't know about now, but a few weeks ago Hola was able to fool the BBC.