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Software suggestions to join mp4 files?

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In theory, Quicktime can be used to join two MP4 files which it does. However, it gives an error when trying to save. I've tried all the suggestions on Apple help (for example like sharing to Mail then saving). I've Googled but found no working solution. I seem to have exhausted the major 'free' players but am reluctant to pay for something that will also fail do this one task. Happy to pay for something that does though. Does anyone have any suggestions that work?
 
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Isn't that something that iMovie does? I don't know, but I believe it will?
 

Raz0rEdge

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You can use iMovie which is included for free on your Mac. Create a new project and drag any number of MP4 files in that project. Once finished, File->Share->File... and you can save the combined file.
 
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You can use iMovie which is included for free on your Mac. Create a new project and drag any number of MP4 files in that project. Once finished, File->Share->File... and you can save the combined file.

Apart from being incredibly slow and laborious iMovie won't save/share/export the combined file either. I have determines a long winded workaround though...

'Convert' the files from .mp4 to .mp4 using Handbrake (If not done Quicktime will not save or export merged file). Merge using Quicktime. Export as .MOV (the only option). Use Handbrake to convert .MOV to .MP4.

It works but there must be a better way.
 

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I have been looking for a good app to join video files together as well - although in my case it was primarily for .avi files (although I suppose I could convert them to mp4)

Visual Hub used to be a great app for all sorts of video file manipulation including "stitching" files together as the called it.
But the last update, and even that was a "special" was for Lion. Don't know if it works beyond that.

There were a few Mac programs after Visual Hub that claimed to be replacements, but none were ever as good or intuitive to use.
VideoMonkey was one I think
 

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Many of the paid programs have a brief period where you are able to try various features before purchasing the program. At one point I had several of the free ones on my Mac but have removed most of them due to their not being 64-bit software. I kist updated a couple of programs I picked up dirt cheap on the current Bundle Hut bundle. In theory, either of them should work.

In a day or two, I should be able to test them to see if they work.
 

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Many of the paid programs have a brief period where you are able to try various features before purchasing the program. At one point I had several of the free ones on my Mac but have removed most of them due to their not being 64-bit software. I kist updated a couple of programs I picked up dirt cheap on the current Bundle Hut bundle. In theory, either of them should work.

In a day or two, I should be able to test them to see if they work.

MacX Video Converter Pro sounds pretty amazing for $3.- plus $1.- to unlock the bundle right now.

Last time there was a bundle I was late and had to pay $5.- to unlock for basically just one app I wanted, but then I ended up getting a bunch more that I might use since they were cheap.

Trouble is they clutter up the Mac and after a while I can't even remember what some of them do unless the apps name is cryptic.
For some I can add a bit of info about the app in brackets after the name - others won't let me do that, don't quite know why...

I liked VisualHub because it gave me all the options related to video (and audio) I needed.
Combining several clips was one, increasing the audio volume on some clips was another.
 

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Trouble is they clutter up the Mac and after a while I can't even remember what some of them do unless the apps name is cryptic.
For some I can add a bit of info about the app in brackets after the name - others won't let me do that, don't quite know why...

I liked VisualHub because it gave me all the options related to video (and audio) I needed.
Combining several clips was one, increasing the audio volume on some clips was another.
I've had the same problem. I haven't quite figured out a solution for that yet. That's somebody's way of telling me I need to clear some of the cruft out of the hard drive a little more often.:) I too liked VisualHub and used it for as long as I could until it finally gave up the ghost so to speak.
 

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I just tried VisualHub with the updater - that is supposed to work up to Mojave.
Tried to join three avi files and then three mp4 files.
Got about half way through and then got the same Applesript error messages in both cases.

I assume if someone knows what they are doing, this seems like an easy fix....but not for me. VisualHub_AppleScriptError_500.jpg
 

krs


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Many of the paid programs have a brief period where you are able to try various features before purchasing the program. At one point I had several of the free ones on my Mac but have removed most of them due to their not being 64-bit software. I kist updated a couple of programs I picked up dirt cheap on the current Bundle Hut bundle. In theory, either of them should work.

In a day or two, I should be able to test them to see if they work.

Slydude - Have you had a chance to try any of the apps you bought yet?
Any from the Bundle Hunt you bought that you would recommend?
 

Slydude

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Slydude - Have you had a chance to try any of the apps you bought yet?
Any from the Bundle Hunt you bought that you would recommend?
Not yet. things are pretty busy this week. I probably won't be able to try till the weekend.

It's entirely possible though that the problem may not occur unless I can find a problematic file. Most of the file joining programs, including QT Player, usually handles things pretty well for me.
 
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In theory, Quicktime can be used to join two MP4 files which it does. However, it gives an error when trying to save. I've tried all the suggestions on Apple help (for example like sharing to Mail then saving). I've Googled but found no working solution. I seem to have exhausted the major 'free' players but am reluctant to pay for something that will also fail do this one task. Happy to pay for something that does though. Does anyone have any suggestions that work?

There’s a roundabout way to do this that I’ve done myself. You can use MKVToolnix to initially merge the videos together (add the first, then use the “append” option to add the others). This will losslessly output an mkv video. From here, if you need it back in the m4v format, use a remuxing tool like Subler to losslessly convert the mkv file back to an m4v.
 
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Are these something you can post somewhere? I wonder if one or both files have an issue.
 
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Are these something you can post somewhere? I wonder if one or both files have an issue.

It's every file I try to join - nothing special files related.
 
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I use QuickTime 7 Pro to do this. QT7 won't run on Catalina, but Mojave and earlier run it just fine.

You literally just open both files, then command+A on the one you want to join to the other to select all, command+c to copy, then move the play head on the other video to where you want to insert the copied video, and command+V to paste. Not sure it can get any easier than that. You can also replace audio, which I've done in the past to censor profanity.
 
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There’s a roundabout way to do this that I’ve done myself. You can use MKVToolnix to initially merge the videos together (add the first, then use the “append” option to add the others). This will losslessly output an mkv video. From here, if you need it back in the m4v format, use a remuxing tool like Subler to losslessly convert the mkv file back to an m4v.

Excellent! Problem solved. MKVToolnix works perfectly. The trick as you say is to use the 'append' option - not 'add'. Also knowing that 'Run' is called 'Start Multiplexing' helps!!
 

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In theory, Quicktime can be used to join two MP4 files which it does. However, it gives an error when trying to save. I've tried all the suggestions on Apple help (for example like sharing to Mail then saving). I've Googled but found no working solution. I seem to have exhausted the major 'free' players but am reluctant to pay for something that will also fail do this one task. Happy to pay for something that does though. Does anyone have any suggestions that work?

I had never used Quicktime to join video files, but am just trying it now with two .avi files.
Worked fine but it is very cumbersome.
Quicktime first converts the .avi files to .mov files, then joining them took quite a while since the files were large and finally it's now again taking a long time to do the .mov conversion of the joined files to the format one wants - I chose going from .mov to .mp4 instead back to .avi.

Sawday - you write "save" - if that is what you are doing that might be your problem - you need to chose "export" in the QT menu as far as I know. That's what I did and it works fine for me.
 
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I just tried VideoPad from NCH Software - Free Software Downloads and Installs/ and it was great. The files where the same resolution, same size ratio; I didn't try files that were different. Also does transitions between files. I used it once and it offered buy now or pay later", so I don't know how long it lasts for free. But I got it, as it's a lot easier than Adobe Premier.
 
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I had never used Quicktime to join video files, but am just trying it now with two .avi files.
Worked fine but it is very cumbersome.
Quicktime first converts the .avi files to .mov files, then joining them took quite a while since the files were large and finally it's now again taking a long time to do the .mov conversion of the joined files to the format one wants - I chose going from .mov to .mp4 instead back to .avi.

Sawday - you write "save" - if that is what you are doing that might be your problem - you need to chose "export" in the QT menu as far as I know. That's what I did and it works fine for me.

Yes I tried Export. The 'Save' option is greyed out after joining files - but is an option if a file is simply trimmed.
 

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