.mp4 format how to add movie art

[shaun]

hi am busy converting my .VOB files to MP4 (.m4v) through Hand break as i am running out of space on my HD, but i unable of finding away of adding the movie art back in so that when viewed in Thumbnails i can see the movies.

Previously in .VOB i just inserted the image into the folder and listed if folder.jpeg which worked great

any ideas please

i have been recommend to rather convert the file to Divx as it is better quality than MP4 if so any idea on a good free soft wear to run on mac?

[mkelley]

Actually, Divx is a lot less compatible (and not nearly as good as H264) so I'd stay away from it.

I would also recommend you convert to MKV files if compatibility with other devices isn't an issue (the Live likes MKV a lot better and it offers advantages such as DTS which MP4 files do not).  Handbrake converts just fine to MKV files.

You can still insert your images into the same folder as your MP4 files (just with the same name but a JPG extension) and the Live will display them as thumbs.  MP4 files can also have the thumbs embedded (the one and only advantage over MKV files) but you will need to do this in a program such as iTunes.

[richUK]

Divx was MPEG-4 and a popular proprietary brand which came to prominence before MPEG-4 became popular. It has its own standards and therefore as Mike had said can be limiting. The free version took on the name Xvid.

You can embed art into the .mp4 file using Mp3tag  - (it does mp4 as well)

Select the file - right click in left hand bottom box and add cover. Save tag and cover. The art now becomes part of the file. No separate file is needed.

If you convert to .mkv  use mkvmerge. (part of MLVToolnix)

input - add mp4 file

start muxing

To show art you must name the art file the same as the .mkv file (video.mkv  / video.jpg)

Just noticed the mac bit, it looks like mkvmege has a version for the mac, but mp3tag does not. It looks like itunes then.

[GregJ]

Also try DVDXML (windows client - shareware) - it scans your folder for missing movie art and suggests art with movie description, rating, actors, etc.