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Adding “chapter” markers to an mp4 file?
Hi,
I can’t seem to find out how to add chapter markers to an mp4 file. They come through fine in a .mov wrapper, but I can’t seem to get it compressed enough (with acceptable quality) to fit on the flash drive the clients’ customers are receiving.
I’m happy with my mp4/h.264 file, but the chapters don’t show up in Quicktime.
I read that some people use Subler to do this, but I can’t seem to figure out how to use it myself. I just get a poor video export, and a “Chapter 1” shows up, but that’s all, and none of them were called Chapter 1.
Has anyone done this successfully?
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4 Replies
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Using FCPX and/or Compressor – not a problem.
Add markers to timeline and choose ‘chapters’ from UI when doing so. When sharing, in the video tab, make sure “include chapter markers“ is selected, then share. Or, in compressor add/delete or edit chapters from Fcpx by right clicking in timeline and share out to codec of choice.
On occasion I’ve also used Handbrake and had success too.
HTH?Lawrence
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Thank you for responding, Lawrence.
I switched to Premiere during the FCPX update fiasco, so I’ve let Compressor go too by now. Any experience doing this in Media Encoder or Premiere?
Honestly, it’s also hard for me to believe that FCP can do something like this and Adobe can’t these days. Just to clarify, you can add chapter markers in FCP, then export an mp4 with H.264 codec, open that file in Quicktime and use the chapters?
Also, how have you used Handbrake to do this? Do you transcode a QT file to mp4 and it retains the chapter markers?
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Kevin,
I sympathize with you on this. Ironically I went the other way at the launch of FCPX…. lots of burning midnight oil and wondering if “this was it?” scenarios, I can assure you. But, to answer your questions. yes, you can add markers – chapter markers to the timeline in FCPX and name them; export via H264 or H265 (HEVC) and Quicktime, VLC, IINA all pick them up.
Quicktime
IINAI was incorrect about Handbrake and apologise. It can TAKE existing chapter markers and allow you to export/ edit them but not create them.
There is something called mChapters (App Store) – although I have no knowledge of it.
So at the moment, it appears the choices are limited – but $50 does get you Compressor that WILL allow you to place chapter markers in your videos.
Lawrence
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Very informative–thank you for taking the time to explain.
That’s a good thought, I wouldn’t mind having Compressor available to use again, and very good to know that it has that capability.
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