1 reply to this topic

[John Shepard]

Hello, I've been using Easy VHS to DVD for Mac for a few months now. Every so often, after I stop the recording, the program will crash part way though the process of creating the MPG file, before permitting me to send the recording to Toast, edit with iMove, or send to QuickTime. What I end up with is an incomplete MPG file. I assume that the program records the data, while recording from VHS, to some hidden, temporary file on my computer and then, after I stop recording, creates the MPG file, but although I've searched for information on such a temp file (and searched my computer for hidden or unhidden temp files), I haven't found any information (or temp files for the program). Does anyone know if the data is actually available, say after a crash of the program, as some hidden (or not hidden) temporary recording file that I might be able to use to recover the complete MPG file?

Also, after the crash, I get a dialog that asks me if I want to send a report to Apple. Viewing the report, I see:

Exception Type:  EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x00000000c00000bc
Crashed Thread:  8

I don't know if that's enough information, but can anyone tell me what is the nature of such a crash? (I can post more information from crash reports if that would help.)

Thank you for any help!

Edited by John Shepard, 06 January 2012 - 02:52 PM.

[John Shepard]

I have discovered the temporary files (and folders) used by Easy VHS to DVD (Mac), and thought I'd post the information here - someone else may find it helpful.

When Easy VHS to DVD is started, no hidden folders or files are created. However, once one selects to record, within the folder, "Easy VHS to DVD Capture," which is by default (no option) located in the "Movies" folder within one's Home user folder, Easy VHS to DVD (Mac) creates a hidden folder, ".com.elegato.EVC_Temp".

That folder, ".com.elegato.EVC_Temp" is, as I said, an invisible folder (indicated by the "." which begins the folder's name) within the "Easy VHS to DVD Capture" folder.

That folder (".com.elegato.EVC_Temp") is deleted when Easy VHS to DVD quits. However, if Easy VHS to DVD crashes, that folder is not deleted, which does mean that the recording can be salvaged - IF Easy VHS to DVD crashes during the process of generating the MPG file after one stops recording. If Easy VHS to DVD is restarted after the crash and then quit, this folder will be deleted.

Within the invisible ".com.elegato.EVC_Temp" folder, Easy VHS to DVD creates two packages: "Name".eyetv and "Live TV Buffer.eyetv" - "Name," without the quotation marks, is the name of the recording as entered when setting up Easy VHS to DVD to start recording. The "Name".eyetv package is created once one starts a recording. The "Live TV Buffer.eyetv" package is created after one stops a recording, while Easy VHS to DVD is created the visible MPG file within the "Easy VHS to DVD Capture" folder.

Also within the ".com.elegato.EVC_Temp" folder, Easy VHS to DVD creates another hidden folder, ".EyeTVPlaylists" (again, the "." indicates that it's invisible) when one begins a recording. Within this folder is a single file (4K in size): "Roxio Easy VHS to DVD Capture.eyetvl"

Within the two packages mentioned are other files ("Show Package Contents" in order to reveal them)

"Name".eyetv - (again, "Name" without the quotation marks is the name one entered for the recording) is created once a recording starts, contains five files (this hidden package file will open in the Toast Video Player and play, and although it will open in QuickTime Player, it will not play):

0000000014c63371.eyetvi
0000000014c63371.eyetvp
0000000014c63371.eyetvr
0000000014c63371.mpg
0000000014c63371.tiff

Live TV Buffer.eyetv - created only after one stops the recording, contains three files (the numbers and letters, "naming" each file, will likely be different for each recording, I assume). I just did a test recording (10 minute and 500 MB):

0000000014c63601.eyetvi
0000000014c63601.eyetvr
0000000014c63601.mpg


The 0000000014c63371.mpg file (within the "Name".eyetv package) is the hidden (invisible) file that stores the original MPG recording. This MPG file will open, with a long delay (probably longer with increased file size), in QuickTime Player, but it will not play - QT indicates that it is three times as long as the actual recording. So, as best I can tell, it's not worth trying to open in QuickTime Player directly - you'll have a long wait for nothing. However, if you do open it in QuickTime Player and select to view the file's properties, you'll find that It's properties: MPEG2 Muxed track in the format of MPEG2 Muxed just as is the "Name".mpg file created by Easy VHS to DVD when it doesn't crash.

This MPG file will open quickly and play in Toast Video Player which is included with Toast, but it cannot be edited or saved with Toast Video Player.

This file can, however, be opened as well with "MPEG Streamclip" (a free video conversion utility) and then one can export the file in various formats.



For a schematic, here are the hidden folders and files within the "Easy VHS to DVD Capture" folder:

.com.elgato.EVC_Temp (invisible folder):

Live TV Buffer.eyetv (package):

0000000014c63601.eyetvi
0000000014c63601.eyetvr
0000000014c63601.mpg (MPEG Audio)

"Name".eyetv (package):

0000000014c63371.eyetvi
0000000014c63371.eyetvp
0000000014c63371.eyetvr
0000000014c63371.mpg (MPEG Audio)
0000000014c63371.tiff (TIFF image)

.EyeTVPlaylists (invisible folder):

Roxio Easy VHS to DVD Capture.eyetvl


I hope this is clear and helpful.