Sega Saturn FILM Tools Gets Major Update!

It’s finally here! SegaXtreme.net user TrekkiesUnite118 released an update yesterday to his Sega Saturn FILM Tools application (Version 3.0.0) that seeks to bring an end to the need for classic Mac environments to encode Saturn-compatible Cinepak videos.

This stands to reduce the complexity of editing and encoding video clips, and opens the door for more Saturn fans to get involved in the development of translation patches and homebrew on the platform.

If you’re a regular reader of Sega Saturn SHIRO!, you’ve probably seen posts about this tool already, like when it updated to version 2 last August or when it won best utility in the SegaXtreme homebrew competition in March. Let’s take a look at what makes this update significant.

There’s often some confusion about what this somewhat esoteric tool is for and why you’d want to use it.

Cinepak is a well-understood video format. It was one of the first video compression tools to achieve full motion video playback from a CD-ROM. Consumers have had the tools and documentation to create and encode Cinepak videos for some time. Encoding clips is easy with popular video tools like FFmpeg and VirtualDub2, which can export Cinepak encoded videos that will play back on a PC without issue.

A few years later, when the Saturn hardware was being developed, engineers decided to build on the similar Sega FILM format originally created for the Sega CD. These are often referred to as “Cinepak” files, but not all Cinepak clips are the correct Sega FILM format to play on Saturn hardware without issue.

One major issue with using current video encoders is the introduction of audio issues like audible pops that can be heard as the software decoder struggles to play back the audio stream smoothly. These happen because the FILM data is not formatted correctly, and needs to be broken up into what are known as STAB chunks. Basically, if the STAB chunks aren’t the right size and in the right place, you’re going to have imperfect playback of your Cinepak files on Saturn hardware.

Until now, the best solution was to make use of Sega’s own video tool, “MovietoSaturn,” which — you guessed it — requires a classic Mac operating system to run. If you just wanted to export a few video clips, this could be a daunting step, and may have led some developers to accept lesser quality exports in order to simplify their workflow.

Sega Saturn FILM Tools 3.0.0 adds emulation of MovietoSaturn’s functions. As a Java application that runs in modern operating systems like Mac, Linux and Windows, it removes the need to run video files through a virtual machine or classic Mac hardware. This is sure to become a welcome quality of life improvement for video-minded Saturn enthusiasts by saving time and reducing complexity, and its a must-have tool for use in Saturn translation projects and homebrew.

Here’s some more detailed information from the SegaXtreme.net post:

Currently the following video types are supported:

• Standard Modern Quicktime MOV files.
  • The format has apparently changed and parsing older ones from Quicktime 4 or older isn’t working correctly at the moment with stereo audio.
• Cinepak Codec at 24-bit RGB.
• 8-bit and 16-bit PCM Audio in both Mono and Stereo not exceeding 44100Hz.

Chroma Key processing is also supported. Simply put, the RGB values for the color you want the player to set to the background color. This currently isn’t tested but should work as far as the file encoding goes. Quicktime MOV files can be encoded and created with either FFmpeg or VirtualDub2:

1. Select Cinepak as the video compression codec.
2. Set the bitrate to be below 300KB/s. (Don’t forget to factor in your audio bitrate!)
3. Adjust the framerate to the desired frame rate.
4. Set the output color depth to 24-bit RGB.
5. Set the Audio to 8-bit or 16-bit PCM.
6. Sample rate cannot exceed 44100Hz.
7. Channels can only be Mono or Stereo.
8. Save as .MOV file (not fast start!)