Could you guys please try this for me?

Could you guy please see if this 454KB file opens and plays in your NLE? (right click > Save Target As... to stop it opening the Quicktime browser plugin).

It's crashing my Vegas Pro 8.0b (I think because it doesn't support b-frames) but opens OK in WMP, VLC, Quicktime etc.. I'm really interested to know what it does in FCP, Premiere Pro, Avid, Edius etc..

Thanks!

Nick,

just dropped it into FCP, all fine.

Jon

thanks jonny. anyone else?

By the way if anyone is interested the file was encoded in x264 using MeGUI with the DXVA-SD-HQ profile but without b-pyramid (which Quicktime doesn't like), with the VBV settings for the PD-PS3-Xbox360 profile and with the lowest common number of b and ref frames from those 2 profiles. This gave the following x264 command line options:

1st pass

--pass 1 --bitrate 400 --level 3.1 --bframes 3 --direct auto --filter -2,-1 --subme 1 --partitions none --vbv-bufsize 9000 --vbv-maxrate 24000 --qcomp 0.5 --me dia --threads auto --thread-input --sar 1:1 --progress --no-psnr --no-ssim --output NUL

2nd pass

--pass 2 --bitrate 400 --level 3.1 --ref 3 --mixed-refs --bframes 3 --b-rdo --bime --weightb --direct auto --filter -2,-1 --subme 6 --trellis 1 --partitions p8x8,b8x8,i4x4,i8x8 --8x8dct --vbv-bufsize 9000 --vbv-maxrate 24000 --qcomp 0.5 --me umh --threads auto --thread-input --sar 1:1 --progress --no-psnr --no-ssim --output

My encoders will accept it but not EDIUS.

Funny as it normally accepts H.264 files?

What's the 3GPP is that for a mobile phone format?

Format : AVC (JVT)

Format/Info : JVT AVC

Format/Family : MPEG-4 Part 10

File size : 455 KiB

PlayTime : 9s 80ms

Bit rate : 410 Kbps

StreamSize : 3.28 KiB

Encoded date : UTC 2008-04-22 20:08:55

Tagged date : UTC 2008-04-22 20:08:55

Video #0

Codec : H.264

Codec/Info : H.264 (3GPP)

PlayTime : 9s 80ms

Bit rate : 407 Kbps

Width : 512 pixels

Height : 288 pixels

Display Aspect ratio : 16/9

Frame rate : 25.000 fps

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.108

StreamSize : 452 KiB

Encoded date : UTC 2008-04-22 20:08:55

Tagged date : UTC 2008-04-22 20:09:31

Yes Wags, the 3gp is a mobile phone format.

This whole H.264 compatibility issue is extremely complicated and a great way to waste a lot of time. Different players and NLE's support different H.264 profiles/levels and then there are particular sensitivities like whether they support B-frames, B-pyramid, I8x8 and so on. It's heavy.

I'll encode one with MeGUI's "allegedly-more-compatible" CE-Quicktime profile (but less efficient compression) and we'll see how that one goes.

Wags (or anyone else) could you please try these in your NLE, especially if the first one failed. This time I used MeGUI's CE-Quicktime profile which uses the AVC Main profile and reduces b-frames to 1 for better compatibility:

CE-Quicktime profile no audio (this is ok in my Vegas Pro 8.0b)

CE-Quicktime profile with Nero audio (only the audio shows in my Vegas Pro 8.0b)

First one worked, second didn't. But I'm using Vegas 8.0b.

No dice in Edius for me either.

No dice in Edius for me either.

I can try Premier Pro for you later tonight if that would help.

No go for EDIUS here as well.

Maybe Edius doesn't open H.264 files encoded with B-frames at all, or only Baseline profile H.264.

OK, I've uploaded a 4th file with no B-frames. Here's a summary of the 4 files, all encoded in MeGUI:

1. Modified DVXA-SD-HQ profile. High AVC profile. 3 B-frames. No B-pyramid

2. CE-Quicktime profile with no audio

3. CE-Quicktime profile with Nero audio (posted because including the audio breaks Vegas support for the video some reason)

4. CE-Quicktime profile with no audio and with B-frames reduced to 0 (posted to see if Edius etc. will accept it)

If Edius won't open the last one then I would be interested to take a look at an H.264 that it will open.

Jeremy I would definitely be interested in whether Premiere Pro will open and play the files. Any more results from other NLEs would be welcome too and I'll compile a table of H.264 playback compatibility.

No go with # 4 in EDIUS

Here is one I just did from EDIUS.

http://www.hdvunderwater.com/videoclips/test.mov

It took 16 seconds to make from a 1440/1080 timeline...1.1 speed by the looks..

that opens in Vegas Pro 8.0b

does Edius always put h.264 in a quicktime (.mov) wrapper? what about a .mp4 flavour... one that could be embedded in Flash?

What like this?

http://www.hdvunderwater.com/videoclips/test.mp4

It gives me lots of options...

Yeah that one opens fine in Vegas and also works in Flash. Looks good too but then the bitrate's pretty high. I'm trying to get below 500kbps video bitrate at 512x288 if I can.

So what codec is Edius using to do that Wags? Is it Canopus's own? Or the MainConcept one? Or Apple? Do you know? And what version number?

There's a nice freeware utility called AVInaptic that reports loads of information about mp4 files. It's like Gspot on steroids. But I can't actually see what codec that file uses.

i will be DeanB here..

blah blah blah bframe? blah

EDIUS just uses QT PRO 7.1. just like it uses FLASH encoder and others etc.

How did you use FLASH to view that H.264 file?

AVInaptic..have to check it out.

Super@ gives you details as well.

I think we have lost Dean as he seems to have fallen into the MAC trap.

Maybe Edius doesn't open H.264 files encoded with B-frames at all, or only Baseline profile H.264.

 

OK, I've uploaded a 4th file with no B-frames. Here's a summary of the 4 files, all encoded in MeGUI:

 

1. Modified DVXA-SD-HQ profile. High AVC profile. 3 B-frames. No B-pyramid

 

2. CE-Quicktime profile with no audio

 

3. CE-Quicktime profile with Nero audio (posted because including the audio breaks Vegas support for the video some reason)

 

4. CE-Quicktime profile with no audio and with B-frames reduced to 0 (posted to see if Edius etc. will accept it)

 

If Edius won't open the last one then I would be interested to take a look at an H.264 that it will open.

 

Jeremy I would definitely be interested in whether Premiere Pro will open and play the files. Any more results from other NLEs would be welcome too and I'll compile a table of H.264 playback compatibility.

I can definitely do it today after lunch - got drunk last night instead ... :-)

Jeremy... shame on you! share with the group..

Worked it out.

Change the extension to flv from mp4 and bingo....H.264 in with FLASH 9

http://www.hdvunderwater.com/flash9.html