Encoding for Playstation 3

[nerfgun]

Hi all,

I'm attempting to use ffmpegX to re-encode videos for viewing on a PS3. I've had mixed results so far.

The problem is that I can't get ffmpegX to produce an H.264 file that the PS3 likes; they all appear as Corrupted Data. My MP4 renders work (and look) very fine, but none of the various flavours of H.264 offered in ffmpegX seem to do the trick.

Quicktime *will* produce a viewable H.264 Main Profile video that plays correctly, but it takes ages and obviously I'd rather use ffmpegX.

Any suggestions?

[major]

What about PSP format?

[nerfgun]

I haven't tried the template preset for PSP yet - although I know several others have gotten this to work, and I was able to play several PSP-formatted videos through the PS3 with the PSP connected over USB.

I had some luck last night playing with the settings in ffmpegX; I was able to generate a 1-min H.264 clip using the following settings:

- x264 encoder (the only one that the PS3 accepts, besides the QuickTime one)
- CABAC option turned ON
- Trellis option ON
- original framesize and framerate (in this case 704x400, NTSC FILM rate)
- AVC level 3 (4 works as well, but not 5 or 1.3... haven't tried others yet)

This created a nice clip that played correctly. I tried rendering a full episode of tv video last night to test, but for some reason my picture came out 2X faster than the audio (very odd), I probably messed up a setting somewhere.

Getting closer!

BTW Major, your app is fantastic and I will certainly be hitting you with a shareware fee soon. If you want any additional help or testing for the PS3 settings I'm happy to oblige. I have some experience with video compression.

[nerfgun]

Alright I figured it out. For those of you who want to put AVC videos on a PS3, this is how you do it with ffmpegX. (I almost had it in the message above.)

VIDEO
- x264 encoder
- framesize can be any
- framerate can be any

AUDIO
- any MP3 or AAC track

OPTIONS
- Use CABAC on
- Constant bitrate on
- Trellis on
- Decode with Quicktime (not always necessary but if your picture is out of sync with audio, try this)
- AVC level 3.0

This produces a pretty good AVC file that the PS3 will happily play.

[eclipz]

nerfgun,

Do you have a preset you could upload? I've been trying for the past couple of days to get this to work and the video doesn't seem to want to show up on the PS3. The audio does fine but not the video. The file on my mac runs fine though, so I'm kinda at a loss as to what setting might be off.

Thanks,
Mark

[nerfgun]

Here is the profile I've been using for AVC stuff...

avc_for_ps3.ffx

I should mention - the last settings on this profile for resolution and framerate just happen to be the last thing I was working on - you can safely change the dimensions and/or framerate without screwing up the file (i.e use what you like). Just don't change anything in Options, or the x264 encoder, and it'll work.

[eclipz]

Thanks, I had a couple more things in the options checked off, so that probably had something to do with it not working. I tried the preset out and it worked like a charm.

[major]

I can maybe add this in preset in the next version if everyone agree it works well.

[nerfgun]

I think the sound sync issues I was experiencing had to do with the codec - I thought about it afterwards and I actually have no idea what mutant combination of 3ivx/DivX/whatever I have installed lately. I mess around with it so much. Anyways, like I said sometimes it helps to use the Decode with Quicktime checkbox, and sometimes it doesn't. Major if you include it as a preset I would probably make a note of that caveat.

The important things are x264, CABAC, Trellis, constant bitrate and AVC level 3. PS3 is picky about what AVC files it gets; much less so for regular flavour MPEG-4 files... but I love the small size of AVC, I can't go back. 93 megs for a 22min episode of animation, I mean come on, you can't beat that.

[Sauerball]

I am just getting my PS3 today and was planning on a lot of trial and error to get my vids on it. I appreciate the efforts.

[mk2000]

I create AVC files with HandBrake which uses the x264 library and I was also having problems playing them on my PS3 until I "Quicktime Badged" my files.

Here's the solution:

The PS3 tends to have a preference for things authored in Quicktime.

Long story short...Open them up in Quicktime Pro, do a Save As (converts them to MOV container) and then export them back out from Quicktime to MPEG4 with Pass Through selected in the options.

In other words, no re-encoding at any of those steps...just container changes to add that nice QuickTime Header that the PS3 seems to like.

For those needing a more detailed explanation, I made a youtube video detailing the process.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4zQMdhbc_ss

good luck

mk2000

[majikthise]

I create AVC files with HandBrake which uses the x264 library and I was also having problems playing them on my PS3 until I "Quicktime Badged" my files.

Here's the solution:

The PS3 tends to have a preference for things authored in Quicktime.

Long story short...Open them up in Quicktime Pro, do a Save As (converts them to MOV container) and then export them back out from Quicktime to MPEG4 with Pass Through selected in the options.

In other words, no re-encoding at any of those steps...just container changes to add that nice QuickTime Header that the PS3 seems to like.

For those needing a more detailed explanation, I made a youtube video detailing the process.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4zQMdhbc_ss

good luck

mk2000

Hi,, thanks for the help on this.

but... it doesn't work for me following this exact procedure. Even with the header changing to a quicktime one, the ps3 still will not recognize the format correctly. I have been trying everything. Something about the x264 encoder is the problem. Using the QTpro h264 encoder works fine. If baseline profile is used (should be main) the ps3 will see the file as a video file, but only the audio will play.

are you using the 0.7.1 version of handbrake and current (1.32?) ps3 firmware? I really don't understand why this is working for you. are there resolution, bit-rate, file-name requirements that may not seem apparent?

I would really like to have a one-encode method for getting a DVD to encode for the ps3.

[digason]

Does anybody know of a way to put .mkv files into the proper .mp4 container for PS3 without re-encoding? In theory it should be possible by some means since .mkv files are H.264/AVC but not stored as mpeg4.

I create AVC files with HandBrake which uses the x264 library and I was also having problems playing them on my PS3 until I "Quicktime Badged" my files.

Here's the solution:

The PS3 tends to have a preference for things authored in Quicktime.

Long story short...Open them up in Quicktime Pro, do a Save As (converts them to MOV container) and then export them back out from Quicktime to MPEG4 with Pass Through selected in the options.

In other words, no re-encoding at any of those steps...just container changes to add that nice QuickTime Header that the PS3 seems to like.

For those needing a more detailed explanation, I made a youtube video detailing the process.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4zQMdhbc_ss

good luck

mk2000

[majikthise]

Does anybody know of a way to put .mkv files into the proper .mp4 container for PS3 without re-encoding? In theory it should be possible by some means since .mkv files are H.264/AVC but not stored as mpeg4.

thats another good question. VLC will play those .mkv files but it can't save to another format. QT will not open them, afaik.

has anyone gotten ffmpeg to passthrough video correctly?

where is mk2000, i want to know how that handbrake-->QT-->PS3 works.

[digason]

where is mk2000, i want to know how that handbrake-->QT-->PS3 works.

I've done the second half using HD movie trailers from Apple's website. The resulting files worked perfectly on my PS3.

[majikthise]

yeah, the second part works. But files encoded from handbrake don't work for me.

[kilofox]

Hi,, thanks for the help on this.

but... it doesn't work for me following this exact procedure. Even with the header changing to a quicktime one, the ps3 still will not recognize the format correctly. I have been trying everything. Something about the x264 encoder is the problem. Using the QTpro h264 encoder works fine. If baseline profile is used (should be main) the ps3 will see the file as a video file, but only the audio will play.

are you using the 0.7.1 version of handbrake and current (1.32?) ps3 firmware? I really don't understand why this is working for you. are there resolution, bit-rate, file-name requirements that may not seem apparent?

I would really like to have a one-encode method for getting a DVD to encode for the ps3.

This isnt working for me either. I can pass thru mov files on QT Pro from Apple's HD Gallery and they play just fine on the PS3. I get Unsupported Format on the PS3 doing the same thing with files encoded with Handbrake/x264 and passed thru QT.

MK2000...What settings do you use in Handbrake?

[kojima16]

I used a program called Super to convert .mkv files to PS3. There is a PS3 setting already included. After that you still have to run it through that little Quicktime process mentioned here, but it works.

Only thing though is there is no 1280x544 setting, and I have a bunch of videos with that resolution. My only choice is to encode the mpeg4 at 1280x720 which stretches the image. Hopefully a future version contains more options for the PS3 setting.

[kojima16]

btw that program I mentioned, Super, is a PC program, so not sure if there is a Mac equivalent.

[digason]

I used a program called Super to convert .mkv files to PS3. There is a PS3 setting already included. After that you still have to run it through that little Quicktime process mentioned here, but it works.

Only thing though is there is no 1280x544 setting, and I have a bunch of videos with that resolution. My only choice is to encode the mpeg4 at 1280x720 which stretches the image. Hopefully a future version contains more options for the PS3 setting.

It looks like Super would re-encode the .mkv files to an appropriate format. What I'm looking to do is take existing x264 encoded .mkv files and change the vile container to .mp4 without re-encoding anything. If there is a way to do this, the resulting files should play on the PS3 and recognized by the PS3 as AVC encoded videos.

[kilofox]

I think MK2000 is using a dev version of handbrake .... Maybe thats why his encodes work and ours dont?

[kojima16]

digason, if you figure it out pass it on here. re-encoding obviously takes a pretty long time, especially for high bit rate files, so if there is a faster solution I'm all for it.

[digason]

digason, if you figure it out pass it on here. re-encoding obviously takes a pretty long time, especially for high bit rate files, so if there is a faster solution I'm all for it.

Re-encoding will also almost always result in a loss of quality.

[kojima16]

ok, I'm now using PS3 Video 9 to encode PS3 videos and it works great. No messing around in QT changing headers or any of that, just a straight shot from mkv to PS3 compatible mp4.

[muymal]

ok, I'm now using PS3 Video 9 to encode PS3 videos and it works great. No messing around in QT changing headers or any of that, just a straight shot from mkv to PS3 compatible mp4.

Can you provide step by step instructions? I tried transcoding an h.264 mkv file to MP4 using Video 9 gut used SP4 format. Can you cover what settings you are using?

[sanfordm]

The QT header trick didn't work for me, either, and I remembered to set both audio and video for pass-through. I have a Windows XP boot partition on my Mac, so I can try PS3 Video 9. Will it transcode from my existing MP4s to PS3-compatible MP4s? I'd rather do it all under an OS X, but since I won't be doing this daily or even weekly, it won't be too much of a hassle.

My problem is I need something that rips DVDs -- before anyone freaks out, they're mine, I bought them all; I don't download, rip rentals, otherwise cheat or steal, except at cards, but that's another matter -- and then outputs a PS3-compatible, and hopefully Mac/iPod-compatible MP4 at the same time, even though I know the file size will be overkill for the iPod. Everything I have that does both won't work with the PS3, and what I do have that might work won't work from the files DVD rippers generate.

[sanfordm]

Got it working, transcoding from Handbrake MP4 encodes to PS3-compatible MP4s (it helped that I realized I should be working with clips as tests to save time instead of waiting out the whole encodes:

-Open the Handbrake-encoded MP4 in QT Pro Player
-Select all, copy, paste into a new, empty QT Player document (no need to save it, and not sure this step is necessary, but not taking it out just in case)
-Select Export from the menu
-Configure for H.264 encode, I used current fps (30 for DVD video), key frame every 24 frames (makes sense for film), 1000 kbps bit rate, custom resolution to fit the source material
-In video options I used single-pass to save some time; the 1000 kbps bit rate seems to make up for it because it looks great full-frame on the PS3. Here's the kicker, I think: Set the H.264 profile restrictions to main *and* basic
-Audio just use the 128kbps AAC music encode

That's it. Now all I need is a 2GB or greater flash drive -- I bought a 512MB because all I thought I'd be doing is carrying music with it to my 360; hindsight is always 20/20 -- or a portable USB2 hard drive that powers off the USB port. It's a hassle dragging around my 40GB USB2 FAT32-formatted external, having to plug it in every time I switch from Mac to PS3.

Caveat: QT transcoding takes a *long* time. Probably about real-time only. Gives your MacBook/MacBook Pro fans a nice work out, though. I'd just plan on transcoding your existing MP4s one a day or every other day, then copying to external media, then to the PS3. Then just run it again the next day or day after. Trying to do it all in a couple days will drive you crazy, depending on the size of your MP4 library.

But it works. Wahoo.

[majikthise]

ummm....

but this is encoding the file TWICE. It takes forever and the quality suffers. QT's encoder DOES make compatible files,, but why doesn't handbrake's?

[sanfordm]

ummm....

but this is encoding the file TWICE. It takes forever and the quality suffers. QT's encoder DOES make compatible files,, but why doesn't handbrake's?

The quality suffers, but not terribly; I use the same bitrate and image dimensions as in Handbrake, so there's some slightly greater data loss, but the MP4s still look very good on the PS3. (Actually, it's amazing, but the PS3 makes SD 640x480 MVI/AVIs, encoded to MP4 via QT, shot as video clips with a Canon digital still camera look almost HD widescreen when zoomed full-frame, if only you can get compatible MP4s, the quality is outstanding. QT Pro is the only thing that works for me: I'ved tried Handbrake of course and Visual Hub. VH's PSP setting doesn't even work.) But it's the time that kills me. The nearest thing I can tell, is that I tried setting Handbrake for "x264 basic profile" instead of "x264 main profile" and the PS3 saw the file as a compatible AVC video file. When it played, no sound, no image. Even showed the bitrate and everything, just no picture or sound. QT allows for selecting encoding with both main and basic profiles, and then the MP4 files work. Handbrake, you have to pick one or the other; "main" profile and the PS3 reports the data is unsupported; "basic" supported by essentially corrupted, won't play with picture and sound; transcoded by QT Pro with main and basic selected, both compatible and plays with image and sound. Go figure.

I've done a total of 4 transcodes and that's enough for me. It takes too long without Handbrake working on its own -- the aforementioned quick QT Pro pass-through option didn't work for me. I have a feeling this has more to do with the PS3 being too picky, and they'll do something in firmware and all kinds of H.264 AVC MP4s will work without special setting or double encoding, from Handbrake or any other standards-compliant MP4 encoder. Still frutrating though. On my MacBook this should take no more than about an hour. It's a day-long process, really, the way it is.

PS3 Video 9 for Windows didn't work for me, either.

Whatever Rogov is doing with PSPWare, it works, and it's fast, although it's still a transcode, or double encode, taking an MP4 and re-encoding for PSP MP4. Problem is, image size is limited to two preset selections, and they are both optimized for PSP, about half the size you'd need for PS3 for a standard-def widescreen video.

[WARRZONE]

You can also use iSquint. For those who want very easy, yet high-quality conversions iSquint is the way to go. If you use iSquint, check Optimize for TV, H.3264 Encoding, and Go Nuts in quality. Of course if you want hi res (720 or 1080) video, ffmpegx is the only way to go if you own a mac. I tried ffmpegx and got mixed results with it.