Conversion of H.264 640x480 to iPod H.264 640x480

[PuzZLeR]

I have encoded alot of video in recent months to H.264/AVC using encoding engines such as Nero Digital and x264 in a 640x480 resolution without an iPod profile (which was not available at that rez). Yes, the new iPods support 640x480, but I I have a feeling much of my video won't work when I do get my iPod soon.

I have heard that the iPod needs specifications that are rather picky, such as "flags" or some go-ahead from iTunes, etc. even if you have the correct bitrate, rez, etc. I'm sure you can change just a few "atoms" here and there. I also heard you can use apps like mp4box or yamb, etc. to include some indicator. I don't understand how they work though.

The last thing I want to do is spend more mega hours encoding it again, and losing quality on top of it.

If anybody can help me with any of 3 questions I'd really appreciate it:

1. If my H.264 video in 640x480 is not iPod compliant, is there any way I can make it so it can play on an iPod WITHOUT re-encoding?

2. Is there any way to test for compliancy without an iPod?

3. I even see software for converting to Apple TV format. Is there any significant difference? In fact, will one format be accepted by another, or is the compatibility reversable?

"Apple Nation" is very quirky to me sometimes....

Thanks in advance!

[Soopafresh]

1. If my H.264 video in 640x480 is not iPod compliant, is there any way I can make it so it can play on an iPod WITHOUT re-encoding?

Maybe, if it is just a matter of setting the file flags/atom/etc to tell itunes/ipod to accept the file.
NicMp4Box (do a search) has the specific syntax to do this. Look in the readme file. Of course, if the file wasn't encoded to proper ipod specs to begin with, then you have a bigger problem than tweaking a file flag.

2. Is there any way to test for compliancy without an iPod?

If you do the encoding yourself, then you can be 99% sure it'll work, once you figure out the proper settings for the output file.

[PuzZLeR]

Thanks for your answer.

Found nicmp4box. However, after reading the readme file, iPods do not support CABAC. Almost all my H.264/AVC files were encoded with Nero Digital and CABAC. I read somewhere that it's a better way of encoding.

Unless some future firmware or model of iPod supports CABAC, or there's some other trick somewhere, I guess I'm screwed...

[ssj2_goha]

1. If my H.264 video in 640x480 is not iPod compliant, is there any way I can make it so it can play on an iPod WITHOUT re-encoding?

2. Is there any way to test for compliancy without an iPod?

3. I even see software for converting to Apple TV format. Is there any significant difference? In fact, will one format be accepted by another, or is the compatibility reversable?

1. NICMP4Box
2. import files into iTunes and try to put them on your iPod. (sorry really the only way)
3. AppleTV can play iPod files as well as HD (1280 X 720 h.264 24FPS) most AppleTV "profiles" are that HD format or the "full dvd" (720 X 404 h.264)

Hope that helps

You could try my hack of 3gp_converter it makes iPod compliant files and does some of the "tagging" so stuff shows up correctly in iTunes, and on the iPod.

[PuzZLeR]

Hey ssj2_goha,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I've tried your app and it worked fine, however at that time it had limited bitrates of 800kbps and 1500kbps. My personal "sweet spot" centers around 900kbps to 1100kbps. I tried to rig the *.ini file, but got errors.

If you have a recent update, link or *.ini file, I would love to see what's developed since.

Yes, I've tried nicmp4box with the Mux feature of Yamb. It seems to have "changed" the file, but without an actual iPod, I won't know for sure of it's acceptance. But now that I've read that iPods don't accept CABAC, there doesn't seem to be much hope unless I re-encode them all over again...

Maybe a dream, or long shot here, but hmmm... can you create a feature that makes already H.264 files iPod compliant, WITHOUT re-encoding by maybe hacking the CABAC thing?

There are alot of people encoding with Nero Recode and using the CABAC feature for better compression. Anyway, just a long-shot. No expectations. (I'm trying to stay positive! )

[ssj2_goha]

actually my app starts with 800kbs but it uses VBR so with the double pass it uses only the BR it needs i usually get right around 900kbs. As for "removing" the CABAC the only way to do that is to re-encode (sorry) and the down side is most times I re-encode h.264 files to h.264 i just get a white screen, don't know why that happens though.

I'm guess that because you want to make all your files iPod "reeady" you plan on getting an iPod sometime in the future, right? If that really is the case I would just wait till you had the iPod then test to see if nicmp4box made the files you have compliant.

here is the most up to date ini i have:

[Info]
Title=M4V, iPod
TitleE=Model: M4V, for iPod G5.5
Description=‘æŒÜ�¢‘ãiPod‚ƌĂ΂ê‚é�A“®‰æ�Ä�¶‰Â”\‚ÈiPod‚ÖŒü‚¯‚½MP4Œ`Ž®‚É•ÏŠ·‚µ‚Ü‚·�B•ÏŠ·Š®—¹ŒãŽ©“®“I‚ÉiTunes‚É“o˜^‚ðŽŽ‚Ý‚Ü‚·�B
DescriptionE=for iPod(G5) movies

[Item0]
Title=AVC HI-RES 4X3 | 800kbps | Movie
TitleE=AVC HI-RES 4X3 | 800kbps | Movie
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x480 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 1 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x480 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 2 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command2=""<%AppPath%>\cores\NicMP4Box.exe" -add "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""
Command3="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command4="rm ""<%OutputFile%>-0.log""
Command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "Movie" --title "<%Title%>""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item1]
Title=AVC HI-RES 16X9 | 800kbps | Movie
TitleE=AVC HI-RES 16X9 | 800kbps | Movie
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x360 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 1 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x360 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 2 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command2=""<%AppPath%>\cores\NicMP4Box.exe" -add "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""
Command3="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command4="rm ""<%OutputFile%>-0.log""
Command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "Movie" --title "<%Title%>""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item2]
Title=AVC HI-RES 14X9 | 800kbps | Movie
TitleE=AVC HI-RES 14X9 | 800kbps | Movie
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x411 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 1 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x411 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 2 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command2=""<%AppPath%>\cores\NicMP4Box.exe" -add "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""
Command3="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command4="rm ""<%OutputFile%>-0.log""
Command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "Movie" --title "<%Title%>""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item3]
Title=AVC HI-RES 16X9 | 800kbps | TV
TitleE=AVC HI-RES 16X9 | 800kbps | TV
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x360 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 1 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x360 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 2 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command2=""<%AppPath%>\cores\NicMP4Box.exe" -add "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""
Command3="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command4="rm ""<%OutputFile%>-0.log""
Command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "TV Show""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item4]
Title=AVC HI-RES 4X3 | 800kbps | TV
TitleE=AVC HI-RES 4X3 | 800kbps | TV
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x480 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 1 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -fixaspect -s 640x480 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 2 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command2=""<%AppPath%>\cores\NicMP4Box.exe" -add "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""
Command3="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command4="rm ""<%OutputFile%>-0.log""
Command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "TV Show""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item5]
Title=AVC HI-RES 16X9 (Cropping) | 800kbps | TV
TitleE=AVC HI-RES 16X9 (Cropping) | 800kbps | TV
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -aspect 16:9 -s 640x480 -croptop 60 -cropbottom 60 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 1 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 30 -aspect 16:9 -s 640x480 -croptop 60 -cropbottom 60 -b 800 -maxrate 1400 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -passlogfile "<%OutputFile%>" -pass 2 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command2=""<%AppPath%>\cores\NicMP4Box.exe" -add "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""
Command3="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command4="rm ""<%OutputFile%>-0.log""
Command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "TV Show""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item6]
Title=AVC QVGA/�‚‰æŽ¿(600kbps)
TitleE=AVC QVGA/600kbps Movie
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -title "<%Title%>" -timestamp "<%TimeStamp%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 13 -fixaspect -s 320x240 -b 600 -maxrate 768 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\QT3GPPFlatten" "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%TemporaryFile%>_2.M4V" -c QT_H264_QVGA_AAC.ini -t mpg4"
Command2="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command3=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ATOMChanger" "<%TemporaryFile%>_2.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" "Camouflage_MOVIE_for_iPod.ini" "<%Title%>""
Command4="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>_2.M4V""
command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "Movie""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[Item7]
Title=AVC QVGA/�‚‰æŽ¿(600kbps)
TitleE=AVC QVGA/600kbps TV
FileNameMax=59
Command0=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ffmpeg" -y -r 30 -i "<%InputFile%>" -title "<%Title%>" -timestamp "<%TimeStamp%>" -deinterlace -bitexact -vcodec h264 -coder 0 -bufsize 256 -g 250 -vlevel 13 -fixaspect -s 320x240 -b 600 -maxrate 768 -qmin 2 -qmax 51 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 48000 -ab 64 -f ipod "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command1=""<%AppPath%>\cores\QT3GPPFlatten" "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V" "<%TemporaryFile%>_2.M4V" -c QT_H264_QVGA_AAC.ini -t mpg4"
Command2="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>.M4V""
Command3=""<%AppPath%>\cores\ATOMChanger" "<%TemporaryFile%>_2.M4V" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" "Camouflage_MOVIE_for_iPod.ini" "<%Title%>""
Command4="rm "<%TemporaryFile%>_2.M4V""
command5=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AtomicParsley.exe" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V" -W --stik "TV Show""
Command6=""<%AppPath%>\cores\AddiTunes" "<%OutputFile%>.M4V""

[PuzZLeR]

Ok folks, I do get it finally.

Here’s the deal, at least from my understanding over the last few days of further encoding, researching, etc. Hopefully someone can benefit.

As wonderful, beautiful and advanced as a late model iPod is, no matter how you look at it, it is still a MOBILE device, hence subject to MOBILE specs. Even when it now can playback H.264 at the newer, higher, resolution of 640x480, it still needs this video fed to it in a lower complexity format.

Conventionally we usually do have our “good” video such as DVDs, HD video etc., but have lower quality versions for mobile hardware, PDA, phones, etc. We certainly never had our “real” video on them.

This is the case as well for having an iPod. Yes, it’s more advanced than any other handheld video device today, but the H.264 it can handle is the lower quality Baseline profile, not higher profiles like Main with CABAC and B frames, which would improve the quality/compression significantly on playback devices that can handle it, such as desktops. Even renaming nicmp4box to mp4box in Yamb and muxing will not make B frames and CABAC go away for iPod compliancy. I don’t think so at least. (Correct me if I’m wrong though!)

The irony in this is that these added compression algorithms would benefit a smaller platform like the iPod instead of huge desktops. But it would have to decode it first.

Having said that, I still want to thank ssj2_goha for a wonderful encoding utility!

Yes, it only encodes in Baseline, but it’s the best quality compared to other iPod formats I’ve experimented with. And it’s FAAAAAAAAAAAST, even with the two passes. Of course, they will also play on your iPod. Cool huh?

I’ve also used this utility to re-encode some other existing H.264 video to iPod format with great results. The *.ini file uploaded is very configurable to desired bitrate levels as well, not just 800/1250/1500, etc., whatever, that previous versions had. But there is no need to bump up the bitrate much to get similar quality from Main profile to Baseline profile. Even re-encoding the H.264 video is not that much lower in quality than from the MPEG-2 source itself. There is hope yet!

And no meltdown to “white screen” either LOL.

Anyway, I’ve always “meant to” have a backup of my video collection anyway. So instead of making a straight copy, I will instead have a different version of my video – a backup that is for my portable, the iPod.

Problem solved. Thanks to all for reading and helping.

PS: I assume *.m4v is really the same container as .mp4 with a different name.