Encode DV video to play on Popcorn Hour

[vidarmas]

I've searched the web and forums for someone in same position like me, but I can't find any good recommendations. I've already spent several hours trying to encode using MediaCoder, but still haven't found something working optimal (currently I am missing audio on my Popcorn Hour).

To the point:
I got the Popcorn Hour so I could play my homevideos after capturing them to disk. I have captured each tape into one file for easy playback. I found this to work well for my captures with HDDV camera (m2ts files), but for my older videos using DV I found to my disappointment that the Popcorn Hour (110) refuses to play. So I have to encode them into something different.

I want to preserve quality and it is going to be played back on a 50" Pioneer plasma.

What encoder should I use and which settings do you recommend? It has to support large files (12GB). I like to experiment on different settings, but I like to get started with a recommended container and codec. I also like to know what to do with the audio. I tried using lame mp3 in MediaCoder, but for some reason the audio wont play on my popcorn... I've been experimenting on mp4 container using x264 codec. I found I have to deinterlace. I think video bitrate around 2-4000 kbps should be ok. I will be archiving my original DV footage (on disk) as well. But the main purpose of this is for editing if I ever get time

I appreciate very much if someone can get me started

[Baldrick]

I would probably use mp4 with h264 video and aac audio and convert using Handbrake or xvid4psp(they use the x264 encoder), enable the deinterlace and try different bitrates or use the quality setting/constant quality encoding mode.

[vidarmas]

I would probably use mp4 with h264 video and aac audio and convert using Handbrake or xvid4psp(they use the x264 encoder), enable the deinterlace and try different bitrates or use the quality setting/constant quality encoding mode.

Thanks alot. I've now tested Handbrake and are happy with it. Using mp4 container and x264. With S-Video material (transferred to DV) I am using bitrate of 2000kbps. Could possibly compress more without a big loss, but I am not so concerned about disk space.

[SatStorm]

Also, you can always convert your DV to old good trusty mpeg 2...

H264 is a better solution, but mpeg 2 is much faster to make! Of course, we talking about 3 times up the bitrate you have to use for mpeg 2: About 7.000kb/s gonna give you nice results. That means 3 times the filesize up too.

I wouldn't suggest to deinterlace the source yourself. Keep it and let your TV do that. Deinterlace can make the motion look bad on TV. Also it takes some time of the encoding.

As for Audio, since we are Europeans, we can use our beloved mp2 at a bitrate around 192kb/s. For 2 channel stereo, is more than enough.

[ronnylov]

I would encode to MPEG-2 with DVD compliant settings and author a DVD as an iso file. You can play the iso file in popcorn hour just like a DVD and if you ever need a copy on disc it is easy to burn it with Imgburn.

[jman98]

I'm not an expert on Popcorn Hour or encoding for it. Can you use MKV containers instead of MP4 containers? MP4 containers are fussy about what they can contain but MKV would allow you to use X.264 and MP3 audio if you wish.

I don't encode to X.264/H.264 because my fastest PC really isn't up to the task, but Popcorn itself says it supports the following:
H.264

* BP@L3
* MP@L4.0
* HP@L4.0
* HP@L4.1

[SatStorm]

Yes, you can use mkv. Actually the whole fuzz about popcorn hour and the other nmt solutions, based on the fact that you can watch mkv.

NMT based standalone players don't playback ogm files and also has a problem with the .ass subtitles.