Sony BDP-S270 AVI Playback Issue

[mxavier]

I understand that AVI is not a supported file format for my Sony BDP-S270 Blu-Ray player. However, I can change the extension to MP4, and I can definitely play back some AVI files.

My issue is with an AVI file encoded in the AVC format. I have been able to play an AVC-formatted AVI file before on this BD player, so I am thinking there's something in the video profile that is not compatible with the BDP-S270.

Please take a look at the following profiles of my video files to see if you can detect why I'm having a playback issue. The information below was outputted by the program MediaInfo. Thank you for your help.

================================================== =========
This is the AVC-formatted AVI file that I am getting the error "Corrupted or unsupported file." I had to rename the extension to MP4 so that it appears on the player.

General
Complete name : Video1.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 88.3 MiB
Duration : 24mn 29s
Overall bit rate : 504 Kbps
Writing application : VirtualDubMod 1.5.10.1 (build 2366/release)
Writing library : VirtualDub build 30091/release

Video
ID : 0
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L5.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Codec ID : H264
Duration : 24mn 29s
Bit rate : 366 Kbps
Width : 704 pixels
Height : 400 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.054
Stream size : 64.2 MiB (73%)
Writing library : x264 core 59 r870bm c98aab0
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x13 / me=umh / subme=6 / brdo=0 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=1
/ nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=0 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / rc=crf / crf=25.0 / rceq='blurCplx^(1-qComp)' / qcomp=1.00 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=2:1.00

Audio
ID : 1
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Mode extension : MS Stereo
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 24mn 29s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 22.4 MiB (25%)
Alignment : Split accross interleaves
Interleave, duration : 42 ms (1.00 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration : 500 ms
================================================== =========

================================================== =========
This video file is formatted with AVC, and it plays on the player with
no problems. I didn't have to rename the extension since it's officially supported.

General
Complete name : Video2.mkv
Format : Matroska
File size : 368 MiB
Duration : 22mn 17s
Overall bit rate : 2 305 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2009-12-11 20:31:26
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.9.9 ('Tutu') built on Nov 25 2009 21:13:32
Writing library : libebml v0.7.9 + libmatroska v0.8.1
Cover : Yes / Yes / Yes / Yes / Yes / Yes

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 16 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 22mn 17s
Bit rate : 1 400 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Original display aspect ratio : 3:2
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.169
Stream size : 217 MiB (59%)
Writing library : x264 core 80 r1369 ec8e586
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=16 / deblock=1:1:1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=tesa / subme=9 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.0:0.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=32 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0
/ chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=4 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=0 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=16 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=2 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 /
rc=2pass / mbtree=0 / bitrate=1400 / ratetol=4.0 / qcomp=0.50 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=1:0.50

Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 22mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 71.5 MiB (19%)
Title : Japanese Audio (AC3 2.0)
Language : Japanese

Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 22mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 71.5 MiB (19%)
Title : English Audio (AC3 2.0)
Language : English
================================================== =========

================================================== =========
This file works well on my player after I renamed the extension to MP4. This isn't an AVC-formatted video file, but I post it here for reference to an AVI file that does work on the player.

General
Complete name : Video3.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 551 MiB
Duration : 49mn 33s
Overall bit rate : 1 555 Kbps
Writing application : VirtualDubMod 1.5.10.2 (build 2540/release)
Writing library : VirtualDubMod build 2540/release

Video
ID : 0
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Advanced Simple@L5
Format settings, BVOP : 2
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Codec ID : XVID
Codec ID/Hint : XviD
Duration : 49mn 33s
Bit rate : 1 414 Kbps
Width : 624 pixels
Height : 352 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.269
Stream size : 501 MiB (91%)
Writing library : XviD 1.3.0.dev55

Audio
ID : 1
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Mode extension : MS Stereo
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 49mn 33s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 45.2 MiB (8%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 24 ms (0.58 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration : 240 ms
Writing library : LAME3.92
Encoding settings : -m j -V 4 -q 2 -lowpass 17.5 --abr 128
================================================== =========

[Baldrick]

Try make a real mkv or mp4 instead of just renaming it. Open the avi in mkvtoolnix and save as mkv or mymp4boxgui or yamb and save as a mp4.

If that wont help it might not support Format profile : High@L5.1 avc video. Then just reconvert with handbrake.

[mxavier]

Baldrick, thank you for your quick response. Much faster than Sony Support! By using those tools you mentioned in the first line, can I quickly save as a true mkv/mp4 without having to reconvert?

[jman98]

mxavier - Do note that it is certainly possible to create video files that your player won't play - ever. It was possible back in the DVD player days when the first Divx compatible players came out. I'm hardly an expert in AVC and H.264 encoding, but the same is true now. Some encoding options will be a problem for your Sony player. I noticed in the problem file that the Format profile is different. I know that above a certain level some playback devices have problems. The one that works is using Format profile High@L4.0. I'd guess that any format profile above this won't work.

[mxavier]

jman98, thank you for your input.

It is a frustrating experience for me as a consumer because the manual for this Sony Blu-Ray player says that it supports the MPEG-4 AVC format. I understand that not all Blu-Ray players are equal, but my Insignia Blu-Ray player that I bought two years ago is able to play the video file that I'm having a problem with. I really like this Sony Blu-Ray player, it's just disappointing if it cannot play back an AVC file that my older player can.

I will post an update after I get a chance to work with the tools that Baldrick suggested.

[mxavier]

I have tried using mkvtoolnix to save the original AVI file as a true MKV file. I've had no success with this. It's probable that the AVC profile 5.1 is not compatible with the player... but I'm not an format expert anyhow. I'll have to consider batch recompressing the AVC video files that I have problems with - it's not the fastest solution. I thought it would be possible to extract the raw video and repackage it in a compatible container - such as using mkvtoolnix. I'm still disappointed that such a nice Blu-Ray player cannot play AVC files that an older Insignia player can.

[jman98]

mxavier - No offense, but you really do need to wake up to the fact that Sony long long ago stopped standing for quality. Sony products have been crap for many years now. The ONLY thing that Sony makes that I buy is their small digital cameras. I like those and they have worked well for me. But you'd have to give me one of their DVD or BluRay players for free for me to take it. Too much anti-consumer hysteria in Sony and too many consumer unfriendly features (inability to make them region free, for example) for me to want their junk. Sony long ago stopped being a Japanese company and around the time that the Americans took over the quality began to go downhill. Sorry but I am not at all surprised that a Sony player is doing worse at this than an older and probably cheaper Insignia player. Remember - Sony does truly hate you and all consumers. You're thieves to them. I've got better things to do with my money than continue to support their anti-consumer insanity and from now on you should too.

[mxavier]

You have a good point. I should stop trying to figure out how to make this Sony blu-ray player work for me. I'll just accept the fact that I bought a consumer-unfriendly device. Next time, I will definitely come to VideoHelp.com to check out Blu-Ray players with better AVC compatibility. Thanks again for your input.

[mxavier]

I figured out a solution to my problem. I have successfully converted (without re-encoding) an AVC-formatted AVI to a compatible MKV file for my Sony BDP-S270. Below are the steps that worked for me. Hopefully, this would help others in their quest to watching their favorite AVI files on their favorite Sony Blu-Ray player.

1- Use mkvmerge to change from AVI to MKV. Make sure compression is None for all streams (h264, mp3)
2- Use tsMuxer to demux, change H264 level to 4.1
3- Use mkvmerge to mux MP3 and H264 streams to MKV. Make sure to enter original FPS, since mkvmerge will assume 25 FPS by default. You can use MediaInfo on the H264 stream to get the FPS. Again, make sure compression is None for all streams (h264, mp3)

This took a lot of trial and error but I'm happy to have figured this out. I hope this info is useful to others in the future.

[mxavier]

Here's how to convert to an MP4. I post this for those newbies out there. There's always more than one way to do these things. No re-encoding here.

1- My MP4Box GUI: demux AVI to H264 and MP3 streams.
2- H264 level editor: change H264 level to 4.1.
3- My MP4Box GUI: mux to MP4.

[Saumik]

I figured out a solution to my problem. I have successfully converted (without re-encoding) an AVC-formatted AVI to a compatible MKV file for my Sony BDP-S270. Below are the steps that worked for me. Hopefully, this would help others in their quest to watching their favorite AVI files on their favorite Sony Blu-Ray player.

1- Use mkvmerge to change from AVI to MKV. Make sure compression is None for all streams (h264, mp3)
2- Use tsMuxer to demux, change H264 level to 4.1
3- Use mkvmerge to mux MP3 and H264 streams to MKV. Make sure to enter original FPS, since mkvmerge will assume 25 FPS by default. You can use MediaInfo on the H264 stream to get the FPS. Again, make sure compression is None for all streams (h264, mp3)

This took a lot of trial and error but I'm happy to have figured this out. I hope this info is useful to others in the future.

Thanks for these instructions....Converting to other formats takes a lot of hours specially in 1080p video files....these instuctions really saved me a lot of time...Anyone can try this and this works 100%

[nemaroller]

mxavier - ... Sony long ago stopped being a Japanese company and around the time that the Americans took over the quality began to go downhill. Sorry but I am not at all surprised that a Sony player is doing worse at this than an older and probably cheaper Insignia player. Remember - Sony does truly hate you and all consumers. You're thieves to them. I've got better things to do with my money than continue to support their anti-consumer insanity and from now on you should too.

What Americans took over Sony? Maybe you're confusing British-born Singer, and even beside that, that is not why Sony has become irrelevant. They've been in decline since the mid 90's and have become the model of stagnant huge corporations that do not take risk and fail to adjust quickly to the market. Most of it has to do with cheaper Eastern Asia competition, but a lot of it has to do with tradition, and that is why they had to resort to bringing in a foreigner to shake things up.