so many attempts, can't convert. Please help me.

[meimeiriver]

$59.00 for kodi and its all from china ... it is in sydney from an ebay seller ready to deliver ... buy now have it arrive this wednesday.

I would like to point out that the Kodi team severaly frowns upon these 'fully loaded' Kodi deals:

The Piracy Box Sellers and Youtube Promoters Are Killing Kodi

Play nice: don't use or advertise these! Just sayin'.

[meimeiriver]

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Custom
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=12
Format settings, picture structure : Frame
Duration : 2h 3mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Maximum bit rate : 9 800 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : Component
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Time code of first frame : 01:00:04:05
Time code source : Group of pictures header
GOP, Open/Closed : Open
Color primaries : BT.601 PAL
Transfer characteristics : BT.470 System B, BT.470 System G
Matrix coefficients : BT.601

Nothing wrong with this video, really. Perfectly legit interlaced video.

Seriously, as I said before, don't use any of these crappy re-encoders: you don't need them at all! Simply use something like WinX DVD Ripper (lossless extraction profile), to get a single .mpg file, and you're done. And you won't have a fugly logo on your screen.

[theewizard]

meimeiriver
interesting... but has absolutely nothing to do with the SuezT or this thread
she bought (2) dvds, and she wants a ripped/converted ? backup file to play in portable mode
media players have been suggested, but nobody has suggested streaming pirated movies on a broken Kodi system
a Kodi player was suggested, but only for playing her backup files not for streaming
nobody here has suggested internet streaming

[meimeiriver]

meimeiriver
interesting... but has absolutely nothing to do with the SuezT or this thread
she bought (2) dvds, and she wants a ripped/converted ? backup file to play in portable mode
media players have been suggested, but nobody has suggested streaming pirated movies on a broken Kodi system
a Kodi player was suggested, but only for playing her backup files not for streaming
nobody here has suggested internet streaming

Did you click on Bjs's link I referred to?! It points to a 'fully loaded' Kodi box from China. No biggie really; was merely pointing out that these 'fully loaded' Kodi boxes come with pre-loaded film, most of which (if not simply all) are illegally copied and distributed. And that it would probably behoove posters on this forum not to suggest people get such deals.

[theewizard]

i read the page
i thought they were saying the boxes had links and software to pirate movie websites, an then people complained when those stopped working

NOT that the boxes had movies on them
why would a 'stored' movie pirate or otherwise stop working and be broke, their words not mine

either way i don't think Bjs meant that she should stream pirated movies,
only that a box ready to go, to play her files and would play a variety of formats, was available

[SuzeT]

re post #56
Put the dvd through makemkv, as you thought tv didn't play it. Started, then think it said can not read file.

Then I put that in TSMuxer. After click 'start muxing' has error message "ts MuxeR not found!" Tried to put print screen screenshot in here, didn't work, nor did pasting it into docx word doc or rtf word doc file. Input file is correctly listed, under tracks says tracks 1 +2 one line each for MPEG-2 (profile main@8 resolution 720:576i frame rate 25 & AC3 bit rate 448 kpbs sample rate 48khz channels 5.1

[SuzeT]

I didn't realise any more information on the problem was required other than to say 'tried software abc, xyz' etc & saying tv says 'can not read file'. Nor do I know how to provide more information. My apologies to all. Perhaps what I should've said in the original post was if you need more information let me know & if I don't know how to do that I'll ask you or something like that.

[meimeiriver]

re post #56
Put the dvd through makemkv, as you thought tv didn't play it. Started, then think it said can not read file.

Then I put that in TSMuxer. After click 'start muxing' has error message "ts MuxeR not found!" Tried to put print screen screenshot in here, didn't work, nor did pasting it into docx word doc or rtf word doc file. Input file is correctly listed, under tracks says tracks 1 +2 one line each for MPEG-2 (profile main@8 resolution 720:576i frame rate 25 & AC3 bit rate 448 kpbs sample rate 48khz channels 5.1

That's a very strange error, as the 'start muxing' button suggest tsMuxeR was already running. If you get it to work, mux to .m2ts, preferably.

Also, not sure how you're playing things on your TV, but most of the built-in TV media player software is very strict. If you can find a way to stream to your TV (either from your laptop, or an external machine, like a Zbox, using Kodi, for instance), that would always be highly preferred.

[meimeiriver]

re post #56
Put the dvd through makemkv, as you thought tv didn't play it. Started, then think it said can not read file.

You *do* seem to be plagued by this, Suzanne. But to be specific, what is 'it' here? Is it your TV saying it can't play the file? Or your computer? If your PC can play the file (and your PC was a laptop, right?), then I'd just take your TV out of the loop entirely. Just put your laptop near the TV, connect it via HDMI, and just use Kodi to stream the lot effortlessly to your TV.

[SuzeT]

it's the tv that can't read the file. I've never connected laptop to tv. I use laptop as computer, tv as tv only. If I use laptop after about 7pm don't sleep, often for several days, with a dull headache. Sensitive to the lights. So if I did connect laptop to tv which don't know how (internet is usb stick, not connected to the house or tv) I'd never be able to watch dvd's at night, which is part of the purpose of the whole problem. I don't watch tv during the day as I'm either doing unpaid work/other things that require daylight, on top of that I've never in my life watched tv during the day, I just don't. Everyone is different. Don't have playstation box or the like, don't have time to play games, don't get how adults have time to do that, but everyone is different and females I believe have less time than males, they just do. For eg, like, I'm low maintenance, but still, most blokes take less time to get ready as for a start they generally have less clothes to choose from. Blokes still have to come up with outfits, but it's generally less time consuming. If you don't agree, fair enough. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Would be boring if everyone was the same.

[hech54]

it's the tv that can't read the file.

Exactly.....so why do you keep going on and on about different computer programs that create the same type of file that your television cannot play?
Post the make and model number of your TV so people can tell you how to create a file that the TV will accept......and stop carrying on about some sort of "universal video file that will play on every TV ever made"....it's not going to happen because it's NOT HAPPENING NOW.....your TV's refusal to play your file is living proof.

[SuzeT]

managed to move furniture & climb in behind tv without messing anything up to see if it said the model no. on the back. It says Panasonic TH-42AS700A.

ps did Marketing degree as mature aged student, finishing few yrs ago. That's where I got that Aust gets limited range to other countries, and others get full range as the test market for some products. If you don't agree, fair enough.

[meimeiriver]

it's the tv that can't read the file. I've never connected laptop to tv. I use laptop as computer, tv as tv only. If I use laptop after about 7pm don't sleep, often for several days, with a dull headache. Sensitive to the lights. So if I did connect laptop to tv which don't know how (internet is usb stick, not connected to the house or tv) I'd never be able to watch dvd's at night, which is part of the purpose of the whole problem. I don't watch tv during the day as I'm either doing unpaid work/other things that require daylight, on top of that I've never in my life watched tv during the day, I just don't. Everyone is different. Don't have playstation box or the like, don't have time to play games, don't get how adults have time to do that, but everyone is different and females I believe have less time than males, they just do. For eg, like, I'm low maintenance, but still, most blokes take less time to get ready as for a start they generally have less clothes to choose from. Blokes still have to come up with outfits, but it's generally less time consuming. If you don't agree, fair enough. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Would be boring if everyone was the same.

I'm not entirely sure how you wouldn't be able to watch movies at night, the way I suggest. But, honestly, it's pretty simple. You plug a HDMI cable into your TV. Then, at night, when you're tired, and want to watch a movie, you take your laptop to your TV (laptop, by its very definition, is highly mobile), plug in the HDMI cable that's coming out of your TV into your laptop, start up (free) Kodi, watch whatever you want on your TV, and unplug your laptop again when you're done. Easy-peasy.

[SuzeT]

re post #52 Win X dvd ripper & anydvd are not free, so I can not use them.

[meimeiriver]

managed to move furniture & climb in behind tv without messing anything up to see if it said the model no. on the back. It says Panasonic TH-42AS700A.

ps did Marketing degree as mature aged student, finishing few yrs ago. That's where I got that Aust gets limited range to other countries, and others get full range as the test market for some products. If you don't agree, fair enough.

Your TV has an HDMI input connector just fine.

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/787133/Panasonic-Th-42as700a.html?page=19#manual

[theewizard]

play video using VLC, MPC-HT, or windows media player..does not have to be kodi
plug in hdmi cable tv to pc
tun on tv
from menu select the hdmi input (if more than one) that pc is cabled to
after PC screen appears on TV, start video player of choice and play video
watch on TV

[usually_quiet]

If your PC can play the file (and your PC was a laptop, right?), then I'd just take your TV out of the loop entirely. Just put your laptop near the TV, connect it via HDMI, and just use Kodi to stream the lot effortlessly to your TV.

Kodi would work, but it is a full-fledged media center designed for home theater enthusiasts. It's overkill for casual use and more work to set up than a regular media player.

A number of free PC media players would work for this too, even for playing original DVDs. VLC, PotPlayer, Media Player Classic BE, and Media Player Classic Home Cinema work well for playing commercial DVDs as well as video files.

It is simple enough to set up a PC as a media player using a TV for a display (I have done it with both HDMI and VGA), although a bit awkward to use. However due to the difficulty experienced when converting some DVDs to file form for a TV media player, it is certainly worth consideration as a solution for those times when the TV won't play the converted file.

[meimeiriver]

If your PC can play the file (and your PC was a laptop, right?), then I'd just take your TV out of the loop entirely. Just put your laptop near the TV, connect it via HDMI, and just use Kodi to stream the lot effortlessly to your TV.

Kodi would work, but it is a full-fledged media center designed for home theater enthusiasts. It's overkill for casual use and more work to set up than a regular media player.

A number of free PC media players would work for this too, even for playing original DVDs. VLC, PotPlayer, Media Player Classic BE, and Media Player Classic Home Cinema work well for playing commercial DVDs as well as video files.

It is simple enough to set up a PC as a media player using a TV for a display (I have done it with both HDMI and VGA), although a bit awkward to use. However due to the difficulty experienced by SuzeT when converting some DVDs to file form for a TV media player, it is certainly worth consideration.

Yes, you don't need Kodi per se, of course. But my main point was kinda to back away from the TV's (obviously) limited playback capability, and to just use her laptop to play the movies, and then use her TV to watch them on.

P.S. Whilst Kodi isn't strictly necessary, it's certainly amongst the best; and, come to think of it, it can play DVD folder structures (VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS) directly, so she wouldn't even have to extract anything (just copy the DVD files), let alone convert anything.

[hech54]

managed to move furniture & climb in behind tv without messing anything up to see if it said the model no. on the back. It says Panasonic TH-42AS700A.

ps did Marketing degree as mature aged student, finishing few yrs ago. That's where I got that Aust gets limited range to other countries, and others get full range as the test market for some products. If you don't agree, fair enough.

Page 107 starts the video and audio codecs/containers the TV plays....one caveat I see is "as long as the files were created in a Panasonic product"....which is most likely bullshit but hey....it's a guide.
It also appears that NTFS formatted flash devices don't work....they are suggesting FAT16, FAT32 or exFAT. That will most likely kill any ideas of playing files OVER 1gb(?) in size.

http://www.panasonic.ae/EN/Manuals/TH-60AS700-eHELP-English.pdf

[SuzeT]

Thanks for that hech54. Pavtube files that work .mpg are 1.37GB + 2.19GB. As far as I know, they weren't created using Panasonic products.

[KarMa]

they are suggesting FAT16, FAT32 or exFAT. That will most likely kill any ideas of playing files OVER 1gb(?) in size.

FAT32 store files up to 4GiB. exFAT can currently store a single file up to 128 Pebibytes.

[hello_hello]

Then I put that in TSMuxer. After click 'start muxing' has error message "ts MuxeR not found!" Tried to put print screen screenshot in here, didn't work, nor did pasting it into docx word doc or rtf word doc file. Input file is correctly listed, under tracks says tracks 1 +2 one line each for MPEG-2 (profile main@8 resolution 720:576i frame rate 25 & AC3 bit rate 448 kpbs sample rate 48khz channels 5.1

You didn't try running TSMuxerGUI without unzipping the contents of the zip file first did you?

According to the manual, the Panasonic will play all the common formats, aside from the strange disclaimer about MP4 files. I don't know if that's been the problem. There's no such disclaimer for MKV. It'll play mpeg2 video in ts and m2ts files and TSMuxer can create both. There's nothing specific in the manual about particular USB devices not being supported, but it does say USB hard drives must be FAT or exFAT and hard drives formatted by a PC are not guaranteed to work. It states that hard drives must be connected to mains power in order to work properly. I don't know if that'd include SSDs.

The manual does differentiate between USB flash memory and USB hard drives. The former category is where it's mentioned USB hard drives aren't guaranteed to work, and the latter category is where formatting the hard drive with the TV is mentioned (there's instructions), athough once the TV formats the drive it won't work with anything else until it's formatted again, probably due to the TV's ability to record, to prevent you from playing recorded programs using other devices or copying them etc (the manual refers to formatting a hard drive for "exclusive use" when recording). There's supposed to be a list of tested hard drives but I couldn't get the link to work.

I'm starting to feel a bit lucky. The Samsung TVs here are nearly five years old and it's just a matter of connecting a USB drive and they work. The size limit for a single drive is 2TB, but I can connected a dual drive USB dock to the TV and it'll happily read the contents of two 2TB NTFS formatted drives. The Sony Bluray player is the same age and equally obliging. You might be testing with a TV that's somewhat less co-operative than average.

[theewizard]

" Originally Posted by meimeiriver View Post
If your PC can play the file (and your PC was a laptop, right?), then I'd just take your TV out of the loop entirely. "

I think he means take the USB play function out of the loop

VLC will play DVD folders
And my memory says.... MPC will play ISO images
MPC seems to do a better job with mkv, it does usually see the chapter points vlc does not see mkv chapter points

[meimeiriver]

" Originally Posted by meimeiriver View Post
If your PC can play the file (and your PC was a laptop, right?), then I'd just take your TV out of the loop entirely. "

I think he means take the USB play function out of the loop

Yeah, as in 'Take the horribly limited media playback capability of that TV out of the loop.' Just bypass it altogether. No need for Suzanne to worry herself extra over silly, proprietary Panasonic formatting of the USB stick. Screw 'em! (I wouldn't bother jumping thru their silly hoops either). The TV has an HDMI input connecter; and she has a laptop. And that is all you need, really.

[usually_quiet]

@SuzeT File system restrictions are another wrinkle. FAT32 is supported by nearly all TV media players, but doesn't support files over 4GiB. exFAT and NTFS do allow files over 4GiB, but not every TV supports them. (The TV you are currently using doesn't support NTFS. One of my TVs doesn't support exFAT.)

Unfortunately NTFS is what Windows 7 uses by default when formatting SSDs and is one of the preferred file systems for SSDs. NTFS is better at maintaining data integrity than FAT16, FAT32, and exFAT. FAT16, FAT32 an exFAT all work well on USB flash drives.

It looks like you need to convert all your media files so they are under 4GiB in size so you can use FAT32. You might prefer switching to a FAT32 USB flash drive for media playback, especially if your SSD is NTFS formatted. (Just copy the media file to the flash drive.) 16GB flash drives can store three 4 GiB files, don't take up much space in one's luggage and are far cheaper to replace than external SSDs if you leave one behind.

[meimeiriver]

It looks like you need to convert all your media files so they are under 4GiB in size so you can use FAT32.

Which is precisely, IMHO, why she shouldn't bother. Any DVD9 will very likely have a 'main video' file longer than 4G, which means she'd be forced to re-encode after all (with some rather involved settings on x26, for a newbie, to get it the right max size). That seems like a lot of hassle for someone who just wants to play a video, every now and then.

My vote is still on getting an HDMI cable, and hook up that laptop directly to the TV, and be done with it. But HMMV.

[usually_quiet]

It looks like you need to convert all your media files so they are under 4GiB in size so you can use FAT32.

Which is precisely, IMHO, why she shouldn't bother. Any DVD9 will very likely have a 'main video' file longer than 4G, which means she'd be forced to re-encode after all (with some rather involved settings on x26, for a newbie, to get it the right max size). That seems like a lot of hassle for someone who just wants to play a video, every now and then.

My vote is still on getting an HDMI cable, and hook up that laptop directly to the TV, and be done with it. But HMMV.

I don't disagree, but we are helping someone who wants to handle media playback in a certain way and is unlikely to be persuaded to do something else even if it is substantially more difficult and time-consuming to prepare the media files to be compatible for doing things her way.