FFmpegx h.264 issues

[chipsahoy1]

hi everyone,

i was wondering if someone could help me with a little issue with ffmpegx 0.0.9v. has anyone ever used MTR to create a VOB file then use ffmpegx to make an h.264 video file for the psp? if so, have you ever encountered ffmpegx creating two separate files, one video file and one audio file?

i recently had this issue and when i imported ffmpegx's video file into my psp's MP_ROOT/100ANV01 folder the video didn't show up in the psp's video menu. when that occurred, i then imported the audio file but that didn't help either. i know the files where on my memory card because they took up space on my memory card.

i didn't change any settings when i imported the VOB file into ffmpegx. i just chose the conversion format "PSP h.264" from the drop down menu. and that was it. anyone have any ideas or suggestions? any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

[major]

The video and audio files are temporary files. They will get erased at the end of the encoding, to the benefit of a file having a special filename, for H264 it will start with MAQ (like MAQ05415.MP4). It is this file that has to be copied in the PSP.

[chipsahoy1]

there are 2 files after ffmpegx is completed it's conversion process. so when i put the video file in the psp, it isn't recognized but i know it's on my memory stick because it takes up space. any other ideas? thanks.

[ThisistheEdge]

As Major says, the video and audio files should disappear at the end of your conversion and only the MAQ.......mp4 file should remain. Don't know why you would have 2 files left at the end of conversion.

[mwest]

Hmmm... I always have files (.mpv, .aac) left over after conversion from AVI (DiVX) to VIDEO_TS. Should they be disappearing after conversion as well?

[chipsahoy1]

thanks for everyone's help.

is anyone else having inconsistent conversions with ffmpegx? not only am i having issues with having a video and audio file after ffmpegx is finished converting a VOB file, but i'm also having issues when using the psp h.264 conversion method getting played on my psp.

after the VOB file is successfully converted using the h.264 method, i import the file into my psp's MP_ROOT/100ANV01 folder. everything is great until i go to play the movie. it shows up under the video menu but when i go to play the movie file it says something along the lines of "unable to play file". is anyone else having this issue?

another issue i just discovered is even though i use the psp h.264 conversion method and the video's resolution is set automatically by ffmpegx, after the conversion and i import the file into my psp i look under the file's information and it reads that it's resolution is 320x240. i noticed that someone else had this issue but they never stated how they corrected the problem.

are these bugs with ffmpegx 0.0.9v? or am i doing something wrong? if i am, please tell me the right way to convert my VOB files using the psp h.264 method!!!! thanks for any and all responses

[major]

Send a clip to major4@mac.com by using yousendit.com and I will check.

[fatespawn]

I'm sorry I don't have advice, but I will say there does not seem to be a problem with the h.264 PSP preset. I just converted a 2hr 14 min film to a file of 323MB that plays GREAT on the PSP.

There's a couple of artifacts here and there and will probably be more on action films, but I figure I can increase the bit rate slightly and still keep movies under 500MB.

For anyone's interest, I did the conversion in about 3:30 with a 1.5Ghz Powerbook using ONLY the ffmpegx presets - no tinkering except to add the movie title (thanks for adding the feature major).

Fate

[Hoblox]

thanks for everyone's help.

is anyone else having inconsistent conversions with ffmpegx? not only am i having issues with having a video and audio file after ffmpegx is finished converting a VOB file, but i'm also having issues when using the psp h.264 conversion method getting played on my psp.

after the VOB file is successfully converted using the h.264 method, i import the file into my psp's MP_ROOT/100ANV01 folder. everything is great until i go to play the movie. it shows up under the video menu but when i go to play the movie file it says something along the lines of "unable to play file". is anyone else having this issue?

another issue i just discovered is even though i use the psp h.264 conversion method and the video's resolution is set automatically by ffmpegx, after the conversion and i import the file into my psp i look under the file's information and it reads that it's resolution is 320x240. i noticed that someone else had this issue but they never stated how they corrected the problem.

are these bugs with ffmpegx 0.0.9v? or am i doing something wrong? if i am, please tell me the right way to convert my VOB files using the psp h.264 method!!!! thanks for any and all responses

Yes i am having a similar problem. Every video i convert will not play on my PSP. I will send Major a video sample as soon as i get round to it.

[PiggyWiggy]

You can use other resolution's than 320x240 but they can't have a higher total than 76800 pixels (That's 320 times 240)... That's simply not supported by the PSP console itself.

About the unable to play file thing, I had the same problem, but converting the file using the same resolution as the source file fixed it for me (Normally the preset sets it at NTSC, but most movies will be NTSC FILM)

[Hoblox]

You can use other resolution's than 320x240 but they can't have a higher total than 76800 pixels (That's 320 times 240)... That's simply not supported by the PSP console itself.

About the unable to play file thing, I had the same problem, but converting the file using the same resolution as the source file fixed it for me (Normally the preset sets it at NTSC, but most movies will be NTSC FILM)

I am running firmware 2.0 and i thought Major said it HAD to be NTSC otherwise it wont work? Ah well its not working anyway so its worth a shot i suppose.

[PiggyWiggy]

If you're running 2.00 than indeed it has to be NTSC... But why don't you update to 2.60? Than you will be able to use different framerates.

[Hoblox]

If you're running 2.00 than indeed it has to be NTSC... But why don't you update to 2.60? Than you will be able to use different framerates.

Cus i like my Homebrew

[PiggyWiggy]

Homebrew isn't possible higher than 1.50 I thought... Never mind I guess ^^ Than any fps other than NTSC won't play...

[Hoblox]

If you're running 2.00 than indeed it has to be NTSC... But why don't you update to 2.60? Than you will be able to use different framerates.

Just had a thought, does it have to be set to NTSC even if it is a PAL movie i am converting to play on a Japanese PSP?

[ThinkDifferent]

I tried to post this sooner, but being new to the forum I couldn't post for 24 hours.

Initially, I was having the same problems that have been reported in this thread until I was able to localize the issue. After thorough testing using clips of various size, I came across a bug that I only happened to notice because I was naming most files "Test," that would always work, while full-length movies I'd name the actual title (e.g., "My PSP Movie"), which would always fail. My finding was that in the options menu, if you choose to name your movie anything other than a single word, the file will not work on your PSP.

Example:

- "MyPSPMovie" - Works
- "My PSP Movie" - Fails

Now that I've figured that out, any file that I export as a VOB with a single audio source using MacTheRipper converts properly in ffmpegX and is then playable on my PSP in the new h.264 format.

Way to go Major!!! But, please squash this little bug at your earliest possible opportunity to do so.

[Hoblox]

I tried to post this sooner, but being new to the forum I couldn't post for 24 hours.

Initially, I was having the same problems that have been reported in this thread until I was able to localize the issue. After thorough testing using clips of various size, I came across a bug that I only happened to notice because I was naming most files "Test," that would always work, while full-length movies I'd name the actual title (e.g., "My PSP Movie"), which would always fail. My finding was that in the options menu, if you choose to name your movie anything other than a single word, the file will not work on your PSP.

Example:

- "MyPSPMovie" - Works
- "My PSP Movie" - Fails

Now that I've figured that out, any file that I export as a VOB with a single audio source using MacTheRipper converts properly in ffmpegX and is then playable on my PSP in the new h.264 format.

Way to go Major!!! But, please squash this little bug at your earliest possible opportunity to do so.

I think i love you.

[major]

- "MyPSPMovie" - Works
- "My PSP Movie" - Fails

Thanks, and quite strange indeed. I'll proceed to remove any spaces from the PSP name. For now I added the information in http://homepage.mac.com/major4/psph264.html

Does the same happen with standard mpeg-4 PSP movies?

[chipsahoy1]

sorry for posting again but i'm having another issue.

i'm converting a vob file using the psp h.264 setting and after the conversion is complete, i play the movie on my desktop and the audio is in a foreign language!!!! i know the vob file has 2 audio tracks, 1 in english the other in a foreign language. but when i set my audio to track 0 under the audio menu and i preview it, the movie plays in english. so i proceed to convert the movie but when it's complete, the audio is still in another language!!!! is anyone else having this problem? how can i resolve this issue? there have been so many issues with ffmpegx 0.0.9v!!!! please help!!! thanks.

[semperfi148]

ThinkDifferent: you are the man

keep up the good work major

[fatespawn]

[quote="Hoblox"]

Now that I've figured that out, any file that I export as a VOB with a single audio source using MacTheRipper converts properly in ffmpegX and is then playable on my PSP in the new h.264 format.

I have to say the only 2 movies I attempted were single-word movies so I stand corrected on my previous post.

Regarding your MTR ripping... how do you rip and convert via ffmpegx? I know the title only technique, but I have never been able to "add audio" with ffmpegx successfully.

[ThinkDifferent]

Regarding your MTR ripping... how do you rip and convert via ffmpegx? I know the title only technique, but I have never been able to "add audio" with ffmpegx successfully.

Here's my procedure for ripping:

1. Load your DVD, launch MacTheRipper, then go to the MODE tab.
2. In the first drop down, choose 'Title Only Extraction'.
3. In the next drop down, choose the title you want (it should be the one with the longest time).
4. Click the D. When you click D, the word DMUX will highlight at the top right handside.
5. Click Streams, and the Stream Window will open. This will show you what the sound tracks and subtitles are. Looking at the soundtracks, select only the audio track you want to include in your extraction. If it's the english audio track, hopefully you will be able to recognize it because it will have "EN" next to it.
6. Click D again. This is important as it will create individual streams if you don't. DMUX should go unhighlighted.
7. Click the Go button to start the extraction.
8. Drop the resulting file into the ffmpegX window.
9. Convert to desired format.

Although, I now have to report that I'm having the same out-of-sync audio issue that others have reported. I may be wrong, but I think it may have to do with whether or not the audio of the source file is 5.1 surround or 2-channel stereo. 2-channel appears to convert just fine, while 5.1 gets further and further out-of-sync as the movie progresses.

[ThinkDifferent]

- "MyPSPMovie" - Works
- "My PSP Movie" - Fails

Thanks, and quite strange indeed. I'll proceed to remove any spaces from the PSP name. For now I added the information in http://homepage.mac.com/major4/psph264.html

Does the same happen with standard mpeg-4 PSP movies?

I honestly don't know; I haven't tried that yet. But, I will just as soon as I get a chance.

[Hoblox]

Bugger, just when i get the whole name thing sorted i have started developing the problem that the previous user has had, where ffmpegx will leave me 2 files, one audio and one video, at the end of the encoding. It never did this before but the last 2 i encoded it did it!

[PiggyWiggy]

I found out the same thing myself, that it actually had to do with the naming... In any case, when inserting spaces, sometimes it WILL work, but the name will be only the first word before the space.. I've been encoding using underscores (_) instead of spaces for 2 days now :P...

With the previous version this wasn't a problem, I didn't try if it happens when using the old preset though... I only recall a problem with the ' symbol... When using that it would act strange...

@Hoblox: Any chance you've used the ' symbol ('''''') when naming? I would get a similar result when using that in the previous version of ffmpegX.

[Hoblox]

I found out the same thing myself, that it actually had to do with the naming... In any case, when inserting spaces, sometimes it WILL work, but the name will be only the first word before the space.. I've been encoding using underscores (_) instead of spaces for 2 days now :P...

With the previous version this wasn't a problem, I didn't try if it happens when using the old preset though... I only recall a problem with the ' symbol... When using that it would act strange...

@Hoblox: Any chance you've used the ' symbol ('''''') when naming? I would get a similar result when using that in the previous version of ffmpegX.

No it seems to have just happened randomly. All very strange.

[inerd]

When encoding standard PSP mpeg-4 files will work with spaces in the title, however they also will not work with apostrophies ('). I get the audio sync problem with h264 with whatever files I've tried so I can't vouch for the 2.0/5.1 idea and yes it does get more and more out as the file goes on, ssuming the video isnt encoded at roughly twice to two thirds normal speed.

One question though, is there a way to add volume to the encoding track? Most films end up being too quiet after and encode and upping its volume by 200% odd would make watching videos better. Apologies if this isn't the thread to ask in.

[ThinkDifferent]

One question though, is there a way to add volume to the encoding track?

Doesn't look like it. You use to be able to add audio gain under the Audio tab when encoding in certain formats, but now that option seems disabled for some reason.

I can't nail down the audio out-of-sync issue either. The only two files that I've converted in-sync were 1-hour animated features. Both came out perfectly. But, I've had no success with full-length feature flicks. I've attempted encoding video at both NTSC Film and NTSC, and used 2.0 and 5.1 audio, but I still can't get a consistent result. I'm REALLY looking forward to all this getting fixed, because the two files that did come out correctly are SUPERB!

Major, any luck tracking this issue down and getting an update out any time soon?

[fatespawn]

ThinkDifferent,

Thanks for your reply above regarding your MTR process.

Regarding your sync issue, I've been using a different process - though it adds a step or 2. I'll rip with MTR initially - but I do a full disk extraction.

Then, I use DVD2ONE to extract the desired audio tracks. I set DVD2ONE at a high enough output size to make sure it doesn't do any compression. Basically, I only use it for the audio extraction.

Then I take the resulting VideoTS folder and combine to a single VOB with YadeX.

I drop the resulting VOB into ffmpegX and compress. I have about 99% success with this method.

Now, how many programs and steps was that? Yikes. But it seems to work - consistently. I remember a LONG time ago I tried many different methods to get the audio to work out right, and I remember that when I extracted the audio with MTR, I got inconsistent results. That's why I asked your process... I would love a one-stop-shop to get a single ffmpegX-friendly VOB.

Fate

[ThinkDifferent]

Fate,

Thanks for the update. I'll have to give your method a try the first chance I get. The really weird part is that using the method I described (MTR to decoding tool), I am able to rip and decode to MPEG-4 SP files using another (PSP specific - rhymes with "PSP Care") tool with 100% success (no video/audio out-of-sync issues). So, I know that MTR is not the culpret.

Major has done an outstanding job in delivering a versatile tool that meets so many different needs. I truly hope he's able to figure out how to overcome this issue at some point.

Think