What do people use to play x264 format?

[EatMoreChickens]

Do ppl play it on their computer, or do they convert it for playback on a HD-DVD/Blu-Ray system?

Or is their a stand alone system that plays this format? Like a PS3?

[bog_]

I have been using my Apple TV for almost a year to play movies on my 32" LCD HDTV.


I sync content to it and also stream over my wireless network.

[yoda313]

I imagine there is also support these days for it on those external harddrive media players. You just pop in a harddrive and attach the unit to tv. Each one will have its own codec criteria of what it can and can't do.

[EatMoreChickens]

AppleTV, eh? didn't consider that. Does HD content stream well? I noticed there's a USB port, can you plug in a flash drive w/ video content?

this might be too much to ask, but does AppleTV play rmvb?

[Baldrick]

HTPC or a media center like www.popcornhour.com .

[EatMoreChickens]

will DVD manufacturers produce players w/ h.264 compatibility in the future? I know the "DVD Player list" has a few like Kiss, but will mainstream companies like Philips release h264 players?

[jman98]

AppleTV, eh? didn't consider that. Does HD content stream well? I noticed there's a USB port, can you plug in a flash drive w/ video content?

this might be too much to ask, but does AppleTV play rmvb?

AppleTV has SERIOUS lmiitations, so many that it may be completely unsuitable for some people. Note that it refuses to play anything above 720p for many if not all video types. You can do research and find out what it does and doesn't support.

[EatMoreChickens]

are there any new methods to playing x264 on to a HDTV? Stand-alone? I have a PS3 and a Wii, can I stream it through one of these devices?

Is there a reason files are 4.3 and 8.0gb? What method can ppl play them directly off a disc?

[t0nee1]

Yes streaming to the PS3/Xbox360 over my wireless net or play from disc is what I do..And it works great..Streaming with TVersity....The sizes correspond to typical 4.3GB=DVD-5 disc size, 8.0GB = DVD-9 disc size....

[poisondeathray]

are there any new methods to playing x264 on to a HDTV? Stand-alone? I have a PS3 and a Wii, can I stream it through one of these devices?

Is there a reason files are 4.3 and 8.0gb? What method can ppl play them directly off a disc?

The most common reason people make files ~4.3 & 8.0 GB is probably to backup on DVD5 and DVD9, because that media is much cheaper than blu-ray media right now

You can use HTPC to play directly off disc. However, it has to be in AVCHD format to play directly off a disc in a blu-ray player (it won't "understand" the .mkv or .mp4 container). Note that the overhead for transport streams is much higher than .mkv or .mp4, so if you remux it to AVCHD, you often go over the size limit if you've made an .mkv or .mp4 that is exactly 4.37GB

[t0nee1]

Actually the PS3 and the Xbox both play AVC in .mp4 container from disc...

[poisondeathray]

Actually the PS3 and the Xbox both play AVC in .mp4 container from disc...

Correct; "blu-ray player" in my statement referred specifically to stand-alone blu-ray players

That is why PS3 is so nice

[EatMoreChickens]

are there pre-built HTPC? I heard some ppl use the HP slimline or modify an Apple mini.

The 4.3 and 8.0gb size really baffles me. If most ppl are playing them off HTPC, does size matter? Why not make them 4.1 and 7.5gb and allow them to be convert to m2ts, AVCHD or BD5. (Obviously quality will suffer a bit)

If you play them off a disc on a Xbox or PS3, won't the files need to be re-coded to fit on a disc?

Other than re-encoding the files, what other choices are there to fit a 4.3gb movie on an DVD+R for playback on a stand-alone(XBOX/PS#)? Is overburning an option? am I missing something? TIA

[poisondeathray]

HTPC has the most utility and can play back everything, because even PS3/XBOX360 have limitations on the AVC Profile (i.e. they have to meet specific compliance requirements to be compatible) - e.g. If you use an unrestricted high quality HIGH AVC Level >4.1 with many b-frames and pyramids - only the HTPC can play it back

Correct: filesize doesn't matter on HTPC. Don't buy prebuilt HTPC, because you often get inferior components. Always best to pick and choose for the best price/performance

Ripbot264 is a great tool if you want to make AVCHD disks on DVD5 or DVD9 for standalone units - it can calculate the correct size and encodes/authors it into this format, once your rip your blu-ray with anydvd correctly

Overburning is usually not an option (you might be able to squeeze 1 or 2 MB), because the overhead is usually much greater (sometimes 100MB larger). If you already made an .mkv that is 4.3GB, you can try putting it into tsmuxer, and create a blu-ray disk - you will see it's oversized.

Another limitation of standalone blu-ray is that the full frame size has to be standard (e.g. 1920x1080, 1280x720), not the cropped mod16 size. So if you made a .mkv with cropped borders, you would have to re-encode anyways with the AddBorders() function in avisynth. Conversely, HTPC has the ability playback anything.

[t0nee1]

Hey poisondeathray, yeah the PS3 does rock...I wasn't trying to correct you, just pointing the PS3's playing capabilities... 8)
I've been using Xvid4PSP to .mp4, max size 4GB,and let me tell you it's worked great so far, for me..

[poisondeathray]

Yeah t0nee1, I started playing with Xvid4PSP - it's really a nice piece of software.

I still use MeGUI for everything, but Xvid4PSP is an easier to use GUI IMO. My only gripe was that you couldn't control psytrellis/psyrdo and AQ, but that has been fixed in the last update!

[EatMoreChickens]

thanks for all the insight, poison & t0nee1.

How long does Ripbot264 to convert a file? I have a 6600 Care 2 OC'd to 2.9Ghz w/ 4gb. Do the new Penryn chips make a difference like the Q9450?

[poisondeathray]

How long does Ripbot264 to convert a file? I have a 6600 Care 2 OC'd to 2.9Ghz w/ 4gb. Do the new Penryn chips make a difference like the Q9450?

Q9450 is a Penryn

It's impossible to say "how long" it depends on the settings, the frame size, the filters used...etc...

Ripbot264 is just a front end. All x264 encoders will take the same encoding time if you use the same settings/filters etc...

I don't make "backups" anymore (HD space is so affordable now), but it usually takes overnight to a day on most backups with a quad @ 3.6, depending on settings used

[EatMoreChickens]

Sounds like a lot of ppl stream through media servers and use TVersity on a PS3/Xbox360.

Spending a day converting is too long, especially w/ the number of movies available.

Do you use Xvid4PSP for movies you're putting on a PSP or iPod?

[poisondeathray]

Sounds like a lot of ppl stream through media servers and use TVersity on a PS3/Xbox360.

Spending a day converting is too long, especially w/ the number of movies available.

Do you use Xvid4PSP for movies you're putting on a PSP or iPod?

If this is addressed at me, I don't convert movies any more. I just make backups on the HD and HTPC, it takes minutes vs. a day and HD space is affordable now.

If you decide to stream, you have to make sure your movies use complaint settings with your device. Each device has it's "quirks" on what it will/will not accept, and a quick search will reveal this

I use HTPC for everything, so if I do convert something, like make AVCHD camcorder home movies, etc... I am not limited by AVC Profile restrictions, or stereo audio in the xbox360, for example.

Yes, you can use Xvid4PSP for PSP or ipod

[t0nee1]

I use Xvid4PSP for creating .mp4's to either stream or burn to the PS3/ Xbox360 ..I don't have an ipod ,so can't help you there..I normally just do my converting at night(overnight)...Or if you're in a hurry try the Fast encoding 1-pass encode...Works pretty good (the quality is not bad at all,try it)..I'm getting ready to build a faster PC, as you can see in my PC details.... It's been a while since last upgrade....Intel quad core coming soon...Any suggestions anyone?
Budget to midrange....I'm a const. guy, and you all know what that's like these days...
@OP,sorry to (kinda) highjack your thread...

[DaneX]

What settings are you using to make files to play with PS3 in Xvid4PSP ?

Cheers

[hobbes4444]

I'm using the Memorex MVB2510 BD player with USB port to play HD files. It will not play files in an .mkv container, but it will play .ts files. For .mkv I use tsmuxer to change the files to .ts (and level 4.0). Works pretty well thusfar. There's some info on avsforum's thread on the memorex player.