Problems converting larger than 640x480

[Karlton]

Hello,

I'm on a Mac and using ffmpegX and trying to convert my 720x480 .mov files into mpeg2. Or at least m2v and ac3 so I can mux them later.

I've kept the video settings the same in ffmpeg as the .mov source files 720x480 / 3:2 / ntsc 29.97. The challenge I've run into is that when I hit encode, they come out the other end as 640x480. Is there some options I'm over looking?

Thanks in advance for your time.

-K

[Baldrick]

Moving you to our ffmpegx section.

[Case]

I'm trying to convert my 720x480 .mov files into mpeg2. Or at least m2v and ac3 so I can mux them later.
I've kept the video settings the same in ffmpeg as the .mov source files 720x480 / 3:2 / ntsc 29.97. The challenge I've run into is that when I hit encode, they come out the other end as 640x480. Is there some options I'm over looking?

The 640x480 is QuickTime's number to reflect the 4:3 (not 3:2!) aspect ratio. If you would drop the output .mpg or .m2v back onto ffmpegX, then you could read in the Summary that the video is recognized as the true resolution of 720x480.
Note that MPEG-2 video at 720x480 (for DVD) only knows two aspect ratios: 4:3 and 16:9, both with the 720x480 resolution. See this image, as illustration how such aspect ratios work with that same resolution.

[Karlton]

Case, thanks so much for that break down, that does make sense. A lot of the video PAR stuff is over my head at times.


I'm running into a different issue now. The mux tool is giving me audio only. The tool seems so simple, add mpg, add ac3, pulldown to mpeg-2, click mux. I dont know that I'm missing anything.

And on a different note, the audio that ffmpegx encodes for me comes out the other end as zero kb. Is that normal? That isnt a huge issue, but having to deal with audio through a different app, does add one more step in a workflow.

Thank you again.

[Case]

The mux tool is giving me audio only. The tool seems so simple, add mpg, add ac3, pulldown to mpeg-2, click mux. I dont know that I'm missing anything.

Add .m2v as video, add .ac3 as audio, keep mux format at 'DVD', uncheck 'Author as' if you just want the .mpg output (without the VIDEO_TS folder). (screenshot)

And on a different note, the audio that ffmpegx encodes for me comes out the other end as zero kb. Is that normal? That isnt a huge issue, but having to deal with audio through a different app, does add one more step in a workflow.

Hard to say, without having a look at the log.
After conversion, click the blue "i" in the ffmpegX Progress window. A new window should pop up, titled 'Process Information'. This is the log of what ffmpegX was doing. It may contain errors. If you post that log here, I could have a go at analyzing it.

[Karlton]

Awesome Case, thanks for the screen shot on the settings for muxing. Hopefully this round, (if your still willing to help me out), will get me working correctly.

Muxing: with those settings, an m2v and ac3, ended up getting me an mpg that had visuals and no audio. Here is the process info for that http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/8316/muxednoaudio.jpg

I have process info for you here: http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/8316/muxednoaudio.jpg which is when I try to split my mov into an m2v and ac3, but the ac3 ends up being a dud with a file size of zero.

I really do appreciate the help, if you need design work done I'd be happy to help you out.

[Case]

Muxing: with those settings, an m2v and ac3, ended up getting me an mpg that had visuals and no audio. Here is the process info for that.

The log looks okay, and seems to imply that the ac3 audio was included. What application did you use to check that the .mpg has no audio? (QuickTime Player is known to NOT output AC3 audio in muxed MPEG files. Use a different player, e.g. VLC, MPlayer or MPEG Streamclip.)

I have process info for you here: which is when I try to split my mov into an m2v and ac3, but the ac3 ends up being a dud with a file size of zero.

This log is the very same log as above.

[Karlton]

Hey Case, Sorry about that. I have re-encoded a mov to recreate the problem. Once I encode the mov, the visuals are fine, but the ac3 file has no file size. Ive tried opening it in apack, and VLC with no luck. In the "Get Info" panel it says zero kb as well. Here is that Process Info: http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/2748/badac3file.jpg

Mux: I inputed a m2v and ac3 (which did have audio). Once muxed the mpg seems to have no audio. I didnt know that about QuickTime, so I checked it with VLC and MPEG Streamclip, they didnt play the mpg with audio either.

However, a new twist. I uploaded it to Imageshack. which automatically read it as an mp4... and that file does play the audio. Its too bad that I need it in an mpeg2 not 4.

Thanks again.

[Case]

Can you post what ffmpegX's Summary says about the source file? (example)
Can you post what QuickTime's Movie Inspector (Cmd-I) says about the source file? (example)

[Karlton]

Case for President... of Middle Earth.

Get Info

ffmpegx Summary

I see one thing out of place... Lets c if you sea what I see



* Back an hour later after experimenting in the lab. * (old batman/robin style transition)

I think this is almost a wrap. I have re rendered the file out of After Effects 6.5. Thinking that it could have been an issue with the source mov.

When I do a render of the file as a quicktime and compression set to "none". ffmpegx doesnt think theres any video... and when exported it gives me video with no audio.

When I render the file as a quicktime and compression set to "animation" ffmpegx recognizes that theres video and audio, and exports it as a muxed mpg for me. So it doesnt even look like Id need to run the mux tool on it.

Does that sound right to you on how this app should work?

Seems strange that the none compression would give me a problem. have you heard of that before? Also is there a difference between how VLC reads a file and MPEG Streamclip? From VLC Im getting full A/V playback. from MPEG Streamclip im getting only visual playback, same as QT.

[Case]

When I do a render of the file as a quicktime and compression set to "none". ffmpegx doesnt think theres any video... and when exported it gives me video with no audio.

ffmpegX thinks the audio is "pcm_u8, 720 Hz, 0 channels". I hope you chose better settings than "Linear PCM 8 bits unsigned", like try "Linear PCM 16 bits big endian, 48000 Hz, stereo (two channels)". My export settings do not allow selecting 720 Hz (8000 minimum), nor 0 channels. Is that audio recognition way off, too?
Not recognizing any video, but converting it anyway... that may seem weird. ffmpegX has three ways to read a source file for conversion (three decoders): ffmpeg, mplayer, quicktime. I think ffmpeg is used for recognition for most files, and mplayer for some other files (e.g. MPG/VOB). So far quicktime has never been used for recognition, but it can be invoked for decoding. So, if ffmpeg doesn't recognize (quicktime) video, it may still convert fine, depending on decoder settings. I hope that makes sense.
Those are the breaks when a developer puts 20 tools from different sources into one user interface.

When I render the file as a quicktime and compression set to "animation" ffmpegx recognizes that theres video and audio, and exports it as a muxed mpg for me. So it doesnt even look like Id need to run the mux tool on it.

It seems to me like you found a workflow that works for you.

Seems strange that the none compression would give me a problem.

"No compression" saves a raw RGB video, which may have rather poor support in non-QuickTime apps. I think that is why the recognition routine in ffmpegX came up with nothing on the video. Perhaps a future update of ffmpegX will change that.

Also is there a difference between how VLC reads a file and MPEG Streamclip? From VLC Im getting full A/V playback. from MPEG Streamclip im getting only visual playback, same as QT.

There was an issue in MPEG Streamclip (not sure which version) on Mac OS X 10.6.3 with sound in MPEG files, which was recently fixed in MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b3 beta. See the News on the Squared 5 home page. Could that be it?

[Karlton]

Is that audio recognition way off, too?

Its off when I put in the raw, non compressed files. but the summary is normal when I compress with animation

"No compression" saves a raw RGB video, which may have rather poor support in non-QuickTime apps.

I was getting problems with my non compressed files in iSkysoft Video Converter too. It just crashed the program every time. However it seems that as long as the files arent in that raw RGB non compressed form it works just fine. I'm a bit surprised that this is the first time I've heard about "no compression" problems for video conversion. Then again I always used Compressor 1.2 back in the day, and as long as your Qmaster works its pretty smooth sailing.

There was an issue in MPEG Streamclip (not sure which version) on Mac OS X 10.6.3 with sound in MPEG files, which was recently fixed in MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b3 beta. See the News on the Squared 5 home page. Could that be it?

And Bingo was his name-O

Again thank you so much for the help. The files just need to pass muster on the other end of production, but I don't see how this could go wrong. Hopefully I'll get some good news about it tomorrow.