Why do some m2ts files play on PS3 while others in the same format don't?

[chrvi]

Hi,

I have used tsMuxerGUI application to "convert" some mkv video files into m2ts so that I can play them from my external HDD via Playstation 3.

The trouble is that my PS3 plays some of the resulting videos without any problem, while others are impossible to play (I would call it stuttering but in fact hardly any frame is ever displayed) although properties of those videos are very very similar.
...and I always use the same settings to mux the videos to m2ts...

Below is media info taken from MediaPlayerClassic for two videos - one of them plays OK via PS3, the other is impossible to play.

Don't you happen to know, what makes the crucial difference in their playback capabilities via PS3?
Any hint is welcome.

Thanks.

1) The OK video:
General
ID : 1
Complete name : G:\Video\3d\Grand Canyon 3D\Grand.Canyon.1080p.DL.DTS.X264.3DSBS.m2ts
Format : BDAV
Format/Info : Blu-ray Video
File size : 3.43 GiB
Duration : 44mn 36s
Overall bit rate : 11.0 Mbps
Maximum Overall bit rate : 35.5 Mbps

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Duration : 44mn 36s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 10.4 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 40.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 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) : 0.209
Stream size : 3.23 GiB (94%)
Writing library : x264 core 104 r1683 62997d6
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=3 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=0 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.0
Language : English

Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Duration : 44mn 36s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 61.3 MiB (2%)

---------------------------------------------------------------
2) the video PS3 refuses to playback:
General
ID : 1
Complete name : G:\Video\testy se stereo zvukem\Looney Tunes Fur of Flying 3D.m2ts
Format : BDAV
Format/Info : Blu-ray Video
File size : 221 MiB
Duration : 3mn 4s
Overall bit rate : 10.1 Mbps
Maximum Overall bit rate : 35.5 Mbps

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=4, N=16
Duration : 2mn 59s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 9 458 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 10 000 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 40.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Variable
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Stream size : 203 MiB (92%)
Writing library : x264 core 107 r1745 4785e8e
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=4 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=abr / mbtree=1 / bitrate=10000 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.41 / aq=1:1.0

Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Duration : 3mn 4s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 4.22 MiB (2%)

[jman98]

I noticed that the 2nd clip has a different "Format profile" from the 1st one. I also noticed that the 2nd clip uses variable frame rate. This could be a problem for the PS3. Maybe those with PS3 experience (I have none) can comment.

[handyguy]

U can try PS3 Media Server, it is free.

[yoda313]

I see both say 3d. Are you playing back on a 3dtv? Are these really 3d files or sbs?

[chrvi]

Sooo... the problem was the variable frame rate in the second video.
I had to transcode the whole video (via mkv2vob, for example) for the result having a constant frame rate.
Such a video can be played fine on PS3 again.

Still, it's quite sad that one has to transcode the whole video just to adjust the frame rate from variable to constant. It's a looong process and it stresses my CPU quite a lot.

I've read some people were somehow able to adjust frame rate in tsMuxerGUI but I can't find a such feature in tsMuxerGUI (and I have the latest version of tsMuxerGUI)... That would definitely be a better solution since I wouldn't have to transcode the video...

Don't you have experience with setting frame rates via tsMuxer?

Thanks.

[jman98]

Still, it's quite sad that one has to transcode the whole video just to adjust the frame rate from variable to constant. It's a looong process and it stresses my CPU quite a lot.

How much money did you pay for those files? Yeah, that's what I thought. When you're downloading for free off the internet, you can't really bitch about what others do. Just understand that a lot of people who makes files available do idiotic things when encoding, either through ignorance (they don't know any better) or incompetence (they misunderstand the ramifications of their encoding choices). We've had a lot of complaints about header stripping causing playback problems in various MKV files, yet people insist on using it. Back in the day it was people using QPel and GMC in Xvid encodes causing problems.

You can change the frame rate in tsmuxer by highlighting the video file and going to the box and changing it, but I'll warn you that I do not think that this will resolve the issue you have. I suppose you could try it as I might be wrong, but I am very doubtful.

[chrvi]

I definitely didn't mean to bitch about what others do. I'm quite grateful for their effort. I was rather sad that something so insignificant at first sight (such as the frame rate mode for me was, since I'm just a ordinary user with a poor knowledge of this stuff) can mean that video which would normally be fine has to be completely reconverted instead...

OK, I take it as you say - it will be necessary to transcode the video.
But just out of my curiosity I'll try muxing some video with the frame rate changed in tsMuxer whether any effect will be noticeable...

[johns0]

Upload a short clip and ill see if it plays on my ps3 and fix it if it cant.