Video conversion causes timeline change in video players?

[jaybird]

HI everyone! Haven't posted in a LONG, LONG time. I need help. I am using a program called "ffdiaporama" to develop custom art slide show presentations. The end product of this program is an mp4 file.

This mp4 is going to be played by a proprietary video player that requires .h264 extension. The only way that I can get it to play is to run mp4 through Avidemux 2.6, convert video to RAW and rename file extension to .h264. Then it plays beautifully @ HD 1920x1080 on a 60" flat screen

However, it seems that the conversion process alters the timeline as seen by the player (5:48 min. video becomes a 16:45 min. video as seen by the player. This in turn seems to cause confusion with the stop, start, menu, re-enter program buttons on the mini keyboard controller we use (buttons are mapped back properly). A standard wired USB keyboard and mouse give same results.

The basic input commands do work but seem to get confused after initial command, example: control C, exit program but try to resume play (G then enter, program either freezes or takes a very long time to re-enter slide show) Again, seems to be a timing issue?

We have a test video that uses a .h264 extension that was provided for our use and it works properly.

Some how I need to find out how that "test.h264" file was constructed and how to convert my mp4 to the proper format with the .h264 extension..

OBTW, have tried constructing slide show using ffdiaporama as: ,avi. .mkv, mjpeg, mpeg, etc., nothing seems to work except mp4 to Avidemux, de-multiplex to RAW, rename extension to .h264.

Any help, thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Regards,
jaybird

[Baldrick]

What is raw in avidemux? Video only?

Have you tried ffmpeg or mp4box?

c:\ffmpeg\ffmpeg.exe -i c:\video\video.mp4 -c:v copy -an c:\video\video.h264

or

c:\ffmpeg\ffmpeg.exe -i c:\video\video.mp4 -c:v copy -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb -an c:\video\video.h264

Run from the start->run or command line.

[jaybird]

Thank you for your quick reply!

raw in Avidemux is video only. The video came from an mp4 constructed by the "ffdiaporama" slide presentation program.

Sorry, I have never used ffmpeg or mp4box and have little experience with command line programs, I am basically an artist, photographer and videographer with a strong background in digital graphic art and pc hardware.

From what I am learning though, it would seem all I really need to know is what is the actual "container" being used by the ".h264" file we have called "test.h264". The file was provided in the OS we are using. I wish I could provide more info but we are in beta testing time frame and what we are doing may be considered "proprietary" as we are also doing a patent search as I write this.

Bottom line, how do I find out what the actual container is that is being used in the "test.h264" file we are using?

Again, thank you for your quick reply and any help is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
jaybird

[Baldrick]

Open the h264 with mediainfo. CHange to view->text and copy everything. Post in this thread.

[jaybird]

Thanks, I just found Mediainfo and VidCoder last night, here is the test file that works with our "player":

Complete name : L:\test.h264
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
File size : 29.6 MiB

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Color range : Limited

Here is the file that we need to run:

General
Complete name : C:\Documents and Settings\Jacques\My Documents\My Videos\movie.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 162 MiB
Duration : 5mn 48s
Overall bit rate : 3 907 Kbps
Movie name : movie
Performer : JPF
Composer : ffDiaporama 1.6
Recorded date : 2015
Encoded date : UTC 2015-03-31 08:41:42
Tagged date : UTC 2015-03-31 08:41:42
Writing application : Lavf54.63.104

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 5mn 48s
Bit rate : 3 740 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 8 000 Kbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.060
Stream size : 156 MiB (96%)
Writing library : x264 core 130 r2274 c832fe9
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=1 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=0 / rc=abr / mbtree=0 / bitrate=8000 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=8800 / vbv_bufsize=16000 / nal_hrd=none / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date : UTC 2015-03-31 08:41:42
Tagged date : UTC 2015-03-31 08:41:42

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 5mn 45s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 160 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 6.58 MiB (4%)
Encoded date : UTC 2015-03-31 08:41:42
Tagged date : UTC 2015-03-31 08:41:42

Menu
00:00:00.000 : 4000 X 2250 Snow Lamp.jpg

I am learning at an accelerated rate but at almost 70 things slow down just a wee bit!

Regards and again, thanks!

jaybird

[Baldrick]

Try mymp4boxgui. Under Demux open the mp4. Select the video track. Click demux. And you should get a .h264 file in same folder. Try play it.

[jaybird]

Baldrick, it works but still have the same problem: altered time line seems to mess with timing of key strokes?

Our "player" does not play audio, any audio in the stream and it does not "see" the video file.
When mp4 is "demuxed" and a .h264 file is created in mymp4boxgui for what ever reason, the length of the file (as seen by the player as well as "The KMPlayer") is doubled on the time line, ie.: original mp4 is 5min 49sec long, after demuxing it is 10min 98 sec (thats the actual wording on the time line).

I can find no way to delete the audio track in ffdiaporama when producing our "slide presentation" (mp4).

So it looks like my code writers may have to add audio to our present video player unless you have more ideas? We really do not need or want audio in our player if at all possible.

Regards,

jaybird

[jaybird]

OBTW, I tried to run demuxed .h264 through VidCoder to correct reference frames but with no audio track present it showed no time line so it would not encode file?

Really frustrating!

jaybird

[Baldrick]

No. I have no ideas.

[jaybird]

Forgot to send this along if it would be of any help?

from Mediainfo on "new" conversion file:

General
Complete name : C:\Documents and Settings\Jacques\My Documents\My Videos\movie (Encoded)_track1.h264
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
File size : 23.2 MiB
Writing library : x264 core 130 r2273 b3065e6
Encoding settings : cabac=0 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=3 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=300 / keyint_min=30 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=10 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=2000 / vbv_bufsize=2000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L2.0
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Writing library : x264 core 130 r2273 b3065e6
Encoding settings : cabac=0 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=3 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=300 / keyint_min=30 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=10 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=2000 / vbv_bufsize=2000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Color range : Limited

[poisondeathray]

Can you upload the file that works?

Mediainfo only displays some of the information



Or it might be better to use other playback software ? Do you have to use this application ?

[newpball]

So it looks like my code writers may have to add audio to our present video player unless you have more ideas? We really do not need or want audio in our player if at all possible.

How about just adding a totally silent track?

By the way H.264 is very good at optimizing stills which will obviously be essential for art presentations. You may want to see if your software can pass on encoding flags.

[jaybird]

The player will not see the file if an audio track is part of the video.

However, I have found one file that works 90% (all of our key strokes work except 1, that is a mapping problem that we can solve).

I will up load both, the one that works 100% (test.h264), the one that works 90%(first1080P.h264) and the original (movie.mp4) that is the complete original file produced by the ffdiaporama program.

Yes, we have to use our program (long story). It has a h264 codec built in but for some reason it will only play files, raw or h264 that have been demuxed.

Can't seem to send first file through, will try in another post>

Regards,

jaybird

[newpball]

The player will not see the file if an audio track is part of the video.

Really, what kind of a device is this?

Does the flat screen have a USB input, perhaps you can actually avoid this proprietary gem.

[jaybird]

Sorry, there is a reason in our "madness" because of patent and copyright issues I cannot go into that here. suffice to say, we are stuck with it for now.

[jaybird]

Going to try the second file, the one that works!

First file, movie.mp4 is the file produced by "ffdiaporama" slide presentation program.

Second file is the "test" file that actually works correctly.

Just notified, "security token" issue, cannot upload second file? Any ideas?

[poisondeathray]

Only certain extensions are allowed to be uploaded this this board. Put it into a zip file with 7zip, winrar, etc...

[jaybird]

Ok, lets try this again:

http://files.videohelp.com/u/45262/test.zip

Don't understand why attachment didn't show up but this may work?

Regards,
jaybird

[poisondeathray]

Some differences are short GOP's (24) , max 1 consec b-frame, 8 slices, deblocking disabled, CAVLC . So I would try encoding with those parameters

There is no timing information in the working file . Most elementary video streams will have FPS or timing information (num units ticks, timescale) in the header

The longer max GOP's in the "defective" files (they were 250 and 300, not 24) partially explain the navigation issues (short GOP's will navigate better, faster/snappy more accurate seeks), but not the total duration issue. I don't have an explanation of the total duration or playback time . The total playback time would usually be "fixed" by using container timestamps (ie. you put it into a container) . In the absense of a container , and no FPS info in the header, I have no idea how your player "knows" what FPS to play the working file. It must be "guessing" .

If the player is part of your application /NDA - You should seriously re think what you're doing. Elementary streams are not meant to be played without a container. Get your engineer or programmer to fix that. Unless you expect it to work only part of the time with your customers. Or if encoding is part of the application to make it compatible to play in the player, get your programmer to address that .