HEncoder encoded video not playing - what's wrong with my specs?

[Betelman]

Hi all,

I'll admit I haven't tinkered with this encoder in quite a while, but I DO remember Windows Media and other media players being able to decode my videos back in the day when I was testing. Not only that, but my TV's media player won't recognize it either.

Can someone more knowledgeable and experienced with this encoder take a look at my specs and see where I went wrong here?

Thanks

[LigH.de]

640x480 is no DVD Video compatible resolution.

Furthermore, HCEnc will create pure m2v video. You may want to multiplex it into a container (ProgramStream or TransportStream variants), together with your audio stream, which will be recognized better by your player.

To watch it on your PC, you may want to install LAV Filters or use a player which does not depend on system wide installed decoders but uses an own collection to be independent (VLC, MPC-HC, MPC-BE ...).

[Betelman]

I corrected the issue by removing the resize command line from my script. I re-encoded and still face the same issue.

[LigH.de]

So what exactly is your issue? Players don't detect pure, containerless M2V?

[johns0]

Most older tvs +2 years won't read hcenc videos,just MPEG-4 AVC videos.

[Betelman]

Yes, but why won't Windows Media Player play a simple Mpeg2 video? That's my issue. And my question. AVSPmod won't read it either.

[davexnet]

Try dropping the m2v into mkvtoolnix. Perhaps the MKV will work

[Betelman]

That doesn't sound right. If HEnc makes legit Mpeg2 files, why would I have to now take an additional step after encoding to make it compatible with other media that should really play such an old format to begin with?

[davexnet]

As was explained earlier, some players have problems with the m2v elementary stream

[aedipuss]

.m2v is not the same as .mpg either create .mpg or go with .mp4 video, even most older players will attempt to play that.

[johns0]

Post a mediainfo text read out to make sure your settings are right,the name of the encoder is a bit misleading though cause it sounds like it's hd,why are you encoding to mpeg2 anyways?

[jagabo]

Windows doesn't know that m2v files (mpeg 2 elementary streams) contain MPEG 2 video. WMP also can't deal with it. It needs to be muxed into an MPG (mpeg 2 program stream) container.

[Betelman]

Ah - and thus I can do this with mediainfo?

[manono]

If HEnc makes legit Mpeg2 files, why would I have to now take an additional step after encoding to make it compatible with other media that should really play such an old format to begin with?

HC-Enc does make compliant M2V files. Your problem is you're trying to play it with a useless player - Windows Media Player. It doesn't come with the needed codec. Use a real player, such as the ones LigH.de suggested. MPC-HC (the one I use) has no problem with M2V video files.

I think installing ffdshow will also fix your problem.

[Betelman]

No worries about WMP. But my ultimate goal is to play it on my Roku TV, and it's just not registering.

[Betelman]

I'm encoding to Mpeg2 because it's an Mpeg2 video in the first place . When I try to re-encode to x264, my color levels are out of whack (bright, washed-out looking video)

[davexnet]

You can use ffmpeg from the command line to create the mpg program stream:

ffmpeg  -fflags +genpts -i input_file.m2v -c:v copy  -f vob  output_file.mpg

Or the mkv suggested earlier also works, just wraps the m2v in the mkv container, no re-encoding

[jagabo]

Long ago I used to use the old free version of TMPGEnc to mux m2v (and AC3) into MPG (File -> MPEG Tools...). These days I use ffmpeg (though I rarely have the need).

Though it's not a good practice, just renaming the .m2v file with an .mpg extension might be enough for your TV to play it.

I'm encoding to Mpeg2 because it's an Mpeg2 video in the first place . When I try to re-encode to x264, my color levels are out of whack (bright, washed-out looking video)

Then you're doing it wrong.

[manono]

You can also make a real MPG out of it using ImagoMPEG-Muxer. I'm not entirely sure whether or not you need an audio track.

[Betelman]

Then you're doing it wrong.

So after doing some tinkering, I realized something: This "washed out" look only appears in my JVC Roku TV. This TV does not handle SD color gradients well, and so color gradients tend to "crawl'' and look really distorted on this set. Again, this is for SD videos only, and I have seen the pattern on this TV with most SD vids.

However, on my Sharp Roku TV, this "washed out'' look isn't an issue. This TV handles SD gradients well, though.

Any thoughts?

[jagabo]

I realized something: This "washed out" look only appears in my JVC Roku TV. This TV does not handle SD color gradients well, and so color gradients tend to "crawl'' and look really distorted on this set. Again, this is for SD videos only, and I have seen the pattern on this TV with most SD vids.

Try upscaling to HD.

[Betelman]

Wait, WHAT? I thought it was pointless to do this with SD material (720X480). I could have sworn I read in these threads for years that this did not improve on the material whatsoever. and that upscaling, in fact, resulted in errors. Please explain - I'm intrigued.

[jagabo]

You said one of your devices doesn't handle SD gradients well but works fine for HD. So I suggested upscaling to HD to avoid that problem.

[Betelman]

Is there a proper script to do it wothout dostorting it?