encode Sony MPEG EX Movie format

[Emiel Schiphorst]

Hardware used:
Sony Cyberframe (PHD-A55)
Sony Digital Videocamera DCR-TRV900E (PAL)
no digital photocamera (yet)

Thanks to information from forums on dpreview, I can prepare and display ANY JPEG (with thumbnail) on the Cyberframe from a memory stick.

The Cyberframe can also display Sony (proprietary) MPEG EX (EXtended) files (but not MPEG HQ (High Quality)). Both 320x240 (Presentation) and 160x112 (Video Mail) can be displayed (with audio). This video output format comes with most Sony digital photo- and videocameras.

I have some experience in capturing and editing Digital Video (DV)
and also in converting from one format to another (also to MPEG-1 and MPEG-2). I now also want to target movies for the Cyberframe from existing videosources (also from the web). Software used: Adobe Premiere 6.5, TMPGenc Plus 2.5, VideoMach 2.7.0, MPEG Properties 1.0, mpeg_dump 1.0, BitrateViewer 1.5.054,
VirtualDub 1.4.13

The challenge:
make / create / produce / convert / encode / write Sony MPEG EX movies from ANY (consumer) video source (AVI, Quicktime, MPEG, MOV etc) or from JPEG or Motion-JPEG.

I have some MPEG EX footage for analysis.

What I do know now about MPEG EX:
- file naming convention: MOV0xxxx.MPG (xxxx: 0001 to 9999)
- required memory stick directory structure: \MSSONY\MOML0001\
- it is specific MPEG-1 encoded
- captured at 8 fps, audio sampled at 4 Khz

Properties by BitrateViewer:
Num. of picture read: 144
Stream type: MPEG-1 VBR
Resolution: 320*240
Aspect ratio: 1:1 VGA
Framerate: 25.00
Nom. bitrate: 104857200 Bit/Sec
VBV buffer size: 20
Constrained param. flag: No
Chroma format: 4:2:0
DCT precision: 8
Pic. structure: FRAME
DCT type: Frame
Quantscale: Linear
Scan type: ZigZag
Frame type: Progressive
Notes:

However, properties by mpeg_properties:
Fixed bit rate
VBV Buffer Size: 40 kByte
System data rate: exactly 0.728 Mbit/s (±88 Kbyte/s)= 4x(0.182 Mbit/s (160x112))
Video: 24-bit color depth, 104.857 Mbit/s (± 12800 Kbyte/s),
Audio: MPEG-1 layer-II, bitrate: 32 Kbit/s, 32000 Hz, mono, 16-bits per channel,
flags: Copyright, Original, Protection bit

When I took a close look (with VideoMach) at the MPEG EX produced, this is my conclusion: after every resulting JPEG frame, 2 empty (or same) frames are copied/inserted by the firmware,
thus resulting in a (closed) IPP MPEG-1 GOP structure, played back at 25 fps (a little bit faster than 3x8 fps). For MPEG HQ I found this to be IIP (logical: capturing at 16 fps).

There are tools that cut each frame in a videostream to seperate (sequential) JPEG files and isolate the audio. From this sequence I can select the I-frames (at 24-25 fps every third) I would like to use.

I'm looking for a (set of) tool(s) for the DOS/Windows platform that can pick up the selected I-frames and generate/insert 2 empty/dummy P-frames after each I-frame (stitch the frames) on a timeline and mix in the audio, all taking into account above MPEG EX properties, so the Cyberframe firmware will probably accept the input. Probably, because until now it's trial and (all) error.

Until now I have not been able to produce an MPEG-1 with above properties with other software. It results in a file error on the Cyberframe.

Can anyone help - with more information - on this subject?
1. anything familiar?
2. are you also trying, looking for a solution for this?
3. would you like to be able to write back to memory stick your MPEG EX edited movies?
4. a Cyberframe user?
5. details on empty/dummy P-frames and how to edit/insert
6. Cyberframe firmware
7. tips on software to use
8. codec used?
9. MProbe demo version available?
10. Neccesary Quantize table settings for both I and P frames?

Thanks in advance for reading and feedback!

[Emiel Schiphorst]

Correction: I now do have a (discontinued) Sony DSC-S85, which can also record MPEG Movie EX. This photocamera can also capture JPEG's (with audio!).

These can also be displayed on the Sony PHD-A55 Cyberframe. What actually happens when you capture a JPEG (with audio) with this camera: a JPEG (of course without audio!) is stored in a memory stick directory and a similar MPEG (with the MPEG-1 layer 2 audio, and I guess also the image information) is stored in a different memory stick directory. Both are required to be able to display a JPEG with audio. They are processed in parallel.

What I do have to find out, is if the MPEG alone can be played on the frame and what the relation is between the JPEG encoded file and the MPEG encoded file.

Is the MPEG encoding on the basis of the JPEG encoded file or is the MPEG encoding already done before the JPEG encoding step? The first situation may open possibilities to find the algorithm/process to encode towards MPEG EX.

Is anyone working on this? I want to be able to convert with software JPEG's or any videosource to Sony (proprietary) MPEG Movie EX, to display it on the digital photo display.

[edummjorge]

I'm trying to find a solution for this too.

I have a Sony DSC-W1, and I'm trying to convert movie files to Sony MPG, so I can use it as a portable video player...


DOES ANYONE HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR THIS?????????
PLEASE HELP, NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!!!!!!!!!