Configuration of the video settings(iPod video 5th gen)

[moki]

Greetings rockbox community,

I must apologize in advance for my bad english. :C

Recently I have installed on my ipod video 5th generation rockbox 3.8.
Now I wanted to test the video plugin.First I had to convert my video files from avi to mpeg.I decided to use WinFF as program.Some of the data for the settings I've taken from here --> http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/PluginMpegplayer.
For example: Frame Rate 14fps or the Video Size 320x240 for 4:3 Full Screen.
Which I still missing is the Video and Audio Bitrate, Aspect Ratio, Sample Rate..

Although the video file is played, but sometimes it`s very jerky.
Maybe someone can help me with the data..?

Thanks in advance!

Kind regards,
moki

[gbl08ma]

Unfortunately, it seems you've done everything correctly. I say "unfortunately", because probably there's not much you can do to make the video less jerky.

The iPod Video has a bad video playback performance when compared to other color LCD iPods Rockbox supports, despite its model name, "video". This is because no one knows how to use the video decoder chip that Apple Firmware uses, thus all the decoding has to be made through the main CPU, and as the iPod Video's screen is bigger, this demands more CPU, and as the CPU is not to the task, it ends up with jerky video.

In conclusion, you'd be much better watching videos through the original Apple's firmware (you can boot into it by turning Hold on just after the iPod is turned on). If you don't like using iTunes (just like me) this will be a major drawback, but the video won't be jerky

[moki]

Hey gbl08ma,

thank you for your response.

Hm, that sounds even less good.What about the missing configuration settings?Video and Audio Bitrate, Aspect Ratio, Sample Rate..?That would be a beginning, I think.
Do you have an idea in this regard?

What the itunes use concerns:

If I want to watch a video with itunes, I save the file as usual with itunes(or in my case with winamp - because Apple ist the enemy) and afterwards boot itunes to watch the file, right?

Greetings,
moki

[Chronon]

The preset in WinFF should be correct for your device.  You might make sure that you have "skip frames" enabled.

[cereal_killer]

Hey moki,

I personally don't use rockbox but the OF to watch videos on my ipod due to the discussed shortcomings.

But if you want an easy and a non-apple program for transferring videos to your ipod I can recommend "copy trans manager". Before that use WinFF with the preset ipod-itunes to convert the video and you're fine.

@Chronon: Maybe I overlooked it, but I couldn't find the "skip frames" setting in WinFF. Could you explain that a little? Would be nice.

Greetings,

c_k

[saratoga]

@Chronon: Maybe I overlooked it, but I couldn't find the "skip frames" setting in WinFF. Could you explain that a little? Would be nice.

I think thats an mpegplayer setting.  It wouldn't make sense for an encoder to skip frames.

[Chronon]

It's a setting in Mpegplayer.  Sorry about the confusion.

[moki]

Hey folks.

The preset in WinFF should be correct for your device.  You might make sure that you have "skip frames" enabled.

Thanks for your advice.I will set it at the next opportunity.

But if you want an easy and a non-apple program for transferring videos to your ipod I can recommend "copy trans manager". Before that use WinFF with the preset ipod-itunes to convert the video and you're fine.

That is not necessary.I am using the drag&drop-method.
But thanks for your advice, too.

moki

[Strife89]

But if you want an easy and a non-apple program for transferring videos to your ipod I can recommend "copy trans manager". Before that use WinFF with the preset ipod-itunes to convert the video and you're fine.

That is not necessary.I am using the drag&drop-method.
But thanks for your advice, too.

moki

If you're using the OF to watch videos, the drag 'n drop method will not work. The OF only recognizes files that are listed in its database, which programs like iTunes update when syncing content.

Presumably, this "copy trans manager" does the same thing, without the bloat of iTunes.

[soap]

1 - Jerky playback is to be expected, to one extent or another, due simply to the fact you're only encoding to 14fps.  I understand why you are decimating the frame rate, but expectations need adjusted as well.

2 - I would be surprised if 14fps is actually the ideal frame rate for your situation:

A:  I assume you have picked this number because it is the one listed in the wiki (old data) as the sustained 4:3 framerate as tested on that player.  I would take that number (assuming it is still valid) as the maximum framerate, not as your target rate.  Leave yourself some headroom.
  
B:  In my experience when decimating frame rates the best results are achieved with division by integers.  30fps material down to 15 or 10fps, 24fps material down to 12 or 8fps.  Unless your source is unique 28fps material, 14fps is not the ideal solution.

3 - If your source material is interlaced it only compounds the visual artifacts.  Progressive content looks better decimated than interlaced content does.  Make sure you address this before conversion.




EDIT:
Ahh, likely too late for OP, who hasn't been here in two weeks.
Oh well.  Hopefully someone will read this and be helped.