Video Encoder Trial

[Llorean]

Linuxstb found what appears to be a very handy video encoder for Windows and Linux users, and I've created a list of presets for it for the various color Rockbox targets.

It's on the PluginMpegplayer wiki page, named "WinFF". I've included very, very, very basic instructions for use, because honestly it's not a terribly complex program (very point and click) and most of you should just need to select your player from the dropdown and convert.

I would like some feedback as to whether the files seem to play fullspeed, and whether the visual quality is where you'd like it. (If the visual quality is lower than you'd like, disable frame rate limiting, stop playback, and then re-run the file, and see what sort of FPS you get without it, compared to what the file's FPS is, to give me a small idea of if there's elbow room).

For those of you with Coldfire targets (H300, iAudio X5), there may be some current issues, with framerates (I have a 10fps test file that's playing at 15fps in Rockbox for some reason), but feedback on whether you feel this method is 'good enough' in terms of the process is still welcome.

As well, if you feel the instructions should be improved, feel free, or suggest here. I know I left them VERY scant, but 'eh, I'm lazy, and I'll improve them if it's needed.

[Soader03]

I just tried this program and replaced the .xml file on the wiki and it doesn't work. It said that my video is corrupted or something like that but my video is fully fine.

[Llorean]

Okay, you know that we can't do anything to help without *actual* error messages.

What exactly does it say?

[Mad Cow]

I'm pretty sure this is a problem with ffmpeg, but it can't resample audio with more than 2 channels.

[Llorean]

Try adding

Code: [Select]

-ac 2 to the optional parameters and see if that makes it convert to 2 channels and then resample.

[Mad Cow]

That let it start encoding, I'll tell you if it encoded properly after it finishes.

[Llorean]

I'm not likely to add -ac 2 to the presets (wouldn't want to force mono files into stereo) but if it does we can make a note about it on the wiki page.

Oh, if you add

Code: [Select]

-fs 5000 you get an ~5,000 kilobyte (~5mb) file. This can be used to limit how much you encode when you just want to test if something works, but don't want to try it on a full file. Of course, tweak the size to taste, it should just encode the first X minutes of the file at the chosen settings until the output file reaches that size.

[Mad Cow]

Cool, could you post the other options?

[Llorean]

Here's the full list of options you can put in the advanced options box, I've attached it as a text file because there are a lot.

I can't promise which of these will or won't result in a working file, so tinker at your own risk.

[attachment deleted by admin for age]

[soap]

Every file I try to convert leads to the "Program Error" dialogue box that says:
"ffmpeg.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows.  You need to restart the program.  An error log is being created."

Though I can not find said error log.

[Llorean]

Hm. What edition of windows are you on?

You could try compiling (or finding a precompiled) ffmpeg.exe and ffplay.exe and replace the ones that come with WinFF with ones that actually work on your windows.

[soap]

I'm on Windows 2k.
I'm at work now, but when I get home, I'll do the magic "Fix Windows Problems" trick (reboot), and try again.
I was thinking about replacing ffmpeg.exe, but I didn't want to create a hard-to-troubleshoot situation where I was using different versions of the software than everyone else.

The first file I tried was XviD with AC3 audio, so I tried a second file with XviD and MP3 audio (but 1080 lines of resolution), I figured that too might be causing problems so I tried a third with a saner resolution and MP3 audio.
I guess I haven't tried any non-XviD sources, I will also try that when I get home.

[Llorean]

I've encoded XViD with AC3, DiVX with MP3, and a few others that I didn't pay attention to without problem.

I'd say first just try running ffmpeg.exe on its own, and see if it crashes, that'll tell you if it's hating your inputs, or it's hating itself.

[soap]

Rebooting Windows did not solve my problem.
I found this page of ffmpeg windows precompiled SVN checkouts.
SVN r6830 and all previous builds work fine on my computer (though some older ones don't like newer XviD encodes).
SVN r7087 and all later builds crash with the same error I reported earlier.

I just bring this up since I consider the problem resolved well enough (I'll investigate more later, possibly.)

[MU4L]

Yep, I'm encountering a similar problem to soap, although it seems that mine is more hit and miss; that's to say that some files work (files recorded and re-sized via GigaPocket on my VAIO desktop), whilst the majority do not (DVD rips and files recorded by a newer DVB-T USB device).

I can upload a small file if necessary.

MU4L

P.S. I seem to be getting around 5-8FpS with yesterday's build (as opposed to the full 10FpS), although audio is playing full speed. I could also upload the test file if necessary.