ZProcess: MP4 Play Error

[Keldair]

Ok I made a small sample for you to download.

It's 54 megs at about 2:30 minutes, but it's also extracted from the exact file (a dvd rip I made with Nero) so it's full dvd quality with AC3 sound.

Sample

[zehd]

OK. Here is version 1002.

I've have revisited the mechanism to check dimensions and fps for non avis and really sped that up.

In fact it was so fast, I temporarily blocked the AVI api in favour of the new code.

But a NeroDigital is still a pig. (slow transcoding file) So here's how I tweaked my ZProcess.

• First, I have both fast and slow machines I tested this with, so I think this step is important. Increase the GB-PVR pre-play delay. (You can do it through ZProcess if you want - Utilities tab, GB-PVR settings, Adjust pre play from 5500 to 6500 or 7000 to start. Save the config.xml, restart service)
  
  
• Next, on the transcode tab, you want to check the 'Get Input File's FPS'
  
  
• And to start with, try a dimensions of 352x240, and if that works, try 640x480...
  

If you read the log and it says... "**** No access to file at the moment. Please increase pause time from 0.1 secs" then adjust the pause time to something higher...

I've made it so that ZProcess will step over this glitch, but it's faster if you have the right one set for your computer...

Edit: You may not have to worry about the preplay. The little speed up I mentioned earlier may have solved this...

Now, before anyone excited, I have a major hack in this version. If you use MEncoder, and check the 'Get Input File's FPS' then the output framerate will match the input. period.

That means that if the video was 25 fps, the MVP MPG will be 25 fps.

I don't know what this means for PAL users... If having a video's fps at 29.97 will not look right on a PAL television. I definitely need confirmation on that.

But in NTSC land, the 25fps, 23.97, and 29.97 video all play properly on my MVP and TV...

[Keldair]

Ok! Alright I can see it!

I set mine to 7000 and it works like a charm.

I also see where you get saying that I don't like letterboxes... it was full screen when I started but now it's wide. Odd. The DVD I ripped says full screen, and it plays full screen but my MP4 is wide. I gotta check my Nero Recode settings, but the video looks perfect. Not even stretched...

Thank you much Zehd for your patience.

[zehd]

Ok! Alright I can see it!

I set mine to 7000 and it works like a charm.

I also see where you get saying that I don't like letterboxes... it was full screen when I started but now it's wide. Odd. The DVD I ripped says full screen, and it plays full screen but my MP4 is wide. I gotta check my Nero Recode settings, but the video looks perfect. Not even stretched...

Thank you much Zehd for your patience.

Well that is strange indeed. glad that it worked nonetheless...

The clip you gave me was definitely cropped 4x3, which makes you lose the sides. That's why I like letterbox, even though some people hate the black bars.

It's possible that you saved my clip with different settings then what you're using.

Anyway, have fun...

[Keldair]

It's possible that you saved my clip with different settings then what you're using.

Nope it's on my side. My version plays full screen on my laptop but something is making the file widescreen when it's being played on the computer, let alone the MVP. Some setting on that computer only is off so more hunting for me.

Sigh... Every other wide screen and full screen video plays fine but that MP4 is nothing but trouble. Those MP4s are easy to make, but I think I am going to drift to XVid since it's only an hour more to encode and the quality seems fine, let alone a smaller file for about the same quality. I don't have a HD TV so I can't tell the difference.

[zehd]

Nope it's on my side. My version plays full screen on my laptop but something is making the file widescreen when it's being played on the computer, let alone the MVP. Some setting on that computer only is off so more hunting for me.

Sigh... Every other wide screen and full screen video plays fine but that MP4 is nothing but trouble. Those MP4s are easy to make, but I think I am going to drift to XVid since it's only an hour more to encode and the quality seems fine, let alone a smaller file for about the same quality. I don't have a HD TV so I can't tell the difference.

xvid seems a good choice...

But just to be clear, it's working right. Just getting letterbox when you didn't expect it?

[Keldair]

Oh yah, it works nicely at 7000.

Just no clue why the letterbox appears and it's in all movie players including VLC so I have no clue what is going on since VLC is stand alone.

[zehd]

Oh yah, it works nicely at 7000.

Just no clue why the letterbox appears and it's in all movie players including VLC so I have no clue what is going on since VLC is stand alone.

Well try and recode it again the way you always do it.

I'm not sure if this is the case, but I have a couple of DVDs that include both wide and full screen versions on the same DVD...

Anyway, you realize I don't want to help you, because i'm just this side of sanity being militant about maintaining letterbox

Kidding.

Is the video showing up wide, and the sides are getting cut off when you see it as 4x3?

[Keldair]

It's not the file, it's the computer. 2 other computers play the video full screen but the one running the MVP server plays wide screen. Something in the codecs is configured wrong and I just need to find it. Even if I don't I'm not that worried it just looks funny at times since it wasn't wide screen so the proportions are off.

[zehd]

It's not the file, it's the computer. 2 other computers play the video full screen but the one running the MVP server plays wide screen. Something in the codecs is configured wrong and I just need to find it. Even if I don't I'm not that worried it just looks funny at times since it wasn't wide screen so the proportions are off.

Well when you have time, maybe I should test the full length MP4