VC-1 Files to H.264

[badkclark]

Hey everyone,

I'm having a really hard time converting VC-1 Files to H.264. Considering there are easier ways to convert from one format to another, isn't there a tool that does this quickly and efficiently?

Example:

I've got an mkv with a VC-1 Video file and an AC3 Audio.

In order to play it on my PS3, I need to convert the VC-1 to H.264 or something other.

I've started using MeGui, and that process takes forever, and I'm not sure if the settings I'm using are the best.

Any guidance is welcome.

Thanks.

[cogman]

What you are doing is transcoding, it is the only way to convert from VC-1 to H.264. Unfortunatly it takes a lot of time and you aren't going to get the same results back (it is lossy) though x264 (which MeGui uses) works very well.

I would need to see the encoding settings you are using to give you any recommendation. Is the content HD, and staying HD? If so you are probably spending a good amount of processing power decoding the video in the first place.

Encoding takes time. And good encoding takes even more time.

I just looked up VC-1 and PS3. There is a firmware update available that will allow your PS3 to play VC-1 files. It might be worth looking into to avoid the entire transcoding process. (you won't get better results then the original)

[further edit] http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Play-MKV-Files-On-Playstation-3 You might want to take a look at that webpage as well. It gives instructions on how to change the container you are using. PS3 apparently don't like MKV so you have to extract the stream and put it into a vob container. The instructions are inside. Hope this helps.[/further edit]

[fbgd]

I've got an mkv with a VC-1 Video file and an AC3 Audio.


How exactly did you obtain said mkv file?

[badkclark]

I took it as a backup of my 300 HDDVD. It uses VC-1.

I've been considering using the Ryu77 MeGUI profile, as I've heard that's good. And have done it's first pass, but it takes a tremendous amount of time. This is with an AMD Operton Dual Core and 4 Gigs of RAM.

I'll check out the HowTo, if it can play VC-1, then that would be best.

Thanks.

Edit: The problem with mkv2vob is that it doesn't support VC1. Found this out from the author. I need to transcode it first. Appears MeGUI is the best way to do that, albeit sloooww.

[Dark Shikari]

Appears MeGUI is the best way to do that, albeit sloooww.Then pick a faster profile. Just because x264 can go very slow doesn't mean you have to pick all the slowest settings ;)

[EPiPH0NE]

I took it as a backup of my 300 HDDVD. It uses VC-1.

I've been considering using the Ryu77 MeGUI profile, as I've heard that's good. And have done it's first pass, but it takes a tremendous amount of time. This is with an AMD Operton Dual Core and 4 Gigs of RAM.

I'll check out the HowTo, if it can play VC-1, then that would be best.

Thanks.

Edit: The problem with mkv2vob is that it doesn't support VC1. Found this out from the author. I need to transcode it first. Appears MeGUI is the best way to do that, albeit sloooww.

Can't you play back VC-1 in M2TS on the PS3 if it now 'supports' VC-1? If the answer is yes then just:

Load MKV into tsMuxeR and either mux to M2TS and play from PS3 HDD, if possible, or use 'Create Blu-ray Disc' option and burn to DVD-R. This applies only if the PS3 can truly support VC-1. Then again I'm pretty ripped :devil:

[bourke]

In order to play it on my PS3, I need to convert the VC-1 to H.264 or something other.


The PS3 has been able to play VC-1 for months now - so just make sure you have the latest firmware update installed.

The only thing to note is that the PS3 will only play surround sound audio if the video is h.264 - with VC-1 video it only plays stereo (2.0) audio.

I am sure that a future firmware update will enable 5.1 audio with VC-1 video... just a matter of time.

I wouldn't bother re-encoding everything, perhaps just one if you're curious.


P.S. someone please move this to the correct forum (Encoding).

[EPiPH0NE]

The only thing to note is that the PS3 will only play surround sound audio if the video is h.264 - with VC-1 video it only plays stereo (2.0) audio.




Does this apply when playing back from HDD or from disc as well? There are a whole bunch of BluRay's with VC-1 so I am guessing this issue is moot when playing back from BD-R/RE. My $179 NMT has been able to do VC-1 + (L)PCM/AC3/DTS since Oct. '07 and since I plan to eventually get a PS3 when they become more 'user friendly' I'm kind of curious about all this.

[badkclark]

Can't you play back VC-1 in M2TS on the PS3 if it now 'supports' VC-1? If the answer is yes then just:

Load MKV into tsMuxeR and either mux to M2TS and play from PS3 HDD, if possible, or use 'Create Blu-ray Disc' option and burn to DVD-R. This applies only if the PS3 can truly support VC-1. Then again I'm pretty ripped :devil:

I've done this approach. It didn't work. Likely, it's because I'm using the AC3 stream (5.1). According to another above post, it only works with Stereo, which also defeats my purpose.

I left it converting over night, so hopefully it's converted to H264 before arriving home from work today.

[badkclark]

Then pick a faster profile. Just because x264 can go very slow doesn't mean you have to pick all the slowest settings ;)

It's the sacrifice for quality. I've looked at some of the quicker settings, and ohhhhh uglly.

[rica]

I think you won't like re-encoding time of this method but have a look at this:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1137490#post1137490

[Blue_MiSfit]

You can't have great quality, speed, and small size all at once ;)

Either pick good quality and small size at the sacrifice of speed, good quality and speed at the sacrifice of large size, or small size and high speed at the sacrifice of poor quality :)

~MiSfit

[EPiPH0NE]

I've done this approach. It didn't work. Likely, it's because I'm using the AC3 stream (5.1). According to another above post, it only works with Stereo, which also defeats my purpose.

Well that sux. I'm glad my NMT doesn't give me such problems :)

[badkclark]

Well, it finished. Turned out simply beautiful. Took almost 20 hours, but it's flawless. I used the Ryu77 profile, so it was two pass and approx 9900 Kbps. nice 1080p view.

Only thing, it came out as a High 5.1 level file. I'll have to convert it to 4.1 for the PS3, then I'll be just about done.

[EPiPH0NE]

Well, it finished. Turned out simply beautiful. Took almost 20 hours, but it's flawless. I used the Ryu77 profile, so it was two pass and approx 9900 Kbps. nice 1080p view.

Only thing, it came out as a High 5.1 level file. I'll have to convert it to 4.1 for the PS3, then I'll be just about done.

*******....20 hours :eek: I'm glad my days of HD encoding are over...I did an ES 1080p rip of Rambo: First Blood (AVC + PCM 5.1 (Source: DTS-HR)) and doing it from disc on an old P4 3GHz took a total of about 1hr30mins. Perfect untouched 1080p video and perfectly decoded lossless PCM audio for my NMT :)

[bourke]

Does this apply when playing back from HDD or from disc as well? There are a whole bunch of BluRay's with VC-1 so I am guessing this issue is moot when playing back from BD-R/RE...

Obviously the Blu-ray Disc format itself can play VC-1 video in surround sound - so yes the hardware capability has always been there.

However it is the container file formats which have the restrictions imposed. I have no doubt Sony could support VC-1+DTS-5.1 with a future firmware update, however at this stage only h.264+DTS-5.1 exists.

The same goes for the Xbox 360 BTW; the 360 only supports VC-1+DTS-5.1, and not h.264+DTS-5.1.

When one of them supports all codec combinations then the other will follow I suspect.

[badkclark]

*******....20 hours :eek: I'm glad my days of HD encoding are over...I did an ES 1080p rip of Rambo: First Blood (AVC + PCM 5.1 (Source: DTS-HR)) and doing it from disc on an old P4 3GHz took a total of about 1hr30mins. Perfect untouched 1080p video and perfectly decoded lossless PCM audio for my NMT :)

Anything other than VC-1, I can do extremely fast. This was my first VC-1 to H.264, and conversion takes a loooong time, if you want the quality. That's been documented pretty consistenly across the board.

AVC + PCM or AC3, is much much faster.

[EPiPH0NE]

Anything other than VC-1, I can do extremely fast. This was my first VC-1 to H.264, and conversion takes a loooong time, if you want the quality. That's been documented pretty consistenly across the board.

AVC + PCM or AC3, is much much faster.


I know all about ASP/AVC HD encoding times as I was doing them up until late last year. I just couldn't see myself taking 20hrs these days for one movie.

[badkclark]

Crazy, isn't it?

[Blue_MiSfit]

Quad cores are significantly faster for transcoding to x264 :)

Octo-core servers are even better :D

~MiSfit