Playing raw .h264 files

[nuaris]

How can I play raw .h264 files in MPC/zplayer? I have the latest version of ffdshow installed.

Thanks.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

You'd need a suitable source-filter for DirectShow -- ffdshow is only a decoder!

BTW: MPlayer can play raw h.264 streams by default...

[nuaris]

VLC can play .h264 too. Where can I get a directshow filter for h264?

[crypto]

Sonic HD Demuxer 4.2 can do raw H.264.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Why not simply use MKVToolnix (http://www.bunkus.org/videotools/mkvtoolnix/win32/mkvtoolnix-unicode-2.2.0-setup.exe) to mux the raw H.264 stream into MKV and then use Haali Media Splitter or even MPC's internal Matroska splitter?

[Adub]

Exactly. You shouldn't need to view the stream in just raw form. If MKV is not your thing, then try MP4. If you desire an easy to use GUI, I recommend YAMB.

[nuaris]

Sonic HD Demuxer 4.2 can do raw H.264.

I can't find any info about "Sonic HD demuxer". The closest I can find is Sonic Cineplayer DVD decoder 4.2/4.3, but that didn't work, the video looks corrupted(messed up colours, very blocky).

The reason I'm looking for a directshow filter is so that other applications can read them. I will mux it into mkv for the time being. Is there a h264 directshow filter alternative besides the Sonic Cineplayer one?

Thanks.

[Ranguvar]

The demuxer filter is probably included with Cineplayer. You could make a filter graph with GraphStudio or GraphEdit :)

[nuaris]

The default graph does not work:

h264 File -> Sonic HD Demuxer -> Sonic Cinemaster? Video Decoder 4.2 -> Avi Compressor -> Video Renderer

After a bit of trial and error, the following graph works:

h264 File -> Sonic HD Demuxer -> Nero Video Decoder -> Video Renderer

Is it possible to force the above graph to be the default behavior when dealing with .h264 files?

[Ranguvar]

Not sure for global changing... in a roundabout way, you can do it solely in MPC.

But I would just advise h264 File -> Sonic HD Demuxer -> ffdshow video decoder -> Video Renderer

[Blue_MiSfit]

Exactly. You shouldn't need to view the stream in just raw form. If MKV is not your thing, then try MP4. If you desire an easy to use GUI, I recommend YAMB.

But, sometimes you do :) At least, sometimes you don't want to wait for MKVToolnix to mux a 10GB file...

~MiSfit

[STaRGaZeR]

But, sometimes you do :) At least, sometimes you don't want to wait for MKVToolnix to mux a 10GB file...

~MiSfit

10GB only? Try MKVMerge with 25+GB files :eek:

[nuaris]

The video looks corrupted when using 'ffdshow video decoder'. I found that unregistering the filters will force another h264 decoder filter to take it's place.

After unregistering 'ffdshow video decoder', 'AVS H264 decoder' will take it's place, unregister 'AVS H264 decoder' and 'Sonic Cinemaster Video Decoder' will take it's place. That temporarily fixes the problem, but other media that rely on the unregistered filters will cause problems if an alternative cannot be found. How can I make a certain filter rank higher so that it would be the default when handling certain files?

[Snowknight26]

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=140217
Just adjust the steps for your prefered decoder.

[nuaris]

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=140217
Just adjust the steps for your prefered decoder.

I just found this a few minutes ago:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/DirectShow_Filter_Manager.htm

But the one you posted looks better.

Thanks for all the help.

[foxyshadis]

You can also turn h.264 decoding off in ffdshow's configuration, the same as unregistering but only for that format.

[SeeMoreDigital]

I just found this a few minutes ago:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/DirectShow_Filter_Manager.htm

But the one you posted looks better.indeed.... That filter pack is three years old :eek: