Matrox DV Codec Reverses Field Order

[Si]

I have 1 PAL DV file on my system (last years daughters school concert) and I used a Pinnacle Firewire card to transfer it to my computer.

It installed a DV codec (miroVIDEO DV 300) that could only be used for decompression.

The file didn't play back OK on my Matrox G400 TV out because it was BFF and my Matrox plays out TFF (Resulting in neuron2's and my reverse field dominance virtualdub/avisynth filters)

Later last year, I installed a Matrox DV codec suite to play around with encoding to DV.

Yesterday I was encoding the DV to MPEG-2 for my new DVD burner and I noticed that I'd forgotton to reverse the field order but spookily the MPEG file played back OK on my TV-out.

Bottom line (no pun intended) is that when I was playing the DV file in mplayer2, it was using a different codec to play back (presumably a DirectShow one) than when I opened the file in TMPGEnc, VirtualDub or Avisynth -these were using the Matrox DV codec I'd installed (at least that's what VirtualDub was reporting).

Having un-installed the Matrox codec, the encoded MPEG-2 file now jitters on my TV-out (as it should) and VirtualDub reports thatI'm now decoding the DV file using the original miroVIDEO codec.

I had a search on the net/forum but couldn't find anything about this so I thought I'd post here.

If I've put 2 and 2 together and come up with 5 - please feel free to tell me :p

regards
Simon

[bb]

How was the MPEG-2 file encoded (see ReStream information when you open the file)?

bb

[Si]

The MPEG-2 file is flagged as TFF.

AFAICT it was the Matrox DV decompressor that was changing the field dominance.

Anyone using it?

regards
Simon

[vhelp]

I use it, w/ my advc and dvio :)

NTSC land here. . .

But. shows up as Matrox DV/DVCAM under vdub. I'm using
version 2.5.0.63, came w/ other codecs:

* Matrox DV/DVCAM
* Matrox DVCPRO
* Matrox DVCPRO50
* Matrox MPEG-2 I-frame (great quality)

I do lots of encodes w/ this codec version and authro to video_ts
and burn w/ nero, and finally play on my Durabrand SSS w/ DVD Player STS75E
and Apex AD-1500 (depending on dvd disk media type)

I can, I never experienced any Field issues, but also encode under
TMPG v2.520 and Bottom Field (Field B)

I'm now contemplating moving to scenalizer, for segmented captured,
thanks to my w98gold 4g limit.

My fourCC code indicated: dvsd
This is based off an .avi app I wrote that reads an .avi in premetive
form.. not the usual AVIfile; AVIinit etc.

fwiw..

-vhelp

[Si]

If you open the file in VirtualDub and do File then File Information, what codec is listed under Decompressor?

regards
Simon

[vhelp]

(assuming you're directing question to me) ...

When I open my advc captures (FW) inside vdub, (your method above)
it displays:

* Matrox DV/DVCAM

No fourCC string given. That I got elsewheres, as I've mentioned
in my previous post.

I believe that the capture app (or DV app) is responsible for writing
the fourCC string in a given .avi project. I know that some of these
apps will write their own fourCC string, and is another reason for
frustrating issues of poor quality .avi output in vdub for instance,
but even the CODEC also, will read only one fourCC string, and
that usually depends on the CODEC too. Sometimes, it can read more
than one string, but mostly it's just one. So, it can be puzzling when
issues are found yet.
That's why I gave more detail in my previous post.

-vhelp

[Si]

Sorry -didn't read properly :o

regards
Simon