ESS chip-set Information - Std Def

[SeeMoreDigital]

Okay, we've got one of these threads for MediaTek chip-set based players owners. And after reading a recent thread posted by hotluck, in the DivX section of the forum, I thought it might be useful for ESS chip-set based player owners to have the same.

What might be handy, is to create a list of all the known "stand-alone" players manufacturers that incorporate the ESS chip-set. And provide links to their "technical support" web site.

Please note:
The information listed below identifies the known "maximum" capabilities of the chip-set and has been compiled from various sources. It therefore does not necessarily mean that your player will be able to support all of them.

Here is what is known so far: -

ESS VIBRATTO-II CHIP-SET

What it looks like
http://img70.exs.cx/img70/6841/SMD_ESS_VibrattoII_Chipset.jpg

Chip-set Manufacturers Web Site
http://www.esstech.com/

Chip-set Manufacturers Specification
http://www.esstech.com/products/AVplayer/Prod_Briefs/pb6698.pdf

Chip-set Model No's
ES6698F/FD, ES6603SF, ES6629F/FD, ES6688FA/FAD

Basic (Non MPEG-2/DVD) Player Functionality
Supports: -
Video Decs: MPEG-4 with B-VOP (with or without packed bit-stream)*
Audio Decs: MP3 (MPEG-1/2 Layers 1, 2 and 3), AAC-LC, AC3 (Dolby® Digital), WAV
Containers: .AVI & .MP4 for video (.MP3, .WAV, .WMA & .AAC for audio)

Does not support: -
Video Decs: Qpel, 3-warp-point GMC, N-VOPs
Audio Decs: AAC-HE (should play but without SBR element)
Various: PAR or DAR signalling, encoded within the MPEG-4 bit-stream.

* Based on using the DivX codec. Confirmation with other codecs is required.

Players/Model Numbers using this Chip-Set
Look here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=645982#post645982)


ESS VIBRATTO I CHIP-SET

What it looks like
TBC

Chip-set Manufacturers Web Site
http://www.esstech.com/

Chip-set Manufacturers Specification
http://www.esstech.com/products/AVplayer/Prod_Briefs/pb6018.pdf


Basic (Non MPEG-2/DVD) Player Functionality
Supports: -
Video Decs: MPEG-4 with B-VOP (with or without packed bit-stream)*
Audio Decs: MP3 (MPEG-1/2 Layers 1, 2 and 3), AAC-LC, AC3 (Dolby® Digital), WAV
Containers: .AVI for video (.MP3, .WAV for audio)

Does not support: -
Video Decs: Qpel, 1 or 3 warp-point GMC
Audio Decs: AAC-LC or AAC-HE
Various: PAR or DAR signalling, encoded within the MPEG-4 bit-stream.

* Based on using the DivX codec. Confirmation with other codecs is required.

Players/Model Numbers using this Chip-Set
Look here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=645982#post645982)


ESS VIBRATTO-S CHIP-SET

What it looks like
TBC

Chip-set Manufacturers Web Site
http://www.esstech.com/

Chip-set Manufacturers Specification
http://www.esstech.com/products/AVplayer/Prod_Briefs/pb6128.pdf

Players/Model Numbers using this Chip-Set
Look here (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=645982#post645982)


ESS CHIP-SET TYPE TO BE CONFIRMED
Players/Model Numbers
Centrum: Gemini 330 | Gemini 332 | Gemini 340
Hiteker: 940



CHIP-SET ISSUES:
Aspect Ratio Signalling Issues
Currently, most (if not all) ESS chip-set based players owners have reported problems displaying 16:9 square pixelled MPEG-4 encodes correctly. And contrary to popular belief, generating MPEG-4 encodes with PAR/DAR signalling (or using tools such as MPEG4 Modifier) will not help either.

N-VOP Issues
There have also been reports that the ESS chip-set has trouble playing back MPEG-4 streams that contain N-VOPs

What you need to do is complain directly to your player manufacturer and request firmware updates!

Recommendations
Quite honestly... If you are considering buying a player (any player) DON'T buy one fitted with an ESS Vibratto chip-set!



Cheers

....and many thanks to Zhnujm for providing so much information

EDITS: -
16 Mar 05: ESS Web site and PDF file links
10 Jun 06: Various

[bond]

good idea to start this thread :)

are you sure that the chip supports all variants of b-frames? including single/multiple packed/not-packed b-frames?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by bond
good idea to start this thread :)

are you sure that the chip supports all variants of b-frames? including single/multiple packed/not-packed b-frames? Thanks bond.

To be honest, there are currently so many B-VOP impementations it's hard to say whether all will work.

DivX 1B-VOP - which is "packed", seems to work
DivX mB-VOP - which is "not packed", needs confirming

XviD 1B-VOP - "packed", seems to work
XviD 1B-VOP - "not packed", needs confirming
XviD 2B-VOP - "packed", needs confirming
XviD 2B-VOP - "not packed", needs confirming

Nero 1B-VOP - "not packed", seems to work

Like I say, we need confirmation regarding this matter... but this situation seems to more or less the same for other chip-sets too!


Cheers

[bond]

DivX5's mB-VOP is actually using 2b-vops max in a row

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by bond
DivX5's mB-VOP is actually using 2b-vops max in a row From what they have written in their manual their "adaptive" implementation only create 2B-VOP on an "as required basis"

http://img50.exs.cx/img50/4697/SMD_mB-VOP_implementation.gif

Confusingly, the graphic shows three B-VOP's. However, DigitAl56K later confirmed only a max of 2B-VOP would ever be used.

One thing is clear... DivX don't use packed bit-stream with this implementation!


Cheers

[Hobojobo]

I have got a DVP 632.
The new firmware 0531 promises external subtitle support for divx movies.
Does not not work for me though.
I have tried to play movies with .srt subs. The player does not display them.

Does anybody have some test clips with different codec settings ? (gmc, qpel, b-frames, high bitrate, different resolutions, mp4 container etc.)
So we could find out, what the player actually is able to play.

[gircobain]

Does anyone know the difference between 642/17 and 642/37 models?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by Hobojobo
...Does anybody have some test clips with different codec settings ? (gmc, qpel, b-frames, high bitrate, different resolutions, mp4 container etc.)
So we could find out, what the player actually is able to play. As you should know, none of the Philips players support Qpel or GMC - and thankfully they did not bother wasting their time supporting DivX's GMC implementation.

As some of you may already be aware, my main interest in these players lies in their ability to spin Mpeg4 video within the MP4 container, together with the various capabilities the MP4 container offers. Such as anamorphic signalling, chapter selection and subtitles.

Sadly the test files I posted some months ago have been removed, to make way for other things on my web server :( but I guess I could upload some new ones!

If you guys would like I could upload an encode with the following spec: -

Video = Mpeg4 @ 510Kbps
Type = NeroDigital with PAR signalling
Subs = NeroDigital Std
Audio = MP3 @ 96Kbps
Container = MP4

Cheers

[InsulinJunkie]

Originally posted by Hobojobo
I have got a DVP 632.
The new firmware 0531 promises external subtitle support for divx movies.
Does not not work for me though.
I have tried to play movies with .srt subs. The player does not display them.

Make sure from the file menu, you select the .SRT file first, and hit OK.
You should get a message to the effect of 'Divx Subtitle file selected'.

THEN select the movie file itself.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Okay... it's long shot time, but....

...Has anybody attempted to play Mpeg4 video streams in the MKV (Matroska) container?


Cheers

[Hobojobo]

Now the subtitles work. :)
<i>The player can not play italic subs. </i>
Perhaps the next firmware update will solve this..

[Hobojobo]

Originally posted by SeeMoreDigital

If you guys would like I could upload an encode with the following spec: -

Video = Mpeg4 @ 510Kbps
Type = NeroDigital with PAR signalling
Subs = NeroDigital Std
Audio = MP3 @ 96Kbps
Container = MP4



Yeah, go ahead. I would do some tests.

[Hobojobo]

@SeeMoreDigital:

My player does not like the file. :(
It recognizes the file as mp4 video, but refuses to play it.

Have you got some more?

[Hobojobo]

@SeeMoreDigital

As you said, it does not work either.

The next, please.

[Hobojobo]

:( The third clip does not work either.

Waiting for the 4th.


BTW...
I saw the "DVB-S SkyStar2" in your signature. :)
I have got the same card + the latest DVBViewer. I like it.
I know, it's a bit off topic...

[Hobojobo]

test encode 04:

it is a progress, sort of.;)
The player at least starts playback.
I can see a green blur on the TV. The time display is skipping, 00:10,00:25,00:26,00:40. And the audio is playing for 5 sec.
:(

We are getting there..
Next please.

[SeeMoreDigital]

I've managed to find out why my anamorphic Mpeg4 in MP4 encodes don't work correctly with the ESS chipsets...

As mentioned in my opening post, the ESS chip-set can't cope with DAR. However, I've just learnt (in this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=561784#post561784) and in this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=562048#post562048)) that the Mpeg4 stream does not in actual fact, store DAR information... only PAR!

So, it would be more accurate to say that the ESS chip-set can't spin Mpeg4 streams that have been encoded using most "Custom PAR" settings and any "Pseudo" DAR settings!


Cheers

[Kyn]

Ok, I just bought one of these babies off amazon and it arrived yesterday.. It's a 642/37 and it cost $62 + No tax + Free shipping.
:)
A little background. I've got a fairly extensive collection of Divx/Xvid encodes. About 500 or so, so after reading all of these threads I was pretty skeptical that any of them would just _work_. Well, here's the breakdown (in chronological order of encoding), all encodes are single disc so fairly low bitrate:

1 SMR w/ 96kbit CBR mp3
10 Divx 3.11 ;-) Low-motion w/ 96kbit CBR mp3
450 Divx 5.0.5 - 5.1.1 slow psychovis, GMC, B-frames w/ 128bit VBR mp3
30 XVID 1.01 - 1.02 generated with AutoGK in .ESS mode, w/ 128bit VBR mp3

I particularily didn't expect the GMC'd divx files to work. But they did! Every last encode worked flawlessly. Even the SMR! This thing is beautiful, well worth the $62. The only complaints I have have all been noted before:
1) Letterbox / widescreen movies have a strange wiggle to the bottom scanline.
2) A lot of how good mpeg4 looks has to do with postprocessing (deringing, deblocking).. This thing doesn't do those things.
3) The 3.11 divx is choppy. The motion stays in sync with the sound, but it all has a not-full motion look to it. I've noticed similar problems trying to play them with the modern divx decoder. I really can't remember, this could have been a problem with flaskmpeg or the low-motion codec. Anyways, not a biggie, I sure don't encode these anymore.

Anyways, sorry for the length, just wanted to post my glowing review someplace for somebody to read it and run (click) to amazon and buy themselves one. :)

Latez,
-Kyn

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hi Kyn, welcome to the forum and many thanks for your review :)

Well I'm pretty amazed that your 642/37 player can spin DivX encodes that contain GMC.

I'm quite astonished that nobody over at DivX has tested this implementation (using the most up to date firmware) and confirmed their findings...

Many thanks for the news.....


Cheers

[Kyn]

Oh, I might add, all of these encodes are from NTSC souces, at either 23.97 or 29.97 frame rate encodes. If anyone is interested in having me test an encode, post or send me a link. Not _too_ big. I'm on ISDN, 10mbish should be ok. I'll post the results.

Thanks,
-Kyn

[SeeMoreDigital]

A few forum members have posted some links that may prove useful: -


New firmware is coming soon for Philips DVP642 (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=85858)

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=85869


Cheers

[SeeMoreDigital]

New firmware has been released for the following Philips players: -

Current Player Model Numbers
DVP630/00, 630/02, 630/04, 630/05
DVP632/00, 632/02, 632/04, 632/05
DVP640K/69, 640K/75
DVP642/17, 642/37

The new firware has been identified as being Version 1109 (http://www.p4c.philips.com/files/d/dvp642_17/dvp642_17_fus_eng.zip). Released 25 Nov 2004


Cheers

[castellanos]

Nice! New firmware... What does actually the new firmware do? I did not find any information! :angry:
Greetings! :)

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by castellanos
...What does actually the new firmware do? I did not find any information! Sadly, Philips have not provided a "changelog" with their new firmware... So who knows!

Maybe, they've improved support for the MP4 container :p


Cheers

[castellanos]

Originally posted by SeeMoreDigital
Maybe, they've improved support for the MP4 container
Do you really think that?
You are very optimistic!
Greetings! :)

[gircobain]

Originally posted by castellanos
Nice! New firmware... What does actually the new firmware do? I did not find any information! :angry:
Greetings! :)
I've read reports that it enables macrovision
Other than that no clue
Guess I'm not applying that firmware anytime soon...

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by gircobain
I've read reports that it enables macrovision MACROVISION.... ugh!

No wonder Philips did not mention what the firmware up-grade (I mean "down-grade"), offered :eek:

Can anyone else confirm?


Cheers

[castellanos]

Well... I still have the old firmware, just in case :D

[lordyu]

Originally posted by gircobain
I've read reports that it enables macrovision...
I've heard the same from here: http://ryan.com.br/prod_dvp642.htm

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by lordyu
I've heard the same from here: http://ryan.com.br/prod_dvp642.htm Thanks for the link lordyu :)

Here's another link to the same information in english: -

http://ryan.com.br/prod_dvp642_en.htm


Cheers

[castellanos]

Well, sorry guys, but it is nothing oficial and I didn't find any information, in your links, about Macrovision. So, I think, we must to do some tests, or wait until more reliable information. Don't you agree?
Greetings! ;)

[gircobain]

I got such information exactly from that link lordyu quoted

11/12 - O firmware 1109 pode ter reativado Macrovision! - Um visitante reportou que estava com problemas com Macrovision que foram solucionados quando ele reverteu o DVP642 para o firmware 0531. Ainda não foi testado por mim;

"11/12 - Firmware 1109 might have reactivated Macrovision! - A visitor reported that he had problems with Macrovision which were solved when he downgraded his DVP642 to firmware 0531. I did not test this yet;"

Of course I agree that it is nothing official, but I do agree too that you shouldn't apply a new firmware unless you know what it does and really need to

[lordyu]

Originally posted by castellanos
Well, sorry guys, but it is nothing oficial and I didn't find any information, in your links, about Macrovision. So, I think, we must to do some tests, or wait until more reliable information. Don't you agree?
Greetings! ;)

It's been tested and confirmed. To add to gircobain's:


12/12 - Confirmado: o firmware 1109 habilita Macrovision!

11/12 - O firmware 1109 pode ter reativado Macrovision! - Um visitante reportou que estava com problemas com Macrovision que foram solucionados quando ele reverteu o DVP642 para o firmware 0531. Ainda não foi testado por mim;

05/11 - O DVP642 é Macrovision Free!;

Macrovision

Se você não sabe o que é, leia esta minha outra página.

O DVP642 é Macrovision Free com o firmware 0531, mas não com o 1109!

Realizei o teste conectando o DVP642 à entrada de vídeo composto de minha ATI All-In-Wonder Rage 128 Pro. Gravei um trecho de Cher - Live In Concert usando o Intervideo Windvr e não encontrei qualquer problema no arquivo gravado

Para tirar a prova, usei o mesmo setup, desta vez trocando o DVP642 pelo meu Cyberhome CH-DVD 300, que tem Macrovision habilitado. Gravei o mesmo trecho de DVD e o arquivo gerado ficou inútil. A mesma sequência de imagens se repete o tempo todo, quase como se estivesse congelado o filme. Isso é típico de gravações feitas com placas de captura ATI, quando existe proteção Macrovision no original.

Com o firmware 1109, entretanto, as coisas mudam. Realizei o teste com um trecho de Demolidor - Special Edition usando condições de teste diferentes (mas válidas) da condição do teste anterior e o vídeo gravado apresentou o problema típico de Macrovision em placas ATI. Fiz uma cópia do mesmo DVD removendo a proteção Macrovision e refiz o teste: o problema sumiu.

Try http://translation.lycos.com/ but it's not perfect. Maybe gircobain could help again with his perfect translation :).

And what do you mean by "official"? An announcement from Philips ;)?

[castellanos]

Well... I will need to take a DVD from another region and play it in my DVP 630 (Wich is already "Region Free") just to be sure if there is some Macrovision there.
Greetings! ;)

[SeeMoreDigital]

If you want to see if the 1109 firmware output pukes out MacroVision, simply record a few minutes of DVD content onto VHS tape and try playing it back!


Cheers

[gircobain]

12/12 - Confirmado: o firmware 1109 habilita Macrovision!

05/11 - O DVP642 é Macrovision Free!

Macrovision

Se você não sabe o que é, leia esta minha outra página.

O DVP642 é Macrovision Free com o firmware 0531, mas não com o 1109!

Realizei o teste conectando o DVP642 à entrada de vídeo composto de minha ATI All-In-Wonder Rage 128 Pro. Gravei um trecho de Cher - Live In Concert usando o Intervideo Windvr e não encontrei qualquer problema no arquivo gravado

Para tirar a prova, usei o mesmo setup, desta vez trocando o DVP642 pelo meu Cyberhome CH-DVD 300, que tem Macrovision habilitado. Gravei o mesmo trecho de DVD e o arquivo gerado ficou inútil. A mesma sequência de imagens se repete o tempo todo, quase como se estivesse congelado o filme. Isso é típico de gravações feitas com placas de captura ATI, quando existe proteção Macrovision no original.

Com o firmware 1109, entretanto, as coisas mudam. Realizei o teste com um trecho de Demolidor - Special Edition usando condições de teste diferentes (mas válidas) da condição do teste anterior e o vídeo gravado apresentou o problema típico de Macrovision em placas ATI. Fiz uma cópia do mesmo DVD removendo a proteção Macrovision e refiz o teste: o problema sumiu.
"12/12 - Verified: firmware 1109 enables Macrovision!

05/11 - DVP642 is Macrovision free!

Macrovision

If you don't know what is this, read this in this other page of mine.

DVP642 is Macrovision free with firmware 0531, but not with 1109!

To test it, I connected DVP642 to my ATI All-In-Wonder Rage 128 Pro composite video input and recorded an excerpt of Cher - Live In Concert using Intervideo Windvr and didn't find any problems in the recorded file

To put it to the proof, I used the same setup, this time replacing DVP642 with my Cyberhome CH-DVD300, which has Macrovision enabled. I recorded the same concert excerpt and the resulting file was useless. The same image sequence repeats over and over, as if the video was frozen. This is typical of recordings done with ATI capture cards, when the original is Macrovision protected.

With firmware 1109, however, things change. Did the same test with an excerpt from Daredevil - Special Edition, using a different setup (but still valid) from the prior testing. The recorded video displayed Macrovison typical problem with ATI cards. I burned a backup of that same DVD, only removing Macrovision, and redid the test: problem is gone."

[SeeMoreDigital]

Thanks very much for the confirmation gircobain :)


Cheers

[castellanos]

Hi:
Would it be perfectly legal, if somebody offer the possiblility to download the old Philips DVP 630/642 0531 firmware?
Just in case that somebody want to downgrade the last firmware, because the macrovision problem.
Greetings! :)

[lordyu]

Originally posted by castellanos
Hi:
Would it be perfectly legal, if somebody offer the possiblility to download the old Philips DVP 630/642 0531 firmware?
Just in case that somebody want to downgrade the last firmware, because the macrovision problem.
Greetings! :)
I would just try putting it online and see what Philips would say. ;)

BTW, how can one extract firmware from a player?

[SeeMoreDigital]

castellanos,

Have you tried re-installing the 0531 firmware?


Cheers

[castellanos]

SeeMoreDigital:
No, I haven't.
Don't tell me it is not possible anymore? I've heard that you can downgrade it if you want.
When I bought the Philips DVP 630, it came already with the 0531 firmware... I didn't know that and I downloaded the actual firmware at that time (0531)... then I realize that it was the same. That's why I still have the old 0531 in a CD.
Now I have the 1109. I can try to get back to that firmware, I just want to be sure nothing will happen.
Greetings! ;)

[sapient]

My 630 is refusing to recognise srt subtitles.
I am not sure about other formats.

Althought the first cd I tried worked fine, all others display the srt file with a "?" icon and I get a "hand" icon when I try to select them.

Any ideas?

[gircobain]

I have a DVP642 (which seems to be the American continent equivalent of the 630 model) and I have experienced that on some DVD-R's burnt as UDF
so I would recommend burn media as ISO only
Also since subtitles are text files, I believe they must be burnt as Windows-format text files - so if you run any flavor of Linux, watch out for that
A little trick: subtitles may be loaded from any disc
So if your subs don't work, fix them, burn them to some cd-rw, select them, switch the disc and play whatever movie file you want - those subs you selected will show up just beautifully :D

[sapient]

I am not using linux, but I am using udf/iso bridge on virtually all my cds. So that's probably the problem. Thanks for the switching discs tip...

[bond]

on the german dvdboard a whole bunch of different people mentioned that the tevion dvd-4000 uses the vibratto-II chip:

http://www.dvdboard.de/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=663594#post663594
http://www.dvdboard.de/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=586908#post586908
http://www.dvdboard.de/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=649591#post649591

[SeeMoreDigital]

Some of you Philips player owners may like to know that a forum member, going by the name of Jefferson Ryan, has taken the time to provide quite a lot of detail about the ESS chip-set and firmware used.

For more information, please look here: -

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=91048


Cheers

[SeeMoreDigital]

As reported on Doom9's main site, Sat 12 Mar 05....

Standalone player maker XORO have upgraded two of their players to support NeroDigital (ie: Mpeg4/SP/ASP Profiles not Mpeg4/AVC)

The players are, the HSD 310 (http://www.xoro.de/product/XOR600929.prod) and the HSD 415 (http://www.xoro.de/product/HSD415black.prod).

If XORO offer a NeroDigital firmware upgrade for their older HSD 310 and 415 player owners, can somebody let me know please?


Cheers

[castellanos]

Are those Xoro players using a Vibratto II chip set?... same as Philips 630/642?
Greetings! ;)

[SeeMoreDigital]

Previous versions of the XORO HSD 310 and 415 players did indeed use the ESS Vibratto II chip-set.

Whether the NeroDigital models use exactly the version of the Vibratto II chip-set requires confirmation...

That said, it would seem that all current versions of the Vibratto II chip-set are able to support features not currently offered by some manufacturers... such as AAC-LC audio!


Cheers

[naugas]

The oldest thread I've ever bumped I think... However there are new chips by ESS that I have a really hard time finding info on.

Packard Bell dvx 461 usb (http://support.packardbell.com/se/item/index.php?i=spec_ess8380&pi=platform_dvx461usb&dhepn=C050210000) using an ESS ES8380 chip is a player I'm curious about, but I haven't found anyone that have one yet. They are pretty cheap (60€), and claim subtitle support of some kind, along with some other nice things such as ogg vorbis support and the ability to connect an usb stick or portable harddrive.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Indeed... I'm familiar with these new chip-sets but was waiting for the players....


Here's a link to one of their spec sheets: -

http://www.esstech.com/products/AVplayer/Prod_Briefs/pb8380_81.pdf


Cheers and thanks for finding a player that uses them...

[would_like_to_know]

Indeed... I'm familiar with these new chip-sets but was waiting for the players....


Here's a link to one of their spec sheets: -

http://www.esstech.com/products/AVplayer/Prod_Briefs/pb8380_81.pdf


Cheers and thanks for finding a player that uses them...

Well, I think this is your lucky day! It appears that Philips pulled a fast one on the US consumers and is now selling the dvp642 with ES8380 chipset:

http://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1642343#1642343

Unfortunately, the firmware support is so poor that the older version of dvp642 with Vibratto was way more usable ...