New DivX 7 H.264 codec

[Sagittaire]

Originally Posted by DigitAl56K

You have no stronger advocate for imrpoving the CLI encoder than me It will happen!

Well I have here a very better CLI version of Mainconcept SDK. It's very simple for you to compile Mainconcept SDK executable with all the native command. With this very old CLI I produce very better output than DivX7 AVC. Here very simple optimisation:

I made test with your DivX H.264 Encoder Alpha 1. I have similar result for quality and speed with my previous test with Mainconcept/Elecard Encoder. Anyway your encoder is really not complete:

1) Quality profil are too restrictive:
5 or 6 profils for quality will be really better: fastest, fast, normal, good, best and insane for example or [0-5] for aqo.

2) Psy optimisation:
There are possible and very usefull psy optimisation with Mainconcept H264 SDK. Film grain optimisation [0-100], AQ with luma masking [-100;100], AQ with contrast masking [-100;100], AQ with complexity masking [-100;100].
Why not to implement this command: -psy <AQLuma>, <AQContrast>, <AQDetail>, <FGO>
My prefered setting for MC SDK is -psy 33,-33,-33,50

3) Buffer and Max rate
With this command line for example -vbv <maxbitrate>,<buffer>

[tsal]

I installed Divx 7 and tried to play a h.264 .mkv file with media player classic home cinema, with all its internal codecs off.

All i got was a black picture and stuttering sound.

Turns out that windows xp provides the wrong codecs for the playback.

I have Nero 8 installed, and only the nero burning part, and it also installed a lot of codecs.

So windows xp gives the nero codecs, nero splitter and decoder, to my player, and not the newly divx 7 codecs.

I tried to fix this by adding all 4 or 5 divx codecs in mpc-hc and setting them to prefer, this didnt work (maybe a bug in current mpc-hc), but the only thing that solved it was to add the nero codecs and set them to block.

So, playbacks of h.264 .mkv files with divx 7 in mpc-hc and windows media player 11 are broken because of an installed nero 8 version, even in the lightest install mode.

You definatly need to add a codec filter priority option to fix this, or all nero users will be left outside.

[DigitAl56K]

A few updates:

1. Anyone can now download the alpha CLI encoder. Create a free DivX Labs account, login and join the Project Rémoulade Apps group - an open group that does not require moderator approval, and then download the installer.
2. DivX.com forums nav link is fixed
3. robU*4: We've already started to look into the file writer issues you listed
4. djloewen: I've logged an issue on support for the .mkv extension in WMP, hopefully it will be addressed in the next update to our installers.

Originally Posted by Sagekilla

Glad to hear that you guys are going strong with mkv. Does it seem likely that you'll get hardware support for it, since you guys are backing it?

Yes, you can see some announcements already

Also, is there going to be the possibility to decode H.264 content that was encoded outside of a DivX converter on a SAP? I'd love to be able to stick x264 + AC3 streams in mkv on a DivX SAP and have them playback on my new projector

Yes, that should work. DivX Converter will not be the only way to create DivX Plus HD video.

rtjnyoface: Thanks for your kind words Sometimes the forums can be a little tough, but it's important to hear everyone's opinions even if they can be harsh sometimes so that we can get a better sense of where we are doing well and where we can improve. I hope with this release everyone does see good things starting to come out of DivX 7. For example, the free high performance H.264 decoder, AAC decoder, and a much improved DivX Player. Better support for the MKV container in CE should also be a big deal. Clearly there are areas that we need to improve in upcoming releases though: The H.264 CLI encoder needs to be updated and Converter could use more options, among other things. One of the reasons I'm here is to be a voice for the community inside our team. The feedback you provide helps me give input into our priorities as we move forward so that we can build out more of the tools and functionality you want to see faster. DivX 7 has arrived in its "point zero" release this week, and my hope is that as we hit .1, .2, and so on we can address a lot of the issues raised here so far and others that will follow in the coming days.

Sagittaire: I'm passing your comments on to our codec team

Thanks to all who have commented so far. Time for a quick nap, back in the morning!

[DigitAl56K]

tsal, in the MPC options go to "External filters", add the DivX H.264 Decoder to the list of filters, make sure it's checkbox is on, it's at the top of the list, and set it to "Preferred" on the right of the dialog.

[tsal]

I tried that, using the newest official version of mpc-hc, all internal codecs and filters unchecked, added divx h.264 decoder and set to preferred or set to high merit, it doesnt get used.

I always get the nero splitter, and the nero audio decoder 2.

Only blocking those 2 works for me.

Its an x264 .mkv file with mp3 sound.

Maybe another user who also has nero installed can tell his experience ?


edit:

Ok, i think this is a bug or limitation in mpc-hc.

After testing i found out, that if you enable all internal codecs and filters of mpc-hc, and then after that set the divx h.264 decoder to preferred, then it works.


But that still leaves the problem of nero 8 and probably 9, too, it kills the divx 7 h.264 playback


edit2:

Ok, some more finetuning, for my .mkv file to work with a preferred divx 7 decoder in mpc-hc, the matroska source filter must be checked and activated, thats it, otherwise preferring wont work, only blocking.

[ncahammer]

Will support VFR encodes ?
I get
Framerate outside profile specification (24.0119Hz) (312155000/12999987)

[xaeroak15]

It seems that it can't decode x264 track in mkv file automatically?

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Originally Posted by xaeroak15

It seems that it can't decode x264 track in mkv file automatically?

Does work properly here:

[Sharktooth]

works here too.

[xaeroak15]

Well,it works~
I've used gspot to set the meirt.
and also checked the AAC decorder both aac and realaac work well~

[robU*4]

Originally Posted by DigitAl56K

Steve, I will need to ask our engineers to look into these issues and get back to you.

Great! At least the invalid IDs should be fixed. The timecode issue may be due to the source (if you use DShow and its timestamps), but it should not make a badly interleaved file. (in case of "timecode reset" you can use another Segment)

For the rest, it's just optimizing.

Anyway, I appreciate all the effort from DivX to make Matroska available on even more CE devices. It looks like 2009 will be the year where Matroska is available outside of computers

[ChronoCross]

Originally Posted by Kurtnoise13

the DivX 7 bundle still provides the vfw interface (6.8.5) encoder...see DigitAl56K's answer above.

I know this....that's not important with DivX 7 as h264 is the primary addition to 7. 6 has always been vfw so I pay no attention to it.

Originally Posted by Ajax_Undone

Just figured find some happy ground... No use in breaking what is not yet broken. Some like vfw ok let em have it. some like cli let me have it.

http://forums.divx.com/forum/viewTopic.php?id=6726

From Divx's own community...

The primary point is that AVC was never meant to be used in vfw. While using hacks you can put it in vfw doesn't mean you should as it's been dropped altogether from every AVC implementation I can think of.

[Ajax_Undone]

Hey DigitAl56k Tell you what make a GUI interface that is par with most of the x264 apps here and I will shut up. I don't care if you sell it. I just want to see evidence of our idea's put to fruition.

Until this happens there is not a chance in the farthest reaches of time and space that I will ever consider giving divx any credence.

P.S. ChronoCross I Never meant to paint the picture of AVC being vfw. I meant to paint the picture for a new asp vfw codec for the continuance of current asp mpeg 4 video.
And now reading this I feel silly for even stating that a new version be produced... The current one works just fine...

[djloewen]

Originally Posted by Ajax_Undone

Hey DigitAl56k Tell you what make a GUI interface that is par with most of the x264 apps here and I will shut up.

What if they make the CLI, and members of the Doom9 community make the GUIs? Isn't that good enough? Personally I don't need the GUI, I'm happy doing everything from batch files.

[Ajax_Undone]

Yeah well Proof is all I ask besides that Most of Doom9 are staying with the tried and true x264 as am I. So I figure if they don't build it it will not get built..

[DigitAl56K]

Originally Posted by DigitAl56K

As I'm sure I'll still be repeating on my death-bed: It's okay to use x264

Aside from this, did we not previously have a discussion where several developers both here and over at divx.com said they specifically did not want to be put in the position where their own applications would be competing with a front-end built by DivX (e.g. Dr DivX)?

I don't understand the source of your cynicism, we're steadily working towards making more updates and tools available. I think Project Rémoulade has been a very good recent example of how we can respond to your feedback and requests, and it will continue to be so.

[DigitAl56K]

Originally Posted by ncahammer

Will support VFR encodes ?
I get
Framerate outside profile specification (24.0119Hz) (312155000/12999987)

You need to convert it to constant frame rate. There is a table of permitted rates in the tutorial at the labs as well as suggestions for converting between rates using the internal filters provided by AVISynth.

[Ajax_Undone]

My main criticism comes from the laughable tools such as converter and the stupid fact that you expect people to purchase an mpeg 2 decoder just to use its limited interface to pop a dvd into it... 10 dollars better spent elsewhere.

Don't get me wrong its just the way I see it. Its very hard to take any CS BS PR crap. I do have high hopes for the CLI app and believe it to be your resurrection if done right.

I think as far as Divx Corp is concerned I would take and make consumer versions of the codec plug-ins inside of MainConcepts Reference app might do some good also.

Anyhow I am just offering what I think. No hard feelings. K

[DigitAl56K]

Okay, but I think we've established now that you don't like Converter and that it wasn't designed for this more technical audience.

Agree that the CLI app has the potential to be good. Let's see how that works out

[Shinigami-Sama]

Originally Posted by DigitAl56K

Okay, but I think we've established now that you don't like Converter and that it wasn't designed for this more technical audience.

Agree that the CLI app has the potential to be good. Let's see how that works out

you mean its targeted at an audience that won't realize its broken?