x264 development

aketon · 15th August 2004, 17:55

What is going on with x264? I haven't heard any news about it lately! Are we going to see any beta version with 2-pass code soon???

Tommy Carrot · 15th August 2004, 18:52

Since Fenrir left the development, the project was moved to Videolan.org, and unfortunately very few has been changed since then. As far as i know there were bugfixes in the ME, and it got a basic cbr rate-control, but that's all.

BoNz1 · 15th August 2004, 20:59

Someone on the mailing list said that they were working on a 2pass rate control. I don't know when or if we will see it though. There was also a simple scene change detection which was also added.

bond · 18th August 2004, 22:17

BoNz1, whos working on it?

virus · 19th August 2004, 00:31

IIRC Nic, after providing a patch to add AVS input, talked about adding a 2-pass rate control a couple of months ago. Has this code never been completed/commited?

And why they don't simply borrow such code from XviD (including the keyframe insertion algorithm), given that both projects are GPL'ed?

Joe Fenton · 19th August 2004, 22:16

That's like borrowing the wings from a Lear jet for an F-15. They're both jets and they're both wings, but they're nothing alike other than that. They just don't fit structurally.

aketon · 19th August 2004, 22:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Fenton
That's like borrowing the wings from a Lear jet for an F-15. They're both jets and they're both wings, but they're nothing alike other than that. They just don't fit structurally.

But if you look carefully the wings of a Lear jet, you can have an idea about how to make wings for an F-15!!! Right? Especially the keyframe insertion algorithm from Xvid can be obtained in any codec, since the only thing it does is to show to the codec where to put a keyframe! It has nothing to do with the very internals of the codec! (at least, I believe so)!!!

Sorry for my bad english!!!

BYE!!!

virus · 19th August 2004, 23:45

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Fenton
That's like borrowing the wings from a Lear jet for an F-15. They're both jets and they're both wings, but they're nothing alike other than that. They just don't fit structurally.

Basically, I agree with aketon on that. The keyframe insertion algorithm should be almost unrelated to the type of compression you're using. Maybe your statement holds better for the 2-pass RC, since H.264 allows more ways to compress MBs in a frame (and thus more ways to modify their size in the 2nd pass). But still XviD RC will be a very good starting point... you can tweak it for optimality later.
Even a sub-optimal algorithm is better than nothing

snacky · 1st September 2004, 22:17

x264 encoding is now supported in the latest CVS of mencoder. Build (and maybe install) the x264 library, and currently it'll require a patch posted here: http://mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mplaye...er/028856.html

This patch will probably be included in CVS in a day or two.

Since the previous post to this thread, a lot has gone on in x264. It now supports ratecontrol and 2pass encoding. If you want to see something really impressive, try it on animation source material. You can get good-looking, non-blocky results with incredibly low bitrates.

bond · 2nd September 2004, 17:55

cool stuff, may i ask who is currently working on x264? if more than one person, maybe it would be good to join forces and create one big project, which might become what xvid is now: the opensource codec, which kicks the commercial implementations asses

snacky · 2nd September 2004, 20:35

Laurent Aimar (fenrir) is the most active committer, or perhaps even the only committer - I'm not completely sure.

My own impression is that x264 has attracted very few additional developers over its lifetime. This is unfortunate. I heard that last year, fenrir was talking about adding an h.264 encoder to ffmpeg. IMO this would have been the best possible outcome, because it would have helped attract a lot more attention from ffmpeg developers and perhaps mplayer developers. But obviously nothing ever came of this.

x264 is by far the most active and most useful open source encoder. Yet it is really not that active after all, and there are some important features that have yet to be implemented. There are only a handful of highly competent codec coders in the open source world, and it's a pity there aren't more of them interested in h.264.

BoNz1 · 3rd September 2004, 05:39

Quote:

Originally posted by bond
cool stuff, may i ask who is currently working on x264? if more than one person, maybe it would be good to join forces and create one big project, which might become what xvid is now: the opensource codec, which kicks the commercial implementations asses

Currently, fenrir is the maintainer. But due to his employment at ateme he isn't actively working on his own code for x264. A guy by the name of Loren Merrit sent to the list the 2pass rate control and mru sent the 1 pass rate control. So there is some interest. The 2 pass rate control borrows a lot of code from ffmpeg.

Bogalvator · 19th September 2004, 00:05

How can I build Mencoder with x264 encoding support?

./configure --with-x264libdir="c:/x264" --with-x264incdir="c:/x264"

is not working.

akupenguin · 19th September 2004, 01:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Bogalvator
How can I build Mencoder with x264 encoding support?

Try the more general --with-extra{inc,lib}dir instead of --with-x264{inc,lib}dir
Try not using Windows

snacky · 19th September 2004, 08:59

"It's not working" is not usually a good way to get useful replies. What exactly isn't working, and why?

Latest CVS should do the sensible thing with --with-x264incdir, whereas a week or so ago it didn't actually use the include while compiling. But in general I agree with akupenguin's remark. ALL "--with-XXXXincdir" options misbehave in this way now, except for x264!

Also, in case anyone's curious, the main new feature in the next x264 revision will be subpel quality refinement options. This has a significant effect on bitrate (as well as speed!).

Bogalvator · 19th September 2004, 12:08

Sorry, I should have been more exact. I was using the MPlayer CVS snapshot for 18/9/04, and while configuring it just said "Checking for x264 ... no", so that's what I meant.

I tried with "--with-extra***" as well but no joy. I shall see if I have any success with Linux.

Thanks for your help.

KpeX · 19th September 2004, 16:56

@Bogalvator

Under linux, I simply compiled x264, then copied x264.h to /usr/local/include, and libx264.a to /usr/local/lib, and mplayer detected the library without any additional configuration arguments. Perhaps this will work under cygwin by copying these files to the appropriate directories.

snacky · 19th September 2004, 20:25

I should also add that mencoder is ONLY keeping compatibility with current revisions of x264, without even an attempt to keep backwards compatibility. This is because, IMO, it'd be a waste of time to keep backwards compatibility with an encoder that's not mature and hasn't even had an official "release" version. At the time of my writing, that means you must have revision 46 or mplayer simply won't compile (assuming you're using CVS mplayer). When the next x264 revision comes out, CVS mencoder will be synched to it, instead.

easyfab · 20th September 2004, 16:57

Has anyone test the x264 vfw version (based on core 8)?
Does a new version include the 2 pass ?

Jerry_Sm@rt · 3rd October 2004, 13:17

Quote:

Originally posted by easyfab
Has anyone test the x264 vfw version (based on core 8)?
Does a new version include the 2 pass ?

Where can I get x264 vfw version (based on core 8)?
I've been searching for some time,only get a 2004.05.19 build (core 7)

15th August 2004, 17:55	#1 \| Link
aketon h.264 fan Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: In my CPU! (Damn, it's hot in here!) Posts: 94	x264 development What is going on with x264? I haven't heard any news about it lately! Are we going to see any beta version with 2-pass code soon??? __________________ The power is in your mind!!!

18th August 2004, 22:17	#4 \| Link
bond Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 9,770	BoNz1, whos working on it? __________________ Between the weak and the strong one it is the freedom which oppresses and the law that liberates (Jean Jacques Rousseau) I know, that I know nothing (Socrates) MPEG-4 ASP FAQ \| AVC/H.264 FAQ \| AAC FAQ \| MP4 FAQ \| MP4Menu stores DVD Menus in MP4 (guide) Ogg Theora \| Ogg Vorbis use WM9 today and get Micro$oft controlling the A/V market tomorrow for free

2nd September 2004, 17:55	#10 \| Link
bond Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 9,770	cool stuff, may i ask who is currently working on x264? if more than one person, maybe it would be good to join forces and create one big project, which might become what xvid is now: the opensource codec, which kicks the commercial implementations asses __________________ Between the weak and the strong one it is the freedom which oppresses and the law that liberates (Jean Jacques Rousseau) I know, that I know nothing (Socrates) MPEG-4 ASP FAQ \| AVC/H.264 FAQ \| AAC FAQ \| MP4 FAQ \| MP4Menu stores DVD Menus in MP4 (guide) Ogg Theora \| Ogg Vorbis use WM9 today and get Micro$oft controlling the A/V market tomorrow for free

19th September 2004, 16:56	#17 \| Link
KpeX Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Great Lakes, USA Posts: 1,433	@Bogalvator Under linux, I simply compiled x264, then copied x264.h to /usr/local/include, and libx264.a to /usr/local/lib, and mplayer detected the library without any additional configuration arguments. Perhaps this will work under cygwin by copying these files to the appropriate directories. __________________ KpeX Audio FAQs: General \| BeSweet \| SVCD/MP2 \| MP3 \| Vorbis \| AC3 \| DTS \| AAC Linux Audio/Video FAQ

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

15th August 2004, 18:52	#2 \| Link
Tommy Carrot Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 864	Since Fenrir left the development, the project was moved to Videolan.org, and unfortunately very few has been changed since then. As far as i know there were bugfixes in the ME, and it got a basic cbr rate-control, but that's all.

15th August 2004, 20:59	#3 \| Link
BoNz1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Great White North Posts: 522	Someone on the mailing list said that they were working on a 2pass rate control. I don't know when or if we will see it though. There was also a simple scene change detection which was also added.

19th August 2004, 00:31	#5 \| Link
virus Senior n00b Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Italy Posts: 446	IIRC Nic, after providing a patch to add AVS input, talked about adding a 2-pass rate control a couple of months ago. Has this code never been completed/commited? And why they don't simply borrow such code from XviD (including the keyframe insertion algorithm), given that both projects are GPL'ed?

19th August 2004, 22:16	#6 \| Link
Joe Fenton Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In a house. Posts: 663	That's like borrowing the wings from a Lear jet for an F-15. They're both jets and they're both wings, but they're nothing alike other than that. They just don't fit structurally.

1st September 2004, 22:17	#9 \| Link
snacky Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 44	x264 encoding is now supported in the latest CVS of mencoder. Build (and maybe install) the x264 library, and currently it'll require a patch posted here: http://mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mplaye...er/028856.html This patch will probably be included in CVS in a day or two. Since the previous post to this thread, a lot has gone on in x264. It now supports ratecontrol and 2pass encoding. If you want to see something really impressive, try it on animation source material. You can get good-looking, non-blocky results with incredibly low bitrates.

2nd September 2004, 20:35	#11 \| Link
snacky Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 44	Laurent Aimar (fenrir) is the most active committer, or perhaps even the only committer - I'm not completely sure. My own impression is that x264 has attracted very few additional developers over its lifetime. This is unfortunate. I heard that last year, fenrir was talking about adding an h.264 encoder to ffmpeg. IMO this would have been the best possible outcome, because it would have helped attract a lot more attention from ffmpeg developers and perhaps mplayer developers. But obviously nothing ever came of this. x264 is by far the most active and most useful open source encoder. Yet it is really not that active after all, and there are some important features that have yet to be implemented. There are only a handful of highly competent codec coders in the open source world, and it's a pity there aren't more of them interested in h.264.

19th September 2004, 00:05	#13 \| Link
Bogalvator Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 187	How can I build Mencoder with x264 encoding support? ./configure --with-x264libdir="c:/x264" --with-x264incdir="c:/x264" is not working.

19th September 2004, 08:59	#15 \| Link
snacky Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 44	"It's not working" is not usually a good way to get useful replies. What exactly isn't working, and why? Latest CVS should do the sensible thing with --with-x264incdir, whereas a week or so ago it didn't actually use the include while compiling. But in general I agree with akupenguin's remark. ALL "--with-XXXXincdir" options misbehave in this way now, except for x264! Also, in case anyone's curious, the main new feature in the next x264 revision will be subpel quality refinement options. This has a significant effect on bitrate (as well as speed!).

19th September 2004, 12:08	#16 \| Link
Bogalvator Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 187	Sorry, I should have been more exact. I was using the MPlayer CVS snapshot for 18/9/04, and while configuring it just said "Checking for x264 ... no", so that's what I meant. I tried with "--with-extra***" as well but no joy. I shall see if I have any success with Linux. Thanks for your help.

19th September 2004, 20:25	#18 \| Link
snacky Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 44	I should also add that mencoder is ONLY keeping compatibility with current revisions of x264, without even an attempt to keep backwards compatibility. This is because, IMO, it'd be a waste of time to keep backwards compatibility with an encoder that's not mature and hasn't even had an official "release" version. At the time of my writing, that means you must have revision 46 or mplayer simply won't compile (assuming you're using CVS mplayer). When the next x264 revision comes out, CVS mencoder will be synched to it, instead.

20th September 2004, 16:57	#19 \| Link
easyfab Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 333	Has anyone test the x264 vfw version (based on core 8)? Does a new version include the 2 pass ?