MeGUI Custom x264/AVC video profiles.

[Sharktooth]

Ok, since more and more ppl is asking me how to set the x264/MeGUI options, here's the solution: Profiles.

Instructions
Install MeGUI (http://megui.sf.net/) and let the autoupdate run, it will automatically fetch the profiles from the autoupdate server or if you prefer get the profiles archive (below) and use the MeGUI Import Profiles option to import them.
Once imported you will find the profiles in the "Video Profiles" drop down list. Before starting encoding set the bitrate or quantizer (manually or thru the calculator) and adjust the inloop filter accordingly to your needs/taste: keep it 1;1 or higher for anime/toons (max 3;3) and not higher than x264 defaults (0;0) for movies.

Profiles for maximizing Quality and hit a desired bitrate/filesize (2 or more passes, SLOW encoding, High Profile)
HQ-Fast: Quality profile without using advanced R/D features.
HQ-Slow: Pretty slow but not much. Quality is near the best.
HQ-Slower: Slower than HQ-Slow but it tries to squeeze some more compression thru the use of more reference frames.
HQ-Slowest: Same as HQ-Slower with more reference frames.
HQ-Insane: All settings maxed out.

Profiles for Common Encoding (2-passes)
CE-Highprofile: Common settings using high profile options (not compatible with QuickTime)
CE-Mainprofile: Common settings using main profile options (not compatible with QuickTime)
CE-QuickTime: Common settings for QuickTime 7 compatibility.
CE-Baseline: Common settings using baseline profile options (100% compatible with QuickTime 7)

Profiles for maximizing Speed and hit a desired bitrate/filesize (1-pass)
1P-Maxspeed: Everything disabled for max encoding speed (good for live capturing).
1P-Intermediate: Intermediate settings for average speed and final quality.
1P-Goodquality: Settings for good quality with 1 pass.

Profiles for constant Quality/Quantizer (1-pass)
CQ-Lossless: Lossless encoding.
CQ-ASP_Q2_equiv: Almost the equivalent of MPEG-4 ASP Q2 encoding.
CQ-ASP_Q2_eq(crf): Same as above but with "constant quality" (constant rate factor).

Profiles for Anime/Toons (2 passes)
AE-Standard: 2 passes, Main Profile, standard quality.
AE-Goodquality: Slower than AE-Standard, High Profile, higher quality.
AE-Maxquality: Slowest mode with maxed out settings, best quality.

Profiles for Consoles and Portable Devices
PD-PSP: Profile for Sony PSP playback.
PD-Xbox_Hires: Profile for MS XBOX and higher than 512pixels resolution (latest XBMC is needed).
PD-Xbox_LoRes: Profile for MS XBOX and lower than 512pixels resolutions (latest XBMC is needed).
PD-iPod: Profile for iPod Video based on Arstechnica settings (http://arstechnica.com/guides/tweaks/ipod-video.ars/6).
PD-iPod 5.5G: Profile for the new iPod 5.5G.
PD-AppleTV: Profile for the AppleTV based on Kurtnoise13's findings (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1034432#post1034432).
PD-iPhone: Profile for the iPhone based on Kurtnoise13's findings (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1034432#post1034432).
PD-Nokia N95: Profile for the new Nokia N95 cellphone (created by leowai).

Profiles for HD media
SA-HD-DVD: First EXPERIMENTAL Profile for HD-DVD.
SA-HD-DVD_Fast: Still EXPERIMENTAL, but faster Profile for HD-DVD.
SA-Blu-Ray: First EXPERIMENTAL Profile for Blu-Rays.
SA-Blu-Ray_Fast: Still EXPERIMENTAL, but faster Profile for Blu-Rays.
SA-PS3-Xbox360: Profile for PlayStation 3 and Xbox360 comatibility.
SA-PS3-Xbox360_Fast: Profile for fast encoding compatible with PlayStation 3 and Xbox360.

Profiles for DXVA compatibility
DXVA-HD-HQ: High quality profile compatible with DXVA accelerated Hi-Def decoding.
DXVA-HD-Fast: Fast encoding profile compatible with DXVA accelerated Hi-Def decoding.
DXVA-SD-HQ: High quality profile compatible with DXVA accelerated Standard-Def decoding.
DXVA-SD-Fast: Fast encoding profile compatible with DXVA accelerated Standard-Def decoding.

Download link: MeGUI-x264 Custom Video Profiles. (http://mirror05.x264.nl/Sharktooth/?dir=./MeGUI/profiles)

For questions, comments and requests ask in this thread.
Thanks goes to Sirber for suggestions for Anime profiles.

[DryFire]

Why did you choose -2,-2 for the deblocking filter?

[Sharktooth]

Coz i like sharpness, however you're free to change it accordingly to your preferences.

[yaz]

xxlent initiative !
thx a lot
y

[Sharktooth]

Added "Common Encoding" profiles.
Added "Anime Encoding" profiles.
Added "1 Pass Encoding" profiles.
suggestions are welcome.

[leowai]

Thanks a lot Sharktooth. This will be a very good guide line for newbies. :D

BTW, just curious whether you would add more profiles for stand alone players or not?

Such as:

1. Nero Digital Certified Player. I'm not sure whether default settings will work on these players? If x264 works on these players, what's the possible settings for Max-Quality? Can High Profile in x264 be used?

2. Sony PSP (I think some information is available from bob0r's website http://x264.nl/psp/)

Cheers.

[sapient]

Erm... I guess its an oversight but...
the CE-Baseline actualy uses the High Profile...

[yaz]

@leowai
is there any ndc player supporting avc available ? drop me some links, pls.

@sharktooth
what about including these profiles into your x264 pack(s) ?
thx a lot for your efforts !

the bests
y

[leowai]

@leowai
is there any ndc player supporting avc available ? drop me some links, pls.
As you can see below are the AVC profiles available from Nero Recode2:
http://www.nero.com/nerodigital/eng/AVC_profiles.html

These are the Nero Digital Certified Stand Alone Player.
http://www.nero.com/nerodigital/eng/DVD_Players_Recorder.html

[edit:]
Too bad, from the website, I can't find any of the certified players support the AVC profiles yet. They all only support Main profiles ONLY. :(

[stephanV]

Nero Certification is for ASP, not AVC.

[Sharktooth]

Erm... I guess its an oversight but...
the CE-Baseline actualy uses the High Profile...
Thanks, it got "misteriously" overwritten by another profile...
Fixed.

@leowai: there are still no Nero certified AVC SAPs. Those profiles are for ASP players.

@yaz: yes, maybe i will add them in my pack.

[leowai]

@leowai: there are still no Nero certified AVC SAPs. Those profiles are for ASP players.
I've overlooked for the first time. Thinking of Nero Digital Certified SAPs should play those video encoded with certified profiles (Main & AVC) in Recode2. It doesn't actually.

It's just a bit strange where there is no AVC ND certified SAP since ND (with AVC profiles) had been released for months. I mean they should at least have one, shouldn't they? :D

[fight2win]

thanks sharktooth!

[alea35]

for some reason when i use any of these profiles it creates a border around the video when played back.. i have 1280x960 source avi's which i resize with avisynth to 640x480. when i play it back theres a border around all 4 sides of the video and the video is just a sqaure in the middle. any idea?

[alea35]

just wondering could it be the revision of x264 of using?

[ggab]

great!!!!

i will try the Anime's ones :)

[Sharktooth]

just wondering could it be the revision of x264 of using?
no idea.

[nm]

More likely a problem with the Avisynth script. Perhaps it doesn't change the pixel dimensions properly?

[Rafik]

Hi !
Why do use 3 B frame in HQ profiles ? 0 or 1 isn't better ? If i encode a DVD in only one CD, i think i'll have a loss of quality ... But i think it's a good choice for encoding in 2 CD or a DVD-R.
Thanks !

[Manao]

The more bframes, the better. They are adaptively used, so 3 bframes in a row will be used only if they can improve quality.

[Rafik]

Thanks, now i understand this point.
another question : when MeGUI changes the options of x.264, why it doesn't change in the main x.264 codec configuration et vice versa ? who changes who ?

[Sharktooth]

"x.264 codec configuration" icon, configures the VFW codec, while MeGUI uses the CLI.

[Rafik]

c'est aussi simple que ça !
Thanks.

[Sagittaire]

For questions, comments and requests ask in this thread.

add if possible level profil ...
HD standalone player become and they use specific profil and level.

[Sharktooth]

MeGUI-x264 still doesnt support levels :(

[bond]

CE-Baseline: Common settings using baseline profile options (compatible with QuickTime)
quicktime handles main profile!

[Sharktooth]

quicktime handles main profile!
yes, it "should"... but some features are broken. baseline will work with no doubts :P

[bond]

yes, it "should"... but some features are broken. baseline will work with no doubts :Pwhich ones are broken?

[Doom9]

thanks to both aku for the level mapping and sharktooth for taking the initiative and start a MeGUI profile selection :)

[panzerino]

Sharktooth,

I think, it is time now someone here to say to you-THANKS for all your efforts and for the incredible MeGUI-x264 Custom video profiles. I'm simple customer. Without these profiles I was unable to achieve until now good quality. Yesterday I use some of these profiles, and they are marvelous.
Thank you again, and do not forget how many people here appreciate deeply your efforts, knowledge and kindness to share.

[QuadraQ]

Are any of the above profiles usable for xbox compatible x.264 encoding? If not is there any chance that one could be added? Thanks.

[hpn]

Sharktooth, thanks for the profiles. They are all about 10k compressed, so just one file for download instead of 4 would be simpler :). I also guess you are planning to add the profiles to "x264 Full package" in your next build, so people just install it and have the profiles automatically. Or maybe even better, Doom9 could add them to the MeGUI x264 package for those who download the x264 Lite package and MeGUI separately.

[Sharktooth]

which ones are broken?
Sorry, i dont remember which ones.

Are any of the above profiles usable for xbox compatible x.264 encoding? If not is there any chance that one could be added? Thanks.
Maybe, but i'll add a specific XBOX profile ASAP.

Sharktooth, thanks for the profiles. They are all about 10k compressed, so just one file for download instead of 4 would be simpler :). I also guess you are planning to add the profiles to "x264 Full package" in your next build, so people just install it and have the profiles automatically. Or maybe even better, Doom9 could add them to the MeGUI x264 package for those who download the x264 Lite package and MeGUI separately.
You're right. I'll group them in one pack and then, when they're all ready, i'll add them to the "full" installer.

[QuadraQ]

Maybe, but i'll add a specific XBOX profile ASAP.

Thank you! Most appreciated.

[lexor]

Dunno if you need any input on this, but arstechnica has a decent (as far as I can tell) MeGUI guide for putting h264 on iPod. You could take their settings as guidelines for a profile. (it would probably be best to find someone with a video iPod though, just to check stuff works)

http://arstechnica.com/guides/tweaks/ipod-video.ars/6

oh and just to make sure, if checkboxes are checked but are grayed out, it does mean they aren't used right? (i.e. if you choose one of the HQ profiles and then baseline and then show command line, is --analyse all --8x8dct ok in the base profile? I thought that dct stuff enables high profile)

[Doom9]

nice. I never thought somebody else would write a guide for a software I wrote :)

[Cyberace]

Profiles for Consoles
PSP: Profile for Sony PSP playback.
XBOX: Profile for XBOX (XBMC is needed).
Coming soon...VERY nice! Can't wait to see the result of those profiles in actions (after they have been fully optimized?) :cool:

[QuadraQ]

nice. I never thought somebody else would write a guide for a software I wrote :)

BTW I know I'm not the most qualified, but if there's anyway in which I could contribute to documenting MeGUI, let me know, since I have the time and some resources to contribute.

[QuadraQ]

Sharktooth if you need someone to help you test the xbox profile, I have a modded xbox with the latest version of xbmc and would be happy to help.

[Cyberace]

Profiles for Consoles
PSP: Profile for Sony PSP playback.
XBOX: Profile for XBOX (XBMC is needed).
Coming soon...VERY nice! Can't wait to see the result of those profiles in actions (after they have been fully optimized?) :cool:Sharktooth if you need someone to help you test the xbox profile, I have a modded xbox with the latest version of xbmc and would be happy to help.
MPEG4 AVC (H.264) encoding tips for the Xbox and decoding on XBMC:

Hints: Suggest you sacrifice encoding-speed to maximize quality at low-bitrates by using 2 or more encoding passes based on AVC Main-Profile or High-Quality Profile, (aim for 700MB or lower in total-size for 2-hours of encoded-video with audio, ie a 1 CD rip). Note!; Xbox only have a 733Mhz Intel Pentium-III CPU and 64MB shared-memory!, and because of the limited resourses on the Xbox it helps disabling any features in XBMC that you do not use (like ex. Python-scripts, WebServer, FTP-server), also suggest you enable the hardware-overlays renderer, lower the video-cache leverls and disable all post-processing filters in XBMC. By the way, remember that Xbox/XBMC are very good at upscaling/upconverting low-resolutions to higher-resolutions (like ex 640x480 to 720x576, and 720x576 to 720p/1080i).

Please DO use:
- Maximum resolution of 720x576 @ 25FPS and 720x480 @ 30FPS.
- ABR (Avarage Bit-Rate) for video.
- Low Bit-Rate video (suggested maximum ABR; 1400kbit/sec).
- Crop (remove) any black-bars on widescreen movies.
- CBR (Constant Bit-Rate) for audio.
- Max 448kbit/sec LC-AAC or 256kbit/sec HE-AAC audio.
- I/P/B-Frames (though a maximum of 3 b-frames in a row).
- P-Frames (though a maximum of 2 reference frames).
- Weighted Prediction.

Please DO NOT use:
- Loop/Deblocking, (XBMC does support deblocking but it slows decoding).
- Interlaced-output, (instead convert any interlaced-input to progressive).
- Anamorphic resolutions, (instead rescale/stretch as needed during encoding).
- Loop/Deblocking; (this signifantly slows decoding).
- CABAC; brings down the bitrate by ~10-15% but slows decoding signifantly.

The jury is out on these:
- Variable Block Sizes/Macroblock Partitions; decoding not supported by XBMC yet?
- 8x8 intra prediction.
- Audio downmix mode "Stereo" (output channels); 5.1 is slower to decode than 2.0?
(Remember to normilize or use dynamic-decomression the audio during encoding!)

Links to XboxMediaCenter's forum discussions regarding ACV playback on Xbox:
Nero-Digital/x264 H.264 MPEG-4 AVC codec, is the Xbox CPU powerfull enough? (http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.pl?;act=ST;f=2;t=14956)
HOW-TO play Nero AVC (H.264) in AVI by compile MPlayer with latest FFmpeg! (http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.pl?act=ST;f=8;t=13786)
Nero Digital MPEG-4 AVC / H264 in .MP4 containers support (feature request) (http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.pl?act=ST;f=4;t=8555)

PS! XBMC currently uses FFmpeg CVS from around 4th of October 2005, does that support decoding CQM (Custom Quantization Matrix) for H.264?, if not can 'old' FFmpeg before CQM still decode MPEG4 AVC (H.264) encoded with CQM? By the way; does CQM slow down decoding?, if it does even a little then CQM should probebely be disabled for the Xbox-profile anyway?

[hpn]

BTW I know I'm not the most qualified, but if there's anyway in which I could contribute to documenting MeGUI, let me know, since I have the time and some resources to contribute.

[OT]
Nice guide, but allow me a friendly tip: In your future guides don't use links to fixed software versions. Now for example all readers of this high-profile online magazine will keep using x264 rev.334 (if the file is not already removed from the server) in the next months or even years. It's just better to mention the original download page (Sharktooth's or bob0r's) or at least post a disclaimer that newer versions of all tools used in the guide are most likely available.

[Manao]

No cabac ? No inloop ? No high profile ? Use MPEG4 ASP then, h264 won't do you any good without these tools.

[hpn]

It's an iPod guide and unfortunately iPod doesn't support any of the HP features:

http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html

Quote:
Video support: H.264 video: up to 768 Kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats MPEG-4 video: up to 2.5 mbps, 480 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats

[Manao]

hpn : sadly, iPod doesn't support any of the features of the main profile either.

[hpn]

Yes, baseline and simple profiles only. And don't forget the small screen and all other flaws. If everything is here right now with the first generation who would buy it again in a few months when they announce the next generation. It's called marketing :)

[Sharktooth]

ok, i grouped all profiles in a single archive. some have been changed (anime profiles have always UMH search, hq profiles have -2;-1 as default deblocking, some other changes i dont remember...). So, please, get the update.

[Sharktooth]

Sharktooth if you need someone to help you test the xbox profile, I have a modded xbox with the latest version of xbmc and would be happy to help.
yes, thanks. my xbox has the CPU mod (1.4Ghz) and im not sure if halving the clockspeed it will be exactly the same as a non-CPU-modded xbox. i'll send you a PM with the xbox profile ASAP.

[QuadraQ]

yes, thanks. my xbox has the CPU mod (1.4Ghz) and im not sure if halving the clockspeed it will be exactly the same as a non-CPU-modded xbox. i'll send you a PM with the xbox profile ASAP.

Now I'm envious! :) Still the xbox profile should probably target the "regular" 733 Mghz xbox chip since that's what most people have (and with the right settings can still play AVC files well). If someone is lucky enough to have the chip upgrade, they should be able to use some of the more advanced profiles instead.

[Cyberace]

No cabac ? No inloop ? No high profile ? Use MPEG4 ASP then, h264 won't do you any good without these tools.if you're referring to the Xbox then I agree (as MPEG-4 ASP H.263 is much more suited for playback on 'slow' hardware), however some people now insist on using MPEG-4 AVC H.264 for their encodes no matter if the result is actually of poorer quality than a properly encoded MPEG-4 ASP H.263, (I think they probably just use MPEG-4 AVC H.264 because it is the 'latest and coolest' codec out there right now), even though their stand-alone/set-on-top player can't handle it (limiting them to playing it those videos on high-end computers). But since these early-adaptor people exist and wish to use the Xbox for playback they must restrict themselves when encoding for playback on the Xbox by not using all the bells and whistles (and thus must sacrifice quality).

PS! Personally I think people with Xboxes and other stand-alone DivX/XviD-player should keep using MPEG-4 ASP H.263 for another year or so (especially if they and the majority of their friends share videos and mostly use stand-alone DivX/XviD-players to playback those videos), ....at the very least wait until the MPEG-4 AVC H.264 decoder in FFmpeg become faster at decoding MPEG-4 AVC H.264 than it currently does, and until x264 and other MPEG-4 AVC H.264 codecs becomes more efficient at encoding video in lower bit-rate with higher quality (like how the XviD and DivX codecs have evolved over the years). The developers of the x264 codec and the H.264 decoder in FFmpeg have made loads of progress over the last year and will most likely continue doing so during the year(s) to come, optimizing it and speeding it up enough to make playback on slower machines closer by every month that passes.

[Sharktooth]

a xbox with the CPU mod is able to decode h.264 HP @ SD with almost all the bells and wisthles... pretty good for a 1.4Ghz cpu...