where can I find a x264 directshow encoder filter?

[lserlohn]

I am a software developer, who developling VOD System using Directshow. After serveral comparision, I choose x264 for my real time encoder. However I can not find a encoder filter, what I only got is a exe file. where can I find it? ffdshow?

I am a very newer, thanks!

[Dark Shikari]

x264 is not recommended for use through DirectShow, but if you really need it, FFDShow has built-in DirectShow encoding through dozens of codecs, including x264.

You can also get a Video for Windows version of x264, which has a more fully-featured interface than FFDShow and is also likely a lot more up-to-date, but note that these are no longer supported and are considered to be deprecated.

(The reason for this is that H.264 video is not meant to go in AVI files, and only manages to do so through several ugly hacks. If you choose the right settings it will generally be compatible, but again, its not recommended.)

[Sergey A. Sablin]

x264 is not recommended for use through DirectShow

what's the problem with DirectShow anyway? (besides the only front-end ffdshow isn't always up to date and probably doesn't allow to tune every feature)

[LoRd_MuldeR]

@S. A. Sablin:
Why not simply use x264.exe + Avisynth + DirectShowSource() ???

@Dark Shikari:
AVI files can be created without the deprecated VFW interface, see Avidemux ;)
The biggest problem for H.264 video is VFW's harsh one-frame-in -> one-frame-out limitation!
But that's not an AVI-specific problem, it's a VFW-specific problem !!!
The problem with AVI itself is that you cannot decide between P-Frames and B-Frames at container level.
So Avidemux let's the decoder decide the frame type. In fact editing H.264 in MP4 currently* is no better than in AVI:
You loose frame-accuracy in both cases, except for some commercial tools maybe...

(* There is hope this will be fixed for Avidemux v2.5)

[Sergey A. Sablin]

@S. A. Sablin:
Why not simply use x264.exe + Avisynth + DirectShowSource() ???

is this question to me??? :confused: I have no problem using DS either way, though I don't use x264...

[LoRd_MuldeR]

is this question to me??? :confused: I have no problem using DS either way, though I don't use x264...

It was simply a suggestion: If you want to use DirectShow, there is absolutely no need for a special "x264 DirectShow encoder filter": You can simply use DirectShowSource() in Avisynth, to access your source video via DirectShow. Then you can frameserve it via Avisynth into the normal x264 CLI encoder. Of course this works with VirtualDub or Avidemux the same way...

[burfadel]

The ffdshow tryouts, which can be downloaded from ffdshow.info (download the one with the latest rev number) is usually up to date with the latest official x264 build. The current revision available via ffdshow if rev 675. General settings are available, not the patched versions though, and the number of reference/b-frames is limited.

[squid_80]

It was simply a suggestion: If you want to use DirectShow, there is absolutely no need for a special "x264 DirectShow encoder filter": You can simply use DirectShowSource() in Avisynth, to access your source video via DirectShow. Then you can frameserve it via Avisynth into the normal x264 CLI encoder. Of course this works with VirtualDub or Avidemux the same way...

Consider the case where the source is a live capture. (The OP mentions VOD and real-time encoding...)

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Consider the case where the source is a live capture. (The OP mentions VOD and real-time encoding...)

Live capture directly to H.264? What hell of a machine you need for that? :eek:

[Dark Shikari]

Live capture directly to H.264? What hell of a machine you need for that? :eek:On standard-def resolution with relatively low encoding settings, you don't need much at all beyond a plain dual core.

[Sharktooth]

you can do that without DS encoding. you can do that just realtime frameserving the video using graphedit: source->ffdshow->avisynth->x264cli (with --thread-input)

[Sergey A. Sablin]

you can do that without DS encoding. you can do that just realtime frameserving the video using graphedit: source->ffdshow->avisynth->x264cli (with --thread-input)

Now let's consider real-time streaming to the network at the same time as some head-ends are built on real-time encoder with network input and output and VOD server which doesn't have dedicated processor and only store, stream and receive data.
Then let's see how complicated whole solution will become. (plus how much overhead will be and will it finally worth using x264.exe in that case comparing to encoding through ffdshow for example)

[Sharktooth]

eh... that would be a pain...

[LigH]

Sorry for wiping dust...

Just this question came up again in the german doom9/Gleitz forum. It is probably aimed at encoding software which supports DirectShow encoder filters as "plugins", so one could use x264 as DS encoder out of this application.

Searching the web for any similar existing implementation, surprisingly I found this freelancer project (http://www.freelancer.com/projects/NET-C-Sharp-Programming/DirectShow-filter-encode-video.html): Someone wants to get hired to do that! :D

According to the VideoHelp forum (http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/312097-h-264-encoder-with-directshow-support), MainConcept Reference supports DirectShow encoding. But which applications use that at all?

[Kurtnoise]

Searching the web for any similar existing implementation, surprisingly I found this freelancer project (http://www.freelancer.com/projects/NET-C-Sharp-Programming/DirectShow-filter-encode-video.html): Someone wants to get hired to do that! :D
Already available (http://sourceforge.net/projects/direct264/) at SF or from Monogram (http://blog.monogram.sk/janos/2009/05/20/monogram-x264-encoder-1050/)...:)

[LigH]

No, direct264 is not exactly a "x264 DirectShow encoder filter" (*.ax), just a "x264 CLI encoder with DirectShow input support".

But yes, the Monogram filter appears to be such a thing. 2009 is long ago, though.

[nevcairiel]

Didn't ffdshow have x264 encoding support, i forgot.

[Emulgator]

Has been withdrawn.
What about x264vfw ?

[filler56789]

LEADTOOLS H.264 Codec

http://www.leadtools.com/sdk/multimedia/h264.htm

Not freeware, of course :)

[LigH]

As the name reveals, x264vfw is a VfW codec (encoder only). They can be used in DirectShow indirectly, but there are severe limitations.