Finding the right way to encode

[fbleach]

Hi!

I have a Unity MP4 player that supposedly plays back also AVI video files. The problem is I cannot seem to find the right format of video it would support.

They offer their own media converter software that produces the magical video format that is actually supported. However, the sound quality is very reduced, and the there are almost no video converting adjustement options as in AviDemux.

So, I've been trying to match the supported file by trying various conversion options with AviDemux but thus far no luck. The problem seems to be exactly the video part, as the audio can even be absent from the supported video or replaced by another (as far as it is MP2), and it plays back alright.

Are there any suggestions what to try? I've tried to match all properties I can read from the generated supported file: I've matched the video format (XviD/MPEG-4), video dimensions, frame rate. What else can there be? I doubt it is the quality as in Kb/s because two files I got from that software have different qualities and they are both still supported.

Are there more properties two XviD files can differ in? If so, with what program can I see them?

Thanks!

[Inspector.Gadget]

Take one of the files produced by their software and post the output of MediaInfo's "text" view here; you can also export a text report from GSpot Codec Information Appliance if you have time. Chances are it's something to do with B-frames, global motion compensation, quarter pixel motion estimation, etc.

[fbleach]

Thank you for showing those programs!

Now I could compare even more details. The differences were BVOP ("No" to the supported, "Yes" to AviDemux-generated), Format profile ("Simple@L3" for the supported, "Streaming Video@L1" for the AviDemux-generated), and writing library ("XviD 1.1.0 (UTC 2005-11-22)" for the supported, "XviD 1.2.1 (UTC 2008-12-04)" for AviDemux's). Also "Format settings, Matrix" was different ("H.263" vs "MPEG"), but I remember trying to change that option too, so probably that was not the stumbling block.

GSpot returned even some more differences like N-VOP vs B-VOP, VIDEO_QF (0.946 vs 0.321), video codec name ("XviD 1.1.0 Final" vs "XviD ISO MPEG-4"), CONT_INTERLEAVE_ALIGN (empty vs "Aligned"), max consecutive BB frames (0 vs 2), I-frame average (50 vs 30).

Here is the output of MediaInfo you asked for:

File size : 24.1 MiB
Duration : 3mn 40s
Overall bit rate : 917 Kbps

Video
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Simple@L3
Format settings, BVOP : No
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Codec ID : XVID
Codec ID/Hint : XviD
Duration : 3mn 40s
Bit rate : 746 Kbps
Width : 224 pixels
Height : 176 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.273
Frame rate : 20.000 fps
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.946
Stream size : 19.6 MiB (81%)
Writing library : XviD 1.1.0 (UTC 2005-11-22)

[Inspector.Gadget]

Your standalone probably doesn't do B-frames. Simply disable them in Avidemux, and for safety's sake try also disabling QPel motion estimation and global motion compensation. Let us know how it goes.

[arrirc]

You can also try this: http://www.avirecomp.com/news.php