what x264 encoding settings are ok for NMT (Network Media Tank) compatibility?

[Xavius]

to achieve a x264 rip perfectly compatible with NMT devices (Network Media Tank, like Popcorn Hour, WD, etc.) what x264 encoding settings are safe to use?
what are the settings or the options is better to avoid?

thanks a lot for your help!

[elguaxo]

High Profile @ Level 4.1 works fine with the Popcorn Hour or WDTV.

[Xavius]

High Profile @ Level 4.1 works fine with the Popcorn Hour or WDTV.

what about other specific settings?
For example, I heard some rumors about bframes limitations: they don't have to be more than 3. Is this right?

[Dark Shikari]

what about other specific settings?
For example, I heard some rumors about bframes limitations: they don't have to be more than 3. Is this right?Doubtful.

[Xavius]

Doubtful.

thanks.

So, what are the x264 limitations to know, to achieve compatibility with NMT?
I'm asking because I'm interested in very high quality encoding (encoding speed is not an issue) but I don't want that some options or maybe some extremely high setting can cause problems with NMT (that are not so powerful or flexible like high-end PCs)...

[RunningSkittle]

Post the settings you want to try, so someone (like my self ;) ) can try them out!

[Xavius]

warning: they are insanely sloooow

2pass encoding with these options (more or less)

--profile high --slow-firstpass --thread-input --deblock -2:-1 --bframes 16 --b-adapt 2 --direct auto --ref 16 --rc-lookahead 100 --merange 32 --me tesa --subme 10 --partitions all --trellis 2 --psy-rd 1.0:1.00 --no-fast-pskip --mixed-refs --sar 1:1

bitrate (and deblock settings, too) depends by source and target size

[thewebchat]

--sar 1:1 and --thread-input are redundant. Aside from that, I'm pretty sure that, in addition to wasting time, --ref 16 will cause compatibility issues on anything above SD resolution.

[nurbs]

--ref 16
Might break the level limit depending on resolution. For 1080p you can have at most 4, for 720p at most 9. You can find the formula for the limit on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H264).

[Xavius]

--sar 1:1 and --thread-input are redundant. Aside from that, I'm pretty sure that, in addition to wasting time, --ref 16 will cause compatibility issues on anything above SD resolution.

ok, I'm here to learn ;)

so don't be shy, what --ref settings do you suggest?
(BTW, with SD resolution --ref 16 is still ok or not? except for time issue, obviously)

P.S. I replied before to see the nurbs reply. I will check Wikipedia....

Reading Wikipedia there is the formula for max --ref settings, but what is the suggested/optimal settings?

[CarlEdman]

I have been serving X264-encoded video to a Popcorn A-100 for about as long as that device has been around while experminenting with all sorts of high settings and have never had any video reproduction problems. (AAC audio is a different issue--you want to be sure to use only the best most basic setting, such as neroaacenc -q 0.35 to avoid serious replay distortions).

These days, with all the nice presets of modern X264 versions, and for DVD backups I just use: --tune (file or animation) --preset (--slower or --veryslow) --crf 19 --profile high --level 4.1 and a powerful denoising filter. The resulting average bitrates typical vary between 500 and 1500 kbps and the results are transparent.

[Boulder]

What about the B-frames, is anything more than 3 consecutive B-frames just asking for trouble with the PCH?

[rack04]

--sar 1:1 and --thread-input are redundant.

How is --sar 1:1 redundant?

[elguaxo]

What about the B-frames, is anything more than 3 consecutive B-frames just asking for trouble with the PCH?

even --bframes 16 are fine

edit: same goes for the WDTV. dunno about other players.

[Xavius]

How is --sar 1:1 redundant?

:confused:

[nurbs]

IIRC it's not really redundant since if you don't set it sar will be marked undefined in the stream. In practice players assume 1:1 if it's undefined, but it's not exactly the same thing and maybe there's some hardware or something that would complain about it.

[RunningSkittle]

I use 6bframes in my 1080p encodes, and my NMT plays them back just fine. 16 is probably too much...

[Dark Shikari]

I use 6bframes in my 1080p encodes, and my NMT plays them back just fine. 16 is probably too much...There is nothing harder about playing back 1000 B-frames than playing back 2.

[Xavius]

There is nothing harder about playing back 1000 B-frames than playing back 2.

so, only to understand, why different levels have different b-frames limit?
and why there is a not-so-simple (not very hard, neither naive) formula, to calculate the maximum bframes number?

[woah!]

There is nothing harder about playing back 1000 B-frames than playing back 2.

i think its ref frames not bframes which the wdtv v1 player could play upto 4 ref at 1080p without stuttering...

the new wdtv live player plays 16 refs ok tho now... more powerful chip used..

[nurbs]

Levels don't have b-frame limits. B-frames aren't allowed in baseline profile. They are allowed in main and high profile, but there is no limitation on the number.

[alfadude]

I use this line for my encodes.
My Popcorn hour A100 eats them all without a hitch.
x264.exe --level 4.1 --tune film --preset veryslow --bframes 3 --crf 20 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --vbv-maxrate 25000 --output "encoded.mp4" "source.avs"