Trying to play an x264 test encode in VLC

[Avisynth_challenged]

Hi all,

I recently downloaded x264 r1583 to create a test h.264 encode. Here are the details:

Using: x264 r1583
Source: 1920x1080p@23.976 avi, Huffyuv encode via Avisynth 2.57

I used the CLI to run x264 with command line given below:
x264 --crf 16 --preset veryslow --tune film --weightp 0
--bframes 3 --nal-hrd vbr --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000
--level 4.1 --keyint 24 --b-pyramid strict --slices 4 --aud
--colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709"
--sar 1:1 d:\x264test.avi -o e:\x264test.264

The aim was to create a raw h.264 stream that would be Blu-ray compatible. The output file was created by x264.

When I try to play this x264 encode with VLC (1.0.5 Goldeneye), it doesn't work. Interestingly, the media info dialog box in VLC says that the x264 file has a framerate of 47.952047fps (or 2 x 23.976fps).

Is there something wrong with my encode (i.e. encode settings)... or is something wrong with VLC when used to play raw H.264 files? Thanks for reading and for any feedback.

[Blue_MiSfit]

VLC always says that for 24p input in my experience. Don't stress :)

Did you try playing the raw h.264 file in VLC? If that didn't work, try muxing it first. Any container should work, MKV, MP4, TS, or M2TS.

~MiSfit

[Avisynth_challenged]

VLC always says that for 24p input in my experience. Don't stress :)

Did you try playing the raw h.264 file in VLC? If that didn't work, try muxing it first. Any container should work, MKV, MP4, TS, or M2TS.

~MiSfit

Thanks! Yep, I was loading the raw h.264 output of x264 into VLC. I'll create a muxed file with multiAVCHD, and see how it flies. Still learning... still learning :)


*UPDATE*
MultiAVCHD used to create muxed HD file. VLC plays it perfectly - thanks!

P.S. Now that I'm getting into h.264 for 1080p/720p sources, I'm gonna have to get a better PC for HD encoding work - my lowly Asus PK5C with Intel Core 2 E6850 took something like 20 or 25 minutes to encode 2100 frames of my test 1920x1080 source!

[CruNcher]

Hehe i wonder when the VLC guys going to fix raw H.264 playback i guess it never gonna happen ;)
But if you need to preview RAW streams use Mplayer it works fine also Arcsofts MPEG Demux supports it for directshow based player (doesn't matter what FPS is written into the stream) like MPC-HC,though Mplayer reads the RAW fps info so if you encoded something VFR and it wrote a fps of 1000 into the RAW stream like x264 does (ffs2) when encoding VFR .WMV with it, Mplayer is going to try playing it back as 1000 fps ;)

[creamyhorror]

Just want to make the usual recommendation to ditch VLC for HD H.264 material. It doesn't do multithreaded or GPU decoding (though I hear the latter is coming).