MediaCoder 0.6.0 development snapshot

Post by **stanley** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:33 pm

Sorry for very few updates in the past weeks. After the new year, I've been spending day and night working on the new version in which lots and lots of ugly code got re-written. Besides some functionality adds, there are some breakthroughs in the decoding and encoding part.

Snapshot download page:
http://mediacoder.sourceforge.net/snapshot.htm

* Any feedback on the new version is warmly welcomed.

Here is the changlog of the new version. Please note that nightly build may not include all the stated functions.

[add] raw video frames are retrieved from video source (MPlayer, AVISynth etc.) and sent to video encoders instead of letting video encoders to do decoding (in other words, MediaCoder is no longer a just launcher for various video encoders but can help them to decode what they can't, just like what MediaCoder deals with audio previously)
[add] video source and encoder can be freely coupled which used to have many limits (experimental)
[add] audio decoding, video decoding and audio/video encoding can now be done in individual process/thread (good for multi-core processors)
[add] use theora reference encoder (which can only eat raw I420/YV12 and PCM data) to replace ffmpeg2theora (no longer need it)
[add] preset per file feature (specifying individual preset for each file)
[add] raw audio/video statistics
[add] Flash Video producing extension
[add] tag editing extension
[add] audio/video playback/encoding benchmark extension (a bit like 3DMark, but benchmarking for audio/video performance, may come a bit later)
[add] native AVISynth support (both audio and video source)
[fix] transcoding process unexpected ending fixed
[fix] PSP plug-in breakage fixed
[fix] many combinations of input and output formats that didn't use to work have the chance to work
[update] lots of code segments rewritten (less dependent on Win32 API) and classes reconstructed for better future development and the upcoming Linux porting
[update] better process controls and better portability
[update] improved console window
[update] meta info (tags) of audio/video files now retrieved with (patched) MPlayer

B!ink · Post by **B!ink** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:39 pm

Sweet!

B!ink · Post by **B!ink** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:12 pm

Minor problems discovered when using MediaCoder 0.6.0 (with or without update).

My System:

Windows XP Professional SP2 (Latest update)
AMD Sempron 2800+ (2.01 GHz)
1.00 GHz DDR Ram

*Program freezes when selecting Show Audio Encoder Version, Show Video Encoder Version or Show Multiplexer Version through Transcode Menu
*MusePack encoder points to Speex Tab (Option is correct)
*Speex encoder points to AMR Encoder Tab (Option is Correct)
*OptimFrog encoder points to Generic CLI Encoder Tab (Option is correct)
*MediaCoder Setup Wizard: Enabling or disabling external libraries (e.g. MediaInfo), brings up Invalid key referenced window, "An unexistent preference key (overall.decoding.mediainfo) is referenced"
*MediaCoder Settings: Audio Source --> FFMPEG Folder missing settings (seen this in prior version)
*Replace lame 3.98 Alpha 6 encoder with Lame 3.97 encoder (stable)
*Crop Option: Using Expand to Fit option introduces green bars and weird artifacts to video (problem existed in prior version)
*Muxer Options Tab no longer exist under Expert Mode

Installer Related:
MediaCoder update should read version 0.6.0 update, not 0.5.1 update.

This is what I've discovered so far. Next bug report will be dealing with audio/video encoding.

Post by **stanley** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:53 pm

Thanks for feedback BlinkN!
I've updated the nightly build. The encoder version display is working. The audio encoder tab mismatch is also fixed. The installer version is updated. The setup wizard menu is now temporarily disabled. The muxer option tab is intentially hidden. Other issus will be fixed later.

B!ink · Post by **B!ink** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:35 am

Other problems found in MediaCoder v.0.6.0

*FFMPEG audio backend introduces crackling noise to AC3 audio (problem existed in prior version)
*X264 video backend encoder refuses to encode video and brings up two alert windows; 1st alert window, "The video encoder backend X264 does not have audio support. Please choose an external multiplexer to perform audio/video transcoding with this video encoder."; 2nd alert window, "Error occurs during video transcoding.". I was using Nero encoder as my audio encoder, X264 for my video backend encoder, MPlayer as my source and MP4Box as my multiplexer.
*Program refuses to transcode AVS scripts after selecting AVISynth as my source under audio and video tab (the program can preview the video without a problem)
*Auto Level should be disable by default under Post-Processing folder (Under Video Filters settings)

guest · Post by **guest** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:39 am

Hi Stanley, I don't know if its just me, but the 0.6.0 downloads seem to be very slow and unstable. I am trying for about three hours to get the main package.

edit: finally got it, I will post my experiences shortly. I tried to make a h264 mkv file with nero aac audio out of this file:

PS: I am running Windows Vista Ultimate with a core 2 duo 6400. With the standard settings for xvid/mp3 the transcoding worked fine (the first pass when using h264 also seems to work normally).

General #0
Complete name : F:\new anime\(B-A)Cromartie_High_School_-_01_(F5BD0D92).mkv
Format : Matroska
File size : 117 MiB
PlayTime : 11mn 51s
Bit rate : 1377 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2005-03-16 22:10:47
Writing application : mkvmerge v1.4.0 ('Cornflake Girl') built on Feb 26 2005 14:33:38
Writing library : libebml v0.7.3 + libmatroska v0.7.5

Video #0
Codec : XviD
Codec/Family : MPEG-4
Codec/Info : XviD project
PlayTime : 11mn 50s
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Aspect ratio : 4/3
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Resolution : 16 bits

Audio #0
Codec : AAC LC-SBR
Codec/Info : AAC Low Complexity with Spectral Band Replication
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 24 KHz
Language : Japanese

Audio #1
Codec : AAC LC-SBR
Codec/Info : AAC Low Complexity with Spectral Band Replication
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Sampling rate : 24 KHz
Language : English

Text #0
Codec : UTF-8
Codec/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Language : English

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

with these settings:

audio:

".\codecs\neroAacEnc.exe" -q 0.25 -ignorelength -if - -of "$(DestFile)"

video:

".\mplayer\mencoder.exe" - -nocache -ofps 24000/1001 -passlogfile "$(PassLogFile)" -of rawvideo -ovc x264 -x264encopts bitrate=$(VideoBitrate):qcomp=0.75:threads=4:dct_decimate=1
:cabac=1:direct_pred=spatial:mixed_refs=1:fast_pskip=1:brdo=0:bime=1
:b_adapt:8x8dct=1:pass=1:turbo=2 -nosound -o NUL

".\mplayer\mencoder.exe" - -nocache -ofps 24000/1001 -passlogfile "$(PassLogFile)" -of rawvideo -ovc x264 -x264encopts bitrate=$(VideoBitrate):qcomp=0.75:threads=4:dct_decimate=1:cabac=1
:direct_pred=spatial:mixed_refs=1:fast_pskip=1:brdo=0:bime=1:b_adapt
:8x8dct=1:frameref=6:weight_b=1:me=hex:b_pyramid=1:pass=2 -nosound -o "$(DestFile)"

Well and this is what happens:

[00-21 18:06:36] Start transcoding job for F:\new anime\(B-A)Cromartie_High_School_-_01_(F5BD0D92).mkv
[00-21 18:11:33] [Nero AAC Encoder] Waiting for process to terminate
[00-21 18:11:33] MEncoder unloaded
[00-21 18:11:33] Starting audio encoder (Nero AAC Encoder)
[00-21 18:15:29] [Nero AAC Encoder] Waiting for process to terminate
[00-21 18:15:29] MEncoder unloaded
[00-21 18:15:29] Multiplexer failed to work.
[00-21 18:15:30] Finished transcoding job for F:\new anime\(B-A)Cromartie_High_School_-_01_(F5BD0D92).mkv

Actually a popup informs me that mencoder has made a mistake and that the process will be terminated. Afterwards I have to close mplayer by myself, because the audio transcoding seems to run for all of eternity.
If I use File as source the first run seems to freeze at 99% but the statistics go on (cpu usage is non existent at this point).

( I have tried to use different settings like mp3 for audio and mp4 as container with the same result. )

Edit2: Using the same settings as above but with ffmpeg as backend wont work either (but I have no idea which codecs ffmpeg supports, does it support h264?)

I have tried an avi file with xvid inside of it and it even led to mediacoder being unresponsive.

guest · Post by **guest** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:17 am

BlinkN wrote:Other problems found in MediaCoder v.0.6.0

*X264 video backend encoder refuses to encode video and brings up two alert windows; 1st alert window, "The video encoder backend X264 does not have audio support. Please choose an external multiplexer to perform audio/video transcoding with this video encoder."; 2nd alert window, "Error occurs during video transcoding.". I was using Nero encoder as my audio encoder, X264 for my video backend encoder, MPlayer as my source and MP4Box as my multiplexer.

I also have this problem. When setting format to mkv it will even say the container format is incompatible.

B!ink · Post by **B!ink** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:48 pm

guest wrote:
BlinkN wrote:Other problems found in MediaCoder v.0.6.0

*X264 video backend encoder refuses to encode video and brings up two alert windows; 1st alert window, "The video encoder backend X264 does not have audio support. Please choose an external multiplexer to perform audio/video transcoding with this video encoder."; 2nd alert window, "Error occurs during video transcoding.". I was using Nero encoder as my audio encoder, X264 for my video backend encoder, MPlayer as my source and MP4Box as my multiplexer.
I also have this problem. When setting format to mkv it will even say the container format is incompatible.

I know h.264 codec using MEncoder or FFMPEG backend works in the MKV container. Make sure you select MKVMerge as your multiplexer (under muxer tab) as well. See if that works.

guest · Post by **guest** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:38 am

i think all settings were ok. i also used mkv both in the format and in the mutliplexer tab. The same settings in mediacoder 0.5.1 r5 are working.
i think i will try out the h264 preset, maybe that will work.

with the above settings the mencoder.exe process fails to run stabely - it breaks down after the first pass. But as mentioned at the very above I am currently running windows vista, maybe thats the problem.

Post by **stanley** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:56 am

Fixed several critical bugs (some UI issues will be fixed soon).
Now the snapshot comes in the form a compressed archive instead of a installer.
Please note that native AVISynth support is available for audio (as an audio source) but not yet for video. I'm still working on this part will it will come soon.
I've found some problems with DVD ripping in 0.6.0 (please ignore this issue) since audio and video decoding are done in 2 seperate processes.

MediaCoder 0.6.0 development snapshot

MediaCoder 0.6.0 development snapshot

download unstable and slow