convert - remux MKV to 360 format?

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Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
It's possible that extra 2Mbps average does make all the difference. Is it stuttery through the entire rest of the movie, or does it smooth out again? Is it all fast action?

It's also possible that the encoding/decoding parameters are simply more aggressive in the first file. Profile 4.1 vs 4.0, higher bframes, etc...
 
ViviTheMage

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
It's smooth, then stutters/locks up, then smoothes out for a few seconds, then smoothes out for good .. but then audio is off by 2-3 seconds it looks like.

I can't believe 2Mbps is the issue ... I have played 25Mbps movies.

I don't know much about video/codecs ... apparently, haha.
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
It could also be peak bitrates at points in file1 are higher than file2, causing the stuttering. Is there a pattern to those suttering points? Like fast action, dark scenes, complex shapes/patterns/textures, etc..?
 
Phynaz

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
10,140
819
126
Gooberlx2 said:
So....your 360 is playing back a .vob with x264/AC3 streams in the extender? I thought .vob was only compatible with mpeg-2 video streams. Or is it .m2ts?
Click to expand...

That's the point. Both the PS3 and the 360 can play back x264 video. They just just have no idea what a mkv container is.

So, stick the x264 in a container they do know about and they are happy to play the content in that container whether it's supposed to be in that container or not.

Just because the jar says "Cookies" on it doesn't mean you can't put cake in it. :D
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
Phynaz said:
That's the point. Both the PS3 and the 360 can play back x264 video. They just just have no idea what a mkv container is
Click to expand...

I understand that, but I'm surprised a simple mpeg container would work, since it should only be compatible with certain stream types (mpeg1/2 video, PCM/MPG/AC3 audio...360 can't decode DTS). But it's great it can be tricked.

BTW, you can force the 360 to recognize mkv in the media center extender, by installing haali and ac3filter splitters on the serving Windows 7 computer. Works pretty well for me.
 
ViviTheMage

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Gooberlx2 said:
I understand that, but I'm surprised a simple mpeg container would work, considering it should be expecting only certain streams (mpeg1/2 video, PCM/MPG/AC3 audio...360 can't decode DTS). But it's great it can be tricked.

BTW, you can force the 360 to recognize mkv in the media center extender, by installing haali and ac3filter splitters on the serving Windows 7 computer. Works pretty well for me.
Click to expand...

Got a tutorial for this?
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
ViviTheMage said:
Got a tutorial for this?
Click to expand...

Assuming Windows 7 and no other codecs/packs installed (like k-lite or sharkys)

Install:
Haali Media Splitter
--> don't think there's any special configs. Maybe enable thumbnail extraction.
ac3filter (full)
--> set output to 5.1

It should just work after that. Open them up in Media Center, on the computer, to make sure they play with 5.1 surround (If you don't have surround speakers, I think you should still see ac3filter and haali icons in the systray).

You can check out hack7mc and thegreenbutton. But it seems like most guides I've seen are out of date, from before haali released their 64-bit splitter.

Note, you'll still have to transcode from DTS to AC3 audio because the 360 can't decode DTS. That's why I suggested just using avidemux earlier. Just copy the video stream and transcode the audio stream to 5.1 AC3. For the files you've already done, just use avidemux to copy both streams to a new mkv.

There can be weird quirks with fast forward/rewind/skip, etc...but I've seen that happen on the 360 with just about any kind of file that contains h.264.
 
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ch33zw1z

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
39,755
20,327
146
ViviTheMage said:
I haven't had good luck with handbrake ... what settings are you using?
Click to expand...

v 0.9.5

I choose "regular" on the right

choose "mp4" under the destination

everything else default.

I haven't tried many straight on the x360, only a handful. they've worked well. none of the rips were high def tho, just regular dvds
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
ViviTheMage said:
yeah, FF/RW/SKIP suck on the 360 for numerous movies, so we just don't do it.

So that will work to stream you say.
Click to expand...

It should...it does for me. Do you have any other codecs/packs installed? You'll want to remove those first.

edit: I always liked the cccp and k-lite codecs packs on Windows XP and Vista. But now that Windows 7 includes codecs for the majority of most peoples' needs, I don't see the point. Tweaking ffdshow or paying for CoreAVC isn't worth the hassle or cost to me for barely perceptible differences in IQ. If subtitles are important for local playback, then install VSfilter. I don't think they'll stream across to the extender (which has no concept of soft-subs AFAIK).
 
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Fayd

Fayd

Diamond Member
Jun 28, 2001
7,970
2
76
www.manwhoring.com
Gooberlx2 said:
It should...it does for me. Do you have any other codecs/packs installed? You'll want to remove those first.

edit: I always liked the cccp and k-lite codecs packs on Windows XP and Vista. But now that Windows 7 includes codecs for the majority of most peoples' needs, I don't see the point. Tweaking ffdshow or paying for CoreAVC isn't worth the hassle or cost to me for barely perceptible differences in IQ. If subtitles are important for local playback, then install VSfilter. I don't think they'll stream across to the extender (which has no concept of soft-subs AFAIK).
Click to expand...

which is sad. it's a freaking computer, it obviously has the processing power to handle soft subs. MS should just get their heads out of their asses and add native support for mkv and soft subs.
 
S

smitbret

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2006
3,382
17
81
ViviTheMage said:
A friend sends me videos in mkv, but I want to play them on the 360, without having to transcode.

What can I use that keeps 5.1? and puts it in 360 playable format? Something as simple as Handbrake never works perfectly.

I'll even purchase software that can do Cuda/ATI Stream.
Click to expand...

After sampling tons of different programs, I have ended up using Xilisoft Video Converter as my fallback when I can't figure out how to put together a video file. It's CUDA enabled and is pretty quick.

The multi-channel audio is the killer with the Xbox 360. I think the only way to get h264/AVC video and multi-channel audio is in a .wmv container.

http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/what_will_xbox_360_play.cfm

I thought I'd read somewhere that you can leave AC3 multichannel in an .m4v container (although not officially supported) and it will still playback on an xBox 360. I could be way off, though and I don't own one to check it out.
 
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Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
ViviTheMage said:
I have no codecs installed. How does installing codecs on my Media Center PC help the 360? I thought that was irrelevant.
Click to expand...

I'm not really sure how it works. My guess is either the 360 MCX reinterprets the system codecs, windows just sends the elementary streams (thus needing appropriate splitters), or the MCX is just a remote desktop of sorts.
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
I going to say yes. Dealing with and/or transcoding the multitude of codec/container combinations to work with the 360 is just too much hassle, especially if it forces you to lose out on any kind of fidelity, like transcoding your DTS audio.

The WDTV Live Plus apparently works with basically anything and gets good reviews. There's a thread in AVHT discussing some players.

WDTV Live Hub
WDTV Live Plus
 
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ViviTheMage

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
The ONLY issues i've read witht he WDTV is that it can't handle high bitrate movies...bah, a lot of mine are very high.

you linked me to the nixeus fusion hd player.

How's the Apple TV? Does that thing support a lot of codecs/containers?
 
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Z

Zargon

Lifer
Nov 3, 2009
12,218
2
76
ViviTheMage said:
The ONLY issues i've read witht he WDTV is that it can't handle high bitrate movies...bah, a lot of mine are very high.

you linked me to the nixeus fusion hd player.

How's the Apple TV? Does that thing support a lot of codecs/containers?
Click to expand...

there is one other option Vivi, build a new gaming rig and use your current one as a HTPC :biggrin:
 
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