How can I tell which video files will be compatible?

[headcoatman]

I've imported a number of different video files to my J3; avi, wmv, mp4, mpg, mpeg. Some play, some don't. I also have the Cowon Media Center...can use it to convert titles, but I see no way of knowing beforehand if the conversion is necessary or not.
Some mp4s work and some don't--same with avis, etc. So It's not just a particular extension that won't work.
Has anyone found a convenient method of figuring this out? And if you are using a converter, which would you recommend?
Thanks.

[DSperber]

Mostly it's the underlying codec which is the answer.

The external format of the file (AVI, WMV, etc.) is really a wrapper, but the internal underlying data has been compressed according to a codec.

So the codecs supported by the J3 are what's key here.

According to the documentation (which may be out of date) the supported codecs are: (a) DIVX 3/4/5, (b) XVID SP/ASP, and (c) WMV 7/8/9.

All of my own videos are AVI, and they all are encoded with XVID. They are also either 640x480 or 640x360, and they are all handled (and re-sized as needed) just fine by the J3. They even display beautifully when I use the TV-out cable to a television.

I don't know about MPG and MP4. Also, what is the resolution of your videos? I think there is a limit to how large the resolution can be, to work with the resizing capability of the J3's software.

[headcoatman]

Thank you for your response.

Here are the specs of an mp4 file which would not play:

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 436 MiB
Duration : 9mn 7s
Overall bit rate : 6 684 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2010-09-30 00:19:40
Tagged date : UTC 2010-09-30 00:19:55

Video
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L3.2
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 9mn 7s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 6 545 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 50.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.142
Stream size : 427 MiB (98%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2010-09-30 00:19:05
Tagged date : UTC 2010-09-30 00:19:55
Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177

Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 9mn 7s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 8.53 MiB (2%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2010-09-30 00:19:05
Tagged date : UTC 2010-09-30 00:19:55

That's an HD clip, 1280x720. Codec ID is mp42.

But you've given me great info here. I can use mediainfo to find the codec, compare to the documented codec handling of the J3, and go on from there.
Do you have a specific converter to recommend? I'm thinking of going back to handbrake, which I used at one time (for windows).

[DSperber]

Originally Posted by headcoatman

I can use mediainfo to find the codec, compare to the documented codec handling of the J3, and go on from there.

I don't have a video like this to compare with, but certainly BOTH the audio and video codecs in this video are not supported according to the documentation.

Do you have a specific converter to recommend? I'm thinking of going back to handbrake, which I used at one time (for windows).

Honestly I can't recommend one. I don't do "conversions".

I'm sure others can recommend a good utility. You should probably experiment with a few different target formats, including re-sizing from your 1280x720 size to something smaller.

Of course re-compressing and re-sizing is going to result in some loss in quality from the original HD (as viewed on your PC), but if you use AVI/XVID with high-quality and fairly high bitrate parameters and re-size your HD videos to say to 640x360 I think you'll be happy with the results when played on the J3. I know that my AVI/XVID results (using VirtualDub) starting from original HD WTV-MPG/MPEG-2 transport streams and producing AVI/XVID output is excellent. Looks like HD.

Experiment a little and try them each out on the J3, and go with what produces the best results on the J3.

Also, my experience is that putting videos on internal storage of the J3 seems to produce better results than using the external SD card, since generally the speed (i.e. CLASS) of the SD cards is slower than the speed of the J3's internal storage. But it may not actually make a difference in your case, so you should experiment on this as well.

[headcoatman]

Thank you. I'm currently testing out xmedia recode to convert various files to avi/xvid/ 640x480 or 640x360.
Ah, I see...the audio is also unsupported. AAC. Will also make conversions to mp3 audio. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[headcoatman]

Great success so far...

Here are the specs of a video I just converted:
Format : DivX
Format/Info : Hack of AVI
File size : 199 MiB
Duration : 4mn 56s
Overall bit rate : 5 628 Kbps

Video
ID : 0
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Codec ID : DX50
Codec ID/Hint : DivX 5
Duration : 4mn 56s
Bit rate : 5 499 Kbps
Width : 848 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.540
Stream size : 194 MiB (98%)
Writing library : DivX >6.2.5, <6.4.0

Audio
ID : 1
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Mode extension : MS Stereo
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 4mn 56s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 4.52 MiB (2%)
Alignment : Split accross interleaves
Interleave, duration : 40 ms (1.00 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration : 500 ms
Title : Audio

To my untrained eye, the compatibility issues were the audio (MPEG AUDIO), and the resolution (848x480)...even though the codec was already divx5, (though it also lists mpeg4-visual).
Converting this 199mb file to avi/xvid/640x360 resulted in a 75.5mb file which looks perfect on the J3, and has proper AR.
And you were exactly right: the new video is not impressive on the pc's screen, as compared to the original, but looks wonderful on the J3.

Thank you for your time and input.

Perhaps someone else can suggest a converter. Xmedia works well, but some files take 30-45 minutes to convert.

[DSperber]

Originally Posted by headcoatman

Great success so far...

Excellent!

Here are the specs of a video I just converted:
Format : DivX
Format/Info : Hack of AVI
File size : 199 MiB
Duration : 4mn 56s
Overall bit rate : 5 628 Kbps

Video
Codec ID : DX50
Codec ID/Hint : DivX 5
Duration : 4mn 56s
Bit rate : 5 499 Kbps
Width : 848 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9

Audio
ID : 1
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Mode extension : MS Stereo
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 4mn 56s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz

Converting this 199mb file to avi/xvid/640x360 resulted in a 75.5mb file which looks perfect on the J3, and has proper AR.

Just some suggestions...

(1) It seems counter-productive to convert your original source which is 1280x720 to an odd imprecise resolution of 848x480 (which is not exactly 16x9), and then convert that intermediate file a second time to 640x360. Why?

Why not go directly from 1280x720 to 640x360 (which is truly 16x9), and the exact 1/2-size resizing of H and W will produce superior video results.

(2) It seems counter-productive to convert and re-compress your original (already compressed with AVC) source to DIVX5 (which is already lossy), and then convert and re-compress that a second time, into AVI/XVID.

Why not go directly from your original source to AVI/XVID (assuming you have found an AAC->AVI/XVID converter)? Again, you will obviously get much superior video results.

(3) It's a shame you're starting with a fairly poor audio track, lossy compressed AAC and only 128kbps. This is not great audio, but clearly does need to be converted to either PCM (which the J3 will also play, like WAV) or MP3 since AAC is not supported.

(4) Again, I think you'll get your best video results producing 640x360 output from 1280x720 source, and also go directly from your AVC source to AVI/XVID (you need to find a converter that can do that).

Perhaps someone else can suggest a converter. Xmedia works well, but some files take 30-45 minutes to convert.

Well the process of transcoding and resizing generally does take quite a while, no matter what program you use to do it. Even the well known AVISynth takes a long time when the job is tough (as transcoding/resizing/re-compression and audio conversion/re-compression is).

But 30 minutes is not so bad. And it's a one-time task.

[headcoatman]

Ah, I was misleading. I meant those were the original specs of a video I converted. I did not make any intermediate transcodes. So that particular file was 848x480 to begin with. Thanks again!

[DSperber]

Originally Posted by headcoatman

Ah, I was misleading.

No wonder I'm confused!!

Your initial example showed 1280x720 AVC/AAC. So I just naturally assumed you had started from that same file for your XMedia conversion experiment, producing DIVX at 848x480, MP3 audio.

I didn't realize you were actually starting with a second and completely different source file (which was MP4/DIVX at 848x480, MP3 audio) and going to AVI/XVID at 640x360, same MP3 audio I guess).

Have I got this right now?

I meant those were the original specs of a video I converted. I did not make any intermediate transcodes. So that particular file was 848x480 to begin with.

Good.