Matroska video format

[Baho Utot]

I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?

It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey

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[Sergey Manucharian]

Excerpts from Baho Utot's message from Sun 22-May-16 20:42:

> I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?
>
> It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey

Well, Matroska is just a container, it can contain any number of
video/audio/subtitles etc. streams encoded by any kind of codecs.

If you think it's namely Matroska's problem, you can easily convert
it to anything else, e.g.:

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c copy output.avi

and check.

S.

[Polytropon]

On Sun, 22 May 2016 20:42:41 -0400, Baho Utot wrote:
> I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?
>
> It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey

What is "it"? Which player (standalone program or embedded in web
browser as a plugin) are you using?

I've installed mplayer which plays video and audio in MKV format
just fine. Maybe you are missing a codec that is required (because
MKV basically is a containter format, like AVI, with video and
audio and maybe other data in a specific codec)...



--
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...

[Niklaas Baudet von Gersdorff]

Polytropon [2016-05-23 13:49 +0200] :

> I've installed mplayer which plays video and audio in MKV format just
> fine. Maybe you are missing a codec that is required (because MKV
> basically is a containter format, like AVI, with video and audio and
> maybe other data in a specific codec)...

Another great choice is multimedia/mpv.

Niklaas

[Brandon J. Wandersee]

Polytropon writes:

> On Sun, 22 May 2016 20:42:41 -0400, Baho Utot wrote:
>> I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?
>>
>> It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey
>
> What is "it"? Which player (standalone program or embedded in web
> browser as a plugin) are you using?
>
> I've installed mplayer which plays video and audio in MKV format
> just fine. Maybe you are missing a codec that is required (because
> MKV basically is a containter format, like AVI, with video and
> audio and maybe other data in a specific codec)...

Baho, you say "*a* Matroska [video] using [VLC]." If you've only tried
one Matroska video in one player, there's no way to know which is the
source of the problem.

Matroska is a truly free and open container format that's been around
for over a decade now, and I've played *.MKV files in MPV, Parole (the
Xfce media player), and Kodi/Plex Home Theater without having to take
any extra steps. I haven't used VLC in a long time, but it's claim to
fame is that it supports almost every format under the sun out of the
box. So I would bet it's just a poorly encoded video, not a problem with
VLC.

--

:: Brandon J. Wandersee
:: brandon....@gmail.com
:: --------------------------------------------------
:: 'The best design is as little design as possible.'
:: --- Dieter Rams ----------------------------------

[Polytropon]

On Mon, 23 May 2016 10:22:32 -0500, Brandon J. Wandersee wrote:
> Matroska is a truly free and open container format that's been around
> for over a decade now, and I've played *.MKV files in MPV, Parole (the
> Xfce media player), and Kodi/Plex Home Theater without having to take
> any extra steps. I haven't used VLC in a long time, but it's claim to
> fame is that it supports almost every format under the sun out of the
> box. So I would bet it's just a poorly encoded video, not a problem with
> VLC.

Using "mplayer -identify <filename>" is a good tool to check
what actually is inside the MKV container. The -dumpvideo and
-dumpaudio options can be used for further examination. In
case the file in question is just improperly encoded, this
is a good way to find out.

I'd like to repeat the suggestion to use different files and
different players. Just make sure the required libraries and
codecs have been installed.

--
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...

[Mark Tinka]

On 23/May/16 17:22, Brandon J.Wandersee wrote:

>
> Matroska is a truly free and open container format that's been around
> for over a decade now, and I've played *.MKV files in MPV, Parole (the
> Xfce media player), and Kodi/Plex Home Theater without having to take
> any extra steps. I haven't used VLC in a long time, but it's claim to
> fame is that it supports almost every format under the sun out of the
> box. So I would bet it's just a poorly encoded video, not a problem with
> VLC.

I am yet to find a piece of media that cannot be decoded by VLC. MKV
included.

Mark.

[Perry Hutchison]

"Brandon J. Wandersee" <brandon....@gmail.com> wrote:

> ... it supports almost every format under the sun ...

These days, shouldn't that be "every format known to the oracle"?



:)

[krad]

No way, as if it were today you can play this file for the princely sum of
£100k, but tomorrow all bets are off unless you pay another £250k. The fuel
for that yacht of Larry's is expensive you know !!

[Eduardo Morras via freebsd-questions]

On Sun, 22 May 2016 20:42:41 -0400

Baho Utot <baho...@columbus.rr.com> wrote:

> I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?

vlc supports mkv container format.

> It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey

It's a video codec problem, not mkv.

If it happens once or mixed with other defects, it's (>90%) a tiny corruption on video file.

If it happens too often and in the same way (you see 1-2 pictures and goes grey, 1-2 pictures and again grey repeteadly) then the video was codified with a feature vlc can't decode. Upgrade vlc and it's dependence libraries or use other viewer (ffplay from ffmepg) that uses other library (for H264 you have OpenH264, ffmpeg, x264, etc.. and not all of them supports all H264 subformats/modes).

If you transcode it with ffmpeg check first ffmpeg/ffplay can play it nicely.

--- ---
Eduardo Morras <emor...@yahoo.es>

[Baho Utot]

On 05/24/16 07:32, Eduardo Morras via freebsd-questions wrote:
> On Sun, 22 May 2016 20:42:41 -0400
> Baho Utot <baho...@columbus.rr.com> wrote:
>
>> I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?
> vlc supports mkv container format.
>
>> It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey
> It's a video codec problem, not mkv.
>
> If it happens once or mixed with other defects, it's (>90%) a tiny corruption on video file.
>
> If it happens too often and in the same way (you see 1-2 pictures and goes grey, 1-2 pictures and again grey repeteadly) then the video was codified with a feature vlc can't decode. Upgrade vlc and it's dependence libraries or use other viewer (ffplay from ffmepg) that uses other library (for H264 you have OpenH264, ffmpeg, x264, etc.. and not all of them supports all H264 subformats/modes).
>
> If you transcode it with ffmpeg check first ffmpeg/ffplay can play it nicely.

It does indeed appear as a codec problem, windog 7 will play the video
just fine.

I tried to transcode it but it did not work

I am now trying to find out which codec are availiable and if I have
them installed.

[Eduardo Morras via freebsd-questions]

On Tue, 24 May 2016 20:12:23 -0400

Baho Utot <baho...@columbus.rr.com> wrote:

> On 05/24/16 07:32, Eduardo Morras via freebsd-questions wrote:
> > On Sun, 22 May 2016 20:42:41 -0400
> > Baho Utot <baho...@columbus.rr.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I would like to play a Matroskavisoe using vlc, Is this possible?
> > vlc supports mkv container format.
> >
> >> It starts to play but the picture goes in and out of grey
> > It's a video codec problem, not mkv.
> >
> > If it happens once or mixed with other defects, it's (>90%) a tiny
> > corruption on video file.
> >
> > If it happens too often and in the same way (you see 1-2 pictures
> > and goes grey, 1-2 pictures and again grey repeteadly) then the
> > video was codified with a feature vlc can't decode. Upgrade vlc and
> > it's dependence libraries or use other viewer (ffplay from ffmepg)
> > that uses other library (for H264 you have OpenH264, ffmpeg, x264,
> > etc.. and not all of them supports all H264 subformats/modes).
> >
> > If you transcode it with ffmpeg check first ffmpeg/ffplay can play
> > it nicely.
> It does indeed appear as a codec problem, windog 7 will play the
> video just fine.

To know the codec information, use (assuming you have ffmpep installed)

%ffprobe -hide_banner input_file

Input #0, avi, from 'input_file':
Metadata:
encoder : VirtualDubMod 1.5.10.2 (build 2540/release)
Duration: 01:58:56.04, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1676 kb/s
Stream #0:0: Video: mpeg4 (Advanced Simple Profile) (XVID / 0x44495658), yuv420p, 704x292 [SAR 1:1 DAR 176:73], 1022 kb/s, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: ac3 ([0] [0][0] / 0x2000), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 320 kb/s
Stream #0:2: Audio: ac3 ([0] [0][0] / 0x2000), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 320 kb/s

At Stream #0 you can see video codec (mp4), the profile used (Avanced Simple) and codec implementation (xvid)

These kind of problem occurs when codec use other standard profiles not implemented in decoder or non standard profiles options.

> I tried to transcode it but it did not work

Transcode needs to play it, if the codec library don't support the feature used by creator codec, obtained output file will show the same problems.

Install or reinstall ffmpeg from ports, configure it with SDL support (if not, ffplay is not created) and

a) #cd /usr/ports/multimedia/ffmpeg
b) #make config
c) Check SDL, x264, if they're not checked
d) UnCheck OpenH264, if it's checked
e) # make install

Use '%ffplay filename' to play the video.

> I am now trying to find out which codec are availiable and if I have
> them installed.

To show the codecs (decoders) available by your ffmpeg compiled you can use:

%ffmpeg -decoders

and to show everything your compiled ffmpeg can do:

%ffmpeg --help full

adding a new codec needs reconfiguration and recompilation.

P.S. If you config ffmepg port and don't know what were the default ffmpeg port configuration, do '#make rmconfig' to reset it.

HTH

--- ---
Eduardo Morras <emor...@yahoo.es>

[Baho Utot]

I think my issue has something to do with this:

[swscaler @ 0x81604d000] Warning: data is not aligned! This can lead to
a speedloss

Anyway I have rebuilt ffmpeg and enabled SDL, it plays but with the
above error


Thanks

[Eduardo Morras via freebsd-questions]

On Wed, 25 May 2016 17:26:18 -0400
Baho Utot <baho...@columbus.rr.com> wrote:

>
> I think my issue has something to do with this:
>
> [swscaler @ 0x81604d000] Warning: data is not aligned! This can lead
> to a speedloss
>
> Anyway I have rebuilt ffmpeg and enabled SDL, it plays but with the
> above error

Then the codec used had a bug, it happened on some devices with buggy firmware and it's hard to update them. Above error is the warning or the grey frames?.

a) If ffplay can play it well/correctly ffmpeg can transcode it without major issues.

b) If it's the grey frames, don't know how to fix it, sorry.

Some blindshoots with vlc:

c1) In vlc, go to ctrl+P 'preferences', select 'all settings' (bottom left), 'input/codecs', 'video codecs', 'ffmpeg', 'error resilience' set it to 4
c2) In vlc, go to ctrl+P 'preferences', select 'all settings', 'input/codecs', 'video codecs', 'ffmpeg', 'workaround bugs', try with values 2, 16 and 18

Also, with ctrl+M and setting to 1 or 2 the verbosity level you can see what vlc is doing and why.

HTH

> Thanks