[IDEA] iPiMP Spin-off: Simple MP4 Transcoder for MP

[revs]

I was looking into creating a simple plugin to transcode my TV recordings into MP4 - I then realized that 99% of the work was already done in iPiMP. A plugin existed, but it seems development has recently ended.

iPiMP already transcodes to MP4, however it re-sizes to iPhone resolution.

I have mentioned this to Cheezey, and have decided to create a thread.

My proposal (as long as cheezey is ok with it), is to modify the Transcoding part of iPiMP into a seperate, simple MP4 trascoder.

My suggested features:

1. Simple. Only MP4/h.264. If we start asking for every video format under the sun then things get complicated and buggy!

2. Option not to re-size the video. i.e. video is simply compressed to h.264/mp4, and nothing else is done (unless de-interlacing is required?)

3. Bitrate options for video and audio - but have a default to keep things simple for noobs.

4. Once finished transcoding, delete the original .ts file, and re-point the recording databse so that it points to the MP4 and not the old .ts file

5 (bonus) - automatically cut-out comskip (edl) files.


there is already the option to delay the transcoding until a certain time - so thats a given.


Anything else that people require? (oh and so its clear, cheezey is doing all the work.. i just suggested it)

[joystick]

If you're talking about making all of this automated.....go go go
also

5 (bonus) - automatically cut-out comskip (edl) files.

is a must have....

cheers

joystick

[revs]

Automated - yes I assume so. It would use the existing functionality to run at a set time (or straight away). it would transcode and replace the original file, and update the recordings database.

Oh and if edl files are used - would be nice to delete them afterwards! (I think maybe odd things could happen if they still exist with the new file that has commercials removed?)

[cheezey]

Originally Posted by revs

I was looking into creating a simple plugin to transcode my TV recordings into MP4 - I then realized that 99% of the work was already done in iPiMP. A plugin existed, but it seems development has recently ended.

iPiMP already transcodes to MP4, however it re-sizes to iPhone resolution.

I have mentioned this to Cheezey, and have decided to create a thread.

My proposal (as long as cheezey is ok with it), is to modify the Transcoding part of iPiMP into a seperate, simple MP4 trascoder.

It is already standalone - you can de-select the iPiMPWeb from the installer if you just want to install the transcode plugin.

Originally Posted by revs

1. Simple. Only MP4/h.264. If we start asking for every video format under the sun then things get complicated and buggy!

Agreed!

Originally Posted by revs

2. Option not to re-size the video. i.e. video is simply compressed to h.264/mp4, and nothing else is done (unless de-interlacing is required?)

Maybe present a few options, e.g. 1. native, 2. 50%, 3. iPhone sized

Originally Posted by revs

3. Bitrate options for video and audio - but have a default to keep things simple for noobs.

Agreed!

Originally Posted by revs

4. Once finished transcoding, delete the original .ts file, and re-point the recording databse so that it points to the MP4 and not the old .ts file

I think this will work - it will also work if you use MPEG for your recordings. This shouldn't 'break' MP in any way, i.e. any action you can perform on a recording native in MP will still work on the MP4.

Originally Posted by revs

5 (bonus) - automatically cut-out comskip (edl) files.

Nice! My understanding is that you run comskip which detects the cut points and writes them to a file, that file is then used by another utility to do the actual cutting and there seems to be a few options for that so any feedback on the best approach would be welome.

Originally Posted by revs

Anything else that people require? (oh and so its clear, cheezey is doing all the work.. i just suggested it)

Happy to help

[revs]

RE Comskip - some encoding programs have a argument you pass which tells them "look for a edl/comskip file, if you find one, use it to remove commercials". so you may only need to add a single argument - depends which encoding tool you use

btw - thanks again!!!!

[cheezey]

I think this will work - it will also work if you use MPEG for your recordings. This shouldn't 'break' MP in any way, i.e. any action you can perform on a recording native in MP will still work on the MP4.

Jings!! it disnae worrrrrk.

Just as a test I updated one of my recordings to use the transcoded MP4 and it's not playable through TVE3 recordings.

tv.log reports

2008-12-02 19:19:01.530696 [16]: RTSP: add stream 3DA5133B file:E:\MP4\QI Children in Need Special - BBC TWO - 2008-11-14.mp4
2008-12-02 19:19:01.544367 [16]: Controller: streaming url:rtsp://SERVER/3DA5133B file:E:\MP4\QI Children in Need Special - BBC TWO - 2008-11-14.mp4
2008-12-02 19:19:13.198895 [RTSP Streaming thread]: RTSP: Streamer stopped

streamingserver.log reports

02-12-2008 19:19:01 Stream server: add mpeg-2 ps stream 3DA5133B filename:E:\MP4\QI Children in Need Special - BBC TWO - 2008-11-14.mp4
02-12-2008 19:19:01 ServerMediaSession ctor:3DA5133B
02-12-2008 19:19:01 ServerMediaSubsession:ctor
02-12-2008 19:19:01 MPEG2TstFileServerMediaSubsession::ctor:741d178
02-12-2008 19:19:01 Stream server: url for stream is rtsp://192.168.241.2/3DA5133B
02-12-2008 19:19:01 CMemoryBuffer::ctor
02-12-2008 19:19:01 MPEG2TstFileServerMediaSubsession:createNewStreamSource:741d178
02-12-2008 19:19:01 ts:open E:\MP4\QI Children in Need Special - BBC TWO - 2008-11-14.mp4
02-12-2008 19:19:01 ts:ctor:57bfcc8
02-12-2008 19:19:01 ts:size 131105964
02-12-2008 19:19:01 MPEG1or2Demux:ctor:57d0060
02-12-2008 19:19:01 MPEG1or2DemuxedElementaryStream:ctor:57c0270
02-12-2008 19:19:01 MPEG2TransportStreamFromPESSource::ctor:735e030
02-12-2008 19:19:01 MPEG2TransportStreamFramer:ctor:5716f40
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG2TransportStreamFramer:dtor:5716f40
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG2TransportStreamFromPESSource::dtor:735e030
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG1or2DemuxedElementaryStream:dtor:57c0270
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG1or2Demux:dtor:57d0060
02-12-2008 19:19:02 ts:dtor:57bfcc8
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG2TransportStreamFramer:ctor:13a90630
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG2TstFileServerMediaSubsession:createNewStreamSource:741d178
02-12-2008 19:19:02 ts:open E:\MP4\QI Children in Need Special - BBC TWO - 2008-11-14.mp4
02-12-2008 19:19:02 ts:ctor:735f570
02-12-2008 19:19:02 ts:size 131105964
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG1or2Demux:ctor:57d0060
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG1or2DemuxedElementaryStream:ctor:57c0270
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG2TransportStreamFromPESSource::ctor:735e030
02-12-2008 19:19:02 MPEG2TransportStreamFramer:ctor:57bfcc8
02-12-2008 19:19:02 CMemorySink::ctor
02-12-2008 19:19:02 memorybuffer: Clear() 0
02-12-2008 19:19:02 memorybuffer: Clear() done
02-12-2008 19:19:02 memorybuffer: run:1 1
02-12-2008 19:19:02 memorybuffer: running:1
02-12-2008 19:19:02 server:Play from 192.168.241.2 (0) (57cb1c8)
02-12-2008 19:19:02 ts:seek 0
02-12-2008 19:19:02 CMemorySink:addData

then loads of

02-12-2008 19:19:06 StreamParser::parsePack() saw strange byte 
02-12-2008 19:19:06 00000000
02-12-2008 19:19:06  following pack_start_code

02-12-2008 19:19:06 StreamParser::parseSystemHeader(): saw strange header_length: 
02-12-2008 19:19:06 0
02-12-2008 19:19:06  < 6

and finishes with

02-12-2008 19:19:07 ts:eof reached
02-12-2008 19:19:12 memorybuffer: run:0 1
02-12-2008 19:19:12 memorybuffer: Clear() 1
02-12-2008 19:19:12 memorybuffer: Clear() done
02-12-2008 19:19:12 memorybuffer: running:0
02-12-2008 19:19:13 CMemorySink::dtor
02-12-2008 19:19:13 MPEG2TransportStreamFramer:dtor:13a90630
02-12-2008 19:19:13 memorybuffer: Clear() 0
02-12-2008 19:19:13 memorybuffer: Clear() done
02-12-2008 19:19:15 memorybuffer: Clear() 0
02-12-2008 19:19:15 memorybuffer: Clear() done
02-12-2008 19:19:15 memorybuffer: run:1 0
02-12-2008 19:19:15 memorybuffer: running:1
02-12-2008 19:19:15 memorybuffer: Clear() 0
02-12-2008 19:19:15 memorybuffer: Clear() done

The clue is in line 1 of the streaming server.log, looks like the RTSP streamer is expecting an MPEG2 Program Stream which MP4 isn't.

So where to next???

[revs]

Wonder is any MP developers can help ? Must be able to handle more than MPEG2, as there was/is a built in WMV/XVID encoder?

[cheezey]

I think when this has been looked at in the past the transcoded files have been viewed through My Videos (which is still a possibility in this case).

[20:03] <Cheezey> Hey - anyone about???
[20:04] <Cheezey> I'm looking for a dev to comment on an idea....
[20:06] <Cheezey> [IDEA] iPiMP Spin-off: Simple MP4 Transcoder for MP
[20:07] <Cheezey> Basically wanting to know if it's possible for the TVE3 rtsp streamer to stream MP4 rather than MPEG PS or MPEG TS?
[20:07] <tourette> no
[20:08] <tourette> as short, but I'll check the thread...
[20:09] <tourette> ok, long answer:
[20:09] <tourette> no, as TsReader doesnt support anything else
[20:10] <tourette> but you can repack the MPEG2 video to MPEG4 and stream it as TS happy
[20:10] <tourette> TsReader can only handle transport stream
[20:11] <Cheezey> ok - I'll do some more digging - thanks for the reply

[Paranoid Delusion]

Ok, i like the idea and use MCEBuddy myself to transcode to h.264.

A couple of things that may need to be made clear, this is for saving recordings you wish to keep as, either a Movie or as part of a TV-Series you are collecting, the point of putting something back into TVRecordings does not make sense, it would be better if you could select a new name\destination from inside the running plugin, ie Merlin 1x04 The Poisened chalice send to TVShows\Merlin.

Maybe also have the ability to predefine destinations, ie Movie\TVshows folder and select series from a dropdown list to encode too.

Just a thought

[joystick]

maybe one more thing:

you should delete the old (cut) files and also delete the comskip files. AND I think i'd be great if you get a notification/view inside MP that x-Files have been converted/cut and y-files have not been cut due to problems (you'd mabe need a folder for problematic files)

cheers

joystick