Testing MP with GraphEdit, MP does not use the configuration settings

[patricon]

I'm doing some tests with codecs for playing movies, i'm using graph edit and i've saw that MP is bypassing the selected codec in mp configurator. I've selected NVIDIA Video Decoder as decoder for MPEG-2, but looking at the graph in graph edit i'm seeing that mp is using ffdshow and not the nvidia codec... why?

regards,

[FlipGer]

Hi,

what movies do you playback? The settings are only used for mpeg files. If you are playing back AVI, the default windows codec is choosen. In your case ffdshow.

HTH,
Flip.

[patricon]

ok, i understand it now... but, why there is no option to select the codec used to play AVI or other files?

regards,

[FlipGer]

Hi,

well. AVI is a multimedia container format. It can contain media which is encoded in many different ways. For example DivX (3/4/5/6), XviD, MJPEG, H.264, mp3, ac3, ogg and so on. So it is not easy to specify a codec for AVI. You may say for AVI please use the XviD decoder and you could get the problem that XviD cannot decode DivX4 (just an example, dunno if this is right, but I hope you understand the issue). So its much saver to let windows choose the right codec (although this also sometimes does not work, but that is a different story). And would you really like to specify for all those codecs out there the correct decoder?

On the contrary mpeg-files only contain mpeg1/2. So you won't get a problem here (Although some mpeg decoders might have problems with mpeg1). And windows often chooses the wrong codec itself, so its better to specify the codec here.

HTH,
Flip.

[kkendall]

Originally Posted by FlipGer

Hi,

So its much saver to let windows choose the right codec (although this also sometimes does not work, but that is a different story). And would you really like to specify for all those codecs out there the correct decoder?

On the contrary mpeg-files only contain mpeg1/2. So you won't get a problem here (Although some mpeg decoders might have problems with mpeg1). And windows often chooses the wrong codec itself, so its better to specify the codec here.

HTH,
Flip.

Flip, are you serious? You really think it is better to let windows choose the used codecs? I totally disagree.

First of all you say a lot of wrong things...
-MPEG2 is not a container like avi so you can't compare them. Its a videoformat.
-You cannot specify a codec for a container like you say, only for the formats (MPEG2,H264,XVID,DIVX,enz) in containers (.ts, .avi, .mkv, enz). So you cannot say "for AVI please use the XviD decoder". THey are 2 different things.
-It's NOT safer to let windows choose the right codec! Why do you think that for xvid and divx, but not for MPEG2 and H264?? That makes no sence. I really want the option to also choose the preferred codec for xvid and divx.
- You say: "would you really like to specify for all those codecs out there the correct decoder?" No, just xvid and divx offcourse, that would be a good start. H264 and MPEG2, together with xvid and divx make up more than 95% of all videoformats available!

So it was a perfectly legit question of patricon. Why can one only specify the codecs for videoformats H264 and MPEG2 and not for divx and xvid? This really annoys me because just like patricon I want to test MP with different codecs.

[patricon]

i agree. it should be easy to add a selector for each format (xvid, divx, wmv, mov etc) to let the user decide wich decoder to use for each type. Please, consider it...

regards,

[FlipGer]

Hi kkendall,

first of all: I really considered not to answer to your post, because your expression is very unfriendly. Hopefully this is only due to translation.

Originally Posted by kkendall

Flip, are you serious? You really think it is better to let windows choose the used codecs? I totally disagree.

Please read my post carefully:

Originally Posted by FlipGer

(although this also sometimes does not work, but that is a different story)

I totally agree with you, that codecs and windows can cause serious problems. I read sometimes ago a really interesting article about codecs being the new DirectX desaster. All those programs installing their own codecs and changing the merrit of it can cause a big mess.

But I did not want to write an essay about codecs. I just tried to explain patricon some things and therefor my explanations did not go into deep details:

Originally Posted by kkendall

-MPEG2 is not a container like avi so you can't compare them. Its a videoformat.

Thats exactly what I wrote! (Or at least tried to explain... )

Originally Posted by kkendall

-You cannot specify a codec for a container like you say, only for the formats (MPEG2,H264,XVID,DIVX,enz) in containers (.ts, .avi, .mkv, enz). So you cannot say "for AVI please use the XviD decoder". THey are 2 different things.

I know, I wrote about the the specification of the codec this way, because I know how MP does it! I read the source code. MP decides by using the file extension. Not by looking into the container, to check which format it contains.

Originally Posted by kkendall

....So it was a perfectly legit question of patricon. Why can one only specify the codecs for videoformats H264 and MPEG2 and not for divx and xvid? This really annoys me because just like patricon I want to test MP with different codecs.

I never said it was an unlegit question!

And if you want that option: Make a polite feature request or take a look into the source code and try to help changing MP like you want.

Flip.

[patricon]

Hey Flip, take it easy... keep in mind that all users here are trying to help mp project to be a bit better (and as we say here in spain, 'the client has always the right')... so, as you as propposed, here is my polite request: please, mp devs, can u consider adding a new feature to select the codec used for each video format??

many thanks, and best regards,

[Marcusb]

I think Flip was being very polite and patient in his reply.

I also assume it was a language issue that caused the mix up, but a lot of what flip said was responded to incorrectly in kkendals post, which Flip pointed out.

As for the effort required to change the code to individually select codecs, I guess this could be an easy task technically, but quite lengthy in the time it would take. As flip said, MP checks the extension not the contents of the container. This would need to be changed as well as adding in all the drop down boxes for every codec (and maintaining as new ones are made) which would take bit of time.

At the moment, there is a feature freeze while the last bugs ar being squashed in preparation for the next big release. After that, it may be considered, but to post a feature request, you really need to use the proper template in the feature request forum.

Your post was good in that it highlighted the fact that only MPG files are handled by the codec selctor. I didn't know that. It doesn't really matter to me, but it does explain some strage things I have seen in the past.

Hope this helps,

Marcus.

[FlipGer]

Hi,

Originally Posted by patricon

Hey Flip, take it easy...

Just forget about this.

As Marcus said, there is currently a feature freeze for 0.2.3.0. I also agree, that it should not be to difficult to implement. But its quite some work. Every suggestion for MP after this point is very welcome in the improvement section. The team always takes care of good ideas.

And personally your request makes sense:
1) It would be much more safer, if MP would care about the media format and not the file extension
2) As for the upcomming H.264 as HD-format it would make sense to include an option to choose at least this codec.

Flip.