[mgc_bb]

Hi guys, seeing that certain encoding types play better than others and after reading many many posts with users having issues and posting the mediainfo file the answer is normally no that type don't play well.
So the question is which ones DO play well?

With the variety of versions of a single HD movie out there now it's getting to be a real headache.

For example: [email protected] with 16 frames good or bad?

and then which container type is better, mkv's can be mpeg4, avchd, iso etc, etc

Coming from an htpc with internal storage that will play ANY mkv you throw at it really is annoying, so ok only certain types work well on the atv2, I can live with that no worries but which ones huh?

Not ranting or anything guys but it just seems a lot of posts could be avoided if we knew what's best to go for in general

I have looked all over but there seems to be no list at present.

[g-off]

If you are going to encode your own files it is best to use h264 and not mess around with the encoding parameters. A decent program should make a file that follows the standards.

When people play with the encoding parameters - like putting 16 reference frames into a file - it does not work in hardware decoders. It will only work on a pc because it has heaps of resources.

Also the atv is not able to decode any other format video in hardware at present.

Short answer: bad

[mgc_bb]

Hi g-off, no maybe I was not clear enough, not interested in encoding my own files was referring to sourcing the other way and so which mkv standards work best.

Various releases come out for a movie with different encoding standards some will play some won't.

To put it another way, which of the mkv encode types are supported in hardware decoding?

Which ref frames?
Which file types within the mkv container?

The example I gave of [email protected] with 16 ref frames was from an actual ESIR release.

[Memphiz]

well ... everything which obeys the h.264 standard will work ... 5.1 with 16 ref frames might be out of spec (depends on the resolution) ... there are so many releases out there which shit on the spec ... and those give trouble then ...

[danmedhurst]

If it helps, this spec works perfectly :

Video : x264/AVC @ 3560 Kbps, lvl L4.1, 1280 x 720 (AR 16:9), 23.976 fps
Audio : AC3 @ 448 Kbps 5.1 Ch.- 48.0 KHz S.R.

[mgc_bb]

Thanks guys, will keep looking.

Really confused here, been checking mediainfo files on movies that work and movies that dont and a lot of them are the same encoding type yet one works another does not, just what am I looking for here.

ie avc [email protected] with 8 ref frames, both with 1510k dts

[Lanstrom]

Thanks guys, will keep looking.

Really confused here, been checking mediainfo files on movies that work and movies that dont and a lot of them are the same encoding type yet one works another does not, just what am I looking for here.

ie avc [email protected] with 8 ref frames, both with 1510k dts

Just out of interest could you try playing the movie that doesnt work using FILES mode rather than LIBRARY ?

I have now found 2 movies that bomb out when I try to play then via the normal Library view yet they work great in File view. I dont understand why there would be a difference but it appears that there is.

Thanks.

[mgc_bb]

Hi Lanstrom, doesnt make any difference for me if played from files or the library, not sure why its making a difference for you sorry.

Not had any movie bomb out on me yet using since Eden beta and I have tested a lot.

[g-off]

There was a thread before that found that up to 15 reference frames worked with the atv2. At hd resolutions the memory needed to decode it are waay too big for the little black box to handle.

The decoding is done with hardware. It was designed to display filez from Apple and not from the scene.

[mgc_bb]

hi g-off

i do love the little atv2, its awesome as a noiseless playback device, no fans, hdds, etc, just love it, silent movie playback, ahh, finally.

yes it does have limitations and like a lot of people i'm just trying my best to work around those issues to get the most stable use out of it

personally it seems 720p [email protected] with 4,5 or 8 ref frames with bitrates between 3000k and 6000k seem to work best with eden beta 1, as I say that is my personal conculusion based on my exported htpc mkv's and added stuff

still playing around with older nightlies before i stick with the current version, need to make sure if you know what i mean

you have a good knowledge of supported files types g-off did you pick this up as you went along so to speak or did you find a list some where?