MPEG4 Files for HDTV

[davegee]

MPEG4 Files for HDTV

When preparing a project for converting to MPEG4 for playing on a HDTV via USB the following, in my experience, are the settings which get the optimum results.

In Project Options > Screen set the Aspect Ratio (AR) of the project to 16:9 and the resolution to 1920x1080.

If your actual image AR is something different to 16:9 (3:2 or 4:3 etc) then the images will drop into the 16:9 frame and show with black lines either side.

[if the 3:2 or 4:3 AR is used for the project then with some HDTVs it is possible that the MPEG4 will be made to fit to the screen's width and cause the images to be distorted. Even if it shows OK on your HDTV it could show differently on someone else's HDTV if you are going to share it]

Use 1920x1080 (or 1080 High) images. Obviously, if the images are going to be zoomed into, then this has to be addressed. A general rule is that if you are going to zoom into an image to 200% then your images need to be twice as big (3840x2160 or 2160 High).

When you are ready to create the MPEG4 file, click on PUBLISH and choose "HD Video for PC and MAC".

In the next screen choose 1920x1080 and High Quality with Pan & Scan Enabled.

These settings have proved (in my experience) to give a result which VERY closely approximates the quality of the same project when saved as an EXE and viewed on your computer monitor. Using the CUSTOM parameters do not in my opinion enhance the final result for MPEG4 files for HDTV.

Select the location that you want for the resulting MPEG4 file – the default is the Project Folder where the PTE file is stored.

Transfer the MPEG4 file to a memory key and plug into the TV. The method of playing in the built in Media Player will differ with different makes of TV so that will need to be researched in the TV's Manual.

Because of the large file sizes of MPEG4 files it's wise to get a memory key which will hold a collection of them – I use a Kingston 16 Gb.

If you decide to try this approach I think that you will agree that the viewing experience for small groups of people - family etc - is well worth the effort.

DG

P.S. See examples here:

[fh1805]

...If you decide to try this approach I think that you will agree that the viewing experience for small groups of people - family etc - is well worth the effort.

Absolutely! An excellent item, Dave. That is exactly how I work.

regards,

Peter

[davegee]

Thanks Peter,

I knew that was the way you worked.

DG

[mhwarner]

Dave,

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I do have a question. From your experience, or that of anyone else who has tried it, how does the quality of this method compare to connecting a laptop to the TV via HDMI cable and running an EXE on the laptop (which is my normal and maybe lazy method)? I realize that this method means you couldn't easily distribute the show to others.

[davegee]

Peter and I are doing some tests as we speak.

I think that the SMALL differences between the two (EXE is best) are overridden by the convenience of the MPEG4 / USB route.

You REALLY have to look for it.

If you have USB on the TV you'll find it VERY MUCH easier!

DG

[fh1805]

Mary,

Just to qualify Dave's post above. We have identified one very specific scenario where there seems to be a very visible difference between the USB route compared to the EXE route. We're investigating that right now but it may take a day or so to get a really good, solid understanding of what we see and why we see it. We will report back in due course.

Peter

[David Porter]

I've just got into the 21st century and got a 37inch HD TV so this thread is very helpful. I have tried some short test-shows with still and animated slides and Publishing them with the HD option, then playing thro' a USB memory stick on the TV. For the life of me I cannot see any difference in using the "Low Quality" or "High Quality" option on the 1920x1080 setting and no diffence in playing the .exe file thro' the laptop with a VGA cable. Is there something else I should be looking for? Also why is the direct to TV option not mentioned on the HD section in Publish - it only says HD Video for PC or Mac and the manual is equally remiss.

[davegee]

Mick,

I'm willing to accept that not everyone is going to see EXACTLY the same things when viewing with these methods.

However, there is a marked difference between Laptop/VGA and Laptop/HDMI on my system when outputting a 1920x1080 EXE file.

WRT the HD MPEG4 file I have done a little testing and in the end decided that the default settings for 1920x1080 are as good as any when creating files for the USB option.

The test that Peter refered to above was WRT Black/White gradients in both top to bottom and side to side configurations.

When comparing the Laptop/HDMI/EXE version with the MPEG4 version I'm seeing slightly worse stepping in the gradient in th MPEG than the EXE.

It's a severe test but nevertheless it's there albeit slight (in my tests).

DG

[fh1805]

...why is the direct to TV option not mentioned on the HD section in Publish - it only says HD Video for PC or Mac and the manual is equally remiss.

Mick,

Older TVs do not have the USB option and internal media player feature. And there may be some PTE users out there who still have their trusty CRT TV units.

regards,

Peter

[Ken Cox]

Mick

there are so many variables - will likely get this mixed up but Dave will clear it up )

I have a 1080 i/p tv but i have 480 cable - i have basic cable no cable box - direct feed to the tv [EL CHEAPO]

my son in law has 720 tv but 720 cable c/w cable box he says that mine is sharper than his -- then the cable guys in north America were legislated to provide true hd digital signal and some channels are providing that type of signal and then his set is sharper than mine - he also got a different cable box to decode the new hd signal

MY TV DOES NOT HAVE USB - BUT DOES HAVE SD CARD INPUT FOR PICTS

i do have 3 hdmi inputs, computer, component, 2 video input[ svhs] -- likely missed usb by a year

my tv is 1/2 the price it was when bought it 3 +- yrs ago

SEE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard-definition_television

ken

[David Porter]

Thanks for the replies. My laptop does not have an HDMI output so that one is out and I think I prefer not to have cables running across the Lounge so I am favouring the USB with MP4 files. This leaves us with the quality question. As I said I can't seem to see any difference between "Low Quality" and "High Quality" on the 1920x1080 setting. With the Low Quality setting I can get nearly three times the files on my memory stick. Is my view recipricated or is there a better test I can subject it to?

[davegee]

Hi Mick,

For my part I am happy to go with the Default setting.

I have a 16Gb USB Key which, when it is full, I will replace with another 16Gb Key.

I have tried connecting a 500Gb HDD to my TV and it works well. Used with a short cable and hidden behind the TV it is quite unobtrusive.

I also tried a 1Tb drive but the TV would not read it. I think (with my TV) that 500Gb is the limit.

DG

[fh1805]

...is there a better test I can subject it to?

Mick,

Back in the good old days of vinyl LPs, I remember some folks used to buy LPs of silence in order to check whether their systems had any audible noise inherent in them. Ask yourself: What do I want? Is it playback that I am happy with and willing to share with friends and family, or a never ending quest for the perfect playback? Bear in mind that the latter may leave you permanently unhappy because you will never be sure that you have found it.

regards,

Peter

[Picsel]

This leaves us with the quality question. As I said I can't seem to see any difference between "Low Quality" and "High Quality" on the 1920x1080 setting. With the Low Quality setting I can get nearly three times the files on my memory stick.

Mick it is very difficult to answer your question.

In fact "Low Quality" "Standard Quality" "High Quality" refer to different mix of parameters which Igor has chosen for us in order to simplify the way to edit a video.

If you select "Custom" you will see a short list of parameters, (personnaly I prefer to use that in order to adapt parameters depending on the slideshow).

The most important parameters for video quality is the coding "Bitrate" (action scenes and sports are more consuming than still pictures)

For example 1920x1080 High quality AVCHD camcorders uses between 16 and 25Mbit/s for movies including sports and action scenes while HDTV quality uses an average of 7,5 Mbit/s and Internet (YouTube and others) between 3 and 7Mbit/s. For still pictures the bitrate can be lowered.

So several tests should be achieved to find out the best choice...very time consuming! I can guess that is the reason why Igor suggests three possibilities LQ SQ and HQ. But depending on the slideshow content it is not always obvious to see a difference between them.

Note that the coding bitrate is roughly proportionnal to the quantity of pixels per image so 1280x720 requires twice less bitrate, etc..

Daniel

[Picsel]

MPEG4 Files for HDTV

.....

In the next screen choose 1920x1080 and High Quality with Pan & Scan Enabled.

.....

Hi Dave,

Sorry to be late, I missed your post.

Personnaly I always choose "Pan and Scan disabled" in order to avoid displaying problems and keeping the slideshow format (which must be the same as the video one).

(for example 1440x1080 format is also convenient for displaying 4/3 pictures on 1920x1080 screens if we accept two black strips otherwise the other solution is to specify 1920x1080 for screen in PTE's project options and use 1440x1080 pictures above a colored or tiled image background).

Daniel

[David Porter]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for trying to answer my question. Gosh! it is complicated. Anyway, I have gone for LQ on the shows so far converted (all still photos)and they look fine although if I were being picky, I think I see a touch of flicker in some of the transitions. Peter is right - am I happy to share it? Certainly.

[Igor]

I recommend use "Quality" parameter when you output H.264 video. Not "Bitrate" parameter.

It works similar as "Quality" parameter when you save JPEG image. For example, if you need certain pixel quality, you choose for example 90% (or 9/11) for 1024x768 and for 4000x3000 image. The image editing software calculates bitrate value from "quality" parameter.

Same for video. It more easy operate with "Quality" parameter when we have deal with different sizes of videos (1280x720, 1920x1080).

The more large pixel size of video frame, the larger bitrate will be set accordingly.

If type of picture is simple (for example cartoon with many solid color areas) the program will reduce bitrate automatically. If you encode videos with pictures of trees, grass with many fine details, the program will increase bitrate.

In other words. Choosing "Quality" value (or three default variants - Low, Medium, High) you say the program the desired picture quality. Then PicturesToExe take in attention pixel size of video and complexity of scenes and calculates optimal bitrate value. It's mathematics.

Please don't worry that bitrate of video slideshow encoded to H.264 is smaller (10..12 mbit) than bitrate of video cameras (25-45 mbit). These cameras have simple encoders that compensates a lack of computational power by setting more higher video bitrate. Cameras should record videos in realtime, consumes less power, have cheaper price. In software H.264 video encoder we have unlimited time and more powerful CPU.

Recently I did a test slideshow as H.264 video with patterns to calibrate colors of my LCD projector (rectangles of different colors with titles). The test video have size of picture 1920x1080 30p, 40 seconds, High quality preset. Excellent quality of final picture. Guess, what file size of this video file? Just 80 kilobytes! 1/12 of megabyte. It's a magic of Quality parameter.

[Picsel]

I recommend use "Quality" parameter when you output H.264 video. Not "Bitrate" parameter.

If type of picture is simple (for example cartoon with many solid color areas) the program will reduce bitrate automatically. If you encode videos with pictures of trees, grass with many fine details, the program will increase bitrate.

In other words. Choosing "Quality" value (or three default variants - Low, Medium, High) you say the program the desired picture quality. Then PicturesToExe take in attention pixel size of video and complexity of scenes and calculates optimal bitrate value. It's mathematics.

OK Igor

but in that case what do low, medium, high, mean in terms of quality?

In other words what are the objective criteria for making the right choice?

Best regards

Daniel

Happy New Year!

[davegee]

Daniel,

Perhaps Igor will provide a better answer but why do you want to use anything other than HIGH quality?

I use HIGH exclusively to create MPEG4 for playing on a TV via a USB Memory Key.

There are no quality issues but more importantly there are no glitches or stuttering etc.

So if the system handles the highest quality that's what (IMHO) we should aim for?

By producing a range of MPEG4 files from the same show it is easy to say that the Low, Medium or High satisfies your requirements (for that show) and discard the rest.

As indicated by Igor, different content is going to give different results so I'm all for using HIGH exclusively - it can't get better than that.

DG

[Picsel]

Daniel,

Perhaps Igor will provide a better answer but why do you want to use anything other than HIGH quality?...

.... As indicated by Igor, different content is going to give different results so I'm all for using HIGH exclusively - it can't get better than that.

DG

Hi Dave sorry for being late to answer you.

I could say yes, I agree with you, more often I make the same choice as you but that does not help to understand how it works and I personnaly cant explain what are the purpose of Low -Medium -High Quality options to our club's members without explaining that it changes the mean bitrate target for encoding. When we make video edition with other softwares there are no such predefined options, we have to choose the encoder type : x264/divX/ or Xvid and depending on H264 standards : then a video profile, then the encoding bitrate parameter which is the most important for the ratio quality/file size and so I would appreciate if Igor can give us more complete information about these Low -Medium -High Quality options very specific to PTE.

Best regards

Daniel

[nobeefstu]

Daniel,

If you want to read the MP4 encoding parameters used in the presets ... open the mp4presets.dat file in the Video Builder program directory with notepad.

[Picsel]

Thanks Nobeefstu, interesting information but a bit complicated to synthesize!

I would prefer some more simple criteria.

Best regards

[davegee]

daniel

if my memory serves me well i think that if you choose a preset and then choose custom you are presented with the parameters for the previously chosen preset.does that help?dg

[Igor]

Sorry for late response.

Dave,

You're right.

High, medium and low presets are certain values of "Quality" and "Audio bitrate" parameters in the Custom mode.

Low - Picture quality: 43, Audio bitrate: 130 kbit.

Medium - Picture quality: 71, Audio bitrate: 192 kbit.

High - Picture quality: 100, Audio bitrate: 256 kbit.

In all these modes frame rate is 30p.

Personally I also use the "High" preset for my videos.

[davegee]

thank you igor.

dg