PTE's H.264 video

[LumenLux]

As Igor's H.264 video output is so good, is there a Freeware program out there to do simple edits, specifically to just join multiple H.264 files from PTE? All my commercial editing software seems to be too old to support such a simple task with the latest formats. I have spent hours seeking freeware or shareware for the task. It almost seems that Igor has recommended a program, but my Search of our PTE forum does not find it. What are you using? Or what are you aware of to handle the task?

[Conflow]

Lumenlux,,

The Program below shown in 'attachment' and with a link to www.snapfiles.com

seems to do the job.

Snapfiles.Com and www.webattack.com (one and the same thing) are a really

good source of clean Freeware and Shareware for Video utilities.

Lets know if that Video-Editor works for you...

Brian.Conflow.

Link: http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/Avidemux/Avidemux.html

[LumenLux]

Thanks Brian. With your "endorsement" that Avidemux should be capable, I will take a look. Last night, I had downloaded the same program, but in the wee hours of the night, I could not even figure how to setup or run the program! I ended up downloading a 30-day trial of a $100 program to try. But that program would not even accept the .mp4 file that PTE produces when h.264 is chosen. Finally in desperation I used another converter program to convert PTE's h.264 (.mp4) files to some other .avi that the commercial editor would then accept and allow me to join. I did then upload the resultant video to YouTube and it has decent quality. But I do want to find the way yet to just append the h.264/mp4's as they come from PTE. Then I can compare to what I already have posted to see if the result is more pleasing still. If you or anyone wants to take a look at the current state, you can watch it here: rather personal

The video is about 3 minutes, made mainly with PTE but also an animation program that adds a little "silly" element and required the conversion to video. And I do think all the back-and-forth and conversions did take a small toll on the sound with annimation sync. Never the less, any comments would be welcome.

[potwnc]

Finally in desperation I used another converter program to convert PTE's h.264 (.mp4) files to some other .avi that the commercial editor would then accept and allow me to join.

Remember that PTE can output H.264 encoded video in 2 different ways. The way you are doing it is through VideoBuilder into a .mp4 container. You can also choose to produce AVI output (the old way, before VideoBuilder existed) and, as long as you have an H.264 codec installed on your PC, choose that codec and output it to a .avi container (.avi file). More 3rd-party software will recognize your output if you produce it this way.

Ray

[LumenLux]

Remember that PTE can output H.264 encoded video in 2 different ways. The way you are doing it is through VideoBuilder into a .mp4 container. You can also choose to produce AVI output (the old way, before VideoBuilder existed) and, as long as you have an H.264 codec installed on your PC, choose that codec and output it to a .avi container (.avi file). More 3rd-party software will recognize your output if you produce it this way.

Ray

Gosh Ray, you are right on target with two things I know I don't fully understand - "containers" and "codecs"! It did not occur to me that PTE's Create/HD Video for PC and Mac was utilizing PTE VideoBuilder. You state that using the other .avi method in PTE offers wider compatibility of 3rd party software. On the other hand, what is then the main benefit of h.264? It does appear to me that from within PTE Presets, the h.264 makes higher resolutions possible than does the .AVI output of PTE?

If I do want to use the PTE .avi output (F7), can I conclude that I have an h.264 codec available on my pc, if that is what VideoBuilder is already using for h.264? When I open PTE's AVI Video Codec window, several codecs list and include Microsoft h.261 and h.263, but I don't recognize any as h.264. But am I correct that I will need to actually identify and select an h.264 codec for it to be utilized for producing the .avi extension instead of the .mp4?

If, the h.264 codec's claim to fame is HD in larger screen sizes, does h.264 offer any benefits if the desired result is only 1024x768?

Does "HD" honest defintion encompass h.264 and is "HD" meaningful in small screen size such as 640x480 etc.?

Finally - if the main object is to view PTE production in a video format for web viewing, can a matrix be constructed showing what PTE/Video is best for each given screen or view window dimension?

[potwnc]

what is then the main benefit of h.264? It does appear to me that from within PTE Presets, the h.264 makes higher resolutions possible than does the .AVI output of PTE?

[Ray] The main behefit of the H.264 standard (and a codec that uses it) is greater efficiency (= smaller file sizes). It has nothing to do with higher or lower resolutions. I think the VideoBuilder maximum pre-set resolution is 1920x1080 but with .AVI output you can choose any resolution you like - including higher than this.

If I do want to use the PTE .avi output (F7), can I conclude that I have an h.264 codec available on my pc, if that is what VideoBuilder is already using for h.264?

[Ray] No. Installing PTE does not install an H.264 codec onto your PC. You have to install one by yourself. See below.

When I open PTE's AVI Video Codec window, several codecs list and include Microsoft h.261 and h.263, but I don't recognize any as h.264. But am I correct that I will need to actually identify and select an h.264 codec for it to be utilized for producing the .avi extension instead of the .mp4?

[Ray] Yes. but before you can identify and select one you have to install one. Google "Snow Xmas H.264" - that's the one I use and it's free.

If, the h.264 codec's claim to fame is HD in larger screen sizes, does h.264 offer any benefits if the desired result is only 1024x768?

[Ray] Yes. As I said above, H.264 offers greater efficiency. It does so at any resolution.

Does "HD" honest defintion encompass h.264 and is "HD" meaningful in small screen size such as 640x480 etc.?

[Ray] No and No. H.264 is only one of many codecs that can implement HD. It just happens to be the most popular one right now. 640x480 is "standard definition" (SD).

Finally - if the main object is to view PTE production in a video format for web viewing, can a matrix be constructed showing what PTE/Video is best for each given screen or view window dimension?

[Ray] Yes anyone who understands video production could easily produce such a matrix.

[xahu34]

[Ray] ... Google "Snow Xmas H.264" - that's the one I use and it's free.

Ray,

Is it possible to provide some more detailed information?

Regards,

Xaver

[potwnc]

Ray,

Is it possible to provide some more detailed information?

Regards,

Xaver

Go here... http://x264.nl/

[xahu34]

Go here... http://x264.nl/

Thanks, I've heard about it. How did you install it, and how to use it? I tried to use Avidemux for transcoding which uses x264, but it does not like AVIs using the PTE Video Codec.

Best regards,

Xaver

[potwnc]

Thanks, I've heard about it. How did you install it, and how to use it? I tried to use Avidemux for transcoding which uses x264, but it does not like AVIs using the PTE Video Codec.

Best regards,

Xaver

Just download it and then double-click on the .exe file I think - this is not the Snow Xmas build that I use but I couldn't find that one on the Internet so maybe it's not supported any longer.

Use it just like you would use any other codec from PTE.

I have no experience with Avidemux.

Ray

[Igor]

Our developer who wrote main code of VideoBuilder recommended Yamb - a good free utility to join several MP4 video files without re-encoding:

http://yamb.unite-video.com/download.html

[xahu34]

Just download it and then double-click on the .exe file I think ...

Ray,

x264.exe is (as pointed out in the corresponding readme.txt) a command line encoder to be used with bat-files, or via some GUI. I tried to use MeGUI for transcoding a PTE-AVI, but I failed with the audio part. The only free encoders which I've used successfully for PTe-AVIs (so far) deliver WMV videos.

Regards,

Xaver

[LumenLux]

Thank you Igor, for the link. That will probably accomplish my original task.

As to h.264 codec for use in PTE "Custom Avi" - much I don't understand, but have learned or observed -

Like Xaver, I was unable to install the x264 codec and similar, that seem to be widely used with Linux etc. with less emphasis on user interfaces for Windows. I eventually decided to install portions of the K-Lite Codec pack. In the pre-installation window, K-Lite lists under VFW Video codecs: x264 [revision 1114] "For encoding video in the H.264 format. We don't recommend using the VFW system to encode H.264 video. It is better to use a CLI based solution, such as MeGUI"

I attempted briefly to do something with MeGUI, but could not get a h.264 codec to install and show up in the PTE custom choices. So in spite of the "don't recommend" above, I used K-Lite to install the x264 (VFW). That Codec does then show up in the PTE custom avi window. With this in place and selected, I have used PTE and this x264 codec to produce test videos of 1280x720 and 1600x1200. Both videos play with very good quality using Media Player Classic Home Cinema. When I use VLC to play the 1600x1200, the sound finishes on time while photos continue for several seconds. If I reduce the view-window size in VLC, then it stays in time sync and the picture quality is excellent in all cases.

Xaver, I don't know whether your reference to WMV files is different than the VFW referred to by the K-Lite information? Maybe Igor can explain for us if PTE uses the VFW version of H.264 and whether it would be even better if we can use in PTE, the CLI version of x264 that MeGUI uses.

Or maybe, Igor, you can help us all understand better what matters and how to bring best results in this area?

From my two tests above using PTE Custom AVI with x264 VFW, the file sizes are dramatically smaller than any other avi I have made! And quality seems equal or better.

[xahu34]

Xaver, I don't know whether your reference to WMV files is different than the VFW referred to by the K-Lite information?

In the meantime I've got MeGUI to what I want to do (generating an H.264 video from a PTE-AVI). WMV (Windows Media Video) is a proprietary video file format developed by Microsoft, while VFW (Video For Windows) is a programming interface. WMV videos aren't bad, but the files are bigger. As I cooperate with people using Wings Platinum, it is good to have this format, as Wings allows it to integrate HD-videos of type WMV, but no other formats.

Regards,

Xaver

[LumenLux]

Igor -

When I use PTE Create HD Video for PC and Mac, the resulting .mp4 file is a much more clear picture than when I use PTE's Create custom Avi file with the (VFW) x264 codec. Is it possible for you to make the same h.264 codec available to us in the Custom Avi window as you use in the HD .mp4 option?[

[Conflow]

Lumenlux,

Just to update you concerning the H264(xxx) Codec. I was on to some of my Pal's in Germany and I was

surprised to learn that the Fraunhofer Institute was responsible for most of the advanced research and

devlopment of the H264 (Series) of Video/Sound Codecs for use in the Television Industries which has

now spun off downwards to iPod, You-Tube etc,etc;

Mpeg-4 and H264(xxx) are one and the same thing depending on who is publishing the Codec-Specification.

1) If its H264(xxx) its the ISO/IEC Standards Authorities for World Television Systems (The ITU-T Standard).

2) If its Mpeg-4 its the Film Industries Specification (inc) DVD-Manufacturers, iPod, You-Tube etc.

There are some 10 Variations and 23 Sub-Catagories of the H264 Codec depending on 'Quality-Performance'

in any specific Application. At this stage there are no 'Freeware' versions of the (advanced) H264(xxx) only

the AVC type. (There is a Link to an 'unofficial' version of H264.Vfc below).

Windows Media-Player uses the (lo-end) H264(Avc) version of the Codec developed in 2004.

The one you want is the H264(Vfc) HD-version - (Quantized half or quarter pixel type) dated 2007.

Below are 2.Screenshots and 2.Links to possible solutions:-

Brian.Conflow.

Links to Codec Source:-

http://www.afreecodec.com/26/h264-codec/

http://www12.atwiki.jp/lunatilia/pages/70.html

[Ken Cox]

none of my dvd players connected to tv will play mp4's - and i do not, at the present do an ecoding to the dvd format

so

i have 5 players that will play divx/xvid files -- 2 of the 5 will take memory sticks

so i end up converting avi mp4's to divx or xvid-

no 2-3 hr burn time

works great for me

ken

[LumenLux]

Well Ken, in this case, I have not even got to the issue of DVD. My intent with all this has been in pursuit of achieving PTE/video posted on the web to be the highest possible quality. I know Lin and others have hashed much of this out before, but it is never possible to absorb it all until you personally have the "need" at hand. I do think you bring up an interesting issue, because as I read around the web, I think the widest use of h.264 is people being able to backup DVD's into much smaller files. I see people claiming a standard movie from DVD ends up being "reasonable" (what ever that is) quality in only 400 mb.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I use my laptops drive to burn DVD's from PTE, to date I have done well over 100 and always been happy with them. The first were with 5.1 and currently 5.6. Viewing a DVD on a domestic TV is a different scenario to a monitor within a couple of feet of your eyes. I have a 32inch TV and sit about 10 feet away from it. I would defy anyone to see any more than a marginal degredation of the picture quality.

Yachtsman1