technical specs for .m2t files?
 

Does anyone have the specs for a HDV mode2 .m2t file? As in "use closed GOP?", "intra DC Percision?", "use strict GOP bitrate control?", "use error protection?"

I am using Procoder Express for Edius and am trying to export a .m2t to be played in my HD DVD player, yet the file will not play, while .m2t files captured directly from my camera play fine.

I have exported the .m2t using the default Procoder settings but the options I have listed above have settings I can change. I will start going with trial and error unless someone has already done this or knows the info. Thanks.

I don't know the answers to your questions but I doubt the problem is in these minor options. What size (horiz x vert), bitrate and GOP length does your exported .m2t have?

Thanks for the reply. I did try changing a bunch of those export settings with no luck, every file the audio plays fine but the video does not play.

As far as the clip properties this is what I could find:

CBR 25000000 bps
1440x1080
Profile: Main
Level: High-1440
Audio: 384000 bps
48000 Hz

As far as the GOP length, how would I find that info out, Edius doesn't appear to display it with those other properties?

What is odd, is that the files will play on in wmp, edius, and canopus mpegTS writer and the camera recognizes the file. So it seems that with a little tweak it should be compatable with my dvd player.

The world of MPEG2 transport and program streams is a slippery slope! I know my situation is different, but it may give you some ideas.

I have JVC HD10 and use (or TRY to use) Ulead MSP 7 w/HDV plug-in.

Heres what I've found:
1. The JVC (KDDI) software edits the TS in the camera format, and can be easily laid back on tape.
2. MSP converts the TS to PS. If the PS is NOT re-rendered by MSP, it can be converted back to TS by VLC (freeware), and laid back to tape with the original JVC software.
3. MSP has SERIOUS audio sync problems on long programs, which caused me to investigate further.
4. MPEG2 repair (freeware) showed MANY TimeStamp and TemporalRef gaps in the MSP PS output files, but for some reason was unable to correct them. Converting them to TS with VLC did NOT correct the problem.
5. A shareware program called VideoReDo Plus (made for editing TS recorded off the air) would correct these errors by "editing" the corrupted TS files, which could then be put on tape using the JVC software.
6. Ulead has COMPLETELY ignored me, but I will continue to pursue them as I want to get what I paid for. MSP8 (trial download) STILL has the problem.

In summary:
TS or PS files created by various programs could STILL have problems even though all parameters are met. With my combined experience with HDV files and broadcast TS files, I have concluded that FEW really understand these monsters!

Good luck!

Bryan,

I use the full version of Procoder - which gives somewhat more info than you list. For example it will state the both the video and audio bitrate, aspect ratio, pixel ratio, and GOP structure. Does the plugin reveal anything like that to you?

Of the info you've mentioned, cross 'DC precision' off the list of suspects. However GOP structure and error correction could potentially be culprits.

Are you definitely creating a "transport stream" rather than a 'program stream"? (Does the software set the .ts extention, or are you doing that manually? ).

Also, what model player are you using?

Graham, It looks as though you might have a few more settings than ProCoder Express lets me access. Here is a screenshot of the default PCE HDV mode2 settings:

spinmp dot com/pce_HDVsettings.jpg

I am using the AVeL Link Player SRDVD-100U (the JVC version) that is supposed to play .m2t in both 720p and 1080i. The player will not play .m2t's that I have created in PCE, but if I write the file to tape, then capture it back to my computer, the player will play the file.

Although, it does still skip a bit, so I might have a faulty player. I have a new one on the way and will report if I find any changes. My guess is that the player can't handle the 25mb/s stream, but I don't have a 720p camera so I can not test if it will play the 19mb/s stream

Hi Bryan, Sorry but your jpg link isn't functional.

Depending on how you get on with the second player, if you want to post a (small!) mpeg clip I could download it and give you the extra data readout the full version of procoder provides.

Fixed skipping problem with firmware upgrade
 

I received a new player and had the same problem. I upgraded the firmware to the latest version and the skipping problem went away. The latest firmware adds an option to set drive speed to "fast" to eliminate HDV playback problems.

The m2t problem from Procoder still is the same. I am able to export m2t's from Premiere Pro 1.5.1 and they play fine. Must be something that Procoder is doing differently than every other encoder.

Try running MPEG2repair on the Procoder files: http://users.adelphia.net/~mwilczyn/mpeg2/

It's very quick, and it fixes .ts playback problems I've had with the PureVideo decoder.

Just out of interest, do you have a Linkplayer2? The reason I ask is that I've had mine in pieces today replacing the DVD drive (which was failing to play back .ts files from my Sony).

Graham, I just tried running MPEG2repair on the Procoder files and the program crashes. It runs fine with any of the other files that I have determined to work, but the Procoder ones crash and I get an error:

Error: Packet Adaptation Field Length too long
Crash Error: Can't locate error packet in stream history. Try increasing PacketHistorySize to at least 46000.

I'm not sure what the PacketHistorySize is so I haven't tried that.

I have the AVeL Link Player SRDVD-100U (the JVC version). I belive that might be the newer version of the LinkPlayer2 (but don't hold me to that). I spoke with JVC about my initial problem and they told me to just do a firmware upgrade where they added the ability to set the dvd drive speed to "fast". Now the drive can keep up with the .m2t files.