Technical > Audio/Video Chat > Codecs are stupid...

Codecs are stupid...

Did you see this part on the specifications?

One of the movies that works, with occasional jerking, is an MPEG-4 23.98fps @640x352...

We could experiment a little with the videos. Could you link a clip that I could theoretically download and try that would be at higher and higher specs?

640x352 is a lot bigger than 320x240. So, technically not a supported size, and that could certainly explain the "jerking".
"Resolution 320x240 or less" means the widest a supported video can be is 320 pixels, the tallest 240 pixels. That's pretty small, yet also pretty simple math, and shouldn't be difficult to understand.

Here's a 320x240 video:

Honda.avi 10384226 bytes

reply to ctceo
The device seems like the display itself is 320x240, so any higher res videos aren't actually displaying at the higher res, just taking up extra space and causing studdering. The reality is that using your computer to convert the videos to the proper resolution will most likely result in a higher quality video than making the device do it on the fly.

Well, the software that comes with it is pretty much junk, and it (the device) doesn't support converting on-the-fly on the device itself.

I played another video at the same dimensions that I converted from a DVD I own, and it played with no studdering ? hmmm.

I tried that Honda.avi vid, and the device responds "Invalid file format!"

Yes, both worked just fine on PC and verified properly through GSpot.

Buuuuut. That second video also fails to play. "Invalid file format!"

Hrm...

What does GSpot say about the 640x352 video you were able to get to play a little bit? Aside from the dimensions, what if any are the differences in that file from the two I've posted?

Did you get that E3 series player new? The website only references an E4, E5 and E6 series:

»www.ematic.us/mp3products.php?ca···0Players

I don't have much experience with portable players, so I don't know how much further help I can be to you here.

They were new and I got them from newegg.

I'm also noticing that it DOES seem to matter which format a video was in before being converted, so I have to tie up some loose ends that way, but that can be lengthy. Will do more testing tomorrow if I have some spare time. Maybe Tuesday.

reply to ctceo
You need to verify ALL of the video specs for supported files. Resolution is simple enough, but media players such as these (just like stand alone players), have restrictions on other specs as well, such as bitrate, audio format, and audio specs.

If the specs aren't listed in the manual, then it will be a matter of trial and error to find what works. Original format should not matter.

Depending on the tool being used, check to see if it has a "stand alone" or "home theater" setting.

As for tools, give FreeMake a try.
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Google is your Friend

I'm at a loss sometimes. Seems that I convert a video into a specific set of params, then do the same with the next vid, and then IT doesn't work.

reply to ctceo
Likely codec related, but with the tool being used for the conversion.

Try a different tool.
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Google is your Friend

Hmmm. I'm trying that one that was mentioned before, freemake.

Had the same problem with the first video.

reply to ctceo
This is one I've captured using keepvid.com but the format I captured it with isn't supported by the player

reply to ctceo
Finding the correct tools can be a matter of trial and error. Results can vary greatly, especially when working with streaming media formats (ie: asf, flv, Flash, mov, etc.) as they are often proprietary and/or use odd specs to increase streaming performance.
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Google is your Friend

reply to ctceo

freemake stats

reply to Dogg

Malware

reply to ctceo
Several things:
a) 7" tablets van be had for under $100. (I have a Velocity Cruz T301, and the 7", 800x600 display is very nice for video playback
b) the best encoder is 'mencoder', though it has a very steep learning curve. It's free, but it's a commandline utility.
The other one I used was handbrake -- easier to use, but much less options, and lesser quality
c) generally, videos need to be encoded to the display resolution
d) within the same file format/container you can have different encodings, and you need to find the one that works
e) parameters you need to know:
-- resolution (320x240)
-- maximum fps ?
-- maximum bitrate ?
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You wouldn't happen to have a benji I could have then?