I’m producing Quicktime compatible H264 files through Ffmpeg on Linux. The files play perfectly in VLC or MPlayer on Linux. When I take one to Windows, it will play perfectly in VLC, but in Quicktime, the video will be blocky. Not big blocks like you get when a digital signal gets weak, but smaller, maybe 9x9 pixel blocks. When I take the same video to OSX, it will be blocky in both VLC and Quicktime with roughly the same size blocks. Does anyone know anything about this?
Have you tried encoding thru blender’s .mov encoder (not FFMPEG)? I don’t know if its got H264, but perhaps putting an intermediate step in there to re-encode using quicktime pro or something. …? Something like this with your “blockiness” issue from your other thread might help there, too.
Have you brought these issues to an FFMPEG-related forum to see if its something wrong in that app?
Unless I’m mistaken, Blender uses Ffmpeg to encode under Linux.
I don’t know if its got H264, but perhaps putting an intermediate step in there to re-encode using quicktime pro or something. …?
I don’t have access to Quicktime Pro. I’d love to check it out, but it won’t run on my box.
Have you brought these issues to an FFMPEG-related forum to see if its something wrong in that app?
Not yet. There are so many knowledgeable people at Blender Artists, so I usually ask my multimedia questions here first.
Oh yeah, the problem in my other current thread is a different issue altogether.
AFAIK, Blender output to .mov long before the ffmpeg integration (only available codecs, of course.) It certainly should be possible to use this previous method. Don’t know how to switch, tho. (Keep in mind that I’m on Winblows, too, tho.) Surely they didn’t ditch the previous code altogether? Would Quicktime Pro run under Wine (or is there a linux port from OSX?)
This is because FFMEPG uses the x264 encoder. x264 supports a lot of features that Quicktime doesn’t support, so you have to dumb down the encoding to make it compatable with Quicktime. Basically, Quicktime can’t handle anything above the Main profile, and even then it only partially supports it.
You can read about it under the section titled “Quicktime and H264” here: http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/9005/print
Also, don’t use Quicktime’s encoder, it’s awful.
FishB8,
I think this is exactly what I’m looking for. All of this software is already installed on my system. Cool.
As usual, thanks.
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This all still doesn’t explain why the MP4 files still look like crap in VLC on Mac. Any takers?