MPEG4 over MPEG2-TS re-encapsulated to MP4

[hackthebox]

Hi all,

I've been banging my head on this for a few days now and finally got almost all the quirks figured out except for this. We are streaming an MPEG4 video over UDP and storing the MPEG2-TS data packets.

We then take the dumped MPEG2-TS data and re-encapsulate the video/audio in to an MP4 file and are able to play it with WMP/VLC/MPC (WMP/MPC require Storm Codec).

The problem is we then need to modify the files in ULead but Ulead will not recognize the video files.

We tried this with MPEG2-PS and ULead will read those files just fine.

Has anyone attempted this before? If so can you let me know how you got it to work.

[DJ]

In my opinion MPEG 4 should not be placed in a MPEG 2 container.

Mainconcepts was the first to allow h.264 in a PS or TS container. This allowed editors and broadcasters to use the new formats without the need for new programs. However it has also created incompatibilities and support problems.

All my test indicate that the issue here is not on VLC's end (encoding or decoding), but there still are compatibility issues with lots of other programs. Also keep in mind that h.264 is still evolving. VLC 0.8.6b has seen some major changes in the x264 library for example. Playback is supported through FFmpeg and it still doesn't support PAFF interlacing but does support MBAFF. We all hope to see even more changes when VLC 0.9.0 is released.

[bXn]

In my opinion MPEG 4 should not be placed in a MPEG 2 container.

Mainconcepts was the first to allow h.264 in a PS or TS container. This allowed editors and broadcasters to use the new formats without the need for new programs. However it has also created incompatibilities and support problems.

All Digital Terrestrial Television based on DVB-T are going to move to H264 video embedded in 'regular' MPEG2 TS.

[DJ]

In my opinion MPEG 4 should not be placed in a MPEG 2 container.

Mainconcepts was the first to allow h.264 in a PS or TS container. This allowed editors and broadcasters to use the new formats without the need for new programs. However it has also created incompatibilities and support problems.
/quote]

All Digital Terrestrial Television based on DVB-T are going to move to H264 video embedded in 'regular' MPEG2 TS.

"All" is not correct! There are lots of holdouts that will continue broadcasting MPEG 2. In general even the holdouts would like to see this happen.

But tell me something I don't already know. I have known this for more than 2 years. If everyone was jumping off a bridge would you follow them just because everyone was doing it?

At any rate all I was saying is there are problems with h.264 in a MPEG TS container (incompatibilities) and a lack of support (most programs and decoders including hardware) at the moment. I guess that's why all the satellites are still in test and to some degree everyone is experiencing some sort of issues. It is generally believed this is the future and MPEG 2 is dead, but until there is full compatibility among vendors we will continue to wait and see what the future will bring.

Wal-Mart has just endorsed the MPEG HD DVD standard. Personally I think this is nuts that the worlds largest retailer is taking a stand for a format. Even though in the short term they may be right.

Never in history have I seen so much hype in so many areas of technology that are NOT finished yet or so many demonstrations of this technology that appears to be fantastic that still isn't ready for prime time. I can line up 10 or more wide screen TVs from differing vendors for example and more than half do not portray a 16x9 picture properly. To me this is the Moon Pie where all of the pieces are not ready to make the whole, but it seems that everyone on the block wants to be the first to experience it and the opinions offered are in most cases just conjecture.

[bXn]

I did not want to say that you were wrong, I just wanted to add this
point of view.
I would be quite surprised that in 5 years, the most used video format
in DTT in Europe still be MPEG-2 but I could be wrong.

My point was also to underlined the fact that as soon as several commercial
broadcast are using a format, solutions will need to support it, no ?

BTW, would you have any pointers on the main incompatibilities ?

<I completely aggree with you on 16:9 support ;o)>