Is my MPEG4 AVC file wrong

[benoitm]

I have encoded a HD file with TMPGEnc Xpress 4, using MPEG4/AVC settings as follows:
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 21s 440ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 12.0 Mbps
Width : 1 440 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.310

The result using VLC 0.9.9 is bad: extremely pixelated, apparent incorrect frame ordering, etc etc
The GPU is a Sapphire Radeon HD 4800
I tried disabling hw acceleration and tried the skip loop filter thing: no change
This file plays nicely on the WD TV HD media player.
Where should I start looking for further t'shooting ? Is my file "legal" to start with ?

[VLC_help]

Could you share use sample file that shows the issue?

[benoitm]

http://media.fedemot.be/temp/benoitmMP4AVCtest.mp4

[Lotesdelere]

It's true that this file is playing badly in VLC 0.9.9. It is however playing fine in VLC 1.0.0-RC.

Some points though:
I don't know much about TMPGEnc Xpress 4 but have you tried a recent version of x264 ? And which encoding setting have you used ?
Why using interlaced encoding ? Progressive would play better on most hardware and software players.
Only 1 ref frame. You can go up to 2 ref frames for QuickTime compatibilty (take care about B-frames though) and up to 4 ref frames with 3 B-frames to stay within the limits of level 4.1 specs which is compatible with most, if not all, hardware players. Take care about CABAC and bitrate though (e.g. bitrate limit for an Xbox is 10 MB/s).

[benoitm]

It's true that this file is playing badly in VLC 0.9.9. It is however playing fine in VLC 1.0.0-RC.

Some points though:
I don't know much about TMPGEnc Xpress 4 but have you tried a recent version of x264 ?

Before trying another encoder (like X264), I am trying to get the best out my current encoding tool (TMPGEnc Xpress 4)...

And which encoding setting have you used ?

Why using interlaced encoding ? Progressive would play better on most hardware and software players.

The source is interlaced and the goal is to archive the source video with acceptable quality loss and maintaining the original characteristics for display on TV etc....the "video" characteristics (like 50 fields/s interlaced) must be maintained. Going to progressive means either strobe effect (25 fps) and some resolution loss due to deinterlacing, or wasted bitrate if "upscaled" to 50 fps prog.

Only 1 ref frame. You can go up to 2 ref frames for QuickTime compatibilty (take care about B-frames though) and up to 4 ref frames with 3 B-frames to stay within the limits of level 4.1 specs which is compatible with most, if not all, hardware players.

OK. For most of the settings, I kept the defaults proposed by TMPGEnc Xpress, not knowing what the "best" settings are for HD Mpeg4 AVC encoding (I'm mastering wmv9 HD/VC-1 quite well, and I am now trying to get similar (better ?) results with MPEG4 AVC).
BTW VLC doesn't support (yet ?) B-frames and other advanced settings of wmv9 Advanced Profile. Any plans on that ?

Take care about CABAC and bitrate though (e.g. bitrate limit for an Xbox is 10 MB/s).

As long as my media player box WD TV HD (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=572) can play it, I try the most agressive settings since I want to achieve minimal quality loss from the orignal source video (HDV = MPEG2 1080i @ 25 Mbps...)
Note: the WD TV HD player plays AVCHD @ 24 Mbps quite happily; VLC also but I still hate the fact that deinterlacing->bob has to be reactivated each and everytime a video is played

Since VLC plays Interlaced AVCHD fine, what parameters should I try to change in my settings above to have my own AVC files play properly with VLC 0.9.9 ?

[VLC_help]

what parameters should I try to change in my settings above to have my own AVC files play properly with VLC 0.9.9 ?

I would wait for 1.0.0, it should be released very soon.

[jorn]

I have tried the new v 1.01 but it still plays avchd files / .mts as intelaced. Most HD camcorders on the marked is AVCHD interlaced, so i really hope VLC can fix this problem. Also Windows Media player in Windows support avchd, so does Apple. SO it's importante to catch up.

her is a avch test file, you can download the.mts file (avchd 1080i)

http://vimeo.com/5977039

[VLC_help]

VLC doesn't automatically enable de-interlace, you have to do it manually.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

"it still plays avchd files / .mts as intelaced"
activate deinterlacing filter?