issue of two similar video codecs, but must be very different

[knightfall1975]

Hello dear forum!

I hope this isn't too off-topic, but a Google search indicates to me that this is where the experts hang out who might be able to answer my question.

The problem: When playing a video, my smart TV reports that the video format cannot be played. Via the media information, the TV reports h264 as the video codec.

Then I take two similar videos, one is played, one not. I can see the media info of both files, but I don't know what might be the crucial difference (will play or will not play).

(Apologies in advance that the language is German, but i think you'll get the media ionformation.)

This one works:
Format : Matroska
Format-Version : Version 4
Dateigröße : 2,20 GiB
Dauer : 28 min 55s
Gesamte Bitrate : 10,9 Mb/s
Kodierendes Programm : mkvmerge v49.0.0 ('Sick Of Losing Soulmates') 64-bit
verwendete Encoder-Bibliothek : libebml v1.4.0 + libmatroska v1.6.1

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format-Profil : High@L4
Format-Einstellungen : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format-Einstellungen für CABAC : Ja
Format-Einstellungen für RefFrames : 4 frames
Codec-ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Dauer : 28 min 55s
Bitrate : 9 910 kb/s
Breite : 1 920 Pixel
Höhe : 1 080 Pixel
Bildseitenverhältnis : 16:9
Modus der Bildwiederholungsrate : konstant
Bildwiederholungsrate : 23,976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scantyp : progressiv
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.199
Stream-Größe : 2,00 GiB (91%)
Sprache : Englisch
Default : Ja
Forced : Nein
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

This one DOESN'T:
Format : Matroska
Format-Version : Version 4
Dateigröße : 741 MiB
Dauer : 28 min 49s
Gesamte Bitrate : 3 593 kb/s
Filmname : Acapulco 2021 - S01E06 - Uptown Girl
Kodierungs-Datum : UTC 2021-11-05 02:09:07
Kodierendes Programm : mkvmerge v62.0.0 ('Apollo') 64-bit
verwendete Encoder-Bibliothek : libebml v1.4.2 + libmatroska v1.6.4

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format-Profil : High@L3.1
Format-Einstellungen : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames
Format-Einstellungen für CABAC : Ja
Format-Einstellungen für RefFrames : 5 frames
Codec-ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Dauer : 28 min 49s
Bitrate : 2 816 kb/s
Breite : 1 280 Pixel
Höhe : 720 Pixel
Bildseitenverhältnis : 16:9
Modus der Bildwiederholungsrate : konstant
Bildwiederholungsrate : 23,976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scantyp : progressiv
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.127
Stream-Größe : 581 MiB (78%)
Default : Ja
Forced : Nein
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

What is the big diference so one file is fine and the other one is rejected?

knightfall

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

I think you can see the differences yourself... resolution, bit rate, etc? If you want to know what parameters is unsupported by your TV, you'll have to check the model's technical specification.

[Lotesdelere]

What is the audio of both files ?

[knightfall1975]

What is the audio of both files ?

Both the same:
Audio
ID : 2
Format : E-AC-3 JOC
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3 with Joint Object Coding
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos
Codec-ID : A_EAC3
Dauer : 28 min 49s
Bitraten-Modus : konstant
Bitrate : 768 kb/s
Kanäle : 6 Kanäle
Channel layout : L R C LFE Ls Rs
Samplingrate : 48,0 kHz
Bildwiederholungsrate : 31,250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream-Größe : 158 MiB (21%)
Sprache : Englisch
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Ja
Forced : Nein
Complexity index : 16
Number of dynamic objects : 15
Bed channel count : 1 Kanal
Bed channel configuration : LFE

[Lotesdelere]

Maybe, and it's a maybe, because of this:

Code: Select all

Format-Profil : High@L3.1 Format-Einstellungen : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames Breite : 1 280 Pixel Höhe : 720 Pixel

IIRC the standard maximum allowed reference frames for hardware acceleration with profile High@L3.1 for 720p is 4 reference frames.

[knightfall1975]

I think you can see the differences yourself... resolution, bit rate, etc? If you want to know what parameters is unsupported by your TV, you'll have to check the model's technical specification.

Yep, the difference are ovious:

Code: Select all

Format-Settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames /// CABAC / 5 Ref Frames Format-Settings for RefFrames : 4 frames /// 5 frames Bitrate : 9 910 kb/s /// 2 816 kb/s Width : 1 920 Pixel /// 1 280 Pixel Height : 1 080 Pixel /// 720 Pixel Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.199 /// 0.127 Stream-Size : 2,00 GiB (91%) /// 581 MiB (78%)

Question is which one makes trouble? The TV modells technical specifications don't help regarding the video codec settings...

[knightfall1975]

Maybe, and it's a maybe, because of this:

Code: Select all

Format-Profil : High@L3.1 Format-Einstellungen : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames Breite : 1 280 Pixel Höhe : 720 Pixel

IIRC the standard maximum allowed reference frames for hardware acceleration with profile High@L3.1 for 720p is 4 reference frames.

Thanks! I'll try to find out if this is mentioned somewhere in the technical specifications...

[knightfall1975]

Well, the only info I got so far is:
Supported codecs:
H.264 BP/MP/HP, HEVC (H.265 - Main, Main10), Motion JPEG, MVC, MPEG4 SP/ASP, Window Media Video v9(VC1), MPEG2, MPEG1, Microsoft MPEG-4 v1/v2/v3, Window Media Video v7(WMV1)/v8(WMV2), H 263 Sorrenson, VP6, VP8, VP9 (profile 0, profile 2), RV8/9/10 (RV30/40)

For more details I need to contact the support...

[knightfall1975]

I found another file not running and I think now I am out of options.

------------------------------------------------not running-------------------not running-----------------running (!!)
Format-Profile--------------------------------High@L4----------------------High@L3.1------------------High@L4
Format-Settings-----------------------------CABAC / 4 Ref Frames------CABAC / 5 Ref Frames-----CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format-Settings for RefFrames------------4 frames----------------------5 frames--------------------4 frames
Bitrate----------------------------------------9 890 kb/s--------------------2 816 kb/s------------------9 910 kb/s
Width-----------------------------------------1 920 Pixel--------------------1 280 Pixel------------------1 920 Pixel
Height----------------------------------------1 080 Pixel--------------------720 Pixel--------------------1 080 Pixel
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)--------------------------0.199--------------------------0.127------------------------0.199
Stream-Size----------------------------------2,16 GiB (93%)---------------581 MiB (78%)--------------2,00 GiB (91%)

There is nothing the two files not running have in common that is different in the third file...

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Question is which one makes trouble? The TV modells technical specifications don't help regarding the video codec settings...

It's not like people here can guess what the exact specifications of your hardware are. If the specifications don't tell, then you can only guess, and your guess is as good as anyone's.