how to get h.263 video files

[paul_ca]

I need some h.263 video files, and I know VLC can do some transcoding.
After I input some mpeg-2 file and then transcode into a local file ( I used
the Raw encapuslation method and h.263 as video transcoding option), but I failed to get the h.263 video elementary file.

Does anyone know how to get h.263 video file by VLC or where I can get some h.263 video test file. Thanks in advance.

[DJ]

Raw is no container. You will need to select an encapsulation method. Given H263 was mostly used for teleconferencing MPEG-TS should work.

Name the resulting file anything.ts

As far as samples go you can search the web for H.263 samples.

[paul_ca]

Thank you for quick reply.

I have tried to input a mpeg-2 transport stream file (including mpeg-2 video and audio) and transcode this file by using MPEG-TS as encapsulation and H.263 as video option. However, I just got a mpeg-2 transport file which include only audio. So I am wondering whether VLC
can transcode other format video into H.263 video.
By the way, Is there any specification about how to put H.263 video into
mpeg-2 transport stream?
Thank you for your idea.

Raw is no container. You will need to select an encapsulation method. Given H263 was mostly used for teleconferencing MPEG-TS should work.

Name the resulting file anything.ts

As far as samples go you can search the web for H.263 samples.

[DJ]

This is one of the few encoders I have never tried. But in trying this today I consistently get:

ffmpeg error: cannot open encoder
stream_out_transcode error: cannot find encoder
main debug: removing module "libmpeg2"
stream_out_transcode error: cannot create video chain
main error: cannot create packetizer output (mpgv)

Tried with several source formats and several container types. I always get audio. I also tried VLC 0.8.4 with the same end result.

The best thing I can suggest is to fill out a trouble report and refer to this post so the devs can see what has been suggested and what has been tried.

http://www.videolan.org/support/bug-reporting.html
Bug reporting

[paul_ca]

Thanks a lot, DJ.

From my previous try, I am not sure this is a problem of VLC or I did the transcoding in a right way by using VLC. In another word, as you suggested, I used MPEG-TS as encapulation, however, I am not sure whether we can do this or not, if possible, can you give me idea about the specification of putting h.263 video in MPEG-2 TS container?

Looking forward to hearing your reply. Thank you very much.

This is one of the few encoders I have never tried. But in trying this today I consistently get:

ffmpeg error: cannot open encoder
stream_out_transcode error: cannot find encoder
main debug: removing module "libmpeg2"
stream_out_transcode error: cannot create video chain
main error: cannot create packetizer output (mpgv)

Tried with several source formats and several container types. I always get audio. I also tried VLC 0.8.4 with the same end result.

The best thing I can suggest is to fill out a trouble report and refer to this post so the devs can see what has been suggested and what has been tried.

http://www.videolan.org/support/bug-reporting.html
Bug reporting

[DJ]

By definition this was the best I could find:

H.263 is a video codec designed by the ITU-T as a low-bitrate encoding solution for videoconferencing. It was first designed to be utilized in H.324 based systems (PSTN and other circuit-switched network videoconferencing and videotelephony), but has since found use in H.323 (RTP/IP-based videoconferencing), H.320 (ISDN-based videoconferencing), RTSP (streaming media) and SIP (Internet conferencing) solutions as well.

H.263 was developed as an evolutionary improvement based on experience from H.261, the previous ITU-T standard for video compression, and the MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 standards. Its first version was completed in 1995 and provided a suitable replacement for H.261 at all bitrates. It was further enhanced in projects known as H.263v2 (a.k.a. H.263+ or H.263 1998) and H.263v3 (a.k.a. H.263++ or H.263 2000).

The next enhanced codec developed by the ITU-T (in partnership with MPEG) after H.263 is the H.264 standard, also known as AVC and MPEG-4 part 10. As H.264 provides a significant improvement in capability beyond H.263, the H.263 standard is now considered primarily a legacy design (although this is a recent development). Most new videoconferencing products now include H.264 as well as H.263 and H.261 capabilities

I have a feeling that H.263 may have been dropped in favor of H.264

In all the tests I ran the error was "could not find encoder" VLC is a major proponent of H.264 and it works well with the MP4 container.

I believe this was supported by ffmpeg a module VLC uses for a variety of formats including DivX, XviD, WMv 1-2 etc.

Another clue is that Preferences shows all of the compiled modules and I can't find a reference to H.263 only H.264

I doing a search of VLC websites I find that playback is supported for h.263 in all operating systems but can find nothing about the encoder.

So unfortunately is is going to take a developer to answer these questions.

[paul_ca]

Thank you so much for your research. I will report this problem to the developers !

By definition this was the best I could find:

H.263 is a video codec designed by the ITU-T as a low-bitrate encoding solution for videoconferencing. It was first designed to be utilized in H.324 based systems (PSTN and other circuit-switched network videoconferencing and videotelephony), but has since found use in H.323 (RTP/IP-based videoconferencing), H.320 (ISDN-based videoconferencing), RTSP (streaming media) and SIP (Internet conferencing) solutions as well.

H.263 was developed as an evolutionary improvement based on experience from H.261, the previous ITU-T standard for video compression, and the MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 standards. Its first version was completed in 1995 and provided a suitable replacement for H.261 at all bitrates. It was further enhanced in projects known as H.263v2 (a.k.a. H.263+ or H.263 1998) and H.263v3 (a.k.a. H.263++ or H.263 2000).

The next enhanced codec developed by the ITU-T (in partnership with MPEG) after H.263 is the H.264 standard, also known as AVC and MPEG-4 part 10. As H.264 provides a significant improvement in capability beyond H.263, the H.263 standard is now considered primarily a legacy design (although this is a recent development). Most new videoconferencing products now include H.264 as well as H.263 and H.261 capabilities

I have a feeling that H.263 may have been dropped in favor of H.264

In all the tests I ran the error was "could not find encoder" VLC is a major proponent of H.264 and it works well with the MP4 container.

I believe this was supported by ffmpeg a module VLC uses for a variety of formats including DivX, XviD, WMv 1-2 etc.

Another clue is that Preferences shows all of the compiled modules and I can't find a reference to H.263 only H.264

I doing a search of VLC websites I find that playback is supported for h.263 in all operating systems but can find nothing about the encoder.

So unfortunately is is going to take a developer to answer these questions.