Best film formats for external USB HDD?

My Humax Forum » Freesat HD » HDR 1000, 1010, 1100S

Best film formats for external USB HDD?

(40 posts)

donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline
Thank you for that clip. Tested via LAN same problem as other ts.
Plugged the HDD direct to USB and able to get to x16 but above x4 is skipping. Reverse, above x2 is skipping and cannot get above x8 before locking up.

Observations: LAN (over T-Link mains) is different. I need to check other formats to see if they improve over USB.
However, it does not indicate why the attached (also previously sent) works over LAN.
[EDIT]Just tried an externally powered HDD into USB with your clip and same result.
Attachments
1. Working_avi.txt (1.9 KB, 1 downloads) 10 years old
| Mon 13 Oct 2014 12:43:09 #31 |
grahamlthompson

special member
Joined: Feb '11
Posts: 14,442
offline

I think you are unrealistic expecting fast forward to work without skipping frames. For the clip you have that would require a display capable of a framerate of 800 frames/second at x 32 at best a normal TV would possibly only get up to around 100fps. X4 is 100fps.

| Mon 13 Oct 2014 12:59:16 #32 |
donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline

I see what you say but it does work with the format I have indicated for whatever reason.
Perhaps I should say that at x32 it cannot be said that it is not skipping because it is too fast to see but the impression is that it is skipping in equal jumps and therefore smooth and can be followed. All other tests with bad format show irregular skips and irregular delays between them.
I accept that but at x2 x4 x8 I expect it to be smooth and regulars so that one can see where one is in the film. If it works with one then that is acceptable and I want to make them all work that way, which I think is realistic.
It would be unrealistic if it had not been achieved at all.
Reverse in bad formats skips very irregularly so one may as well start again and only go forward.

I simply want the best way to convert from the vob to the working format as quickly as possible and batched with as little or no loss as possible.

| Mon 13 Oct 2014 13:13:17 #33 |
donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline

I have found Prism video file converter which converted from vob to avi (Microsoft Video 1 codec) with PCM uncompressed sound.
It works perfectly as my other working film (maybe it's the same codec by another name). What I cannot tell is whether it is recoding the video itself and thus losing even more quality, which is really the only issue left.
As I see it, it is like writing a letter and putting it in a blue envelope then deciding pink is better and swapping the letter, compared to writing the letter on the inside of the envelope itself and then when changing colour the letter must be rewritten.

| Mon 13 Oct 2014 13:52:36 #34 |
grahamlthompson

special member
Joined: Feb '11
Posts: 14,442
offline

donaldjamessimm - 3 minutes ago »
I have found Prism video file converter which converted from vob to avi (Microsoft Video 1 codec) with PCM uncompressed sound.
It works perfectly as my other working film (maybe it's the same codec by another name). What I cannot tell is whether it is recoding the video itself and thus losing even more quality, which is really the only issue left.
As I see it, it is like writing a letter and putting it in a blue envelope then deciding pink is better and swapping the letter, compared to writing the letter on the inside of the envelope itself and then when changing colour the letter must be rewritten.

The file size will give you a clue as will Medianinfo. If the bitrate and resolution are the same then there's no re-coding. The speed it works at will also give a clue. Re-coding is a fairly slow process.

| Mon 13 Oct 2014 13:58:56 #35 |
donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline
Thank you. I don't want to waste any more of your time.

I think I must be getting more out of my depth here, because The format I just quoted file size is 1.7GB and started as a vob at 1.048GB. The Mediainfo is attached for both.
It took ~about half hour to convert.

Perhaps you could give a final view on whether this is the wrong way to go or whether it is the inevitable way to go.
Attachments
1. MS_Video_1.txt (1.8 KB, 0 downloads) 10 years old
2. VOB.txt (2.7 KB, 0 downloads) 10 years old
| Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:23:08 #36 |
donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline
Attachments
1. MS_Video_1.txt (1.8 KB, 1 downloads) 10 years old
2. VOB.txt (2.7 KB, 1 downloads) 10 years old
| Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:25:15 #37 |
donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline
Attachments
1. MS_Video_1.txt (1.8 KB, 1 downloads) 10 years old
2. VOB.txt (2.7 KB, 0 downloads) 10 years old
| Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:25:25 #37 |
grahamlthompson

special member
Joined: Feb '11
Posts: 14,442
offline

Whatever works for you is the right way

Video Codecs aren't all the same efficiency. The more efficient they are the lower the bitrate you can use for the same quality (hence smaller files). The increase in filesize could well be what is required for the codec to match as far as possible the original video.

The most efficient the box understands is H264/AVC as used for HD transmissions. If you want to mess about some more you could try re-coding using H264/AVC. How well it would work with your relatively low res content I am not sure.

| Mon 13 Oct 2014 15:38:09 #38 |
donaldjamessimm

senior member
Joined: Oct '14
Posts: 56
offline

Thank you again for your time/help/advice. I will pursue your hints.

| Mon 13 Oct 2014 15:48:31 #39 |