AVI's not playing on KDL-46EX720

Hi guys,

Since upgrading from 0.5.2, a considerable number of my AVI files now no longer play on my 2011 Bravia KDL-46EX720. In 0.5.2 I was using the "Sony Bravia TV" profile, so I presume everything was just being transcoded to MPEG. I now am using "Sony Bravia TV 2011" which (I think) gets the TV to decode the AVI file itself.

So when I try to play one of the problematic files, the TV just prints "Playback not available". However, some very similar files do play back on the TV. To eliminate serviio as the cause, I chucked the same AVI files on a USB stick and played them via USB. The result is the same, with the TV only playing the files that worked with serviio. So I'm thinking the TV cannot handle some types of AVI files/codecs, which might mean this can be solved with the profile? This is a bit beyond my current understanding on codecs etc, so below I've got a ffmpeg -i of a file that doesn't play and one that does.

This file will not play:

  Code:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Serviio\lib>ffmpeg.exe -i "F:\TV Shows\The Big Bang Theory\Season 2\The Big Bang Theory - 202 - The Codpiece Topology.avi"
ffmpeg version N-31480-g8bc3a48, Copyright (c) 2000-2011 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 14 2011 23:37:53 with gcc 4.4.2
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --disable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-memalign-hack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-librtmp --extra-libs='-lrtmp -lpolarssl -lws2_32 -lwinmm' --arch=x86 --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-pthreads --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-mingw32- --pkg-config=pkg-config
  libavutil    51. 11. 0 / 51. 11. 0
  libavcodec   53.  8. 0 / 53.  8. 0
  libavformat  53.  6. 0 / 53.  6. 0
  libavdevice  53.  2. 0 / 53.  2. 0
  libavfilter   2. 25. 0 /  2. 25. 0
  libswscale    2.  0. 0 /  2.  0. 0

Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 23.98 (65535/2733) -> 23.98 (2997003/125000)
Input #0, avi, from 'F:\TV Shows\The Big Bang Theory\Season 2\The Big Bang Theory - 202 - The Codpiece Topology.avi':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : transcode-1.0.5rc4
  Duration: 00:20:39.62, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1184 kb/s
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 624x352 [PAR 1:1 DAR 39:22], 23.98 tbr,23.98 tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 128 kb/s
At least one output file must be specified

And here is an example of a very similar file that does play:

  Code:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Serviio\lib>ffmpeg.exe -i "F:\TV Shows\The Big Bang Theory\Season 2\The Big Bang Theory - 203 - The Barbarian Sublimation.avi"
ffmpeg version N-31480-g8bc3a48, Copyright (c) 2000-2011 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 14 2011 23:37:53 with gcc 4.4.2
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --disable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-memalign-hack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-librtmp --extra-libs='-lrtmp -lpolarssl -lws2_32 -lwinmm' --arch=x86 --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-pthreads --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-mingw32- --pkg-config=pkg-config
  libavutil    51. 11. 0 / 51. 11. 0
  libavcodec   53.  8. 0 / 53.  8. 0
  libavformat  53.  6. 0 / 53.  6. 0
  libavdevice  53.  2. 0 / 53.  2. 0
  libavfilter   2. 25. 0 /  2. 25. 0
  libswscale    2.  0. 0 /  2.  0. 0

Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 23.98 (65535/2733) -> 23.98 (24000/1001)
Input #0, avi, from 'F:\TV Shows\The Big Bang Theory\Season 2\The Big Bang Theory - 203 - The Barbarian Sublimation.avi':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Nandub v1.0rc2
  Duration: 00:20:48.58, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1175 kb/s
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 624x352 [PAR 1:1 DAR 39:22], 23.98 tbr,23.98 tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 128 kb/s
At least one output file must be specified


They seem pretty similar to me (encoder in the metadata section is different though). Can anyone help with this issue? Please let me know if there are any other logs / debugging that I can provide.

Thanks!

[zip]

You are probably right, must be the encoder. We have removed AVI transcoding from 2011 profile as it should play natively. It should be the only change between 2010 and 2011 profiles. You can try playing the file using 2010 profile.

[Illico]

...So I'm thinking the TV cannot handle some types of AVI files/codecs,...

yes, I know for example that HD divx is not supported on 2011 models. But there are probably some other codecs not supported.

[patters]

There's something similar with the 2011 Sony Bluray players too. The 2010 models will play all AVIs but the 2011 ones will play Xvid but not DivX according to pizzaguy541 on here. Since both DivX and Xvid are mpeg4 ASP they would show up the same in FFmpeg I think, as you observed. Obviously it could be useful to make the distinction for transcoding purposes but I guess if FFmpeg can't, then Serviio can't.

I think I know whats causing the problem!

After doing a bit of gResearch, I've found that its due a non-zero wBitsPerSample value in the MP3 audio format structure. 2011 Bravia's seems to have very strict rules in their mp3 decoding soft/firmware, and so whilst almost anything else will play AVI files with a non-zero wBitsPerSample, my 2011 Bravia wont...

There is some good news however. If you load up the problematic file in VirtualDub, it will acutally report this wBitsPerSample problem. You can then choose Direct Steam Copy for the Video/Audio output and just re-save the file without re-encoding it. This fixes the problematic file, so I can now use the Bravia's native decoding Although I now need to go through my library and check them all

Is this non-zero wBitsPerSample something that could be detected / used as for a rule in 2011 Bravia profile to decide whether to transcode or play direct? That would be pretty nifty and might help others. Another hope is that Sony fix this restriction in their next firmware release, but I'm not sure how likely that is.

Anyhow, I hope this helps any other 2011 Bravia owners who have been scratching their heads about failing AVI playback

[zip]

Do you have the same problem with the mp3 track when playing from USB?

Yes.

An AVI file containing a non-zero wBitsPerSample would not play via USB either. I then "fixed" it via the VirtualDub method I described earlier, and it then plays via USB and via serviio.

[patters]

Great find! What happens when you use ffmpeg to rewrite a non-compliant AVI out to a new AVI with -acodec copy -vcodec copy?

[zip]

I spoke to my contact at Sony and he forwarded link to this forum to their devs.

Good stuff – has been escalated to engineering, so at least we will find out if it’s a bug or a limitation and then if it can be resolved.

Please thank your forum members for the feedback – its genuinely very much appreciated and we’ll certainly look to try and get this resolved if possible.

What happens when you use ffmpeg to rewrite a non-compliant AVI out to a new AVI with -acodec copy -vcodec copy?

I tried this (not sure about the command line required:

  Code:

C:\TESTING>"C:\Program Files (x86)\Serviio\lib\ffmpeg.exe" -i uncorrected.avi -acodec copy -vcodec copy corrected.avi
ffmpeg version N-31480-g8bc3a48, Copyright (c) 2000-2011 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 14 2011 23:37:53 with gcc 4.4.2
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --disable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-memalign-hack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-librtmp --extra-libs='-lrtmp -lpolarssl -lws2_32 -lwinmm' --arch=x86 --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-pthreads --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-mingw32- --pkg-config=pkg-config
  libavutil    51. 11. 0 / 51. 11. 0
  libavcodec   53.  8. 0 / 53.  8. 0
  libavformat  53.  6. 0 / 53.  6. 0
  libavdevice  53.  2. 0 / 53.  2. 0
  libavfilter   2. 25. 0 /  2. 25. 0
  libswscale    2.  0. 0 /  2.  0. 0

Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 23.98 (65535/2733) -> 23.98 (2997003/125000)
Input #0, avi, from 'uncorrected.avi':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : transcode-1.0.5rc4
  Duration: 00:20:39.62, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1184 kb/s
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 624x352 [PAR 1:1 DAR 39:22], 23.98 tbr,23.98 tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 128 kb/s
Output #0, avi, to 'corrected.avi':
  Metadata:
    ISFT            : Lavf53.6.0
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 624x352 [PAR 1:1 DAR 39:22], q=2-31, 23.98 tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: libmp3lame, 48000 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
  Stream #0.1 -> #0.1
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame= 4367 fps=  0 q=-1.0 size=   26147kB time=00:03:02.11 bitrate=1176.2kbits/
frame= 8696 fps=  0 q=-1.0 size=   53624kB time=00:06:02.66 bitrate=1211.3kbits/
frame=12961 fps=8641 q=-1.0 size=   79226kB time=00:09:00.58 bitrate=1200.6kbits
frame=17264 fps=8632 q=-1.0 size=  102153kB time=00:12:00.05 bitrate=1162.2kbits
frame=21443 fps=8577 q=-1.0 size=  131562kB time=00:14:54.31 bitrate=1205.1kbits
frame=25824 fps=8608 q=-1.0 size=  150955kB time=00:17:57.07 bitrate=1148.1kbits
frame=29721 fps=8208 q=-1.0 Lsize=  179195kB time=00:20:39.61 bitrate=1184.2kbits/s
video:156896kB audio:20367kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 1.089666%

It completed without any errors, and VirtualDub no longer complains about the non-zero wBitsPerSample. The corrected file now also plays ok via serviio on my Bravia 2011. However, the corrected file is now has extremely choppy audio when played via VLC, so perhaps I didn't transcode it properly?

I spoke to my contact at Sony and he forwarded link to this forum to their devs.

Thanks Zip! I originally found this informaiton on the Sony forums here: http://www.sony-europe.com/discussions/message/691986, so I thought they might be aware of it already.

Just had a thought regarding the non-zero wBitsPerSample problem. Would it be possible to specify some rules in the Bravia 2011 profile to always transcode just the audio of any AVI file that has mp3 as the audio codec? The TV would still play the video codec without transcoding, but we would just transcode the audio - I assume this would not be too taxing on the CPU?

Thanks!

[zip]

I think we were having problem playing transcoded AVIs on the 2011 Bravias (as defined in 2010 profile). Someone else has to confirm.