PS3 - Targeting Constrained Baseline Profile

Hello Everyone,

I have a file that will not play on the PS3, either from Serviio or from a USB stick. While it plays in my Sony Blu-Ray player without an issue from both Serviio and a USB stick, the PS3 has a problem with it. Since it didn't play from a USB stick, I forced it to transcode in the PS3 profile by adding the following, and then it worked fine:

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />

However, this obviously has the side effect of transcoding all h264 video that is higher than level 4.1, not just those with the "high" and "main" profiles as originally specified in the profile. The video is question uses the Constrained Baseline Profile, so I tried to target it with the following code, but it appears that "baseline" only matches the actual Baseline Profile, not the CBP.

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />

Obviously, this doesn't transcode the video since it isn't the actual Baseline Profile, and I get an error message that "The Data is Corrupted" when I try to play it. Short of using vFourCC to isolate it a little more, I'm not sure of the best transcoding configuration in this case. As of now, I'm just using the first statement to transcode all profiles, but I would prefer if I could isolate it a little more. I appreciate any guidance you can provide.

  Code:

C:\Users\xxxxxxx>"C:\Program Files\Serviio\lib\ffmpeg.exe" -i "D:\ServerFolder
s\TV Shows\Fullmetal Alchemist - Brotherhood\Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - 2
7 - Interlude Party.mp4"
ffmpeg version N-42368-gbf53863 Copyright (c) 2000-2012 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jul 10 2012 03:40:45 with gcc 4.6.3
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --disable-ffplay --disable-ffs
erver --enable-memalign-hack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-librtmp --extra-libs='
-lrtmp -lpolarssl -lws2_32 -lwinmm' --arch=x86 --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enab
le-pthreads --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-w64-mingw32- --pkg-config=pk
g-config
  libavutil      51. 64.100 / 51. 64.100
  libavcodec     54. 33.100 / 54. 33.100
  libavformat    54. 15.102 / 54. 15.102
  libavdevice    54.  1.100 / 54.  1.100
  libavfilter     3.  1.100 /  3.  1.100
  libswscale      2.  1.100 /  2.  1.100
  libswresample   0. 15.100 /  0. 15.100
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0187BD80] max_analyze_duration 5000000 reached at 500
5005
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'D:\ServerFolders\TV Shows\Fullmetal Alc
hemist - Brotherhood\Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - 27 - Interlude Party.mp4'
:
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : M4V
    minor_version   : 0
    compatible_brands: M4V mp42isom
    title           : Interlude Party
    artist          : Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
    album_artist    : Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
    album           : Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Season 2, Pt. 1
    genre           : Animation
    track           : 1
    disc            : 1/1
    gapless_playback: 0
    date            : 2010-12-28T08:00:00Z
    copyright       : ┬⌐ Hiromu Arakawa/FA Project, MBS.  Licensed by FUNimation
® Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
    description     : Visions of the past play out by a warming fire as Hohenhei
m reflects on the unavoidable follies of man: the pain that comes with a loving
family; the hidden truths of alchemy; and the roots and results of war.
    show            : Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
    episode_id      : 27
    season_number   : 2
    episode_sort    : 1
    media_type      : 10
    synopsis        : Visions of the past play out by a warming fire as Hohenhei
m reflects on the unavoidable follies of man: the pain that comes with a loving
family; the hidden truths of alchemy; and the roots and results of war.
    comment         : Uploader: nextday
  Duration: 00:24:38.31, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1533 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(eng): Audio: aac (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, s16, 125
 kb/s
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : Apple Sound Media Handler
    Stream #0:1(eng): Video: h264 (Constrained Baseline) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yu
v420p, 640x480 [SAR 4:3 DAR 16:9], 1402 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 2997 tbn, 59
94 tbc
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : Apple Video Media Handler
    Stream #0:2: Video: mjpeg, yuvj444p, 600x600 [SAR 72:72 DAR 1:1], 90k tbr, 9
0k tbn, 90k tbc
At least one output file must be specified


[zip]

Hi, it's not possible to match on constrained baseline in 1.1, just added it for future 1.2

Great, thank you. I'll just transcode all H.264 videos with a level above 4.1 in the meantime then.

[zip]

It should actually match the baseline profile now. Does the video really have level > 4.1?

Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm only assuming it does since adding the following forces it to transcode. What is the best way of finding that information? Could it still be 4.1 or below with this statement?

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />

[zip]

look at MediaInfo output for the file, it'll tell you the profile.

Baseline@L3.0. Assuming that is version 3.0, I'm not sure why adding the code to the profile causes it to encode since it should only be targeting levels above 4.1.

[zip]

According to you it doesn't transcode, which seems right.

However, this obviously has the side effect of transcoding all h264 video that is higher than level 4.1, not just those with the "high" and "main" profiles as originally specified in the profile. The video is question uses the Constrained Baseline Profile, so I tried to target it with the following code, but it appears that "baseline" only matches the actual Baseline Profile, not the CBP.

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />

Obviously, this doesn't transcode the video since it isn't the actual Baseline Profile, and I get an error message that "The Data is Corrupted" when I try to play it.

So your baseline level 3 video will not be matched by this line (it only matches files with level 4.2 and above). To transcode all baseline files try:

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" />

No dice, but thanks for the suggestion. Same message that the data is corrupt. While you are correct that "<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />" doesn't transcode it, I also mentioned that "<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />" causes it to transcode. As such, I have to believe that either 1) I'm not reading the level correctly from MediaInfo or 2) the level detection isn't working properly in Serviio. Either way, it doesn't appear to be matching on the CBP since "<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />" doesn't cause it to transcode, but removing the profile on the line transcodes it.

[zip]

Yes, levelGreaterThan is only used when profile is specified (http://www.serviio.org/index.php?option ... icle&id=24).

BUt you are saying that even if it transcodes it still doesn't play? Can you see some FFmpeg errors in the log?

Oh, I see. I didn't realize that levelGreaterThan is ignored if a profile isn't specified. That would explain quite a bit then. As such, we can conclude that the following will transcode the file:

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" />

However, the following will not transcode:

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" />

BUt you are saying that even if it transcodes it still doesn't play? Can you see some FFmpeg errors in the log?

Perhaps I'm not being clear, and for that I apologize. Any time the file is transcoded, it plays fine. The problem comes when the file is not transcoded, and that only happens when the matching is incorrect. It appears that this file's CBP isn't being matched to the baseline profile. I'll try to restart the Serviio service and try it again, but I know it didn't work last night when I tried it.

[zip]

However, the following will not transcode:

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" />

It should. It should match any container with h264 baseline videos. Constrained baseline == baseline in 1.1. Make sure there is nothing before this rule that would be picked first.

Just tried it again, and no dice. It transcodes fine with the following (although you mentioned level is ignored without a profile):

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />

The following does not transcode:

  Code:

<Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" />

I do not see anything that this video file would be matching on earlier in the transcoding profile, but maybe I'm just missing it. If it helps, this is the entire PS3 section from my profile list:

  Code:

   <Profile id="4" name="Playstation 3" extendsProfileId="1">
    <!-- http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/filetypes.html
    
       The following types of files can be played under  (Video).
       Memory Stick Video Format
        - MPEG-4 SP (AAC LC)
        - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile (AAC LC)
        - MPEG-2 TS(H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, AAC LC)
       MP4 file format
        - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile (AAC LC)
       MPEG-1 (MPEG Audio Layer 2)
       MPEG-2 PS (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2, AAC LC, AC3(Dolby Digital), LPCM)
       MPEG-2 TS (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2, AC3(Dolby Digital), AAC LC)
       MPEG-2 TS (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, AAC LC)
       AVI
        - Motion JPEG (Linear PCM)
        - Motion JPEG (mu-Law)
       AVCHD (.m2ts / .mts)
       DivX
       WMV
        - VC-1(WMA Standard V2) -->
      <Detection>
         <HttpHeaders>
            <X-AV-Client-Info>.*PLAYSTATION 3.*</X-AV-Client-Info>
         </HttpHeaders>   
      </Detection>
      <MediaFormatProfiles>
         <MediaFormatProfile mime-type="video/divx">AVI</MediaFormatProfile>
         <MediaFormatProfile mime-type="video/x-ms-wmv">VC1_ASF_AP_L1_WMA</MediaFormatProfile>
         <MediaFormatProfile mime-type="video/x-ms-wmv">VC1_ASF_AP_L2_WMA</MediaFormatProfile>
         <MediaFormatProfile mime-type="video/x-ms-wmv">VC1_ASF_AP_L3_WMA</MediaFormatProfile>
         <!-- (Added by Alex) Fix for certain MP4 files which do not render correctly, probably a mime-type problem -->
         <MediaFormatProfile mime-type="video/mp4" name="">MPEG4_P2_MP4_ASP_AAC</MediaFormatProfile>
      </MediaFormatProfiles>
      <Transcoding>
         <!-- Transcode all h264 video with HIGH/MAIN > Level 4.1 on MPEG-TS stream with MPEG2VIDEO and ac3 audio transcoding -->
         <Video targetContainer="mpegts" targetVCodec="mpeg2video" targetACodec="ac3" aBitrate="384">
            <Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="high" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />
            <Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" profile="main" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />
            <!-- (Added by Alex) The Baseline profile > Level 4.1 isn't supported either, so force a transcode -->
            <Matches container="*" vCodec="h264" levelGreaterThan="4.1" />
            <Matches container="avi" vCodec="dvvideo" />
            <Matches container="matroska" vCodec="vp8" />
         </Video>
         <!--
            remux MKV with any video to MPEG2TS and possibly change audio to ac3, also AVI and FLV with H264
         -->
         <Video targetContainer="mpegts" targetACodec="ac3" aBitrate="384">
            <Matches container="matroska" />
            <Matches container="avi" vCodec="h264" />
            <Matches container="flv" vCodec="h264" />
            <Matches container="3gp" vCodec="h264" />
         </Video>
         <Video targetContainer="mpegts" >
            <Matches container="wtv" />
            <Matches container="asf" vCodec="mpeg2video"/> <!--  dvr-ms -->            
         </Video>
         <!-- all other unplayable files just transcode to mpeg2 -->
         <Video targetContainer="mpegts" targetACodec="ac3" targetVCodec="mpeg2video" aBitrate="384">
            <Matches container="flv" />
            <Matches container="ogg" />
            <Matches container="3gp" />
            <Matches container="asf" vCodec="mpeg1video"/> <!--  dvr-ms -->
            <Matches container="asf" vCodec="vc1" aCodec="wmapro"/> <!-- only 2 channel audio is natively supported -->
            <Matches container="asf" vCodec="wmv2"/>
            <Matches container="rm" />
         </Video>
         
         <Audio targetContainer="lpcm" aSamplerate="48000">
            <Matches container="flac" />
            <Matches container="ogg" />
            <Matches container="adts" />
         </Audio>
      </Transcoding>
      <OnlineTranscoding>
         <Video targetContainer="mpegts" targetACodec="ac3" aBitrate="384">
            <Matches container="mp4"/>               
             <Matches container="applehttp" vCodec="h264"/>
         </Video>
         <Video targetContainer="mpeg" targetVCodec="mpeg2video" targetACodec="ac3">
            <Matches container="asf"/> <!-- to support mms:// streams -->
         </Video>
         <!-- PS3 doesn't like mp3 with unlimited duration (eg online mp3 streams or streams transcoded into mp3 -->
         <Audio targetContainer="lpcm" aSamplerate="48000">
            <Matches container="mp3"/>
            <Matches container="flv"/>
            <Matches container="asf"/>
         </Audio>
      </OnlineTranscoding>
      <LimitImageResolution>false</LimitImageResolution>
   </Profile>

[zip]

Just to try:

  Code:

<Matches container="mp4" vCodec="h264" profile="baseline" />

Sorry, no luck.

[zip]

Can you try to remove the file, force refresh, add it again, force refresh

all with detailed log

It should show which profile Serviio found when the file is again added

Assuming I understand you correctly, should I just put the file in a specific folder and add it to the library? I have the root folder in Serviio, and if I remove it and re add it, I'm guessing it will show up thousands of videos in the log. Just want to make it easier to go through.

[zip]

You can add it to another folder, yes.

I tried to copy it to another folder and add that folder in Serviio, but I'm not seeing the log file reflecting it as such. This is all I could find. Am I doing something wrong?

  Code:

2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [LibraryUpdatesCheckerThread] Looking for removed playlist files in repository: D:\Temp Serviio
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [PlaylistDAOImpl] Reading Playlists for Repository (id = 7)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [LibraryUpdatesCheckerThread] Looking for removed/updated files in repository: D:\Temp Serviio
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading MediaItems for Repository (id = 7)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 1611
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [MetadataDescriptorDAOImpl] Reading MetadataDescriptor for MediaItem (id = 1611) and extractor EMBEDDED
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [MetadataDescriptorDAOImpl] Reading MetadataDescriptor for MediaItem (id = 1611) and extractor COVER_IMAGE_IN_FOLDER
2013-01-05 09:58:24,217 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 1)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,226 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 1 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:24,227 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 2)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,228 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 2 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:24,228 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 3)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,229 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 3 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:24,229 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 4)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,231 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 4 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:24,231 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 5)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,231 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 5 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:24,232 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 6)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,232 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 6 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:24,233 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading dirty MediaItems for Repository (id = 7)
2013-01-05 09:58:24,233 DEBUG [RepositoryDAOImpl] Marking Repository 7 as scanned with current timestamp
2013-01-05 09:58:26,603 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:58:26,603 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:58:29,601 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:58:29,601 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:58:32,601 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:58:32,602 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:58:35,643 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:58:35,643 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:58:38,642 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:58:38,642 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:58:41,642 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:58:41,642 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:58:50,033 DEBUG [FeedUpdaterThread] Checking for new and expired online resources
2013-01-05 09:58:50,033 DEBUG [OnlineRepositoryDAOImpl] Reading all OnlineRepositories
2013-01-05 09:59:26,608 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:59:26,608 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:59:27,583 DEBUG [DiscoveryAdvertisementNotifier] Found 1 network interfaces to advertise on
2013-01-05 09:59:27,583 DEBUG [DiscoveryAdvertisementNotifier] Multicasting SSDP alive using interface eth4 (Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller) and address 192.168.2.2, timeout = 0
2013-01-05 09:59:27,583 DEBUG [DiscoveryAdvertisementNotifier] Sending 6 'alive' messages describing device c5a8f887-8949-3e9f-a9ff-b88282874507
2013-01-05 09:59:29,586 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:59:29,586 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:59:32,601 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:59:32,601 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:59:35,633 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:59:35,633 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:59:38,636 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:59:38,636 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:59:41,636 DEBUG [DiscoverySSDPMessageListener] Received a valid M-SEARCH message for search target urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:InternetGatewayDevice:1 from address /192.168.2.8:64707
2013-01-05 09:59:41,636 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 192.168.2.8
2013-01-05 09:59:50,049 DEBUG [FeedUpdaterThread] Checking for new and expired online resources
2013-01-05 09:59:50,049 DEBUG [OnlineRepositoryDAOImpl] Reading all OnlineRepositories


[zip]

Did you check to search for video files in that folder?