Encoding ASF files to play on Aiptek DV3500 camera

Spin

Guest

1. My Computer (WinXP) always says refers to my camera as a “DV 5700”.

2. According to that AVIcodec program, my camera produces a file somewhat different than what WinXP properties says the file actually is (Via right click an ASF file for properties in File manager).

AVIcodec Reports this (It is copied and pasted here, so it is EXACT:
File : 263 KB (263 K, duration: 0:00:05, type: ASF, 1 audio stream(s), quality: 30 %

Video : 240 KB, 393 Kbps, 10.400 fps, 640*480 (4:3), MP4S = ISO MPEG-4 Video V1, Unsupported

Audio : 12.100 KB, 21 Kbps, 22050 Hz, 1 channels, 0xA = Windows Media Audio 9 Voice, Unsupported

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With this new information, I can now find a better way of encoding. I has the belief that the video was actually 30fps. I knew that this camera was a bit choppy looking for supposedly being a full 30fps. The new software reports 10.400 fps.

If you want, I’ll post an actual ASF from my camera and maybe you can see if it is the same type as your camera’s output.

Spin

Guest

Does this AVIcodec work?
I just analized the same file again and it gives me different results.

Then I close the program, and open it again it give me the old results I posted before.

slick

Guest

Are you using the release version or a beta?

metoo

Guest

I have another solution

1.-Encode your video file with WME9.Select convert a file por pocket PC.
2.-And convert it with multimedia converter (mustek software)


Download this sample. In fact, it is the
slick’s video but fixed

http://membres.lycos.fr/sagardi/CLIP0001.zip

Spin

Guest

Here is a video that I just recorded with my camera. It is 10 seconds long. Untouched, as is. See if you can find out what it actually is.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nvj6/Blender/rawvideoAIPTEK.zip


Apparently it must use Microsoft’s MPEG-4 codec. Other computers cannot play the ASF file unless authentic M$ codec is installed, even if other codecs like XVID or DIVX are already installed.

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Posts: 1,286

To Spin
None of the diagnostic programs are 100% perfect (hey - they’re free! be happy you get such a program without paying a cent!) As for avicodec I’ve seen cases when it doesn’t report information correctly about such thing as sample rate, frame rate, or bitrate; but i’ve never seen it fail when giving the fourcc or container.

There’s something quite encouraging about your report though, and that’s the fact the audio is Windows Media Audio 9 Voice. That’s available in wme 9. Based on what you gave me here are the steps for making a video. (This is for Spin only or people who have the exact same camera as he does aka the Aiptek DV 5700 aka Aiptek IS DV)

Pick your video file to encode. Open Windows Media Encoder 9. You’ll have the wizard. Pick 'convert a file'. Pick your file and the name of your output file. Click next 4 times. UNCHECK the box 'begin conversion when i click finish'. Click finish. Click Properties. Under the output tab make sure “Index file” is checked. Under the compression tab click edit. Click new. Type a name. Both audio and video should be CBR (constant bitrate) (otherwise the codecs we want won’t be available). On the audio drop-down menu pick 'windows media audio 9 voice'. On the video drop-down menu pick 'iso mpeg-4 video v1'. Click add. Type 400K in the box. Click ok. Audio format (20 kbps, 22KHz, mono) is close to what you pasted (21 Kbps, 22050 Hz, 1 channels) so I don’t think it should be changed. If your source video is 640x480 click “same as source” otherwise type in 640x480 for the video size. Frame rate type in what you think is the right number (in your case 10.4 or 30 - you may have to test diff numbers). Video bit rate type in something close to what you’re getting in your sample vids from the camera (393K was what you pasted). Buffer size put 1 (that’s the minimum). Video smoothness put 100 for top sharpness. Keyframe interval put 1 (I think this is crucial in devices like this since they don’t do interframe compression - all frames are keyframes (keyframe mjpeg avi, p frame mpeg, or keyframe asf)). Then click start encoding and it should work.

The settings that may need tinkering: bitrates, sample rate, frame rate, video smoothness, keyframe interval, buffer size, and 'index file'.

Good Luck!

Regular
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Joined: 20 Nov 2004
Posts: 1,286

(To Spin, after viewing your video file)
Wow, are you sure this is untouched? It’s totally different from what you pasted in the box originally. According to avicodec (1.1.0.4) this one has XVID for fourcc. Oddly enough it USES Microsoft’s MPEG-4 for decoding (according to the render by gspot, and also according to wmp). Oddly my xvid files in an avi container say 'xvid mpeg-4' in avicodec, while the one you have says 'mpeg4z'. I’ve never seen anything like this before.
The break came when I used asftools to convert your file to avi. The resulting avi won’t play, but I got the fourcc of the avi as M4S2. I double checked your file in a hex editor and it turns out BOTH fourcc’s XVID AND M4S2 are in the file. Is avicodec reading the wrong one?

I don’t know what to make of this. Maybe it has something to do with “fourcc description codec” and “fourcc used codec” which you find in fourcc changers... I have no idea what the distinction between the two is.

I’d try making mp4s using my previous post. Then with a hex editor go into the file, change the first MP4S to XVID and the second one to M4S2.

Spin

Guest

Thanks anonymous,

I created a WME profile that works for the video (perfect actually), but now I am back to no audio. I tried everything that I could think of for the audio.

File size for about 10 seconds is 525kb, which is good.

— — — — —
I have spent too much time for this project. If I were paid for the time I spent, I could have bought a portable DVD player instead.

Regular
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Joined: 20 Nov 2004
Posts: 1,286

Did you use Windows Media Audio 9 Voice for audio when producing the file in WME? That’s what tag 0xA is.

Jodoman

Guest

i cannot install the mustek software. I get an error saying it cannot be run in dos or windows.

Jodoman

Guest

nm. i fixed it.

Spin

Guest

anonymous -
“Did you use Windows Media Audio 9 Voice for audio when producing the file in WME? That’s what tag 0xA is."

Yes I tried use Windows Media Audio 9 Voice, and other availle ones as well.

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anonymous -
“Wow, are you sure this is untouched?"
I am sure. I recoreded the video, transfered it via USB to the PC and Zipped it.

The other files that I posted earlier were just sample videos ripped from TV or DVDs, just to see if they played on the camera.

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Are you saying I should create the video file, based on that tutorial (the one with RealMagic codec) and then do the Hexdit with XVID and M4S2 as you described?

Jodoman

Guest

this mustek software is a piece of shit. It doesnt convert asf or WMV files, and on any other video, it gives me a conversion error. That is all it says. It does not convert anything.

(BTW, it was missing several dll files that i had to dl myself...)

Regular
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Joined: 20 Nov 2004
Posts: 1,286

(To Spin)
>> Are you saying I should create the video file, based on that tutorial (the one with RealMagic codec) and then do the Hexdit with XVID and M4S2 as you described?

No I meant my own tutorial (07 Aug 2005 11:52 am) then change it from MP4S/MP4S to XVID/M4S2.
You don’t have to go through the trouble if you can get good video through other means.

I’m still puzzled. Forget about avicodec for a second. When you look at video files directly outputted from the Aiptek (unedited) in a hex editor, do you see XVID, M4S2, MP4S, or some combo? (You should see two of them - not next to each other - and not necessarily the same - If you can’t find them I’ll give you the offsets to look for them). And is it consistent for all videos?

whoisit98

Guest

Well I have converted many clips now with 3gp converter, xvids, mpeg’s, etc, it seems it creates a file say 1.5 times the original, but my Vivitar DVR-390H plays the video perfectly, although the sound crackles.. (still understandable though)

My Vivitar creates asf’s in the ms42 codec, though it does play the MPS4 which is that 3gp creates..

It seems ffmpeg can create any file, using any audio, and any video... its very powerful.. though you just have to use the right settings..

I just want to thank you guys, as I thought my vivitar was going to be a waste of money, but now I can watch the divx’s i d/l on my portable

PS: can someone upload the mustek software so we can try that also, maybe it’ll work better

metoo

Guest

To: whoisit98

Posted by slick (Guest)

Mustek software now available here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=43ACF8QT

On the othe hand:

what kind of audio does vivitar use?

Spin

Guest

(to anonymous)

"...change it from MP4S/MP4S to XVID/M4S2."

I did what you said with the HEX Editor. And it seems do nothing special. Actually it did nothing at all. A great picture, still no audio.

Wannabe
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Joined: 07 Aug 2005
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OFFLINE

Does any1 know where I can download ffmpeg?

Spin

Guest

"Does any1 know where I can download ffmpeg?"

Heh, I hate that. Everything that is “open source” needs to be compiled. I don’t have a complier. I haven’t been able to find a version, for Windows. I don’t trust downloading some “Joe-Schmoe” complied version either. I don’t even know if I need to try this FFMPEG, being that I tried a dozen other encoders and file converters.

Wannabe
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Joined: 07 Aug 2005
Posts: 30
OFFLINE

My camcorder requires an exact codec - MPeg4 m4s2. Not the other one which seems to run on other peeps camcorders. It seems as though ffmpeg might be the only program which can convert videos to this file format...
MaT