Strange Codec/Compatibility Problem .MP4

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live & Live Plus
1

Having read through the forum, there are obviously some issues with MPEG4/H264, but this one seems strange to me. Would appreciate any help. I have two files that seem pretty close to identical from a technical point of view but first one plays ok (slight audio problem, dropping every 10sec or so but watchable) and the second one which gets a “This file is not supported” message? Media info below…

General
Complete name         
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media
Codec ID                         : isom
File size                        : 2.89 GiB
Duration                         : 2h 57mn
Overall bit rate                 : 2 335 Kbps
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-02-22 20:07:54
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-02-22 20:07:54

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 8 frames
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 2h 57mn
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 2 020 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 15.0 Mbps
Width                            : 1 280 pixels
Height                           : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.091
Stream size                      : 2.50 GiB (86%)
Writing library                  : x264 core 84 r1400kGIT 20fa784
Encoding settings                : cabac=1 / ref=8 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=9 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.0:1.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-4 / threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / slices=4 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=4 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=2 / keyint=24 / keyint_min=2 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=24 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=2020 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=40000 / vbv_bufsize=30000 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00 / pulldown=0 / nal_hrd=1
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-02-22 08:15:21
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-02-22 20:10:08

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : No
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 2h 57mn
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 312 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 431 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Stream size                      : 395 MiB (13%)
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-02-22 20:09:51
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-02-22 20:10:08

&

General
Complete name             
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media
Codec ID                         : isom
File size                        : 3.27 GiB
Duration                         : 3h 22mn
Overall bit rate                 : 2 316 Kbps
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-02-24 07:56:37
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-02-24 07:56:37

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 8 frames
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 3h 22mn
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 2 000 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 11.6 Mbps
Width                            : 1 280 pixels
Height                           : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.091
Stream size                      : 2.82 GiB (86%)
Writing library                  : x264 core 84 r1400kGIT 20fa784
Encoding settings                : cabac=1 / ref=8 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=9 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.0:1.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-4 / threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / slices=4 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=4 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=2 / keyint=24 / keyint_min=2 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=24 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=2000 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=40000 / vbv_bufsize=30000 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00 / pulldown=0 / nal_hrd=1
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-02-23 17:15:46
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-02-24 07:58:55

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : No
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 3h 22mn
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 312 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 416 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Stream size                      : 451 MiB (13%)
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-02-24 07:58:35
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-02-24 07:58:55

2

I’m surprised either one plays.

Six channel AAC files are problematic IIRC – best to convert that audio to stereo (using a wide variety of tools, but my choice is always ffmpeg, the core behind nearly all the other tools that do this).  They are also very odd – what the heck did you use to create this file in the first place?  (Usually only DTS or AC3 is used for 5.1 audio).

You *might* be able to convert the audio to an AC3 track, preserving the 5.1, but I’ve never tried this (again, ffmpeg would be my first pass).  Otherwise I suspect you’ll be loosing channel info somewhere along the line.

3

thanks - i’ll do some research and try to get AC3 in 5.1, let you know how i go. And wait for a firmware upgrade…