Transcoding HD video for Panasonic BDP

[River]

I have a Panasonic DMP-BDT110 configured in Mezzmo (2.5.0.0) with the Panasonic BDP profile. Tanscoding HD videos will work, however, they will be downgraded to SD as the following log shows:

D:\Applications\Mezzmo\ffmpeg.exe -i "Z:\Video\Divx\SomeVideo.mkv" -y -vcodec mpeg2video -b:v 8600000 -maxrate 10000000 -bufsize 5000000  -g 18 -r 29.97  -vf "scale=720:406"  -acodec copy -sn  -f vob  -threads 4 -pix_fmt yuv420p -copyinkf -sc_threshold 1000000000 -coder ac -qmin 1 -cmp 2 -subcmp 2 -flags +loop -mbd bits -bsf h264_mp4toannexb -fflags +genpts+ignidx+igndts -deinterlace  "Z:\Transcoded\D8482CA2-3508-4927-8D87-1D2E98DC2963\Video\6945-mpeg_ntsc-mpeg2video-ac3.mzt" 

ffmpeg version N-36036-ga40f43d, Copyright (c) 2000-2011 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Dec 22 2011 13:44:49 with gcc 4.6.2
  configuration: --enable-memalign-hack --arch=x86 --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-w64-mingw32- --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-zlib --disable-postproc --prefix=/media/ffmpeg --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libx264 --enable-gpl --extra-libs='-lx264 -lpthread' --enable-runtime-cpudetect --extra-cflags=-I/home/dennis/cc/include --extra-ldflags=-L/home/dennis/cc/lib --pkg-config=pkg-config --disable-w32threads
  libavutil    51. 32. 0 / 51. 32. 0
  libavcodec   53. 46. 1 / 53. 46. 1
  libavformat  53. 27. 0 / 53. 27. 0
  libavdevice  53.  4. 0 / 53.  4. 0
  libavfilter   2. 53. 0 /  2. 53. 0
  libswscale    2.  1. 0 /  2.  1. 0
Input #0, matroska,webm, from 'Z:\Video\Divx\SomeVideo.mkv':
  Duration: 00:49:43.64, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 4307 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1280x720, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 47.95 tbc (default)
    Stream #0:1: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), s16, 448 kb/s (default)
[buffer @ 01b20080] w:1280 h:720 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/1000000 sar:1/1 sws_param:
[scale @ 01b208a0] w:1280 h:720 fmt:yuv420p -> w:720 h:406 fmt:yuv420p flags:0x4
Output #0, vob, to 'Z:\Transcoded\D8482CA2-3508-4927-8D87-1D2E98DC2963\Video\6945-mpeg_ntsc-mpeg2video-ac3.mzt':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Lavf53.27.0
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: mpeg2video (hq), yuv420p, 720x406 [SAR 406:405 DAR 16:9], q=1-31, 8600 kb/s, 90k tbn, 29.97 tbc (default)
    Stream #0:1: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), 448 kb/s (default)
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 -> mpeg2video)
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[mpeg2video @ 01a46e40] rc buffer underflow
frame=   44 fps=  0 q=2.0 size=      54kB time=00:00:01.43 bitrate= 308.3kbits/s dup=9 drop=0    
frame=   80 fps=  0 q=2.0 size=     278kB time=00:00:02.63 bitrate= 864.0kbits/s dup=16 drop=0    
...

No maximum video size is defined in the performance tab in the device profile (manually setting it to 1080 doesn't change anything), video bitrate is set to best quality and the connection is set to gigabit.

I tried to change the profile to Panasonic BDP (MKV) or Panasonic BDP (MPEG-TS). In that case it transcode in HD but no video seam to work (even SD video).

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Paul]

The 'Panasonic BDP' device profile does limit video files to 720x576 pixels since this is what we found Panasonic BDPs are limited to based on our own testing and from user feedback. When we tried higher dimensions, the Panasonic BDP would refuse to play the file.

If you wish you can remove this dimension limit in the device profile and see if your model does support higher dimensions. Here's how to do it:

1. Stop your Mezzmo server & exit Mezzmo.
2. Go to the DeviceProfiles folder (see http://forum.conceiva.com/showthread...ofiles-located) and locate the 'PanasonicBDP.prf' file.
3. Make a backup of the 'PanasonicBDP.prf' file and call it 'PanasonicBDP.bak'.
4. Edit the 'PanasonicBDP.prf' file with a text editor like Notepad
5. In the file, look for: <dimensions width="720" height="576" /> and remove these lines. Save the PRF file.
6. Delete all *.PRO files in the DeviceProfiles folder.
7. Run Mezzmo and go to the Transcoding Settings dialog and delete all your transcoded files.
8. Start your Mezzmo server and see if the file streams.

Let me know how you go.

[River]

Well... It look like you are right. I followed your procedure, the video got transcoded in HD but the file refuse to start (there is no error message, it just refuses to start). Panasonic BDPs DLNA is support is really minimal (and disappointing) because loading the same original MKV (before transcoding) from a usb drive work perfectly.

Thanks for the help.

[Paul]

Sorry it did not work out - but you had the same experience that we had in our Panasonic Blu-ray player testing. It seems the current range of Panasonic Blu-ray player models can stream up to 720x576 pixels. So, that's how our device profile is configured so that you can stream all your files without problems.

[sfuller]

Sorry it did not work out - but you had the same experience that we had in our Panasonic Blu-ray player testing. It seems the current range of Panasonic Blu-ray player models can stream up to 720x576 pixels. So, that's how our device profile is configured so that you can stream all your files without problems.

I tried every setting I can think of because I prefer Mezzmo--weird thing is it used to work--I have a 210.

[Paul]

I tried every setting I can think of because I prefer Mezzmo--weird thing is it used to work--I have a 210.

Sorry - what is exactly the problem you are having streaming to your Panasonic BDP?