Forcing all streams to 16:9 PanasoncViera

[eluxoso]

I have been using Mezzmo for quite a while and found it to be a reliable tool.

Until recently.

Now any video that is wider than 16:9 is being scaled to fill the entire screen instead of projecting letter box (which is what I want) as it did previuosly.

there's a special gold star to the person who is first to point out the option I've missed....


Just to make it tougher, I DO have Always fix aspect ratio selected on the performance tab of the device options.

Mezzmo 3.4.4
Vierra 2011 model

[Paul]

Hi eluxoso,

Please post the FFmpeg information for one of the videos that is not displaying on your Viera TV correctly. Right-click on the video in Mezzmo and click 'Get FFmpeg Informaton'.

[eluxoso]

ffmpeg version N-50460-g393dcbf Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
built on Jun 27 2013 17:20:20 with gcc 4.6.2 (GCC)
configuration: --enable-memalign-hack --arch=x86_64 --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=x86_64-w64-mingw32- --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-zlib --disable-postproc --prefix=/home/peter/ffmpeg/build/gpl64 --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libx264 --enable-gpl --extra-libs='-lx264 -lpthread' --enable-runtime-cpudetect --extra-cflags=-I/home/peter/cc64/include --extra-ldflags=-L/home/peter/cc64/lib --pkg-config=pkg-config --disable-w32threads --enable-zlib
libavutil 52. 17.103 / 52. 17.103
libavcodec 54. 92.100 / 54. 92.100
libavformat 54. 63.102 / 54. 63.102
libavdevice 54. 3.103 / 54. 3.103
libavfilter 3. 41.100 / 3. 41.100
libswscale 2. 2.100 / 2. 2.100
libswresample 0. 17.102 / 0. 17.102
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'C:\Users\xxxx\xxxx\xxxx\xxxx.m4v':
Metadata:
major_brand : mp42
minor_version : 0
compatible_brands: mp42isomavc1
creation_time : 2013-06-28 18:48:53
encoder : HandBrake 0.9.8 2012071700
Duration: 02:15:02.31, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 11049 kb/s
Chapter #0.0: start 0.000000, end 523.690000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 1
Chapter #0.1: start 523.690000, end 866.616000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 2
Chapter #0.2: start 866.616000, end 1197.488000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 3
Chapter #0.3: start 1197.488000, end 1673.297000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 4
Chapter #0.4: start 1673.297000, end 2058.265000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 5
Chapter #0.5: start 2058.265000, end 2572.445000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 6
Chapter #0.6: start 2572.445000, end 2877.375000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 7
Chapter #0.7: start 2877.375000, end 3236.191000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 8
Chapter #0.8: start 3236.191000, end 3629.251000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 9
Chapter #0.9: start 3629.251000, end 4056.636000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 10
Chapter #0.10: start 4056.636000, end 4476.973000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 11
Chapter #0.11: start 4476.973000, end 4959.329000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 12
Chapter #0.12: start 4959.329000, end 5317.813000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 13
Chapter #0.13: start 5317.813000, end 5799.127000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 14
Chapter #0.14: start 5799.127000, end 6065.685000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 15
Chapter #0.15: start 6065.685000, end 6308.093000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 16
Chapter #0.16: start 6308.093000, end 6735.646000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 17
Chapter #0.17: start 6735.646000, end 7207.409000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 18
Chapter #0.18: start 7207.409000, end 7506.416000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 19
Chapter #0.19: start 7506.416000, end 8102.261000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 20
Stream #0:0(und): Video: mpeg4 (Simple Profile) (mp4v / 0x7634706D), yuv420p, 1920x800 [SAR 1:1 DAR 12:5], 10245 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 24k tbc
Metadata:
creation_time : 2013-06-28 18:48:53
Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 159 kb/s
Metadata:
creation_time : 2013-06-28 18:48:53
Stream #0:2(eng): Audio: ac3 (ac-3 / 0x332D6361), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 640 kb/s
Metadata:
creation_time : 2013-06-28 18:48:53
Stream #0:3(und): Subtitle: mov_text (text / 0x74786574)
Metadata:
creation_time : 2013-06-28 18:48:53
At least one output file must be specified

<MEZZMO>: Child process ended with code: 109, ExitCode=1


---> DB Level Info: 1, 0
---> Frame rate: 23.98
---> Aspect ratio: 12:5 PAR=1:1

[Paul]

Thanks for the FFmpeg information. Mezzmo is transcoding this MKV when using the Panasonic Viera 2011 device profile. Right-click on the MKV in Mezzmo and click Properties. On the Properties dialog, go to the Transcoding tab and select the transcoded file listed there for your Viera TV. Then click the 'Get FFmpeg Information' button and post it here. That will tell us what Mezzmo has transcoded the file to.

[eluxoso]

ffmpeg version N-50460-g393dcbf Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
built on Jun 27 2013 17:20:20 with gcc 4.6.2 (GCC)
configuration: --enable-memalign-hack --arch=x86_64 --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=x86_64-w64-mingw32- --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-zlib --disable-postproc --prefix=/home/peter/ffmpeg/build/gpl64 --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libx264 --enable-gpl --extra-libs='-lx264 -lpthread' --enable-runtime-cpudetect --extra-cflags=-I/home/peter/cc64/include --extra-ldflags=-L/home/peter/cc64/lib --pkg-config=pkg-config --disable-w32threads --enable-zlib
libavutil 52. 17.103 / 52. 17.103
libavcodec 54. 92.100 / 54. 92.100
libavformat 54. 63.102 / 54. 63.102
libavdevice 54. 3.103 / 54. 3.103
libavfilter 3. 41.100 / 3. 41.100
libswscale 2. 2.100 / 2. 2.100
libswresample 0. 17.102 / 0. 17.102
[mpegts @ 000000000031f480] max_analyze_duration 60000000 reached at 60006300 microseconds
Input #0, mpegts, from 'C:\Users\Joint\AppData\Local\Conceiva\Mezzmo\Tran scodingFiles\2D589639-0473-4300-93D1-C7B746426770\Video\328-mpegts-libx264-ac3-sb172.mzt':
Duration: 02:15:02.29, start: 1.400000, bitrate: 5125 kb/s
Program 1
Metadata:
service_name : Service01
service_provider: FFmpeg
Stream #0:0[0x100]: Video: h264 (Main) ([27][0][0][0] / 0x001B), yuv420p, 1920x800 [SAR 1:1 DAR 12:5], 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 47.95 tbc
Stream #0:1[0x101](eng): Audio: ac3 ([129][0][0][0] / 0x0081), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 448 kb/s
At least one output file must be specified

<MEZZMO>: Child process ended with code: 109, ExitCode=1

[Paul]

Mezzmo is maintaining the same resolution and aspect ratio of your original video file when transcoding it and then streaming the transcoded file to your TV. When the video is playing, press the Options button on your remote control and change the Aspect Ratio setting that should be listed there. Depending on your Viera model, you should have a few different aspect modes to choose from. This may fix the problem for you.

[eluxoso]

3 options "original" gives me 16:9 centred on the screen about 80% size; Aspect 1 & Aspect 2 both give fullscreen 16:9
What is weird is that this has worked perfectly since I first got Mezzmo and has only been an issue since 3.4.4
Of course, timing could be coincidental & I've been through every option on the TV I can think of too

[eluxoso]

Now this is downright strange.
I went to the transcoding subdirectory and grabbed the mzt file mentioned above. copied it over to my video directory and renamed it to a ts file.
Fired up Mezzmo and hit play and.... perfect aspect ratio.
Quit that.
Played the original file and same Aspect ratio problem.
Went back to the transcoded file that played perfectly a moment ago.... now *it* has A/R problem too.

Looking at some other server forums it looks like Panasonics can bit a bit picky with a/R information - & that remuxing seems to be problematic.

Not sure what to do next - but that's what I know so far

[Paul]

That is strange. If it's a Viera firmware issue, try turning off your TV and then turning it on again (you may even want to pull the power plug out to stop your TV from just going into standby mode - so that the TV's firmware is fully rebooted). See if that fixes the aspect ratio again for the copied transcoded .ts file.

Regarding remuxing, Mezzmo server does remux video and audio streams inside video files when possible for faster transcoding. As a test, you can try transcoding without remuxing and see if that changes things. You will need to pre-transcode the video. Right-click on the original video in Mezzmo and click 'Pre-transcode Files'. On the Pre-transcode Files dialog, select your device and click 'Choose Formats'. On the Pre-transcode Formats dialog select the bolded format and then select the 'Force full transcode of all channels' checkbox (this setting stops Mezzmo remuxing). Click OK and then select the 'Pre-transcode files even if they match the devices supported formats' checkbox. Click OK and wait until the video has been fully transcoded. Try streaming it now.

[Champ70]

I got the same A/R problem after updating to 3.4.4 version.

Using Mezzmo for about two years and previously everything was ok with aspect ratio. I have Panasonic Viera G30, 2011 model.