Chromecast Compatibility & Transcoding

[Peter]

The Google Chromecast profile does not have AC3 support in Mezzmo 5.2.0.0 so it should be fine to switch back to this profile and AC3 will be transcoded.

[Roofus]

Hi Peter

Ok, I have no idea why at the very start I had a problem with E-AC3 files wanting to pass the audio to a separate decoder but the problem has vanished, it was because of this problem you sent me the Ultra profile to test.

So back to the standard profile I have checked a sample of every file type I have with both with a 2nd Gen & a new 3rd Gen and can say every file plays apart from one exception, the full details of my tests are attached but the only file type I cannot get to play is:

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.1
Format settings : CABAC / 6 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, RefFrames : 6 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 42 min 20 s
Bit rate : 3 778 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.076
Stream size : 1.12 GiB (91%)
Writing library : x264 core 148 r2721
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=6 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x131 / me=umh / subme=8 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=18 / lookahead_threads=4 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=6 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=50 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=3778 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=24000 / vbv_bufsize=24000 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2017-05-14 07:12:25
Tagged date : UTC 2017-05-14 07:12:25
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC Main
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Codec ID : mp4a-40-1
Duration : 42 min 20 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel layout : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 116 MiB (9%)
Language : English
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
Encoded date : UTC 2017-05-14 07:12:25
Tagged date : UTC 2017-05-14 07:12:25

This just dropped back to the Mezzmo logo.

All other AVC/AAC's play apart from this "AAC Main" file type.

Steve

[Peter]

This file will be streamed without transcoding so it could possibly be due to the 6 audio channels, do you have any other files with 6 audio channels that play? It could also be due to the embedded subtitles.

[Roofus]

Ok, so I handbraked the file to a low complexity version and added a 2ch audio as well as leaving the 5.1 although the 5.1 as an AC3 (could not seem to get Handbrake to give me a AC MAIN output).

Still using the normal profile I tested the 2ch and it plays without transcode fine, when I select the 5.1 on the app and play it triggers a transcode and plays fine too.

Not sure if this suggests its the Main rather than LC format that doesn'nt get transcoded.

I am struggling to find any examples of or be able to create an AVC/ACC Main in 2ch to test with.

Steve

[Peter]

Did you include the embedded subtitles or leave them out?

[Roofus]

Hi, I left them in, two subtitle embedded text elements. Just rechecked and retested to make sure.

[Peter]

It may have been a problem with the main video then.

[Roofus]

Hi, hope all at Conceiva are safe and well

I know this is an old thread but my streaming to Chromecast issues persist as more and more seems to be encoded in a similar way and refuse to play.

Details of the file are below.

Still get the issue that the Chromecast shows the Mezzmo screen, but nothing plays, when I pre-transcode it tells me its already compatible. I select the bold options but still no joy.

On the same PC if I simply drag the file to Chrome it starts playing, right click, cast, select the TV and it works!

Now I know I could do this but its annoying. I have to do this for each file i want to stream. Not really a problem when its just one movie i want to watch but a pain running through several 30 min tv files, especially if I want to watch whist using home gym.

General
Complete name : M:\Movies\BW.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 2.47 GiB
Duration : 2 h 13 min
Overall bit rate : 2 639 kb/s
Writing application : Lavf58.67.100

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 2 h 13 min
Bit rate : 2 250 kb/s
Maximum bit rate : 31.3 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 800 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.061
Stream size : 2.10 GiB (85%)
Writing library : x264 core 161
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=4 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=9 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.15 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=24 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-3 / threads=24 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=60 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=2250 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=31250 / vbv_bufsize=31250 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 2 h 13 min
Source duration : 2 h 13 min
Source_Duration_LastFrame : -11 ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel layout : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 367 MiB (15%)
Source stream size : 367 MiB (15%)
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
mdhd_Duration : 8026784