[MPlayer-users] Re: can't use dual core

[SciFi]

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 09:37:22 +0200, Nico Sabbi wrote:

> SciFi wrote:
> 
>> What's more, Apple won't directly support .ts files, so we need to
>> transcode them to the MPEG-PS container format.
>> 
>> Is there any way we can do this in meantime while trying to work on
>> thread support for h264/xvid/etc., please?
>> 
>> Thanks.   :)

> ffmpeg -i file.ts -ac copy -vc copy file.mpg

OMG you're kidding, too easy, I coulda sworn I tried that already.

Okay I forgot to mention another thing.  Apple also don't support AC3
tracks with MPEG2 video.  I've discussed this with other ppl
developing such projects as the Perian plugin, and with Apple too. 
We found out Apple is in bed with the movie houses to the point that
Apple is discouraging any way to "rip" DVDs -- so no QT support for
AC3+MPEG2, but only of course in their own DVD Player.  Third party
software such as Streamclip can still use the QT APIs but must handle
AC3 a different way.  It's not a simple matter to add a new [de]muxer
to the QT framework as a plugin in order to support AC3+MPEG2
natively as it were, in fact AIU this is pretty-much impossible
(adding any new mux support per se).

So if the input .ts comes from U.S. HDTV or SDTV that usually has
AC3+MPEG2, your cmd above would not be playable with QTPlayer IIUC. 
(Streamclip and Project-X in conjunction with transcode-the-project
can handle AC3+MPEG2 fine, yet indeed QTPlayer will not even show the
audio volume indicator when fed such a conversion, while the video
track plays fine.  Please note this isn't a bug with the open
software, it is directly due to Apple trying to prevent ripping of
DVDs, since such a .mpg looks too much like one.)

QTPlayer does play MP2 audio with MPEG2 video, tho, and I usually
convert the AC3 track with the next-higher MP2 bitrate.  Again this
is so U.S. HDTV/SDTV recordings can be played with most players.

But I /think/ European AC3+H264 in MOV or MPEG4 container /is/
directly supported by QT, after all Apple is pushing this combination
rather strongly in their movie trailers and other stuff (*ahem* iPod
videos, AppleTV, ...).

So ... what would -vc copy -ac copy produce if the input .ts is
AC3+H264?  What can we do to affect the output container format in
your cmd so QTPlayer will see it as e.g. one of their movie trailers? 
(but still do lossless transcoding)
Simply add -f mp4 or -f mov to your cmd? 
Something like:
ffmpeg -i file.ts -ac copy -vc copy -f mp4 file.mp4
Then I hope such a conversion ought to play fluidly as expected as if
one of their professionally-produced movie trailers.

I mainly hope, tho, that we can get threads into the other ffmpeg/
mplayer codecs instead, that'd alleviate this snafu.  Oh and more &
more altivec optimisations, probably Apple's other secret.  ;)

Thanks again, and for letting me 'splain this in more detail.