VIDEO - best codec for minimising processing during playback?

rmaskey

I'm currently using h264 in a .mov wrapper at 10mbs/s and have problems with the videos freezing after about 10 minutes.

These are being used for a light visualisation so need to be played for around 10 hours, no problems! I have a collection of videos that can be overlaid to achieve different effects so I'm hoping to find a better codec but cannot find any information online.

I'm going to try an uncompressed format but any experience or advice would be great as there is a lot of trial and error (and waiting for renders) ahead!

Cheers Rich

GoToLoop

Just some tips for playback improvements:

• Prefer JAVA2D renderer for size().
• Activate noLoop() in setup() and use redraw() in movieEvent() after read().
• Prefer background() or set() in order to display the Movie.

http://forum.processing.org/two/discussion/comment/40848/#Comment_40848

// forum.processing.org/two/discussion/10541/problems-with-video
// by GoToLoop (2015/Apr/28)

import processing.video.Movie;
Movie mv;

void setup() {
  if (mv == null)  (mv = new Movie(this, "cat.mov")).loop();
  while (mv.width == 0)  delay(10);

  size(mv.width, mv.height, JAVA2D);
  noLoop();
  frameRate(40);
  background(#FF00FF);
}

void draw() {
  background(mv);
}

void movieEvent(Movie m) {
  m.read();
  redraw = true;
}

rmaskey

Cheers - theres a lot going on in the program so can't use JAVA2D or background but the noLoop() technique worked a treat!! Nice one

rmaskey

Also I converted my video files to QT animations (uncompressed) and it helps alot though the file size is ridiculous!

GoToLoop

... so can't use JAVA2D...

In this case, both background() & set() are slower for displaying the Movie/PImage picture.
That is, for both P2D & P3D renderers, we should use image() instead.

rmaskey

got it! nice one :)

jewe

For our 60fps-application we have tested several codecs and recorded automatically the real fps:

frm = frames per s
KyF = keyframes

fps = average fps over 600 frames
min = minimal framerate within the 600 frames



CodecTest_25frm_H264-10Mbit_KyF-25.mp4
28MB

56.1fps
42.0_min

52.5fps
42.5_min


CodecTest_25frm_Qtime-H264_KyF-01.mov  **
152MB

58.4fps
45.1_min

52.7fps
43.4_min

56.5fps
44.4_min


CodecTest_25frm_Qtime-H264_KyF-25.mov *
65MB

54.1fps
42.2_min

52.5fps
42.8_min

53.6fps
42.4_min


CodecTest_25frm_Qtime-mp4_KyF-25.mov ****
61MB

57.2fps
48.4_min

57.2fps
49.0_min

56.5fps
39.5_min

56.6fps
43.8_min


CodecTest_25frm_Qtime-mp4-70Proz_KyF-12.mov
23MB

53.5fps
40.2_min

56.5fps
43.5_min


CodecTest_25frm_Qtime-mp4_KyF-12.mov **********
65MB

58.8fps
52.4_min

54.0fps
43.0_min

53.9fps
42.8_min

56.8fps
45.4_min



----------------------
50frames



CodecTest_50frm_H264-10Mbit_KyF-01.mp4
26MB

35.6fps
22.8_min

CodecTest_50frm_H264-10Mbit_KyF-25.mp4
28MB

32.1fps
21.4_min

CodecTest_50frm_Qtime-H264_KyF-01.mov
305MB

32.5fps
20.5_min

CodecTest_50frm_Qtime-Mjpg_KyF-01.mov
error

CodecTest_50frm_Qtime-mp4_KyF-01.mov
324MB

32.3fps
18.5_min

CodecTest_50frm_Qtime-mp4_KyF-25.mov
85MB

34.0fps
21.2_min