x264 10bit with mencoder

Corubba · 2011-08-18 22:24:51

Hey guys,

i heared a lot about the new 10bit feature of x264 and want to play with it myself. So build the aur/x264-git package with `./configure --prefix=/usr --enable-static --enable-shared --bit-depth=10` and afterwards aur/mplayer-svn with `./configure --prefix=/usr --confdir=/etc/mplayer --language=de` to get the 10bit software, without any problems. Good thing.

But when i tried to encode a 8bit mkv to 10bit using

/usr/bin/mencoder -endpos 60 -oac copy -ovc x264 \
-x264encopts pass=1:crf=16:subq=6:partitions=all:8x8dct:me=umh:frameref=5:bframes=3:weight_b \
-o test1.mkv base.mkv

mencoder throughs the following: `This build of x264 requires high depth input. Rebuild to support 8-bit input.` (the hole log)

But with the 8bit build i can't get 10bit output. Anyone around can help me please? I googled a lot and read a lot, but nothing really helped me out.

Greetz Corubba

Last edited by Corubba (2011-08-18 22:26:09)

skottish · 2011-08-19 01:27:07

For testing purposes and assuming that you have a recent version of FFmpeg or libav, try with the 10 bit compiled x264 directly, replacing the ugly tags with your stuff:

x264 <YOUR_INPUT_VIDEO> --preset veryslow --threads 0 --fps <FRAME_RATE> -o <YOUR_OUTPUT_VIDEO>.mkv

You'll have no audio and may only be able to view the video with something like ffplay or avplay, but it should work.

Last edited by skottish (2011-08-19 01:28:30)

Corubba · 2011-08-19 09:28:47

I tried it, and in the first place it seems to work. He started and after about 10min it was done, with an 180mb output file. But the output video is unusable (see here). And from original 16min video only 16seconds left (original over 23k frames, only 344 encoded, even without the `--frames 1000`). here is the output of the encode.

If i remember right, when compiling x264, there was a 'no' behind libav and ffmpeg. Could this maybe the culprit?

skottish · 2011-08-20 00:51:04

Corubba wrote:

If i remember right, when compiling x264, there was a 'no' behind libav and ffmpeg. Could this maybe the culprit?

It may very well be. x264 links against FFmpeg (or libav):

~ > readelf -d /usr/bin/x264 | grep NEEDED
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libavformat.so.53]
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libavcodec.so.53]
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libavutil.so.51]
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libswscale.so.2]
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libm.so.6]
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libpthread.so.0]
 0x0000000000000001 (NEEDED)             Shared library: [libc.so.6]

The output doesn't show FFmpeg's micro-version system and it's a huge factor for stability. Since x264 is developed against the most recent git trees, I always rebuild FFmpeg or libav from git before I rebuild x264-git. I have yet to see any problems like the one that you've posted.

Corubba · 2011-08-20 10:59:26

OK, i followed your advise and compiled the ffmpeg-git, afterwards x264 and mplayer-svn. Then run your command for converting, and it workes. It encodes the given 1000 frames with 10bit (used mediainfo to get infos about the video). First thing solved.

But the mencoder still outputs the same "i want high bit depth input" error.

skottish · 2011-08-20 13:26:06

Mencoder is barely maintained software and there have been occasions where there was talk of dropping it from Mplayer. I would suggest moving over to FFmpeg for all of your encoding needs.

graysky · 2011-08-20 13:47:35

I've always had good luck with handbrake/handbrake-cli. Perhaps the OP can try that.

Corubba · 2011-08-20 15:06:35

Up to now, mencoder worked for all my needs. But obviously i can't use it for 10bit encode. I will give FFmpeg and handbrake a try, maybe i find there my new favourit.

Thanks for the support and help.

Rasi · 2011-08-20 16:13:23

Corubba wrote:

Up to now, mencoder worked for all my needs. But obviously i can't use it for 10bit encode. I will give FFmpeg and handbrake a try, maybe i find there my new favourit.
Thanks for the support and help.

mencoder is very ugly code and even its developers call it a hack. apart from that its unmaintained for ages now.
This is the reason why mplayer2 dropped it alltogether.

ffmpeg (and handbrake) are fine tools.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-08-18 22:24:51

x264 10bit with mencoder

#2 2011-08-19 01:27:07

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#3 2011-08-19 09:28:47

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#4 2011-08-20 00:51:04

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#5 2011-08-20 10:59:26

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#6 2011-08-20 13:26:06

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#7 2011-08-20 13:47:35

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#8 2011-08-20 15:06:35

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

#9 2011-08-20 16:13:23

Re: x264 10bit with mencoder

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