Playing MP4 downloads from Google Video

[Jeffff]

Hi,

I have an issue with my XBMC (Xbox) when trying to play the MP4 files that are generated when you download video from Google.com/video

Whenever I play them the audio is fine, but the picture doesn't move, it normally freezes in a semi-scrambled state of the first second or so on the video.

Any suggestions for a fix? I'd ideally like to fix my XBMC somehow, but otherwise is there anything I can do with the mp4 files, like changing the container to avi or similar?

Thanks

[nicoli_k]

It just worked fine for me. What version of XBMC are you using. Try updating to the most recent T3CH build (google "T3CH build" to find it). If upgrading doesn't work, then go to Settings > System > check Enable debug log. Then try playing the video so that the log can collect any useful information. Then FTP Q:\xbmc.log to your computer and copy its contents onto either pastebin.com or pastebin.ca and post the link to it here.

I've had great success with mp4 files, so I doubt that is the problem. It's probably an old build.

Good luck.

[rashid420]

It just worked fine for me. What version of XBMC are you using. Try updating to the most recent T3CH build (google "T3CH build" to find it). If upgrading doesn't work, then go to Settings > System > check Enable debug log. Then try playing the video so that the log can collect any useful information. Then FTP Q:\xbmc.log to your computer and copy its contents onto either pastebin.com or pastebin.ca and post the link to it here.

I've had great success with mp4 files, so I doubt that is the problem. It's probably an old build.

Good luck.
Since you had luck with them, I thought I would ask. MP4 files have worked for me like about 3 out of 50 times. Needless to say it is not the fact that it is MP4 file per say that seems to be the problem. Rather, HOW the MP4 was encoded.

Google MP4 videos have never worked for me. One H264 MP4 did work, I don't know why or how. I'm thinking if the bit rate is too high, that's one obvious reason. Can I ask what software you are using for MP4 encoding. I'm using Xvid4PSP. When I use AVI format, with XviD Codec, things always work but yield a higher file size. MP4 with H264 yields lower filesize for same quality.

So basically I know the "settings" for Xvid + AVI from other forum posts. Do you happen to have settings for H264 + MP4 that will yield a file that will play on the Xbox?

Thanks much.

[nicoli_k]

I just downloaded this test video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-vqyFgTht0) using Video DownloadHelper (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3006) for firefox and choosing the [HQ18] version mp4 and it plays like a charm. I'm running on an xbox with r23524 (google "xbmc nightly builds" to find)

VLC says the Codec Details are
Audio
Codec: mp4a
Channels: Stereo
Sample rate: 44100 Hz
Video
Codec: avc1
Resolution: 480x352
Frame rate: 29.948000

I'm not exactly sure about any H264 + MP4 settings since I just use Video DownloadHelper and don't have any to test. I'll look around and see if I can find some samples.