Canon 5D conversion for xiphmont's git

As Monty has been working hard to make Cinelerra more input friendly with his FFmpeg loader fixes, I've been trying to help out as a QA resource. One of my main concerns has been getting my Canon 5D video into Cinelerra. As documented in the IRC log, my custom Canon conversion (ffmpeg stream -> mpeg2enc (output: .m2v/.m2a) -> mplex (output MPEG-PS) -> ffmpeg (output MPEG-TS) was full of invalid timestamps.

In addition, with some recent security updates to my Fedora system just today, it looks like my previous Canon conversion script had broken. I get the dread error:

**ERROR: [mpeg2enc] display_horizontal_size must be in range 0...16383

So I was doubly screwed. Back to the drawing board..er, mailing list. Following up on mjpegtools' Bernhard Prachinger's advice here, I first try to play a test file using a pipe from ffmpeg, like so:
ffmpeg -i mvi_2655.mov -threads 7 -s 1920x1088 -f yuv4mpegpipe - | yuvplay

The video stream plays back with no visible errors, outside of a warning about the video stream frame rate differing from the container frame rate. Here are the top few lines of the output:
Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 48000.00 (48000/1) -> 23.98 (24000/1001)
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'mvi_2655.mov':
Duration: 00:00:06.92, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 45836 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Video: h264, yuv420p, 1920x1088, 44296 kb/s, 23.98 tbr, 24k tbn, 48k tbc
Stream #0.1(eng): Audio: pcm_s16le, 48000 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 1536 kb/s
Metadata
major_brand : qt
minor_version : 537331968
compatible_brands: qt CAEP
Output #0, yuv4mpegpipe, to 'pipe:':
Stream #0.0(eng): Video: rawvideo, yuv420p, 920x108, q=2-31, 200 kb/s, 90k tbn, 23.98 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
Press [q] to stop encoding
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0000 - 0:00:00.00
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0001 - 0:00:00.01
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0002 - 0:00:00.02
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0003 - 0:00:00.03
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0004 - 0:00:00.04
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0005 - 0:00:00.05
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0006 - 0:00:00.06
INFO: [yuvplay] Playing frame 0007 - 0:00:00.077 bitrate=752028.9kbits/s

So, streaming from FFmpeg to a y4m stream works. I then take that y4m stream and convert it to an mpeg2video for use in Cinelerra, again using Bernhard's simplified mpeg2enc pipe adjusted for aspect ratio and higher bitrate:
ffmpeg -i mvi_2655.mov -threads 7 -s 1920x1088 -f yuv4mpegpipe - | mpeg2enc --verbose 2 --format 3 --aspect 3 --video-bitrate 24000 --no-constraints --video-buffer 448 -o mvi_2655.m2v

Looking at the output (--verbose 2), there don't seem to be any major errors here:
Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 48000.00 (48000/1) -> 23.98 (24000/1001)
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'mvi_2655.mov':
Duration: 00:00:06.92, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 45836 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Video: h264, yuv420p, 1920x1088, 44296 kb/s, 23.98 tbr, 24k tbn, 48k tbc
Stream #0.1(eng): Audio: pcm_s16le, 48000 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 1536 kb/s
Metadata
major_brand : qt
minor_version : 537331968
compatible_brands: qt CAEP
Output #0, yuv4mpegpipe, to 'pipe:':
Stream #0.0(eng): Video: rawvideo, yuv420p, 920x108, q=2-31, 200 kb/s, 90k tbn, 23.98 tbc
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
Press [q] to stop encoding
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Selecting Generic MPEG2 output profile
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Assuming norm NTSC
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Progressive input - selecting progressive encoding.
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Encoding MPEG-2 video to mvi_2655.m2v
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Horizontal size: 920 pel
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Vertical size: 108 pel
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Aspect ratio code: 3 = 16:9 display
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Frame rate code: 1 = 24000.0/1001.0 (NTSC 3:2 pulldown converted FILM)
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Bitrate: 24000 KBit/s
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Quality factor: 8 (Quantisation = 9) (1=best, 31=worst)
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Field order for input: none/progressive
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Sequence unlimited length
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Search radius: 16
INFO: [mpeg2enc] DualPrime: no
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Using one-pass rate controller
INFO: [mpeg2enc] GOP SIZE RANGE 7 TO 15
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Setting colour/gamma parameters to "NTSC"
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Progressive format frames = 1
INFO: [mpeg2enc] Using default unmodified quantization matrices
INFO: [mpeg2enc] SETTING MMX and MMX for QUANTIZER!
--DEBUG: [mpeg2enc] PAR = 7


I then take the output of the audio conversion:
ffmpeg -i mvi_2655.mov -acodec mp2 -ab 384k -ar 48000 -ac 2 test.m2a

Output:
Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 48000.00 (48000/1) -> 23.98 (24000/1001)
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'mvi_2655.mov':
Duration: 00:00:06.92, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 45836 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Video: h264, yuv420p, 1920x1088, 44296 kb/s, 23.98 tbr, 24k tbn, 48k tbc
Stream #0.1(eng): Audio: pcm_s16le, 48000 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 1536 kb/s
Metadata
major_brand : qt
minor_version : 537331968
compatible_brands: qt CAEP
Output #0, mp2, to 'mvi_2655.m2a':
Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: mp2, 48000 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 384 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.1 -> #0.0
Press [q] to stop encoding
size= 325kB time=6.94 bitrate= 384.0kbits/s
video:0kB audio:325kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 0.000000%

and mux both the video and audio streams to an MPEG-PS in mplex:
mplex -f 3 -b 2000 mvi_2655.m2a mvi_2655.m2v -o mvi_2655.ps

Output:
INFO: [mplex] mplex version 1.9.0 (2.2.7 $Date: 2006/02/01 22:23:01 $)
INFO: [mplex] File mvi_2655.m2a looks like an MPEG Audio stream.
INFO: [mplex] File mvi_2655.m2v looks like an MPEG Video stream.
INFO: [mplex] Found 1 audio streams and 1 video streams
INFO: [mplex] Selecting generic MPEG2 output profile
INFO: [mplex] Multiplexing video program stream!
INFO: [mplex] Scanning for header info: Audio stream c0 (mvi_2655.m2a)
INFO: [mplex] MPEG AUDIO STREAM: c0
INFO: [mplex] Audio version : 1.0
INFO: [mplex] Layer : 2
INFO: [mplex] CRC checksums : no
INFO: [mplex] Bit rate : 49152 bytes/sec (384 kbit/sec)
INFO: [mplex] Frequency : 48000 Hz
INFO: [mplex] Mode : 0 stereo
INFO: [mplex] Mode extension : 0
INFO: [mplex] Copyright bit : 0 no copyright
INFO: [mplex] Original/Copy : 1 original
INFO: [mplex] Emphasis : 0 none
INFO: [mplex] Scanning for header info: Video stream e0 (mvi_2655.m2v)
INFO: [mplex] VIDEO STREAM: e0
INFO: [mplex] Frame width : 1920
INFO: [mplex] Frame height : 1088
INFO: [mplex] Aspect ratio : 16:9 display
INFO: [mplex] Picture rate : 23.976 frames/sec
INFO: [mplex] Bit rate : 24000000 bits/sec
INFO: [mplex] Vbv buffer size : 229376 bytes
INFO: [mplex] CSPF : 0
INFO: [mplex] SYSTEMS/PROGRAM stream:
INFO: [mplex] rough-guess multiplexed stream data rate : 24894496
INFO: [mplex] Setting best-guess data rate.
INFO: [mplex] Run-in delay = 30030 Video delay = 30030 Audio delay = 33783
INFO: [mplex] New sequence commences...
INFO: [mplex] Audio c0: buf= 0 frame=000000 sector=00000000
INFO: [mplex] Video e0: buf= 0 frame=000000 sector=00000000
INFO: [mplex] Scanned to end AU 165
INFO: [mplex] STREAM e0 completed
INFO: [mplex] STREAM c0 completed
INFO: [mplex] Multiplex completion at SCR=653806.
INFO: [mplex] Audio c0: completed
INFO: [mplex] Video e0: completed
INFO: [mplex] AUDIO_STATISTICS: c0
INFO: [mplex] Audio stream length 332928 bytes.
INFO: [mplex] Syncwords : 289
INFO: [mplex] Frames : 289 padded
INFO: [mplex] Frames : 0 unpadded
INFO: [mplex] BUFFERING min 189 Buf max 1162
INFO: [mplex] VIDEO_STATISTICS: e0
INFO: [mplex] Video Stream length: 13871991 bytes
INFO: [mplex] Sequence headers: 1
INFO: [mplex] Sequence ends : 1
INFO: [mplex] No. Pictures : 166
INFO: [mplex] No. Groups : 12
INFO: [mplex] No. I Frames : 12 avg. size162167 bytes
INFO: [mplex] No. P Frames : 154 avg. size 77441 bytes
INFO: [mplex] No. B Frames : 0 avg. size 0 bytes
INFO: [mplex] Average bit-rate : 16028800 bits/sec
INFO: [mplex] Peak bit-rate : 21470400 bits/sec
INFO: [mplex] BUFFERING min 85 Buf max 1944774
INFO: [mplex] MUX STATUS: no under-runs detected

This gives me a good program stream file that is suitable for editing in Cinelerra using Monty's changes. Update 2010/09/13: Florian Cramer advised me that the video render string does not give the highest quality output. I'm still working on improvements to the string that will render at a higher quality.

Moral of the story: never update your system.
;)
the mule

Reference
http://man-wiki.net/index.php/1:mplex
Minor headache with nvidia drivers after kernel upgrade resolved
Plus another pulseaudio fuck job.."pulseaudio module-alsa-card file not found"
- had to reinstall pulseaudio and then execute "alsamixer -c0" to fix

Green Beret parachutes in to help Cinelerra

Unbelievably, just in the past week, the Cinelerra CV community (http://cvs.cinelerra.org/) has had a heavyweight developer parachute in and start fixing stuff all over the place. The guy is Chris "Monty" Montgomery who developed the Ogg multimedia container and Vorbis audio formats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Montgomery). He is a developer currently working for Red Hat.

Monty, You're The Man!
His primary effort has been to yank out the kludgy and incompatible file loader in Cinelerra and replace it using good old FFmpeg. FFmpeg has problems of its own, but a helluva lot less problems than the Cinelerra loader. This is a task that the original developer of Cinelerra, Heroine Warrior (http://www.heroinewarrior.com/), has wisely done with the 4.1 version of Cinelerra. Much props to Father HV, for without him, this blog and Open Source video editing would be very different, if exist at all.

Monty is patching the version of FFmpeg that comes with the Cinelerra CV source code (http://cinelerra.org/getting_cinelerra.php). In Cinelerra CV's source code tree, FFmpeg is found under quicktime/ffmpeg. This means that once you compile Cinelerra from source code and add Monty's code fixes, files like the Canon 5D/7D H264 AVC files (the 1080P files spat out of the Canons') will load natively in Cinelerra.

AVC, oh AVC, Why Are You So Stubborn?
Problem here is that you can't really edit with AVC files because the decoding of them is so bloody CPU intensive. AVC playback in Cinelerra on my dual, quad core Dell SC1430 with 10GB RAM is 3-4fps. This is unacceptable for previewing edits. There is a workaround to this such that if you really wanted to edit AVC, you'd need to have background rendering enabled, make your edits and then wait for the background render to finish. But that bg render takes a long time too. You could speed this up to by creating a ramdisk (http://www.techanswerguy.com/2009/02/creating-ramdisk-in-linux.html) and setting the background render to use that ramdisk. But that's a whole other task.

Transcoding Canon 5D/7D Files, as usual
Thus, we're still left with the task of transcoding Canon 5D/7D files into a more compatible format. There are two solutions:
1) get my varied MPEG-TS conversion magic to work for you (http://crazedmuleproductions.blogspot.com/2009/02/dark-of-winter-has-me-in-its-grasp.html)
2) convert the 5D/7D files using FFmpeg into another format that works since FFmpeg is now Cinelerra's loader (with Monty's additions)

Both require research/work, but I did a quick conversion that I tested in Cinelerra with Monty's code additions:
ffmpeg -i [inputFileFromCanon] -acodec mp2 -ar 48000 -ab 384k -ac 2 -vcodec mpeg2video -qscale 1 [outputFile]

The audio format is mpeg, layer II and the video format is mpeg2video. This loads in Cinelerra and is fast to edit with. Once edited, render out from Cinelerra as usual.

How to Compile Cinelerra for Ubuntu and Fedora users
So Monty's additions require compiling from source. I'll provide some quick links here. For Ubuntu folks, Raffaella Traniello has put a nice post together on how to compile Cinelerra in Ubuntu:
http://www.g-raffa.eu/Cinelerra/HOWTO/compilation.html

For Fedora users, I have a post here:
http://crazedmuleproductions.blogspot.com/2010/02/fedora-12-x86-64-cinelerra-install.html

Get Monty's Additions Working
Once you get the source code compiled, install it (make install) and just test that Cinelerra works at a basic level. Once you've tested that your compile has worked, move onto apply Monty's code additions:
- remove your installed Cinelerra (make uninstall)
- download Monty's additions at http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/cinelerra/patches/
- apply each of them to the Cinelerra source code tree one at a time (git apply [patch name])
or join in Monty's git branch:
1) git remote add xiphmont git://git.xiph.org/users/xiphmont/cinelerraCV.git
2) git remote update
- compile Cinelerra, this time with all Monty's additions (make clean;make;make install)

After starting CinCV with Monty's additions, you should see the startup info change:
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ cinelerra
Cinelerra 2.1CVxiphmont
GIT::8c01c13bbb21d30aff2733454a49fbfe641e51ca
(C) 2006 Heroine Virtual Ltd.
(C) 2006-2010 The CinelerraCV Community
Internal ffmpeg 0.6+fixes
Compiled on Fri Jul 16 20:40:38 EDT 2010

As well, you should see that FFmpeg becomes the default loader for videos in you goto the Resources window, right-click on a video and click "Info". You should see FFMPEG there under File Format:


A Few Git Notes..
While I'm at it..

View current git branches
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git branch
* master

Add Monty's remote branch
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git remote add xiphmont git://git.xiph.org/users/xiphmont/cinelerraCV.git

Update the local copy of Monty's remote branch
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git remote update
Fetching origin
Fetching xiphmont
remote: Counting objects: 2754, done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (1904/1904), done.
remote: Total 1981 (delta 997), reused 0 (delta 0)
Receiving objects: 100% (1981/1981), 2.77 MiB 1.07 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (997/997), completed with 711 local objects.
From git://git.xiph.org/users/xiphmont/cinelerraCV
* [new branch] master -> xiphmont/master


Check that Monty's branch has been added
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git branch
* master
xiphmont

I then was able to switch branches
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git checkout -b xiphmont xiphmont/master
Branch xiphmont set up to track remote branch master from xiphmont.
Switched to a new branch 'xiphmont'


"git branch" shows that I have switched to Monty's branch
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git branch
master
* xiphmont

Now I can switch easily between branches (Monty's and CinelerraCV)
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git checkout master
Switched to branch 'master'


Switching to Monty's branch
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git checkout xiphmont
Switched to branch 'xiphmont'


Show the current status of the git code repositories
[sfrase@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git status | head -6
# On branch xiphmont
# Untracked files:
# (use "git add ..." to include in what will be committed)
#
# cinelerra-cvs-current.spec
# cinelerra/.deps/
>


View the latest change log
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git log xiphmont/master | head -6
commit 8c01c13bbb21d30aff2733454a49fbfe641e51ca
Author: Monty
Date: Fri Jul 16 07:30:10 2010 -0400

iAlter/extend versioning to avoid any confusion between this temporarily
forked version and the main CinelerraCV repo

Pull in the latest code updates:
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git pull


Troubleshooting
I tried to switch branches and got this error
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git checkout -b xiphmont xiphmont/master
error: You have local changes to 'po/de.po'; cannot switch branches.

I did a hard reset to clear the above error
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git reset --hard HEAD
HEAD is now at d95887f Pass --libdir given to configure on to ffmpeg configure.

Last resort for repos not working, a destructive clean:
[mule@ogre my_cinelerra]$ git clean -dfx



Update 2010/07/16
Looks like the YUV4MPEG render stream is broken..this simple render pipe outputs a file unreadable in FF
ffmpeg -f yuv4mpegpipe -i - -y -target dvd -f mpeg2video %

I talked to Monty and he will fix..something about colorspace converter.
*** end update ***

Note that you have to compile Cinelerra and do a full reinstall, as the Cinelerra "make" process hard links the installation directory into the cinelerra executable.

So I hope Monty stays with us as long as possible. Thanks man! Hope springs eternal!
the mule

References
http://www.itworld.com/open-source/115063/breaking-open-video-frontier-despite-mpeg-la