Movian

The file that does not play has this info:

Format profile : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 16 frames

Where the file that does play has this info:

Format profile : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames

The difference is the ReFrames level. 16 is too high.
The highest mkv Reframe value I've got to play in Showtime is 10 with a profile of 4.1
Level 5.0 and 5.1 mkv files play ok with low ReFrame values. I've noticed a few CPU too low messages lately or Showtime drops the level to 4.2 message with 5.0 and 5.1 profiles.

You should by a PC or claim Sony for a more powerfull PS3.
I dont know if Andreas could do something about that.

Jérôme S. wrote:

You should by a PC or claim Sony for a more powerfull PS3.
I dont know if Andreas could do something about that.

Actually showtime should definitely do something about this.something as small as a message should do.
A meaningful message stating 'reframe' level in-compatibility on ps3 does wonders to normal users.
I have seen this issue pop quite a few times.

I did notice that ref frame difference after more experimentation, sucks that that is the problem and hat a simple level change does not work. If its not an issue that can be fixed or a limitation of the PS3 that is fine, an error message would be nice though. This program is amazing and it just sucks half my HD shows don't play because of this.

Jérôme S. wrote:

You should by a PC or claim Sony for a more powerfull PS3.
I dont know if Andreas could do something about that.

I have a good gaming computer, but I would rather watch movies on my 60" TV through the PS3...as would most people I think.

I did mean a gaming computer, but a HTPC more powerfull than the PS3 at decoding HD video. Some can be attached at the back of TVs.
Like Xbox at is time, PS3 will show some limit to play HD video, even if it does a pretty good job with most of those for now.

Jeff Miller wrote:

I did notice that ref frame difference after more experimentation, sucks that that is the problem and hat a simple level change does not work.

I've done a lot of experimentation too and a level change does work. But the problem is that it takes forever to re-encode a video file if the original has a too high ReFrame number.

It's usually mp4 4.1 with ReFrame of 4 that give problems but the work around is the PS3 will play it fine. Where as mkv files Showtime is the only app that will play them. So its either re-encode or just wait until something is sorted.

Can't you just turn the level down with TSMUXERGUI?

Changing the level does not affect anything, because showtime will not play a file if the ref frame is too high, no matter what the level states. Any of the programs that just modify the level will NOT work. The only way to get these files to play is to re-encode them with a lower ref frame. I have found a program (http://www.videohelp.com/tools/uncropMKV) which does this very good and does not take too long. Just don't choose any of the crop/resolution changes and it will automatically set the ref frames to 3 with a 4.1 level. You can also queue a bunch up and let it go over night.

The SPU accelerated h264 decoder is only capable of decoding content up to level 4.2.

The level in h264 indicates stuff like resolution, frame-rate, max # of refframes, etc, see the wikipedia article

Now, some h264 decoders just set level 5.0 per default without actually using that many reference frames. That's why Showtime tricks the cell decoder by saying that the content is 4.2 (and when doing so also displays a warning).

So if you use some program that just changes this value without actually re-encoding the content you are definitely on thin ice. It's like trying to translate a book by just changing the language printed on the book cover :-) It will certainly not translate the book and would only confuse people even more.

Could the PS3 theoretically handle h264 level 5.0?
- I think so. The current implementation use 4 SPUs when decoding at level 4.2. That leaves two more left.

Is it an insane amount of work?
- Yes

Sony probably didn't care about level 5.0 as bluray content never exceeds level 4.2

Could the PS3 theoretically handle h264 level 5.0?

I just to play an mp4 level 5.1 on the PS3. The video looked as though it was on fast forward and there was no audio.
Tried it through Showtime and it froze on opening and continued playing the audio.

Girish Patel wrote:

Could the PS3 theoretically handle h264 level 5.0?

I just got to play an mp4 level 5.1 on the PS3. The video looked as though it was on fast forward and there was no audio.
Tried it through Showtime and it froze on opening and continued playing the audio.

Mkv'd the file with Profile 5.1 ReFrame 8. Showtime played it fine with the 4.2 message.

The resolution is another key factor. You are most likely playing a non HD video so it can handle a higher ref frame