My apologies if this has been posted and discussed thousands of times already, but after Googling and searching my head off I decided to just bite the bullet and post.
Basically, I'm due an upgrade and my new choice of phone would depend heavily on which is the best for video playback - mostly HD and MKV.
I've seen that the LG Optimus 2X does not support MKV natively, but that the Samsung Galaxy SII does, and with better framerates (and a nicer screen). My question is this: how well does it play MKVs?
Could I just throw any MKV at it and it'll play it?
Does it need to be a particular resolution (720p/1080p)?
Will it accept ASS/SSA styled subtitles embedded in the MKV?
How about multiple audio tracks?
Essentially, my ultimate goal is for my phone to be able to play my entire video library as-is, without transcoding or remuxing.
Any tidbits or spec sheets would be so so helpful, and thanks in advance for any replies!
The video player had absolutely no trouble with any of the files we threw at it – starting with .WMV, through .AVI (DivX and XviD) and .MP4 to .MKV (H.264). Resolution wasn’t a problem either – the Samsung Galaxy S II played FullHD files. Large files of over 2GB worked as well.
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from http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9100_galaxy_s_ii-review-588p4.php
I also so a vid of it somewhere, can't remember where.
Many thanks for your reply!
That seems fantastic so far - it seems the support is there. Would it be fair to assume that since it supports Full HD and MKV natively, anything else (like styled subtitles or alternate audio tracks) will come with third-party development? Or am I just being naive?
I believe it supports textfile subs (.sub, .srt) as long as you give them the same name as the actual movie.
As for embedded subs support, I don't know. But it's not a big problem if there's no support right? You can easily extract them from the mkv.
Found the video I mentioned. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4d-wWCf4CQ&
Video-related preview starts at 6:05, but the rest is awesome as well. As for the other things you're asking about, I've no idea. But I think I heard about other android phones using subtitle phones, so at least that should be possible.
phonearena show some hd 1080p video playback in this video
youtube.com/watch?v=y4d-wWCf4CQ
he mentions the galaxy s2 runs mkv for breakfest
The phonearena video shows it playing 1080p MKV flawlessly, it shouldn't be a problem. My SGSI plays 720p MKV perfect. It will have subtitle support for external subs, and the embedded MKV type, since it will use the same video player as the SGSI, which supports these subtitles.
Xero Xenith said:
Basically, I'm due an upgrade and my new choice of phone would depend heavily on which is the best for video playback - mostly HD and MKV.
Could I just throw any MKV at it and it'll play it?
Does it need to be a particular resolution (720p/1080p)?
Will it accept ASS/SSA styled subtitles embedded in the MKV?
How about multiple audio tracks?
Essentially, my ultimate goal is for my phone to be able to play my entire video library as-is, without transcoding or remuxing.
Any tidbits or spec sheets would be so so helpful, and thanks in advance for any replies!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, you have similar needs as mine and I have done imo pretty extensive testing on my Galaxy S regarding the playback of mkv.
The best video player for SGS is mvideoplayer and I suspect for SGS2 as well. The reason? It accepts ass/ssa subtitles embedded. However, it only displays it as text. To be specific, the list is as below:
SubRip(.srt)
Sub Station Alpha(.ssa)
Advanced Sub Station Alpha(.ass)
MPL2(.mpl/.txt)
MicroDVD(.sub/.txt)
SubViewer2.0(.sub)
PowerDivX(.psb/.txt)
TMPlayer(.txt)
SAMI(.smi/.sami)
As for multiple audio tracks, default videoplayer or mvideoplayer doesn't allow for switching but software decoding for rockplayer allows for it, the downside is the video is no longer hardware accelerated and only external srt subtitles are readable on the app rockplayer.
As for what type of codecs within mkv is supported by SGS, well, video encoding is very very complicated, it is like balancing between different parameters, too much of that and it is not playable, reduce the resolution and it works. I can't simply say oh, H264, [email protected] Level 5.0 works at 720p resolution. Yes, some of them do but not all can. Thus, there's no 'spec' list to give because it is too varied.
Bottomline is: drag and try to play it, most of the time it should be playable. Audio codec support is the next headache. Ff I remember correctly, SGS could downsample AC3 6 channels to dual channel but can't do the same for AAC. vorbis aka ogg doesn't work, have not tried flac but I don't think it does.
One last thing, for most 'recent' mkvs using mkvmerge 4.4.0 and above, there is a need to remux it using mkvmerge to set the compression to none for both video and audio stream under extra options because apparently it is set by default to something else by the encoders. I discovered that only after googling online and wondering why in the world would those videos be unplayable when they should be. Mediainfo would give you all the information you need regarding a mkv video.
I am planning on getting a SGS 2 the moment it is released in Singapore and compare it with my current SGS. Hope that answers your questions, anymore?
Wait a minute, the default player also does subs, if your doesn't then its an out of date version of the default player...
NZtechfreak said:
Wait a minute, the default player also does subs, if your doesn't then its an out of date version of the default player...
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only external but not embedded, and limited to srt?
Thanks again for your answers - this is very reassuring
Lobaba said:
Hi, you have similar needs as mine and I have done imo pretty extensive testing on my Galaxy S regarding the playback of mkv.
The best video player for SGS is mvideoplayer and I suspect for SGS2 as well. The reason? It accepts ass/ssa subtitles embedded. However, it only displays it as text. To be specific, the list is as below:
--snip--
I am planning on getting a SGS 2 the moment it is released in Singapore and compare it with my current SGS. Hope that answers your questions, anymore?
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Brilliant! This was a very informative answer If you get it before the end of May, would you be able to report how well some video files play if I send them to you? (I'll send small samples - mostly one minute, which is fair use under the DMCA.)
No worries if you can't, but it would be a big help
i have no problems with that, only problem is whether they will launch during may...
Lobaba said:
only external but not embedded, and limited to srt?
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Click to collapse
The video player in the original SGS on 2.2.1 firmwares, or at least all that I have tried, will also play embedded MKV subtitles in the files I've tried it on...
Xero Xenith said:
Thanks again for your answers - this is very reassuring
Brilliant! This was a very informative answer If you get it before the end of May, would you be able to report how well some video files play if I send them to you? (I'll send small samples - mostly one minute, which is fair use under the DMCA.)
No worries if you can't, but it would be a big help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you send me your files also, I will be doing a review for the Clove Blog and this is an important aspect to me also, would be nice to give concrete answers on a variety of codecs.
Lobaba said:
i have no problems with that, only problem is whether they will launch during may...
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Click to collapse
No worries if you can't, but thanks so much Really appreciate it!
NZtechfreak said:
Can you send me your files also, I will be doing a review for the Clove Blog and this is an important aspect to me also, would be nice to give concrete answers on a variety of codecs.
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Click to collapse
No problem - I'll start organising them now
UPDATE: Full thread for this here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1054962
EDIT: I have put these six tests together in line with what I said above. All are just short samples (one minute in most cases) and as such qualify for free use under the DMCA.
The aim is to have a test for a player's flexibility and capability when it comes to MKV, which is an irritatingly versatile format. As such, I have tried to make this as comprehensive as possible. However, I am no expert (just a guy with a lot of video to play), and so would appreciate any comments
The download links supplied for the first three are not my own. For the remaining three tests (IV-VI) please obtain this file:
http://www.mediafire.com/?965488edub8dzgc
Full details on all files used can be obtained here:
http://pastebin.com/GDtMQqkz
TEST I. Extreme (40Mbit/s) video quality in MKV. Codec: AVC; Res: 1920*1072
"Bird_42_MBit_ABR_(+-1.5 MBit).mkv"
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1D4BX1U9
Test passes if: video plays without stutter. File has no audio
IMPORTANT NOTE: This video is faster than most memory cards can handle. It may be best to run it off the internal memory, if there's space. In any case, if this test passes, it's outstanding!
TEST II. Very high (20Mbit/s) video quality in MKV. Codec: VC-1; Res: 1920*1080
"hddvd_demo_1080p.mkv"
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/530/HD-DVD_Demo_1080p_VC-1_DDPlus_5.1.html
Test passes if: video plays without stutter. (First few seconds in particular!)
TEST III. High (10Mbit/s) video quality in MKV with unstyled subs. Codec: AVC; Res: 1920*1080
"iguana.monsi.1080p.bd9.sample.mkv"
http://www.mediafire.com/?okmdmnymonz
Test passes if: video plays with subtitles on the screen. (May have to select subtitles with the menu.)
TEST IV. Medium (3.4Mbit/s) video quality in MKV with styled and unstyled subs. Codec: AVC; Res: 704*480
"Suzumiya_Haruhi_no_Yuuutsu_-_C4_-_Special_Ending_-__Hitsuji__e569a2b7_.mkv"
Test passes if: video plays with STYLED subtitles on the screen. (Styled means "coloured and positioned on the top and bottom") (May have to select subtitles with the menu.)
TEST V. Unusual combination of Xvid video and styled subtitles, including foreign languages. Codec: Xvid; Res: 640*346
"Matrix.Reloaded.Trailer-640x346-XviD-1.0beta2-HE_AAC_subtitled.mkv"
Test passes if: Video plays with styled (just coloured) English subtitles, AND can play with Japanese and Arabic subtitles. (May have to select subtitles with the menu.)
TEST VI. Dual audio in an MKV. Codec: AVC; Res: 1280*526. Audio codec: English: AAC, Hindi: MP3
"SAMPLE Harry Potter 4[Eng-Hindi]Dual.Audio BRRIP 720p-=[champ_is_here]=-.mkv"
Test passes if: Video plays with English audio, and can switch to Hindi audio.
I'd really appreciate it if you could run these through the SGSII
Many thanks for your replies!
Shamelessly bumping this thread as the tests above are very good and I'd love to get some results.
Could you also list what profile the h264 videos are?
DesktopMan said:
Shamelessly bumping this thread as the tests above are very good and I'd love to get some results.
Could you also list what profile the h264 videos are?
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the kind words
The full info is available in the link above the tests (obtained from mediainfo on Linux). But I will list them again here:
Bird_42_MBit_ABR_(+-1.5 MBit).mkv : [email protected]
iguana.monsi.1080p.bd9.sample.mkv : [email protected]
Harry Potter 4 [...] .mkv : [email protected]
Suzumiya_Haruhi [...] .mkv : [email protected]
hddvd_demo_1080p.mkv : [email protected] (not H.264)
Matrix.Reloaded.Trailer [...] .mkv : Advanced [email protected] (not H.264)
Hmm... I hope it supports "High" profile
EDIT: Made a new topic as this is a bit outside the scope of the original title:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=13290953#post13290953
I mirrored all the samples and put them in a table: http://www.auby.no/files/video_tests/
Wow, nice! If you have no objection, I'll put that link in my new thread?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=13290953#post13290953
Many thanks, that mirror is amazing
Xero Xenith said:
Wow, nice! If you have no objection, I'll put that link in my new thread?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=13290953#post13290953
Many thanks, that mirror is amazing
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Feel free. Usually it's very fast, so either it has a bad day or people are downloading a lot
Hey
I'm no expert with these things but I'm trying to get a mkv 720p file I downloaded to work on my Sony ericsson Arc. Rather than re-encode (takes ages!) I use a program called gotsent, that repackages the MKV into an MP4 that the phone can then play. Sometimes this works, and phones plays the file flawlessly, other times it fails to play. I use VLC media properties to get the information about the files. Two files the phone plays flawlessly. One already converted as it's a HD mp4 trailer from the web and the other a SD MKV that I
converted.
Fast Furious Trailer works
Stream 0
Type Video
Code: H264 - MPEG-4 AVC (part10) (avc1)
Resolution: 1280x720
Frame Rate: 23.976023
Stream 1
Type Audio
Codec: MPEG AAc Audio (mp4a)
Channels: Stereo
Sample rate: 48000Hz
SD MKV FILM COVERTED TO MP4 works
Stream 0
Type Audio
Codec: MPEG AAC Audio (mp4a)
Channels: Stereo
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz
AAC extension: SBR
Stream 1
Type: Video
Codec: H264 - MPEG-4 AVC (Part 10) (avc1)
Resolution 672.352
Frame rate: 25
Now the one that doesn't work after converting,
720p HD Mkv converted to mp4 using GotSent
Stream 0
Type Audio
Codec: MPEG AAC Audio (mp4a)
Channels: stereo
Sample rate: 48000Hz
Stream 1
Type Video
Codec H264 - MPEG-4 AVC (part 10) (avc1)
Resolution 1280x720
Frame rate 23.9767023.
Does anybody know what is going wrong and why the third file refuses to play?
Thanks for any help.
Dan
Try MoboPlayer, it's i thought free on the market. ;0
+1 for Mobo player
Thanks for the advise. However, I have tried Moboplayer, QQplayer, rock player. I find that these will all play HD files that the preinstalled player does well. However, MKV, convter MKV to MP4, the player will render using cpu only, and thus stutter.
I really belittled by how two files, looking identical in their properties, one if playing fine and the other is failing.
It is really an important feature for me, as the HDMI port and HD files will make an ideal media player/network streamer.
Cheers
As far as 720p/1080p mkv's are concerned only Samsung galaxy s1(720p) n s2 n their top end wave models can do it!
Sent from my X10i TripNMiUI using XDA App
Hi. I do know this and willing to sell my Arc to get a Galaxy s2 but the Arc is capable of hardware accelarated mp4 video.
Please read my original post. I'm not trying to play Mkv's on the device, but MP4, which has been converted from MKV H264. Some files play others will not, but their properties look identical.
i think I may have more luck asking in an encoding video sort of forum? Any of you know another forum where I may find someone who could answer my question?
Ask sony ericsson
PlayGunsta said:
Ask sony ericsson
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u gotta be kidding lol
*Edit- Try muxing the mp4 where Stream 0 is video and Stream 1 is audio. It may be as simple as that...
if not,
Can you post the full media info for the offending file?
Look especially for Format Profile and Format settings, ReFrames. If either of these are too high that may be your problem. Format Profile should be [email protected] or lower and ReFrames should be 8 or less (I think). Even PS3 and some other devices will not play videos outside those parameters. The professionally encoded stuff will work 'cause they know this and make it work on all devices. "Other" encoders usually try to do the same but some ignore it. You can change the Profile Level without reencoding but not the ReFrames.
The only thing I can think of other than that is if the bitrate is much higher than the one that works.
today i find a strange question about galaxy s 2 video recording. i can select video resolution when shooting. then i view the detailed format. there are 3gp and mp4. if it is 720p and 1080p, then the format is 3gp. if it is 720 * 480, then what is the MP4 format. when connected to my Win 7 PC, they are all .mp4 formats. in order to ger correct information, i put them in MediaInfo, all are 3gp format. i uncertainty which format is correct. anyone knows?
any further
Hi
I have the same problem and just wondered if you ever found a work around. I can't believe the phone of the year 2011 has no way to change the recording format to mp4. My wife's Sony experia can send videos through dlna to my Bravia no prob
.3gp is an agglomerate of the video format and audio format, which is .mp4 and .aac. It's normal that some programs will say .mp4 and others .3gp, because some say the format in which the whole file is made on, which is .3gp, and others will only say the video format, which is .mp4.
I would like to know what others are doing as far as encoding video to play on the Nook Tablet. The consensus seems to be the H264 encoding for video? What file format, m4v, mkv?? Does it make a difference? What about audio?
I have heard discussion about HW versus SW playback, what does this mean?
What resolution do you keep your videos in? How large should I expect the average full length movie to be?
usually 720 since they're smaller
2.5gb and mp4 or mkv
using mxvideo
sw btw for mkv and hw for mx vid
hd movies will be about 2-2.5gig
normal dvd's will be ~700meg-2gig(avatar) for h.264 format mp4/mkv
swaneon said:
sw btw for mkv and hw for mx vid
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huh? Sorry, still don't get it.
Most videos play fine without converting for me. I just drop it in the tablet and use MX Player.
Also, .mkv is not a video format but a container.