codec hell

on Wednesday, Jan 26, 05 05:16 PM (PST) in Over the last several months, I've been struggling with trying to get my videos into a single file format that I can share between several devices around the house. What I'd ultimately like is an easy way to encode a file, plop it on a server, and be able to share the video between a UPNP networked DVD player ( ), my laptop, and a .

• Sharing between the laptop and MCE is easy.

  This has been simple, as long as both have the same , everything's been great. The other day though, I pulled some video off the camcorder with and saved it as an MPEG up on the server. When I opened it on MCE, the video was perfect, but the audio was completely garbled.

  Hmm. When I exported it out as WMV (or MP4 using and ), it plays fine.

• UPNP is a myth.

  I just don't believe in it any more. Not until I see a working implementation. I've tried several UPNP servers: , , , etc.

  None work as advertised. Even with all of the advice at the , I still have NEVER seen video transcode properly.

• Codecs are the next .

  While I love Nero Digital's simplicity and quality, the MP4's it produces aren't compatible with most commercial DVD players (due to the AAC or AVC audio). I've tried - I get audio that isn't in sync with the video. Heck, even the camcorder video I saved the other night as an MPEG had some sort of audio codec problem.

  The most surprising? Some Windows Media (WMV) files that I've created in Adobe Premiere have had problems showing on my dad's machine. I suspect he has a codec problem of sorts.

Now, I consider myself at least somewhat technically competent. How on earth is the average consumer, like my parents, going to figure this stuff out?
This is so totally consistent with my (bad) experience.

Codecs are *ABSOLUTELY* the next DLL hell.
With apologies to Dr. Evil, it's a fricken' nightmare.

Here's a challenge for any reader: If I provided you a random .AVI file, how can you tell what codec you need to play it?
Posted by: January 26, 2005 9:20 PM Open it in GraphEdit?

:)
I hear you.. A standard AVI could be Divx, MP4, etc .

. what a pain.
Posted by: January 26, 2005 9:41 PM jef, try Gspot to detect the codec needed.

Problem solved. :-)
Posted by: jax January 27, 2005 3:00 PM oh, and Steve, have you also tried twonkyvision as a mediaserver? apparently it works quite well and is free for linux, if I'm not mistaken (also available for xp) see:
ps.

excuse my poor typing skills, doesn't go very well on a pda :-)
Posted by: jax January 27, 2005 3:09 PM Yeah, I tried Twonky - no go on video, but audio seemed ok.
Posted by: January 27, 2005 7:42 PM Last summer, I dove into the ocean of codes mess. I think that video encryption has not changed for 10 years.

It is defenatly not ready for HOME user! I had so much time wasted and spend just trying to find the RIGHT codes DLL!
my two cents, Maxim
Posted by: January 28, 2005 1:18 PM > jef, try Gspot to detect the codec needed.

Problem solved. :-)
Never mind that the average user has no frickin' clue what "GraphEdit" or "Gspot" are, how to get them, or even how to interpret the output. But I digress.