[MEncoder-users] [SOLVED] Green boxes on non-computer DVD player

[Eli Billauer]

Giacomo Comes wrote:

>mencoder -endpos $ENDPOS -oac lavc -ovc lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts
>format=xvcd -vf scale=480:400,expand=480:576,harddup -srate 44100 -af
>lavcresample=44100 -lavcopts
>vcodec=mpeg2video:mbd=2:keyint=15:vrc_buf_size=917:vrc_minrate=600:vbitrate=2500:
>vrc_maxrate=2500:acodec=mp2:abitrate=224
>-ofps 25 -o "$2_nostrict_svcd.mpg" "$1"
>
>vcdimager -t vcd2 (mpg file)
>
OK, that worked. My DVD player was fooled to recognize the disc as VCD, 
and was then force-fed with MPEG2 in SVCD style. Nothing I would do for 
real life purposes, but since you're curious to know about our green 
boxes...

>My guess now is that vstrict=0 is necessary for MPEG2 video, therefore Eli should
>be able to see the green block if he does not use vstrict=0 with the SVCD 
>with header trick.
>  
>
And so it was: Green boxes appeared in the (fake) SVCD for which no 
vstrict option was given. I'm under the impression that they were more 
rare on the SVCD disc compared with plain DVD. It took some effort to 
catch them. It seems to me that it has to do with the fact that the 
boxes always appear in the lower part of the image, and that the SVCD 
format's image is smaller.

But frankly, with the prices of DVD blank discs today, I see no reason 
to use SVCD nor VCD anymore. So with this experiment coming to its 
successful end, and a solution for the original problem handy, I think 
it's time to leave the green boxes in peace. ;)

I've been asking myself why there's a divertion from the strict standard 
at all. Even as an option, there's always a chance that someone will 
unawaringly turn the obscure option into default, making people all over 
the world bang their heads trying to understand what went wrong. Is the 
possible improvement in bitrate and/or image quality really worth it?

    Eli

-- 
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