[MEncoder-users] V210 10-bit 422 Output

[Larry Reznick]

RC wrote:
> On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:50:38 -0700
> Larry Reznick <lreznick at idistream.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> I have v210-encoded video. I'm trying to get 10-bit YUV422P out of it.
>>     
>
> The first sentence of your message should have been "I've added a VFW
> codec to MPlayer to handle V210 video."  That would have saved me a few
> minutes figuring out WTH was going on here...
>   

It seems to me you would know that because when I added v210 support to 
codecs.conf I posted how to do it to the MPlayer list and you were 
involved in an aspect of the discussion. Here's a reference:
http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mplayer-users/2008-February/071812.html


>> I can get 8-bit 422p if I use the "-vf yuy2" option. If I don't use a
>> -vf option at all, I get 32-bit RGBA output, but v210, used by the AJA
>> board, delivers 10-bit, as the codec's identifier points out. MPlayer
>> can play that output file, but it's not the 10-bit 422p I was hoping
>> for. 
>>     
>
> That would be because you told MPlayer to only ever use BGR32 with
> that DLL when adding support for it.  If you specify any other format,
> it will be converted, in software (from BGR32).  
>   

Got it. So, I have to add more format names using "out ..." to the 
codecs.conf definition. Unfortunately, the Blackmagic people don't 
document what formats their decoder provides. I'll have to test them. 
Still, there appears to be no 10-bit format variation on 422p.


>> I can't see any way  to deliver 10-bit frames in the documentation.
>> Can you suggest what I'm  overlooking or is 10-bit YUV422P not
>> supported as MEncoder output?  
>>     
>
> No, it isn't. 
> http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2007-May/029069.html
>
> So far, you haven't given any reason why you would want or need it.

Thanks for that reference. Niedermayer seems to say that he's against 
supporting 10-bit until he sees a clear advantage. You say that you want 
a reason.

Consider the existence of hardware that delivers it. I have 10-bit data 
captured from a AJA card. I want that data as it comes, not processed 
through some conversion filter that might reduce the quality. The board 
manufacturer's codec uses that 10-bit format. FOURCC identifies it. Look 
up v210 on fourcc.org and you'll see their link 
(http://developer.apple.com/quicktime/icefloe/dispatch019.html#v210) to 
the original definition for Quicktime for 10-bit 4:2:2 format.

Thanks for your help so far.

--Larry