[MPlayer-users] encoding with snow video codec -> no video

[Sebastian Krämer]

Hi there!

I've take an article in German's popular c't magazine as an opportunity to try 
an encode with the snow video codec. The commandline was taken from that 
article:

mencoder input.avi -oac copy -noskip -ovc lavc -lavcopts 
vcodec=snow:autoaspect:vstrict=-2:pred=0:cmp=1:subcmp=1:mbcmp=1:qpel:vqscale=1:vpass=1 
-passlogfile snowlog -o /dev/null
mencoder input.avi -oac copy -noskip -ovc lavc -lavcopts 
vcodec=snow:autoaspect:vstrict=-2:pred=0:cmp=1:subcmp=1:mbcmp=1:qpel:vqscale=1:vpass=2 
-passlogfile snowlog -o output.avi

The encoding itself seemed to work quite normal. It was slow but steady. 
However, mplayer somehow recognizes snow format but is unwilling to play it. 
But please see for yourself:

> MPlayer dev-CVS-050724-17:59-3.3.5-20050130 (C) 2000-2005 MPlayer Team
> CPU: Advanced Micro Devices Athlon MP/XP/XP-M Barton (Family: 6, Stepping: 
0)
> Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
> CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 1 3DNow2: 1 SSE: 1 SSE2: 0
> Kompiliert für x86 CPU mit folgenden Erweiterungen: MMX MMX2 3DNow 3DNowEx 
SSE
> 
> 
> 61 Audio- & 169 Videocodecs
> Kommandozeile: '-v' 'output.avi'
> init_freetype
> get_path('font/font.desc') -> '/home/sebi/.mplayer/font/font.desc'
> Font /home/sebi/.mplayer/font/font.desc loaded successfully! (206 chars)
> Using MMX (with tiny bit MMX2) Optimized OnScreenDisplay
> Verwende Linux Hardware RTC-Timing (1024Hz).
> get_path('input.conf') -> '/home/sebi/.mplayer/input.conf'
> Parsing input config file /home/sebi/.mplayer/input.conf
> Input config file /home/sebi/.mplayer/input.conf parsed: 53 binds
> Initialisiere LIRC-Unterstützung...
> get_path('output.avi.conf') -> '/home/sebi/.mplayer/output.avi.conf'
> Spiele output.avi
> [file] File size is 28419238 bytes
> STREAM: [file] output.avi
> STREAM: Description: File
> STREAM: Author: Albeu
> STREAM: Comment: based on the code from ??? (probably Arpi)
> AVI-Dateiformat erkannt!
> list_end=0x192
> ======= AVI Header =======
> us/frame: 40000  (fps=25.000)
> max bytes/sec: 0
> padding: 0
> MainAVIHeader.dwFlags: (2320) HAS_INDEX IS_INTERLEAVED TRUST_CKTYPE
> frames  total: 6291   initial: 0
> streams: 2
> Suggested BufferSize: 0
> Size:  696 x 572
> ==========================
> list_end=0x120
> ==> Videostream gefunden: 0
> ====== STREAM Header =====
> Type: vids   FCC: SNOW (574F4E53)
> Flags: 0
> Priority: 0   Language: 0
> InitialFrames: 0
> Rate: 25/1 = 25.000
> Start: 0   Len: 6291
> Suggested BufferSize: 15851
> Quality 0
> Sample size: 0
> ==========================
> found 'bih', 40 bytes of 40
> ======= VIDEO Format ======
>   biSize 40
>   biWidth 696
>   biHeight 572
>   biPlanes 1
>   biBitCount 24
>   biCompression 1464815187='SNOW'
>   biSizeImage 1194336
> ===========================
> ======= Video Properties Header =======
> Format: 0  VideoStandard: 0
> VRefresh: 25  HTotal: 696  VTotal: 572
> FrameAspect: 16384:13465  Framewidth: 696  Frameheight: 572
> Fields: 1
>   == Field 0 description ==
>   CompressedBMHeight: 572  CompressedBMWidth: 696
>   ValidBMHeight: 572  ValidBMWidth: 696
>   ValidBMXOffset: 0  ValidBMYOffset: 0
>   VideoXOffsetInT: 0  VideoYValidStartLine: 0
> =======================================
> list_end=0x192
> ==> Audiostream gefunden: 1
> ====== STREAM Header =====
> Type: auds   FCC: U (55)
> Flags: 0
> Priority: 0   Language: 0
> InitialFrames: 0
> Rate: 16000/1 = 16000.000
> Start: 0   Len: 4022393
> Suggested BufferSize: 8000
> Quality 0
> Sample size: 1
> ==========================
> found 'wf', 30 bytes of 18
> ======= WAVE Format =======
> Format Tag: 85 (0x55)
> Channels: 2
> Samplerate: 48000
> avg byte/sec: 16000
> Block align: 1
> bits/sample: 0
> cbSize: 12
> mp3.wID=1
> mp3.fdwFlags=0x0
> mp3.nBlockSize=1
> mp3.nFramesPerBlock=0
> mp3.nCodecDelay=1000
> ===========================
> list_end=0x1D4
> hdr=Software  size=45
> Software  : MEncoder dev-CVS-050724-17:59-3.3.5-20050130
> list_end=0x1AFFBFE
> Found movie at 0x100C - 0x1AFFBFE
> Reading INDEX block, 6794 chunks for 6291 frames (fpos=0x1affc06)
> AVI index offset: 0x1008 (movi=0x100C idx0=0x4 idx1=0x1F4C)
> Auto-selected AVI audio ID = 1
> Auto-selected AVI video ID = 0
> AVI: Searching for audio stream (id:1)
> AVI video size=24226560 (6291) audio size=4022393 (4022393)
> VIDEO:  [SNOW]  696x572  24bpp  25.000 fps  770.2 kbps (94.0 kbyte/s)
> [V] filefmt:3  fourcc:0x574F4E53  size:696x572  fps:25.00  ftime:=0.0400
> Clip-Info:
>  Software: MEncoder dev-CVS-050724-17:59-3.3.5-20050130
> get_path('sub/') -> '/home/sebi/.mplayer/sub/'
> get_path('default.sub') -> '/home/sebi/.mplayer/default.sub'
> ==========================================================================
> Öffne Audiodecoder: [mp3lib] MPEG layer-2, layer-3
> dec_audio: Reserviere 4608 + 65536 = 70144 Bytes für den Ausgabepuffer.
> mp3lib: made decode tables with MMX optimization
> mp3lib: using 3DNow!Ex optimized decore!
> MP3lib: init layer2&3 finished, tables done
> MPEG 1.0, Layer III, 48000 Hz 128 kbit Joint-Stereo, BPF: 384
> Channels: 2, copyright: No, original: No, CRC: No, emphasis: 0
> AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 128.0 kbit/8.33% (ratio: 16000->192000)
> Selected audio codec: [mp3] afm:mp3lib (mp3lib MPEG layer-2, layer-3)
> ==========================================================================
> X11 opening display: :0.0
> vo: X11 color mask:  FFFFFF  (R:FF0000 G:FF00 B:FF)
> vo: X11 running at 1280x1024 with depth 24 and 32 bpp (":0.0" => local 
display)
> [x11] Detected wm supports NetWM.
> [x11] Detected wm supports FULLSCREEN state.
> [x11] Detected wm supports ABOVE state.
> [x11] Detected wm supports BELOW state.
> [x11] Detected wm supports STAYS_ON_TOP state.
> [x11] Current fstype setting honours FULLSCREEN STAYS_ON_TOP ABOVE BELOW X 
atoms
> [xv common] Drawing colorkey manually.
> [xv common] Using colorkey from Xv (0x0101fe).
> ==========================================================================
> Kann keinen Codec finden, der  zur gewählten -vo-Option und Videoformat 
0x574F4E53 passt!
> Lies DOCS/HTML/en/codecs.html!
> ==========================================================================
> Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 0Hz/0ch/??...
> [libaf] Adding filter dummy
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> alsa-init: requested format: 48000 Hz, 2 channels, 9
> alsa-init: compiled for ALSA-1.0.9
> alsa-init: setup for 1/2 channel(s)
> alsa-init: 1 soundcard found, using: default
> alsa-init: pcm opend in block-mode
> alsa-init: chunksize set to 1024
> alsa-init: fragcount=16
> alsa-init: got buffersize=65536
> alsa: 48000 Hz/2 channels/4 bpf/65536 bytes buffer/Signed 16 bit Little 
Endian
> AO: [alsa] 48000Hz 2ch s16le (2 bps)
> AO: Description: ALSA-0.9.x-1.x audio output
> AO: Author: Alex Beregszaszi, Zsolt Barat <joy at streamminister.de>
> AO: Comment: under developement
> Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 48000Hz/2ch/s16le...
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> [dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
> Video: kein Video
> Freeing 0 unused video chunks.
> Starte Wiedergabe...
> alsa-space: free space = 65536, prepared --
> XXX initial  v_pts=0.000  a_pos=8000 (0.500)
> Uninit audio filters...
> [libaf] Removing filter dummy
> Deinitialisiere Audio: mp3lib
> alsa-uninit: pcm closed
> vo: uninit ...
> 
> Beenden... (Ende)

Maybe this is only a configuration problem?! I checked 
http://www1.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML-single/en/MPlayer.html and didn't find any 
information about snow at all. Only the codecs page mentions 'Michael's snow 
codec', but that's it. Any help is appreciated since I'm very interested to 
see that snow file. :)

Thanks

Sebastian