Playing a UK made MP4 on USA TV

terrypin wrote on 10/6/2011, 11:44 AM

OK, here's one for the real experts! I made a 400 MB 1920x1080 25 fps MP4 video in MEP17+. I can view it fine at home here on my PC and on my PAL TV. I want to upload it to my Dropbox space so that my son and family can watch it in the USA.

Obviously he should be able to do so with no problem on his PC or laptop (even maybe his Mac). But ideally he'd obviously like to watch it on his huge TV. He says

"We'll give it a go. The path to the screen is pretty complex.... For the big screen we are playing the file on Apple Mac-Mini either using QuickTime or Plex media player The screen resolution is set to 720p/60 - i.e. 1280x720 at 60 fps (progressive - not interlaced) The AV AMP will then either pass through leaving it at 720p or may be upscaling to 1920x1080p/60 (not interlaced note) I'll check at the TV what mode it's in."

I know nothing about Apple Macs but from a quick look at http://www.plexapp.com/mac.php I'm hoping that his Plex thing can handle the MP4.

FWIW, MediaInfo reports this:

(Incidentally, GSpot makes a pig's ear of it. Even reports the Date as tomorrow!)

If it doesn't play, or plays jerkily, I'm trying to anticipate what I might have to do. In parallel with my discussions and experiments, I thought I'd see what the experts here think please? Maybe some other PAL-based MEP user has family in the 'NTSC-based USA and has solved the issue?

At an extreme, I'm thinking I might make the version of the movie for USA viewing at a different frame rate?

Why does playing a video have to be so darned complex!

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 10/6/2011, 4:56 PM

Hi Terry

Try exporting as mp4 with the AVCHD stream H264 1920*1080 NTSC. (You can change the resolution if you need to)

The Plex software should handle this as it claims to support H264.

Send them a short clip to see if everything is OK.

Why does playing a video have to be so darned complex!

Because all the big players in the business think there system is better and they cannot agree a standard.

John

terrypin wrote on 10/7/2011, 1:22 AM

Hi John,

Thanks a lot. I'm waiting to hear how he got on with my 1920x1080 25 fps (the 8 hour time zone difference with San Diego complicates it!) but I'll try that if necessary.

What export setting do you and others use for viewing HD on PAL TV, when not via DVD? Do you use MP4 anyway for a start? (In my case it's via my WDTV unit, as discussed in old threads.) If so, what are the choice issues between these two please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

johnebaker wrote on 10/7/2011, 10:13 AM

Hi Terry

In my case I export as AVCHD which stream successfully over my wireless N router. My TV has built in wireless N and connects direct to my PC.

John