[ale] Video codec question

[aaron]

On 2009, Oct, 12, , at 7:25 PM, Jim Popovitch wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 19:15, James Sumners  
> <james.sumners at gmail.com> wrote:
>> An overheated video card most likely.
>
> :-)
>
> Nah, its got something to do with xine and m4v files.  Other vids play
> perfectly well in miro, just not m4v files.  I'm trying to figure out
> what to call the problem so that i can look for some advice...
>
> -JIm P.

A little hard to say from seeing a single still, but it looks to
me like previous frames or parts of frames are being retained and
mixed with subsequent frames, which actually makes sense when you
understand the mechanics of I/P/B frames in the mpeg compression
schemes.

You might describe it as frame retention or image lag, especially
if the ghosts are hanging around from earlier in the stream because
they don't know their dead.

"I see dumb formats...  all the time."

According to Wikipedia, m4v indicates files using an addendum spec
(part 14) under the MPEG4 wrapper and codec "standards" umbrella.
M4V files can include a Destructive Restriction Mechanism that is
marketed under a ludicrously Orwellian name that rhymes with the
more truthfully descriptive ID of ScarePlay. So you might be seeing
artifacts from DRM, or from other Meta Data defined information
that is possible under this wrapper but that Miro doesn't know how
to translate.

HTH!
peace
aaron