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[TheDerman]

Hi,

I tried all the ways suggested by Metamorphium to create Theora video files - most of the time the files wouldn't even encode, and when they did the files were useless anyway. 

Then I saw VP3 mentioned, so I downloaded that and so far it seems to work quite well.

Question - the vp3 site tells developers to direct customers to one of their webpages to download the codec - this is impractical for a commercial CD based title, so I'm just wondering if anyone knows whether or not I can include the vp3 installer on the CD's or not and install it when the game installs? Anyone know whether that is allowed or not?

Second, does anyone know the best settings in vp3 to get the best results, in terms of picture quality, smoothness and file-size?

Thanks.

[metamorphium]

that's strange. I use quite a few theora files in Destinies and didn't have a problem. Did you follow
Mnemonic's tutorial verbatim? Also you can try to use ffmpeg2theora, which also works fine with me.

[TheDerman]

I followed the tutorials in the Wiki for the VLC Player - some files it would encode, others not - when it did, they stuttered anyway so were no good.

The ffmpeg2theora was no better, and the GraphEdit method I couldn't use because GraphEdit wouldn't let me access the pin properties. 

I'm not a whiz kid in these matters though, so maybe I'm doing something wrong.

You know anything about the VP3 codec legalities? You mentioned you were using that a few months ago in a post.

[metamorphium]

I followed the tutorials in the Wiki for the VLC Player - some files it would encode, others not - when it did, they stuttered anyway so were no good.

The ffmpeg2theora was no better, and the GraphEdit method I couldn't use because GraphEdit wouldn't let me access the pin properties. 

I'm not a whiz kid in these matters though, so maybe I'm doing something wrong.

You know anything about the VP3 codec legalities? You mentioned you were using that a few months ago in a post.

Hm, I was playing with it, but right now I use only theora. Stuttering is a known problem because the library is not optimized yet. From my experience you need to recode video into 512*384 and then it's fluent for the full screen stretch. When theora releases better libraries, the video resolution will be bigger.

[Mnemonic]

Also for best results you should use uncompressed video as source. Recompressing already compressed video can produce some artifacts etc.
By using AC3 you'd lose the biggest advantage of Theora - the independence on external codecs. Not to mention other advantages WME offers for Theora videos.

[odnorf]

For the reasons already posted I don't recommend the use of VP3.

But to answer you question let me quote the theora faq (theora is based on vp3 technology):

Q. Isn't VP3 a patented technology?
Yes, some portions of the VP3 codec are covered by patents. However, the Xiph.org Foundation has negotiated an irrevocable free license to the VP3 codec for any purpose imaginable on behalf of the public. It is legal to use VP3 in any way you see fit (unless, of course, you're doing something illegal with it in your particular jurisdiction). You are free to download VP3, use it free of charge, implement it in a for-sale product, implement it in a free product, make changes to the source and distribute those changes, or print the source code out and wallpaper your spare room with it.


For more info of theora & vp3 check http://theora.org/theorafaq.html