How to create XBox 360 compatible MPEG-4 files?

[GiddyUpHorsey]

Hi

I have a NAS device on my home network that I am using to host my video content. The videos are played from a Windows PC, an iPhone and an XBox 360. I need the videos to be high quality and viewable from all three devices.

Currently, the MP4s created via VideoStudio are incompatible with the XBox. How can I make compatible MP4s?

MediaInfo shows the following information for the incompatible MP4 created in VideoStudio.

Code: Select all

General
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media
Codec ID                         : isom
File size                        : 119 MiB
Duration                         : 3mn 32s
Overall bit rate mode            : Variable
Overall bit rate                 : 4 682 Kbps
Encoded date                     : UTC 2012-04-18 15:14:18
Tagged date                      : UTC 2012-04-18 15:14:18

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Main@L3.1
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP             : M=3, N=15
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 3mn 32s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 4 517 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 5 000 Kbps
Width                            : 1 280 pixels
Height                           : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 30.000 fps
Standard                         : NTSC
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.163
Stream size                      : 114 MiB (96%)
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2012-04-18 15:14:18
Tagged date                      : UTC 2012-04-18 15:14:18
Color primaries                  : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177
Transfer characteristics         : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients              : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                   : LC
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 3mn 32s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 160 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L R
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Stream size                      : 4.06 MiB (3%)
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2012-04-18 15:14:18
Tagged date                      : UTC 2012-04-18 15:14:18

[BrianCee]

After you have chosen "Share >> Create Video File" choose 'Custom' from the very bottom of the list, in there you can choose most of the parameters for your output file - just choose the correct settings to make a compatible file.

[teknisyan]

If you are always creating Xbox 360 MP4, you may also want to create your own movie template. It's just like using the CUSTOM settings only you can save the settings that you can use again.

You can visit http://product.corel.com/help/video/540 ... lates.html for more information on how to use or create your own movie template.

[GiddyUpHorsey]

I'm already using the Share -> Create Video File - > Custom option to create the MP4s, but they're incompatible. They just won't play on XBox 360.

[Ken Berry]

Do you have a video which will play on the Xbox? If so, can you put it in the VS timeline, right click it and copy ALL its properties here, please? That way we will have a clearer idea of what is required.

[GiddyUpHorsey]

This is the info for the file above, created by VideoStudio and then run through the convert (MP4 to MP4) feature of YouTube Downloader. It plays properly on the XBox 360.

Code: Select all

General
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media
Codec ID                         : isom
File size                        : 103 MiB
Duration                         : 3mn 32s
Overall bit rate mode            : Variable
Overall bit rate                 : 4 047 Kbps
Writing application              : Lavf52.94.0

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile                   : Simple@L1
Format settings, BVOP            : No
Format settings, QPel            : No
Format settings, GMC             : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix          : Default (H.263)
Codec ID                         : 20
Duration                         : 3mn 32s
Bit rate                         : 3 989 Kbps
Width                            : 1 024 pixels
Height                           : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 24.000 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.282
Stream size                      : 101 MiB (99%)
Writing library                  : Lavc52.108.0
Language                         : English

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                   : LC
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 3mn 32s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 55.0 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L R
Sampling rate                    : 22.05 KHz
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Stream size                      : 1.39 MiB (1%)
Language                         : English

I've also posted a question here, and the comments suggest that XBox 360 doesn't support constant bit rate audio in MP4 files.

Is there a way to tell VideoStudio to create variable bit rate audio in MP4s?

[Kingston]

Are you trying to match the specifications listed on this Microsoft XBox 360 web page? http://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-360/ ... vds-movies

[GiddyUpHorsey]

Yes I am trying to conform to those specs:

H.264 support

The Xbox 360 console supports the following for H.264:

File extensions: .mp4, .m4v, mp4v, .mov, .avi
Containers: MPEG-4, QuickTime
Video profiles: Baseline, main and high (up to level 4.1)
Video bit rate: 10 Mbps with resolutions of 1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Audio profiles: AAC, 2-channel, Low Complexity
Audio max bit rate: No restrictions

As far as I can tell, the video that I'm creating in Video Studio matches that. However, the XBox still won't play it.

[Kingston]

You may want to contact XBOX support. They may have you upload the file that won't play so they can analyze it for you.

In the US: http://support.xbox.com/en-US/contact-us

[GiddyUpHorsey]

I tried XBox support yesterday. They referred me back to Corel support. Still waiting to hear back from Corel. They're quite slow.

XBox support said that maybe VideoStudio embeds licensing info in the MP4 file that prevents it from playing back on the XBox. I don't know.... will see what Corel say.

I'm afraid Corel will push it back saying that I have to contact XBox support. It wouldn't surprise me if they did. I don't think much of Corel's support from my past experiences with them.

[Kingston]

I guess Xbox expects Corel to have the Xbox source code and an Xbox console. It's really Xbox that needs to do the checking. There's no way Corel can tell what is wrong. They would have to use a hit-and-miss approach. From what I can tell, using MediaInfo, Corel is creating a compliant Xbox video. Sorry to say that I don't have an Xbox, so I can't try things out.