Humax HDR-FOX T2 and VideoReDo

ralondon

New Member
Hi there

I am having an issue with videos recorded from a Humax HDR-FOX T2 and edited in VideoReDo.

The original file is in a .TS format. If I edit the video in VideoReDo, or even make no cuts and just re-mux it, then save it in the same again into the .TS format, when played back on the Humax there is no Fast Forward or Rewind function (which obviously work in the original file).

VDR strips out the metadata from the resultant file which I understand is needed for FF/RW to work.

I am using the standard Humax firmware.

Does any know if there is a way of preserving information for files edited in VDR so the FF/RW still work?

Thanks in anticipation!
 
Hi there

I am having an issue with videos recorded from a Humax HDR-FOX T2 and edited in VideoReDo.

The original file is in a .TS format. If I edit the video in VideoReDo, or even make no cuts and just re-mux it, then save it in the same again into the .TS format, when played back on the Humax there is no Fast Forward or Rewind function (which obviously work in the original file).

VDR strips out the metadata from the resultant file which I understand is needed for FF/RW to work.

I am using the standard Humax firmware.

Does any know if there is a way of preserving information for files edited in VDR so the FF/RW still work?

Thanks in anticipation!
Although the original files from the T2 are named with the .ts file extension they are actually in the .m2ts format. Edits in VideoRedo should therefore be saved in .m2ts format then renamed to .ts. Once imported back to the T2 use the sidecar utility to update the .hmt file and create a new .nts file. Seeking will then work. This sidecar utility is only available if you have the custom firmware installed. Otherwise you will have to use the PC utility AV2HDR-T2 to create the sidecar files as Graham has already said.
 
And yet a naked .mpg* file imported to the HDR-FOX plays with full transport control (FF/RW/skip/scroll), so an alternative is to export the VRD output as .mpg*.

The HDR-FOX seems to expect a .ts to have the appropriate sidecars, and has a fit if not. Skip and scroll still work though, so I don't regard lack of FF/RW ability a major loss.

* Correction: this should read .mp4.
 
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And yet a naked .mpg file imported to the HDR-FOX plays with full transport control (FF/RW/skip/scroll), so an alternative is to export the VRD output as .mpg.
I don't own an HDR-FOX so cannot speak for that, but just to make it clear, on the HDR-FOX T2 there are no transport controls available in the SUI for an .mpg import, other than resume from last played position provided by the .hmi file.
Since the OP's query was about the HDR-FOX T2, then using .mpg output from VideoRedo is really not an option.
 
Sorry, I meant .mp4. I have .mp4 files on an HDR-FOX, and they play with full transport control as I stated above. It was not speculation, I tried it before I posted (but with a slip of the pen).

(And insisting on calling it an "HDR-FOX t2" when AFAIK there is no other kind of HDR-FOX is just pedantic.)
 
Hi there all

Thank you for the replies thus far. I have tried the following suggestions as a result of the feedback:

1) saving as an .mpg file from VDR - this didn't work
2) saving as an .m2ts file then renaming to .ts or.mpg - this didn't work either.

It seems that any file outputs from VDR simply won't work properly in the Humax (in terms of FF/RW).

I have tried saving to .mp4 straight from VDR and this didn't work either.

I did, however, convert a VDR edited .TS file to MPEG-4 720p (although I know it isn't an HD file) using WinFF and it works perfectly. The only problem is the time it takes to edit in VDR, save in VDR then convert again in WinFF. I'm not sure why the Humax views these particular files without a problem and not the other formats?

Maybe the only option is to use AV2HDR-T2 as suggested. Is this another time-consuming conversion process or does the operation work fairly quickly?
 
.ts, .mpg, .mp4 etc are "wrappers" - within them the video and audio data (and other data streams) can be encoded in a variety of formats, while the wrapper specification itself defines how the multiple streams are multiplexed together into the one file. Maybe the HDR-FOX is sensitive to the codecs used within the wrapper.
 
Hi there all

Thank you for the replies thus far. I have tried the following suggestions as a result of the feedback:

1) saving as an .mpg file from VDR - this didn't work
2) saving as an .m2ts file then renaming to .ts or.mpg - this didn't work either.

It seems that any file outputs from VDR simply won't work properly in the Humax (in terms of FF/RW).

I have tried saving to .mp4 straight from VDR and this didn't work either.

I did, however, convert a VDR edited .TS file to MPEG-4 720p (although I know it isn't an HD file) using WinFF and it works perfectly. The only problem is the time it takes to edit in VDR, save in VDR then convert again in WinFF. I'm not sure why the Humax views these particular files without a problem and not the other formats?

Maybe the only option is to use AV2HDR-T2 as suggested. Is this another time-consuming conversion process or does the operation work fairly quickly?
It's all in post #3. In VideoReDo save as an m2ts file (without transcoding) and change the extension to ts. Copy to the HDR-FOX, keeping the original hmt file. Use the sidecar package (custom firmware) to update the hmt file and create a new nts file. You will then have full transport controls on the HDR-FOX. Depending on the length of the recording it may take a few minutes to create the nts file (usually less than 10 mins). If you want to use AV2-HDRT2 on a PC instead, you might need to transcode the audio track in VideoReDo first. This is not necessary for the MP2 audio tracks used in most standard def. recordings, but it does not process the type of AAC audio used in all high def. and some standard def. recordings (e.g. those from Film 4+1). AAC audio can be transcoded to Dolby Digital (AC3), for example.
 
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Hi there all

Thank you for the replies thus far. I have tried the following suggestions as a result of the feedback:

1) saving as an .mpg file from VDR - this didn't work
2) saving as an .m2ts file then renaming to .ts or.mpg - this didn't work either.

It seems that any file outputs from VDR simply won't work properly in the Humax (in terms of FF/RW).

I have tried saving to .mp4 straight from VDR and this didn't work either.

I did, however, convert a VDR edited .TS file to MPEG-4 720p (although I know it isn't an HD file) using WinFF and it works perfectly. The only problem is the time it takes to edit in VDR, save in VDR then convert again in WinFF. I'm not sure why the Humax views these particular files without a problem and not the other formats?

Maybe the only option is to use AV2HDR-T2 as suggested. Is this another time-consuming conversion process or does the operation work fairly quickly?

As there is no significant recoding of the video content AV2HDR runs pretty quickly. Incidentally 720 lines and over is considered to be HD.
 
2) saving as an .m2ts file then renaming to .ts - this didn't work either.
No, because you still need to use the sidecar plug-in to create the necessary sidecar files. If you don't have the custom firmware installed then you won't have this option available to you.
Maybe the only option is to use AV2HDR-T2 as suggested. Is this another time-consuming conversion process or does the operation work fairly quickly?
Without installing the custom firmware your options are limited. AV2HDR-T2 runs fairly quickly, taking a couple of minutes to process an SD recording.
 
Thanks again for the responses

I've re-read the instructions and, hands up, I missed the point that custom firmware is required (although I had specified I was using original firmware).

I was aware 720 lines is considered HD. What I meant was that I converted the original SD VDR file using the MPEG-4 720p preset in WinFF. The result was perfect - good quality video, a file size just shy of the original .TS file and full functionality in playback. I'd be happy to go with this method except for the fact it's not far off a real time conversion and just takes too long.

Thanks for the advice on AV2HDR run time. I have a large collection of videos so this is an important aspect but I'll give it a go!

Thanks again to all.
 
Just had a play. If you save VideoRedo output as H264 MP4 format, setting the 'Profile Options' audio encoding type to AAC you will get an mp4 that will play on your T2 with full transport controls.
Hint: If you check the 'Save as new profile' box you can then edit your modified profile name to something like 'HDR-FOX-T2 H264 MP4' and save it. It will then become available in the profile list for future use.
 
Sorry, I meant .mp4. I have .mp4 files on an HDR-FOX, and they play with full transport control as I stated above. It was not speculation, I tried it before I posted (but with a slip of the pen).

(And insisting on calling it an "HDR-FOX t2" when AFAIK there is no other kind of HDR-FOX is just pedantic.)
Sorry, I wasn't being pedantic. I simply misread your post to mean HD-FOX because you didn't give it the full title. I said I didn't own an HDR-FOX, when in fact I do, confusing the all-important 'R' with 'T2'. Senior moment, but we can all make a slip can't we, whether it be with pen or brain. :confused:
 
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The full title is also HD-FOX T2, so either way...

We have no reason to suspect the HD-FOX would behave any differently regarding playback, but I'm pleased you have found a formula that works for outputting MP4 from VRD.
 
The full title is also HD-FOX T2, so either way...
As I already explained, we can all make a mistake...
We have no reason to suspect the HD-FOX would behave any differently regarding playback
Who's we ? I don't own an HD-FOX so I will not make assumptions regarding that box (which is the one I thought you were talking about). What 'we' do know is that imported .mpg's don't have transport controls on the HDR-FOX (which is what you said originally).
Once again, we can all make mistakes...
I'm pleased you have found a formula that works for outputting MP4 from VRD.
What video source, and what VRD profile settings did you use to generate the mp4 that played successfully on your box ?
 
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No differences between the playback capabilities of the HDR-FOX and the HD-FOX have ever been noted (not on this forum, anyway).
 
Eureka!! Thank you so much Raydon - your solution seems work perfectly, I'm very grateful to you.

I just want to check video quality from input to output, but on a short clip I use for testing it looks pretty good!!

Thanks again (also for the tip about saving the profile) - I hope this will also be of use to others on the forum.
 
If the process was quick, there was no re-encoding of the video and the quality will be exactly the same as was input in the first place.

I have flagged the tip in the video manipulation section, HERE (click).
 
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