Vero 4k or 4k+ with MKV encoding

Hi all,

It’s been a while since I’m looking for a TV box that can reproduce smoothly an MKV file + subs with some specific characteristics.

General
Unique ID : 201406055084504275602788371884011120413 (0x9785652EE53114AC90B714A3D06B671D)
Complete name : - [BDRip 1080p FLAC] [0BCD4864].mkv
Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 4 / Version 2
File size : 1,12 GiB
Duration : 25 min 40 s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 6 249 kb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2013-11-01 16:49:24
Writing application : mkvmerge v6.0.0 (‘Coming Up For Air’) built on Jan 20 2013 09:52:00
Writing library : libebml v1.3.0 + libmatroska v1.4.0
Attachments : Designosaur-Italic.otf / Designosaur-Italic.ttf / Designosaur-Regular.ttf
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High 10@L5.1
Format settings : CABAC / 16 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, RefFrames : 16 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 25 min 40 s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23,976 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 10 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Writing library : x264 core 133 r2334 a3ac64b
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=16 / deblock=1:1:-2 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=10 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.10:0.10 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=32
/ chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-3 / threads=8 / lookahead_threads=2
/ sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=0 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=16 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2
/ b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=50
/ rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=16.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=81 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:0.70
Default : Yes
Forced : No
Audio
ID : 2
Format : FLAC
Format/Info : Free Lossless Audio Codec
Codec ID : A_FLAC
Duration : 25 min 40 s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48,0 kHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Writing library : libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)
Language : Japanese
Default : Yes
Forced : No
Text
ID : 3
Format : ASS
Codec ID : S_TEXT/ASS
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Sub Station Alpha
Compression mode : Without loss
Language : Spanish
Default : Yes
Forced : No
Menu
00:00:00.000 : es:Intro
00:02:03.039 : es:Opening
00:03:35.048 : es:Parte A
00:12:34.044 : es:Parte B
00:23:55.016 : es:Ending
00:25:24.981 : es:Avance

I’ve already tried a Raspberry and 2 more android based boxes. None of them was able to reproduce the video: some freezed 1 or 2 seg frequently, others couldn’t render the colours properly or the image was blurred.
With the Raspberry for example I tried different OS like OSMC, OpenElec, Raspbian and XBian and different configurations but none of them worked.

I set my on eyes on the Vero time ago when I first started looking but since it seems a problem with the file codecs or with the box not been able to smoothly decode the video I thought a 2Gb box wouldn’t been able neither to do it.

That’s why I wanted to post this and see if someone faced a similar problem and was able to reproduce some MKVs with similar configuration using the vero 4k or the 4k+.

I would prefer not to have to convert them nor use streaming, I wanted to have my HDD connected to the box.

Any help would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance,
Serenity

10Bit H.264 encoded files (popular encoding for anime) is currently not working well even on the Vero4K. Their will be some optimizations coming with Kodi Leia but it might still be a border case

Hi fzinken,

Indeed you’re rigth, it’s anime and yes, seems that those are not too much common codecs on video/audio encoding even if they are so used for anime. The best approach was with an android 7.1 box with 3Gb. I thought maybe a 4Gb box would do the job but I wanted a Kodi based one, not an android. That’s why I wanted to take a good look to the Vero, I’ve heard nothing but good reviews about it.

Do you know from any device able to do the job?

Thanks a lot.

A simple and old Intel NUC Celeron 847 can play Hi10p anime running Kodi under Linux.

This is an old video I recorded, my 847 playing Evangelion 3.33 encoded in x264 10bits:

That was with OpenELEC 3.x (running XMBC 12 Frodo), of course the software evolved so much and actually, with Kodi 17, it plays without any frame drop.

Same with OpenELEC 4, playing a Hi10p encode of GunBuster!:

There is no hardware acceleration for x264 10bits, so you have to look for a some perfy x86 CPU. The lowest tier Intel NUC will do the job without problems.

RAM wouldn’t make a difference.

No

In fact I thought that if the problem was that the decoding process was not enough faster a good processor + more RAM would help the GPU to decode the video faster.

Thanks Psycho for the clue, your videos are pretty awesome. Taking a look to the intel’s NUC available devices I’ve realized that those are quite more expensive than what I was expecting to spend (although they also seem more powerful). I will look for something similar a bit cheaper and with an x86-arch.

Thanks all,
Serenity

The problem is that the video has to be decoded in software; without hardware acceleration. We are working on some improvements with regards to Hi10 playback performance however. 720p is tolerable for now; but 1080p is not possible yet.

Keep in mind that HDR support isn’t possible on Intel Kodi platforms yet without a fair bit of hacking. So while the Intel machines will be able to play back legacy (Hi10) anime; you may find these devices more limiting in regards to future content.

Cheers

Sam

I had several anime that used h264 10bit codecs and in the end I had to re-encode to h265 using handbrake to stop the files from causing the vero 4k to overheat durning playback and shut down on me, I suggest that you do the same process as I did.

Any special reason why not just get x264 8 bit encode ?

Most anime files don’t say if they used 8bit or 10bit in there encoding on there file name but if you stick to certain groups then they usual stick to the 8bit when the encode the files

1 Like

I would think the Apple TV 4K would have a good chance of decoding Hi10P in software - it has a surprisingly powerful CPU. If you want something Kodi-like on it, try the MrMC app, which is a fork of Kodi Jarvis, I think(?). Although some people prefer the Infuse app.

That’s why I was looking toward the Vero sam_nazarko, I’ve read everywhere it’s one of the best, or some of the new AMLogic S912.

The best solution in the end will be:

As Metal_Masher said, even I didn’t wanted to re-encode all caps.

I just wanted to see if there’s any other solution cause I almost had it working on an Android 7.1.

I will give it a try then angry.sardine, thank you.

Thank you all

No x264 Hi10 hardware decoding. It’s all done on the CPU. You need a more beefy CPU, a cheap SoC will not be able to that in HD. You need something more beefy on the CPU side for that exotic format no one out of the anime scene ever used…

Hi TwentyWasHere

Any example on mind please?

Thanks

Sam, if I re-encoded them to H265 the vero would reproduce them smoothly, wouldn’t it?

If I finally re-encode them at least I will be able to buy the one I want :stuck_out_tongue:

Yes that’s right

I agree thats what I had to do to some of my videos that used h264 10bit (including a movie recently) and its very easy to re-encode any video using handbrake in my case as any subs in the file is transferred, the only thing you will to check if your file has multi channel audio then you need to set the app to keep it like that otherwise it will default to stereo.

I have a same problem :=) little sad about the vero4k+ only reason i got one becose i wanted a pure kodi player and it was highly recomendet as the best. the same files playing nicly on mine 7 years laptop whit i3 whit kodi. othervise the picture is great on vero4k+ . let hope the next kodi can solve the problem. Mine anime collection is big realy dont want encode just for vero in handbrake:=)

Read back through this thread and you will see that the encoding used by these anime files is non-standard and only used by anime. The CPU in a SoC system is not powerful enough to decode them, and no hardware encoder can handle them.

Instead of encoding in this odd non-standard format, rip your discs using a supported format!

Just look for the same material in x264 8 bit there is no visible difference except that the 8bit file will be slightly larger than the 10 bit. Unless you know how to fine tune the settings id keep my hands off handbrake