Best format for encoding movies/TV

[Robert256]

I have been encoding movies and TV shows to watch on my PPC (iPAQ 5550) for some time now, and I am trying to decide on the best format for video on PPC.

I have had excellent results encoding video as OGM files, using Divx 5.1 (250 kpbs, 3-pass) to code the video and Ogg Vorbis (94 kbps, stereo) to encode the audio. I like this format a lot. But the only player (unless I am mistaken) for OGM files is Pocket MVP. Now, when I use Pocket MVP to play video, I have a number of problems with the program. Every 5-10 minutes, the video pauses or gets stuttery while Pocket MVP reloads the buffer; the video and audio often get out of sync when I skip around the video; skipping forward/backward in general does not work very well; and the program seems a bit unstable and sometimes my PPC freezes, requiring a soft reset.

So my first question is, is this normal for Pocket MVP? I do have the latest version loaded. If there is a way to get Pocket MVP working better, this would be my preferred solution.

The other option is to encode the videos as MPEG files and use Pocket TV to play them back. Pocket TV seems to work wonderfully and it is a joy to watch videos on it. However, I don't like the MPEG format, so I am not very happy with this solution.

Can anyone help me with some suggestions?

Thanks,

Robert

[PoweriPaq]

I had the same problem, I suggest you look for PocketMVP by WinCESoft. It works better on my iPaq with WM2003. http://www.wincesoft.de/html/downloads.html

[Robert256]

Actually PocketMVP is the program I have been using, which has been giving me problems. Pocket TV works much better, but it forces me to encode the videos using the MPEG format.

I guess MPEG is not bad, it's just that I put a lot of effort into developing an encoding technique using Divx and Ogg Vorbis and I hate to not be able to use it ...

[Janak Parekh]

I think (unless I'm mistaken) that PoweriPaq's point is that WinCESoft has a special build of PocketMVP that solves some issues with WM2003...

--janak

[Robert256]

OK, I get the point now.. :-)

Actually I am already using the version for WM2003, that is the version which has the problems I listed.

Do other people also experience these issues with PocketMVP for WM2003?

[copernicus]

Robert256,

Are you using a microdrive? If you are not, then go to advaced tab and de-select the cache. It is not to be used with a memory card. See if that helps.

-c.

[Robert256]

Copernicus,

Thank you! I am not using a microdrive, so I turned off the cache as you suggested. It seems that has fixed the problem!

Now I can watch my movies in OGM format, with the gorgeous Ogg Vorbis sound :-)

[copernicus]

Robert256,

Glad to help out!

BTW, I am curious... how do you go about encoding your movies in OGM format?

-c.