(0032325)
Joachim Pouderoux (developer)
2014-02-14 06:24

The difference is due to the Codec used to compress the Video (remember AVI is just a container file which can embeds different compressed streams).
Under Windows, ParaView will use the default "CRAM - Microsoft Video 1" codec provided by the MS VideoForWindow library (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Video_1 [^]) - see VTK's vtkAVIWriter.cxx. This codec is old and quite inefficient in comparison with today codecs. VTK's class allow to specify the codec type through the 'FourCC' code, but ParaView do not expose this capability.

For sure under Linux the default codec is different and use FFMPEG library.

I would recommand to generate Ogg movies instead.

(0032455)
Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer)
2014-03-04 14:40

I've pushed a branch[1] which exposes the compressor support through ParaView. I also have a commit which makes it prefer FFmpeg if available, but that can be removed if needed. Recommended to use this VTK patch[2] with the branch to avoid buffer overflows (which is why the ParaView branch is not on stage yet).

[1]http://review.source.kitware.com/#/t/4028/ [^]
[2]http://review.source.kitware.com/#/t/4027/ [^]

(0032471)
Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer)
2014-03-10 19:46

The VTK update is now on next. The ParaView part needs some more work.

(0032494)
Utkarsh Ayachit (administrator)
2014-03-20 08:32

Topics merged in master
(VTK) 14258-remote-polyhedra
        14580-top-level-checkbox
        14584-frequency-live-view
(VTK) 14614-report-numpy
(VTK) 14615-volume-rendering-tet-crash
        animation-movie-compressor-support
(VTK) catalyst-web-interactive-composite
        data_template_redefine
(VTK) enable_subclassing_vtkControlPointsItems
        ensemble-reader
        expand_fragment_integration
        fix-variable-referece
        fix_qt5_dashboard_failures
(VTK) probe_enhancements
        sciberquest-test-timeout

(0032927)
Alan Scott (manager)
2014-06-26 18:59

Fails for me, saying can't compress. Asking Kitware for feedback.

(0032991)
Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer)
2014-07-08 15:41

Unfortunately, it seems that there is no other (better[1]) encoder available on all Windows installs. My recommendation is to use OGG video or enable FFmpeg support which will be preferred to Windows' built-in encoder for AVI files. I've reverted back to using the MSVC encoder (the avi-compression branch).

[1]The only other codecs I could find on a stock install were I420 and IYUV which both seem to be raw, uncompressed image streams.

(0032992)
Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer)
2014-07-08 15:55

FWIW, the MSVC codec which worked on my machine came out at ~3.7 MB. The YUV files came out at 32 MB.

(0033006)
Utkarsh Ayachit (administrator)
2014-07-11 09:52

commit ff04974d7a161caa628fe0007b895c1aae7b4e57
Author: Ben Boeckel <ben.boeckel@kitware.com>
Date: Tue Jul 8 15:38:49 2014 -0400

    avi: use MSVC again

    Seems that MP43 is not a universal encoder, but only decoder.

    Change-Id: Ic17e584cb29132076365aff80febed4d9378978d

(0033010)
Utkarsh Ayachit (administrator)
2014-07-11 09:54

SUMMARY
---------------------------------------------
Topics merged into master:
        0014846-update-benchmarks
        13575_site_settings_search_paths
        14830_initial_opacity_function_display
        api_cleanup
        avi-compression
        dashboard-warnings
        tree_widget_height
        volume-rendering-catalyst
(VTK) vtkweb-arg-for-custom-ws-endpoint

(0033118)
Alan Scott (manager)
2014-07-28 20:20

Tried testing with Kitware nightly, 7/28. File sizes were the same compressed and not compressed, and both were about 9.75 MBytes. I asked Kitware for feedback.

(0033276)
Alan Scott (manager)
2014-08-20 18:26

Closing this bug. From what I know:
* The previous codec on Windows doesn't work for Windows 7.
* Codecs we are using are the only good ones available.
* Observed behavior is what we get. For better solutions, create a flipbook, and make a .avi movie with an app that is designed to do this. Further, they probably pay a licensing fee for a better codec. We're open source - we don't pay license fees.

Issue History
Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
2014-02-13 14:12	Alan Scott	New Issue
2014-02-14 06:24	Joachim Pouderoux	Note Added: 0032325
2014-02-27 15:46	Utkarsh Ayachit	Assigned To	=> Ben Boeckel (Kitware)
2014-03-04 14:40	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Note Added: 0032455
2014-03-10 19:46	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Note Added: 0032471
2014-03-11 15:34	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Topic Name	=> animation-movie-compressor-support
2014-03-11 15:34	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Status	backlog => gatekeeper review
2014-03-11 15:34	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Fixed in Version	=> git-next
2014-03-11 15:34	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Resolution	open => fixed
2014-03-20 08:31	Utkarsh Ayachit	Fixed in Version	git-next => git-master
2014-03-20 08:32	Utkarsh Ayachit	Status	gatekeeper review => customer review
2014-03-20 08:32	Utkarsh Ayachit	Note Added: 0032494
2014-06-17 09:22	Utkarsh Ayachit	Target Version	=> 4.2
2014-06-26 18:59	Alan Scott	Note Added: 0032927
2014-06-27 07:33	Utkarsh Ayachit	Status	customer review => todo
2014-07-08 15:41	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Note Added: 0032991
2014-07-08 15:55	Ben Boeckel (Kitware)	Note Added: 0032992
2014-07-11 09:52	Utkarsh Ayachit	Topic Name	animation-movie-compressor-support => avi-compression
2014-07-11 09:52	Utkarsh Ayachit	Note Added: 0033006
2014-07-11 09:52	Utkarsh Ayachit	Status	todo => gatekeeper review
2014-07-11 09:54	Utkarsh Ayachit	Status	gatekeeper review => backlog
2014-07-11 09:54	Utkarsh Ayachit	Note Added: 0033010
2014-07-16 16:54	Utkarsh Ayachit	Status	backlog => gatekeeper review
2014-07-16 16:54	Utkarsh Ayachit	Status	gatekeeper review => customer review
2014-07-28 20:20	Alan Scott	Note Added: 0033118
2014-08-20 18:26	Alan Scott	Note Added: 0033276
2014-08-20 18:26	Alan Scott	Status	customer review => closed
2014-08-29 10:59	Utkarsh Ayachit	Fixed in Version	git-master => 4.2

Notes
(0032325) Joachim Pouderoux (developer) 2014-02-14 06:24	The difference is due to the Codec used to compress the Video (remember AVI is just a container file which can embeds different compressed streams). Under Windows, ParaView will use the default "CRAM - Microsoft Video 1" codec provided by the MS VideoForWindow library (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Video_1 [^]) - see VTK's vtkAVIWriter.cxx. This codec is old and quite inefficient in comparison with today codecs. VTK's class allow to specify the codec type through the 'FourCC' code, but ParaView do not expose this capability. For sure under Linux the default codec is different and use FFMPEG library. I would recommand to generate Ogg movies instead.

(0032455) Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer) 2014-03-04 14:40	I've pushed a branch[1] which exposes the compressor support through ParaView. I also have a commit which makes it prefer FFmpeg if available, but that can be removed if needed. Recommended to use this VTK patch[2] with the branch to avoid buffer overflows (which is why the ParaView branch is not on stage yet). [1]http://review.source.kitware.com/#/t/4028/ [^] [2]http://review.source.kitware.com/#/t/4027/ [^]

(0032471) Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer) 2014-03-10 19:46	The VTK update is now on next. The ParaView part needs some more work.

(0032494) Utkarsh Ayachit (administrator) 2014-03-20 08:32	Topics merged in master (VTK) 14258-remote-polyhedra 14580-top-level-checkbox 14584-frequency-live-view (VTK) 14614-report-numpy (VTK) 14615-volume-rendering-tet-crash animation-movie-compressor-support (VTK) catalyst-web-interactive-composite data_template_redefine (VTK) enable_subclassing_vtkControlPointsItems ensemble-reader expand_fragment_integration fix-variable-referece fix_qt5_dashboard_failures (VTK) probe_enhancements sciberquest-test-timeout

(0032927) Alan Scott (manager) 2014-06-26 18:59	Fails for me, saying can't compress. Asking Kitware for feedback.

(0032991) Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer) 2014-07-08 15:41	Unfortunately, it seems that there is no other (better[1]) encoder available on all Windows installs. My recommendation is to use OGG video or enable FFmpeg support which will be preferred to Windows' built-in encoder for AVI files. I've reverted back to using the MSVC encoder (the avi-compression branch). [1]The only other codecs I could find on a stock install were I420 and IYUV which both seem to be raw, uncompressed image streams.

(0032992) Ben Boeckel (Kitware) (developer) 2014-07-08 15:55	FWIW, the MSVC codec which worked on my machine came out at ~3.7 MB. The YUV files came out at 32 MB.

(0033006) Utkarsh Ayachit (administrator) 2014-07-11 09:52	commit ff04974d7a161caa628fe0007b895c1aae7b4e57 Author: Ben Boeckel <ben.boeckel@kitware.com> Date: Tue Jul 8 15:38:49 2014 -0400 avi: use MSVC again Seems that MP43 is not a universal encoder, but only decoder. Change-Id: Ic17e584cb29132076365aff80febed4d9378978d

(0033010) Utkarsh Ayachit (administrator) 2014-07-11 09:54	SUMMARY --------------------------------------------- Topics merged into master: 0014846-update-benchmarks 13575_site_settings_search_paths 14830_initial_opacity_function_display api_cleanup avi-compression dashboard-warnings tree_widget_height volume-rendering-catalyst (VTK) vtkweb-arg-for-custom-ws-endpoint

(0033118) Alan Scott (manager) 2014-07-28 20:20	Tried testing with Kitware nightly, 7/28. File sizes were the same compressed and not compressed, and both were about 9.75 MBytes. I asked Kitware for feedback.

(0033276) Alan Scott (manager) 2014-08-20 18:26	Closing this bug. From what I know: * The previous codec on Windows doesn't work for Windows 7. * Codecs we are using are the only good ones available. * Observed behavior is what we get. For better solutions, create a flipbook, and make a .avi movie with an app that is designed to do this. Further, they probably pay a licensing fee for a better codec. We're open source - we don't pay license fees.

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