PSP Firmware 2.80: Video Tips and Tricks

The release of the PSP Firmware 2.80 a few days ago has been welcomed by some and dreaded by others. Some of you even said that we should expect an updated DevHook version which emulates FW2.80, well let’s just hope that their legal woes don’t multiply so that they could dish out something new. For now, there are a lot of you who has updated to FW2.80, including a guy who goes by the monicker, Ghim. According to him, he has tested the video support with the updated version (although he had only tested with files placed in the “VIDEO” directory) and discovered a few things:

– Videos in the “VIDEO” directory can have any naming you want ! (no more MAQ*.mp4 naming required !!). However, the title of the video that appears on the PSP is now based on the file name and not on the information inside the file anymore and the thumbnail (.thm file) didn’t work anymore in the “VIDEO” directory.

– Atomchanger is not required anymore! I’ve been able to create valid files using only megui and avisynth. I’ve tested with 2 videos (25fps 320×240 with 48kHz sound and 25fps 368×208 with 44kHz sound) and they both worked fine.

– The PSP seems to do a check on the reported Profile/Level. I’ve found that “Main Profile – Level 2.1” and “Baseline Profile – Level 1.3” worked but I haven’t had any success with anything else. By example, “Main Profile – Level 1.3”, “Baseline Profile – Level 2.1” or “Main Profile – Unrestricted Level” didn’t work….I’ve done some further testing and it seems some cases that didn’t work were because of a problem in my x264 settings at the time of the test. Actually, for the Main Profile, any level set <= 2.1 seems to work. I’ve tried exactly the same settings (PD-PSP profile from megui) with level set a 1.3, 2, 2.1, 2.2 and Unrestricted. Files with level set at 1.3, 2 and 2.1 worked.

-The PSP videos that can be downloaded from “Google Video” website reports a level of 5.1 and are rejected by the PSP.

-I suspect videos encoded using PSPVideo9 are affected by the same problem and can’t play in the “VIDEO” folder. – Video Encoding for the PSP is now much easier than it has ever been…Standard encoding tools can be used. By example megui (using x264 neroaacenc mp4box) avisynth can be used and gives really great results.

-Files with .m4v extension works. It seems that files can use either .mp4 or m4v extension.

Ghim was able to download some movie trailers encoded for the iPod from the QuickTime website. According to him, he renamed his downloads to .mp4 and copied them to his PSP. “They played fine” according to him. He also tried to keep the original .m4v extension and they worked as well. He was able to play the “Ratatouille” Teaser (320×132 AVC @ 23.976fps Video, 44100kHz AAC Audio) and the “A Scanner Darkly” Trailer (320×172 AVC @ 24.000fps Video, 44100kHz AAC Audio). Most likely, Sony implemented this feature to use the PSP to use “already existing video podcasts.”

Take note that these are only his personal findings and if someone could confirm them, it would be good. Two heads are better than one, as they say. So you’re on your own if you try it out. What do you think of Ghim’s findings? Do you have something to share about FW 2.80? Then let us know through your comments.

Via Ghim

The release of the PSP Firmware 2.80 a few days ago has been welcomed by some and dreaded by others. Some of you even said that we should expect an updated DevHook version which emulates FW2.80, well let’s just hope that their legal woes don’t multiply so that they could dish out something new. For now, there are a lot of you who has updated to FW2.80, including a guy who goes by the monicker, Ghim. According to him, he has tested the video support with the updated version (although he had only tested with files placed in the “VIDEO” directory) and discovered a few things:

– Videos in the “VIDEO” directory can have any naming you want ! (no more MAQ*.mp4 naming required !!). However, the title of the video that appears on the PSP is now based on the file name and not on the information inside the file anymore and the thumbnail (.thm file) didn’t work anymore in the “VIDEO” directory.

– Atomchanger is not required anymore! I’ve been able to create valid files using only megui and avisynth. I’ve tested with 2 videos (25fps 320×240 with 48kHz sound and 25fps 368×208 with 44kHz sound) and they both worked fine.

– The PSP seems to do a check on the reported Profile/Level. I’ve found that “Main Profile – Level 2.1” and “Baseline Profile – Level 1.3” worked but I haven’t had any success with anything else. By example, “Main Profile – Level 1.3”, “Baseline Profile – Level 2.1” or “Main Profile – Unrestricted Level” didn’t work….I’ve done some further testing and it seems some cases that didn’t work were because of a problem in my x264 settings at the time of the test. Actually, for the Main Profile, any level set <= 2.1 seems to work. I’ve tried exactly the same settings (PD-PSP profile from megui) with level set a 1.3, 2, 2.1, 2.2 and Unrestricted. Files with level set at 1.3, 2 and 2.1 worked.

-The PSP videos that can be downloaded from “Google Video” website reports a level of 5.1 and are rejected by the PSP.

-I suspect videos encoded using PSPVideo9 are affected by the same problem and can’t play in the “VIDEO” folder. – Video Encoding for the PSP is now much easier than it has ever been…Standard encoding tools can be used. By example megui (using x264 neroaacenc mp4box) avisynth can be used and gives really great results.

-Files with .m4v extension works. It seems that files can use either .mp4 or m4v extension.

Ghim was able to download some movie trailers encoded for the iPod from the QuickTime website. According to him, he renamed his downloads to .mp4 and copied them to his PSP. “They played fine” according to him. He also tried to keep the original .m4v extension and they worked as well. He was able to play the “Ratatouille” Teaser (320×132 AVC @ 23.976fps Video, 44100kHz AAC Audio) and the “A Scanner Darkly” Trailer (320×172 AVC @ 24.000fps Video, 44100kHz AAC Audio). Most likely, Sony implemented this feature to use the PSP to use “already existing video podcasts.”

Take note that these are only his personal findings and if someone could confirm them, it would be good. Two heads are better than one, as they say. So you’re on your own if you try it out. What do you think of Ghim’s findings? Do you have something to share about FW 2.80? Then let us know through your comments.

Via Ghim