Free H.264 MVC 3D Encoder

[videofan3d]

(Project is mirrored on site videofan3d)

Intel Media SDK provides framework for MPEG2, H.264 AVC/MVC-3D, and H.265 HEVC encoding and decoding.
SDK is supported on Windows 7, Windows 8.x, Windows 10 and it can be freely distributed and used.
Intel Media SDK is probably the only platform providing free MVC-3D encoding capabilities (end of 2013).

FRIM is free SW package based on patterns and examples from this SDK.

FRIM Encoder (command-line tool) converts planar-yuv file, named pipe, uncompressed avi or Avisynth script into elementary MPEG2, H.264 AVC/MVC-3D or H.265 HEVC streams.
Resulting elementary video streams can be then multiplexed into transport stream (.ts, .m2ts) or Blu-ray directory structure.
tsMuxeR 2.1.2 (and higher) is needed for 3D Blu-ray multiplexing.

FRIM Decoder (command-line tool) converts elementary or transport streams (MPEG2, H.264 AVC/MVC-3D, H.265 HEVC, VC1) into planar-yuv. Output can be either regular file or Windows named pipe.
Output to a pipe allows further YUV processing without consumption of enormous diskspace.

FRIM Source is Avisynth plugin for sequential reading of elementary or transport streams (MPEG2, H.264 AVC/MVC-3D, H.265 HEVC, VC1) in Avisynth scripts.

FRIM Export is plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro (CS6) for direct export and encoding to MPEG2, H.264 AVC/MVC-3D or H.265 HEVC elementary streams

FRIM Import is plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro (CS6) for import of 3D-material recorded in AVCHD-3D format (produced by camcorders like Sony HXR-NX3D1 or Panasonic Z10000).
FRIM Import and FRIM Export together support rendering workflow without re-encoding to any intermediate format.

FRIM executables and documentation can be downloaded from:
2020-03-08: FRIM version 1.31 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth 2.6.0 (Intel Media SDK 2019 R1)
2020-03-08: FRIM version 1.31 (x64) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding (also HEVC), Adobe Premiere Pro and Avisynth+ (Intel Media SDK 2019 R1) - HEVC 10-bit support

2019-04-16: FRIM version 1.30 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth 2.6.0 (Intel Media SDK 2018 R2) - maintenance release
2019-04-16: FRIM version 1.30 (x64) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding (also HEVC), Adobe Premiere Pro and Avisynth+ (Intel Media SDK 2018 R2) - maintenance release

2018-07-09: FRIM version 1.29 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth 2.6.0 (Intel Media SDK 2018 R1)
2018-07-09: FRIM version 1.29 (x64) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding (also HEVC), Adobe Premiere Pro and Avisynth+ (Intel Media SDK 2018 R1)

2017-07-08: FRIM version 1.27 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth 2.6.0 (Intel Media SDK 2017 R1)
2017-07-08: FRIM version 1.27 (x64) - suitable for Adobe Premiere Pro and Avisynth+ (Intel Media SDK 2017 R1)

2016-01-16: FRIM version 1.26 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth 2.6.0 (Intel Media SDK 2016)
2016-01-16: FRIM version 1.26 (x64) - suitable for Adobe Premiere Pro and Avisynth+ (Intel Media SDK 2016)

2015-05-10: FRIMSource64.dll (x64) - 64-bit version of FRIM decoder (FRIMSource) for AviSynth+ (64-bit).
2015-03-28: FRIM version 1.25 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth (Intel Media SDK - INDE 2015 Update 1)
2015-03-28: FRIM version 1.25 (x64) - suitable for Adobe Premiere Pro (Intel Media SDK - INDE 2015 Update 1)

2015-02-28: FRIM version 1.24 (withdrawn)

2014-03-22: FRIM version 1.23 (x86) - suitable for direct decoding/encoding and Avisynth
2014-03-22: FRIM version 1.23 (x64) - suitable for Adobe Premiere Pro
2014-03-22: FRIM version 1.23 - Premiere - example of Adobe Premiere project

2014-02-02: FRIM version 1.22 (withdrawn)
2014-01-25: FRIM version 1.21 (withdrawn)
2014-01-13: FRIM version 1.20 (withdrawn)
2014-01-03: FRIM version 1.19 (withdrawn)
2013-11-26: FRIM version 1.18 (withdrawn)
2013-11-21: FRIM version 1.16 (withdrawn)
2013-11-12: FRIM version 1.15 (withdrawn)
2013-11-07: FRIM version 1.11 (withdrawn)
2013-11-05: FRIM version 1.10 (withdrawn)
2013-10-29: FRIM version 1.00 (withdrawn)

[HWK]

Originally Posted by videofan3d

Intel Media SDK provides framework for MPEG2, H.264 AVC and H.264 MVC-3D encoding and decoding.
SDK is supported on Windows 7, Windows 8.x, and it can be freely distributed and used.

FRIM Encoder and FRIM Decoder are free command-line tools based on modification of examples from this SDK.


FRIM Encoder converts planar-yuv file, named pipe, uncompressed avi or Avisynth script into elementary MPEG2, H.264 AVC or MVC-3D streams.
Resulting elementary video streams can be then multiplexed into transport stream (.ts, .m2ts) or Blu-ray directory structure.
Input from named pipes, avi-files and Avisynth scripts allows connection of FRIM Encoder to NLE Editing systems like Adobe Premiere
(via frame-server even without consumption of enormous diskspace).

Intel Media SDK is probably the only platform providing free MVC-3D encoding capabilities.
tsMuxeR 2.1.2 (and higher) is needed for 3D Blu-ray multiplexing.

FRIM Decoder converts elementary MPEG2, H.264 AVC or MVC-3D streams into planar-yuv. Output can be either regular file or Windows named pipe.
Output to named pipe allows further YUV processing without consumption of enormous diskspace.


FRIM executables and documentation can be downloaded from:
FRIM version 1.00

Nice job, Although I already have encoder for MVC but will try out this one as well. Also would it be possible to provide encoder options, specially quality ones.

[tymoxa]

videofan3d
Thanks for your effort.
FRIM Decoder seems to work, but FRIM Encoder gives me an "Unknown codec" error (h264/mpeg2/mvc codec with .yuv/.avi/.avs/.pipe input).
My Cpu is an old Core2Duo.

[HWK]

Originally Posted by tymoxa

videofan3d
Thanks for your effort.
FRIM Decoder seems to work, but FRIM Encoder gives me an "Unknown codec" error (h264/mpeg2/mvc codec with .yuv/.avi/.avs/.pipe input).
My Cpu is an old Core2Duo.

What file you are you trying to work with.

[videofan3d]

Originally Posted by tymoxa

videofan3d
Thanks for your effort.
FRIM Decoder seems to work, but FRIM Encoder gives me an "Unknown codec" error (h264/mpeg2/mvc codec with .yuv/.avi/.avs/.pipe input).
My Cpu is an old Core2Duo.

You need to have at least Win7 - I tested both on W7/W8/64-bit, but FRIM itself is 32-bit application)

You probably need to have installed proper codecs for VFW API. e.g. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack (10.0.5).

[HWK]

Originally Posted by videofan3d

You need to have at least Win7 - I tested both on W7/W8/64-bit, but FRIM itself is 32-bit application)

You probably need to have installed proper codecs for VFW API. e.g. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack (10.0.5).

Just wanted to ask what kind of speed you get when encoding. Also post system specs as well.

[tymoxa]

Originally Posted by HWK

What file you are you trying to work with.

- .avs with DGSource("test.dgi").ConvertToYV12() in it
- short .avc converted to .yuv
- couple of avi/yuv created with MVCtoAVI converter
Maybe it's because my cpu support only sw mode?

[HWK]

Originally Posted by tymoxa

- .avs with DGSource("test.dgi").ConvertToYV12() in it
- short .avc converted to .yuv
- couple of avi/yuv created with MVCtoAVI converter
Maybe it's because my cpu support only sw mode?

I don't think it is software since it can gracefully fall back if software can't take advantage processing capabilities.

What kind of OS are you using.

[tymoxa]

Originally Posted by HWK

What kind of OS are you using.

Win7x32. I doubt that it's decoder related problem as i can play .avi files in Media Player Classic without using it internal filters plus i have K-Lite Codec Pack installed.

[videofan3d]

Originally Posted by tymoxa

Win7x32. I doubt that it's decoder related problem as i can play .avi files in Media Player Classic without using it internal filters plus i have K-Lite Codec Pack installed.

Please provide exact error message, the input and exact command which you are running. Then I can check.

[videofan3d]

Originally Posted by HWK

Just wanted to ask what kind of speed you get when encoding. Also post system specs as well.

I didn't perform measurements, yet (as it is time consuming )
I'll do some statistics during next weekend.

[bigotti5]

Same here using AVI, YUV , AVS
always get

Error: Unknown codec

FRIMEncode h264 –avi -i bars.avs -o bars.h264 -b 24000

[tymoxa]

It's strange but after reboot it worked with the same avs file/command line:

FRIMEncode h264 -avi -i test.avs -o output.h264 -b 20000

Testing further.

[videofan3d]

Originally Posted by bigotti5

Same here using AVI, YUV , AVS
always get

This is strange: Message "Unknown codec" should appear only (and only) if you miss keyword "h264/mpeg2/mvc".

Which Windows do you have? Win 7/32 or Win 7/64
Do you run it from command prompt (cmd.exe) or batch file?

[frencher]

Hi very good news videofan3d

Same problem for me with batch file

FRIMDecode mvc -i MVCCombined.h264 -o input.yuv

input_L.yuv and input_R.yuv OK Done...

FRIMEncode.exe mvc -i input_L.yuv -i input_R.yuv –viewoutput -o output_L.h264 -o output_R.h264 -w 1920 –h 1080 –f 23.976 -b 40000 –u 1

Return

FRIM Encoder version 1.00 (build: Oct 29 2013)
- based on Intel(R) Media SDK (version: 4.0.760.60435)

Error: Unknown codec

I have Wndows 7 x64 and i7 3930k

[videofan3d]

Originally Posted by frencher

Hi very good news videofan3d

Same problem for me with batch file

FRIMEncode.exe mvc -i input_L.yuv -i input_R.yuv –viewoutput -o output_L.h264 -o output_R.h264 -w 1920 –h 1080 –f 23.976 -b 40000 –u 1

Return


I have Wndows 7 x64 and i7 3930k

This is really strange, I cannot succeed to simulate it
I have Win8/64 and this command works - this is how I did all my tests...

Can you send me the batch file itself to check it?

[HWK]

Originally Posted by videofan3d

This is really strange, I cannot succeed to simulate it
I have Win8/64 and this command works - this is how I did all my tests...

Can you send me the batch file itself to check it?

Remind me of Jdobbs when he released BD-RB to public and all the failure occurring.

I had failure as well with uncompressed out put with YV12 color space. I couldn't create h264 or mvc file. Also side by side didn't work for me either.

I just noticed those who are having problem are on win7 including me and you are on win 8. Could it be OS or some dependency.

[videofan3d]

Unknown Codec

Guys, maybe I got it :-)

I guess you all copied the sample command "FRIMEncode ..." from PDF, right?

Please note, that PDF is generated from MS Word, and MS Word is doing some smart formatting and sometimes replaces character 0x2D (hyphen '-') by 0x96 (which also looks like hyphen!!!), but it is some "pseudo-hyphen" not recognized by cmd.exe

Please retype the command directly and manually in notepad, and it will work

[HWK]

Originally Posted by videofan3d

Guys, maybe I got it :-)

I guess you all copied the sample command "FRIMEncode ..." from PDF, right?

Please note, that PDF is generated from MS Word, and MS Word is doing some smart formatting and sometimes replaces character 0x2D (hyphen '-') by 0x96 (which also looks like hyphen!!!), but it is some "pseudo-hyphen" not recognized by cmd.exe

Please retype the command directly and manually in notepad, and it will work

Which might explain why encoder doesn't even start.

[videofan3d]

Originally Posted by frencher

FRIMEncode.exe ... –u 1

Just to comment, -u 1 is the highest quality, but also slowest encoding (naturally).
I was positively surprised with Intel Media encoding quality.
In general, I use only high bitrates, 24 mbit/s for 2D and 40 mbit/s for 3D (quality is most important for me).

As for test I encoded so far two of my own "3D-films" recorded by 3D-camcorder Panasonic Z10000 - and I didn't notice any ugly artefacts on this high bitrate.

x264 is probably better but it doesn't support MVC-3D (unfortunately there is no big demand for it... )