Aox

Encode your videos in XVID/DIVX, at 900k or lower video bitrate, at 640 x 360 resolution or smaller, with mp3 audio codec and audio bitrate of 128, and a final file size of 950 MB or lower, and you will have success.

I'd be interested in the info on your working MP4 files. I am the one who has found the manual to be incorrect, haven't been able to get any MP4's to play from USB/SD at all. The most glaring error in the manual is the line that says "you cannot play divx/xvid from USB/SD".

-Aox

Like I posted above, I have success with AAC audio @ 192 kbps, MP4 video at 640 kbps, screen size at 720x404, perfect for DVD to MP4 conversion, somewhat smaller than 640x480 but it keeps the original aspect ratio of the DVD.

 

With this setting, Avatar DVD yields a size of around 900 MB for 2h41m of movie.

And like I posted above, this doesn't work on an X920BT.

-Aox

I don't know about the X710, but on my X920 I wasn't able to get any video to play from USB/SD in any format other than DivX/Xvid. Bitrates had to be have been set for an average of 900 or below on video, 192 or below MP3 for audio, and the file sizes have had to be under 916 (so far tested) megabytes. I was not able to get any MP4 encoded file or WMV to display from USB/SD on my X920.

If any of those conditions are not met on my unit, the video will not play from USB/SD, in my testing so far. Playing videos from a data dvd seem to be an entirely different set of rules that I have not explored, but less stringent than USB/SD

-Aox

Ok, after failure at 1K bitrate, I tried 900, and had success.

900K is the highest bitrate I've used so far, and 846 megs is the biggest file so far.

-Aox

Ahh, I may not have been clear, I actually meant actual file size, not bitrate in my previous post.

All my successes so far have been at 750 bitrate, like yours. I tried encoding the Saving Private Ryan again, with bigger, but still sub 1gig file sizes, and got failure, but my bitrate was 1300.

Before I left work yesterday, I set up an encode for a sub 1gig file size, and a 1000kb/s bitrate, so I'll try that on my first break and see what results I get.

I was just going to be accept what I had and be happy, but no, my OCD nerdbrain has to know exactly what file size is too big and what bitrate is too high, according to the actual unit XD

-Aox

I wanted to follow up there. After rgarjr's post, I tried XVID and got the same successes as I did with DIVX.

As for my earlier failures with Akira and Saving Private Ryan, I learned:

Akira played just fine once I brought the resolution down to 640 x 360. No problems at all. 846 meg file.

Saving Private Ryan, encoded EXACTLY the same as Akira, but output to a 1.0GB file, did not work. I could not get this to work with any encoding... HOWEVER...

Once I split it into chunks, it worked fine. I don't know the exact range, but I DO know an 846 meg file worked, and a 1,104 meg file did NOT work. The 1,104 encoding, however did work once split up. So my X920 will not play files as large as 1,104. If I want to get really anal retentive about it, I'll split the SVP into chunks at -25 mb increments to see exactly how large a file can be played from SD. I don't know if I need that much info, though

-Aox

Maybe it's working, and you need to go in and select your station?

I had the same issue, it just sat there, and I was like, WTF?!

Then I hit the little dashes, and my two stations I have on Pandora were, there, selected on, and BAM! Good to go.

Maybe it's just a little UI type of thing? Touch the dashes, and see if your channels come up!

-Aox

For video conversion, I'm using a program called Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate 6. I'm using the DivX - Movie profile to encode to Divx5. Now, after I posted that last post, I tried converted Saving Private Ryan from MPEG to DivX, and while it works on my PC, doesn't work on the unit, I get the Unplayable files will be skipped error. I also encoded Akira to Divx5 from MPEG4 and it gave me a File Resolution error. I encoded both of these in their native resolutions, so evidently Akira is too high, and there' s still a problem with SPV file. Next week after the holiday I will be doing more trial and error with different bitrates and resolutions to try to get those files to play. Once I do, I'll post my findings.

I will repeat, for general knowledges sake again, that the information in the manual for the X920BT regarding USB/SD video playback is completely wrong in every way.

I posted here to AVIC411 after initiating this discussion with a fellow named Justin Reed on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic ... #post52713

-Robert

Ok, I've spent some time doing some experiments and gathering info on Video File playback on the X920 from SD.

ALL video file playback data in the manual is wrong regarding USB/SD. None of the listed video codecs, MPEG4, H.264, or WMV will play back from USB/SD.

Under DIVX information, the manual also states that "DivX files on the external storage device (USB,SD) cannot be played."

At least for my personal AVIC-X920BT, this is false.

After much experimentation, I've discovered that the ONLY video format I can get to play from USB/SD is DivX. I fought with H.264, mpeg4, and wmv for DAYS, trying to get things to work.

Today, I got frustrated and just threw a bunch of random car vids on the MicroSD and gave it a shot, and sure enough some worked! I was convinced NO video would work from SD. So I brought the card back inside and analyzed the codecs on the working files, and all were encoded DIVX5 for video, MP3 for audio.

So, if you are getting frustrated trying to get video running from USB/SD, please IGNORE THE MANUAL, encode your files in DIVX5 or DIVX6, and you should be good to go.

-Aox

You know, I definitely would've, but didn't have the extra buck fifty for the install after dropping the 820 for the unit and harnesses/cables. However, when I do the amp/sub/speaker installs, I'll go ahead and have them do it, if they'll let me hang out and help. I really would rather do it all myself, but there are some fabrication skills I lack. I did ask them about the price, and if they're making their margins, and they said "oh yeah, no worries. Pioneer sends us stuff, and we install it, we're not that worried about the price. I was like, right on, is there a PIO500 code? XD

-Aox

So I've been looking at upgrading my stock 2005 Scion XB radio for the past few months, ever since I left Crackberry land and jumped on the Iphone bandwagon. I started out wanting the P3200. Then I was like, mm, bluetooth, ok, I'll get the 3200BT. Then, Woo, the 4200, it's got a bigger screen! Then hey wait, if I want to add nav and BT later that puts it close the nav units. So I ended up looking at Eclipse units, The new Alpine INA-900, the Sony XAV-BT7, etc etc. Then I decided I needed this new Z120 coming out! Wait, it's not out yet? Hm... Wait, it's how much more? Hmm... Then I saw this post...

So I went to Al and Eds page, and checked out the price... Damn... 750... So I went to order...

Well, no go, I'm in Southern California... They don't ship here, as they're all over.

So I called Al and Ed's in Orange, and talked to Steve. Turns out they accept the PIO250 code in-store as well!

I just had one of the best, most positive purchase experiences of my life. Steve, and Brett, the head installer there, gave me tons of tips on doing the install, kicked me down a bunch of crimp caps, and somehow the harness came magically bypassed. Im SURE they didn't do it, though. That would be bad. It was the bypass elves.

Now... I'm an R/C heli flyer, and this extra service came after I showed off the XB full of Nitro and Electric R/C helis, and they were pretty stoked about that I did want to confirm however, that if you're in SoCal, they fully honor this discount in-store, and were stupidly cool about it.

Those dudes have won my car audio biz for life, straight up.

-Aox