I tried a test myself (an HD MP4 video with no audio) and the result was an all-green screen:

http://www.magix.info/uk/test.video.812000.html?hash=2774c73909f79907545398c3df41bf68&site=1&sitelimit=24

I've no idea why it didn't play properly. It started life as a large AVI from a tool I have called Bluff Titler and I exported it from MEP MX as a 1920 x 1080 MP4. MediaInfo reports its details as follows:

Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42
File size                                : 1.20 MiB
Duration                                 : 5s 35ms
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 1 996 Kbps
 

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames                : 3 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 5s 0ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 1 844 Kbps
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 25.000 fps
Standard                                 : PAL
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.036
Stream size                              : 1.10 MiB (92%)

Have I missed some upfront instructions on what specific type of MP4s are supported? Or any message warning me that mine wasn't?

But apart from failing to work, I found the facility very poorly designed, like much of the magix.info site. For example, as there was no Miscellaneous or Demo or Test category, I attempted to place it in the section Video Technology (because it was made with an external program as well as MEP). That then forced me to choose a Sub-Category, of which there were just two choices, both irrelevant. Unless categories and sub-categories are and forever remain completely comprehensive (which they never can be!) then it's daft to insist on users trying to pigeon-hole their uploads in this way. And to what end purpose anyway?

Here's the MP4 hosted on a site that does work:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4019461/MEP-ShowDiscussTest-1.mp4

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Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Hi

I asked Magix about this issue and received a response today about this problem. (Thank you Benjamin for the prompt reply)

The following file format/settings for uploading to Show and Discuss work best: -

Eexport as mp4 using the Flashplayer 1220*720 25fps option - this may also create a web page and place the magix swf player in the same folder as the video - you do not need these.

Note if the original video is interleaved format and or your framerate is 29.97/30 fps then you will get some jerkiness on panned shots due to the conversion to progressive format and or pull down conversion.

I have uploaded a short video on the Rhine falls - however there does appear to be a little problem with the top edge when viewed at full screen!!.

Any one know of a really good framerate converter which does a really smooth pulldown from 30 fps to 25 fps ?

All the ones I have tried had varying degrees of success in eliminating the jerkiness as a result of the dropped frames?

John

Hi John,

Thanks for the feedback.

Reckon I'll stick to YouTube, plus occasional use of Vimeo and my own DropBox. Life's too short to spend much of it jumping through hoops to meet Magix's complicated hosting requirements!

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Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Hi John,

Thank you from me for getting an answer to this.  Like Terry, I don't need to go through the hoops to put a video up on show and discuss.  I too will stick to YouTube which is a shame because the show and discuss is a very nice feature of magix.info, just another example of poor execution.  I have no problem with audio or photo files, but I actually cannot understand why anyone bothers with video given the hassle.

Thanks again John.