CodecVisa User Guide

Version 4.10

INDEX

1 Introduction

1.1 Overview

 CodecVisa package includes 3 applications:

1.2 CodecVisa Supported Codecs

 CodecVisa supports following codecs:

1.3 CodecVisa Feature List
    Main Features for H.265/HEVC

    Main Features for H.264/AVC/MVC
    Main Features for GOOGLE VP9/VP8
    Main Features for MPEG2 Video
    Main Features for YUV
    Main Features for Any2Hevc
    Main Features for BrScope

1.4 System Requirements

 CodecVisa has the following minimum hardware and software requirements:

1.5 License and Support
    By installing, copying, or otherwise using the SOFTWARE PRODUCT or any UPDATES, you agree to be bound by the terms of the "CodecVisa'' End-User License Agreement (''EULA''). This EULA is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and Codecian Co. Ltd. for the "CodecVisa" software product(s) accompanying this EULA, which include(s) computer software and may include "online" or electronic documentation, associated media, and printed materials (''SOFTWARE PRODUCT'').
    For further information, please contact the CodecVisa Support Team: codecvisa@codecian.com

2. Getting Started

2.1 Install CodecVisa on Windows®
  1. Download CodecVisa_Setup.exe from www.codecian.com.
  2. Run CodecVisa_Setup.exe.
  3. Follow the onscreen instructions.

2.2 Uninstall CodecVisa on Windows®

 To uninstall CodecVisa:
  1. Click start->Program->CodecVisa->Uninstall CodecVisa
  2. Follow the onscreen instructions

2.3 Install CodecVisa on Ubuntu

 Note: CodecVisa is only tested on Ubuntu(12.04).
  1. Download codecvisa.tar.gz from www.codecian.com.
  2. Unzip the tarball using following command:
    3. tar zxf codecvisa.tar.gz
  3. Download related Qt4 libraries: 
    4. sudo apt-get install libQtGui4

2.4 Remove CodecVisa on Ubuntu

 You can simply delete the folder which contains codecvisa.

2.5 Install CodecVisa on OS X
  1. Download codecvisa.tgz from www.codecian.com.
  2. Unzip the tarball using following command:
    3. tar zxf codecvisa.tgz

2.6 Remove CodecVisa on OS X

 You can simply delete the folder which contains codecvisa.

2.7 Register CodecVisa

 CodecVisa has 2 kinds of license types: Both license types need be registered in following way:
  1. You will get a serial code after you purchase CodecVisa. Please input it in following window:

  2. You will be prompted by a dialog similar to following:


    3. Please copy and paste the information to an email, and send it to codecvisa@codecian.com
  3. With the information you send to us, a file called codecvisa.lic will be sent to you.
    4. Please put the codecvisa.lic under the CodecVisa installation folder(Windows and Ubuntu), or on OX X, put codecvisa.lic under codecvisa.app/Contents/MacOS/.

2.8 Run CodecVisa

3. Using CodecVisa

3.1 Overview CodecVisa UI

 CodecVisa UI includes following main windows: Here is a typical CodecVisa UI:

3.2 Menu bar

 CodecVisa provides following menus:
File Menu
Open... Open a stream file or project file.
Save Project Save opened streams into a project file.
Quit Exit CodecVisa.
Help Menu
User ManualUser Manual for CodecVisa.
License InformationShow license information.
About Displays the version number and copyright statement.

3.3 Tool bar

 Here is the tool bar for CodecVisa:

There are 5 menu groups, as following:
  1. File Group, controls file open and close.
  2. Playback Group, controls playback.
  3. Option Group, controls some options, e.g overlays.
  4. Misc Group.
  5. Field Group, controls fields in interlace video.

3.3.1 Open file

Open file button() opens a new stream for analysis.
Press the triangle opens a list of recent files.

3.3.2 Save project

Save project button() saves all opened files into a project.

3.3.3 Close (all) file(s)

Close file button() will close all opened files.
Press the triangle opens a list of opened files, you can choose one file to close.

3.3.4 Delete temporary files(s)

Delete temporary file button() will delete all generated temporary files.

3.3.5 Playback

Playback is a set of buttons which controls the playback.

3.3.6 Playback order

Playback order button() enables/disables decoding order playback.

3.3.7 Rect

Rect button() enables/disables the 16x16 rectangle display on the video.

3.3.8 Grid

Grid button() enables/disables the 16x16 grid display on the video.

3.3.9 Motion Vectors

Motion Vectors button() enables/disables microblock motion vectors on the video.

3.3.10 MB Structure

MB Structure button() enables/disables microblock structure display on the video.

3.3.11 Slice Boundary

Slice Boundary button() enables/disables slice boundaries on the video.

3.3.12 Overlays

Overlays button() enables/disables overlay information on the video.
CodecVisa supports following overlay information:

3.3.13 Compare Streams

Compare Streams button() enables/disables comparison on 2 streams.
Streams are comparable if they meet following conditions:
  1. Same resolution
  2. Same bit depth on Luma and Chroma
Here is the window to select streams to compare:

3.3.14 Scale Video

Scale Video button() enables/disables video scaling to fit the display area.

3.3.15 Y/U/V Channel

Y/U/V Channel button() select a Y/U/V channel to display.
Here is a picture with Y-only option:

3.3.16 Dump Information

Dump Information button() dump information to file.
CodecVisa supports following information to dump:
  1. Decoded YUV Picture
  2. MB information
  3. Summary information

3.3.17 Container structure

CodecVisa saves container structure information for MP3, MPEG2 Transport/Program Stream, FLV, MKV/MTK/Webm files.
Container structure button() shows the structure in a tree. Here is a picture of MP4 file structure:

3.4 Header View

 CodecVisa supports following headers:
CodecVisa supports following headers for VP8/VP9:
Here is a picture for H.264/AVC slice header:

3.5 Pixel Dialog

 CodecVisa displays following pixel values for all supported codecs: Pixel values can be displayed in decimal or in hexadecimal values.
Here is a picture of pixel dialog with decimal values:



Here is a picture of pixel dialog with hexadecimal values:

3.6 Thumbnail View

 CodecVisa displays all decoded pictures in thumbnail view. User can easily select a picture to analyze by clicking on it.
Here is a picture of thumbnail:

If mouse cursor stops on a picture, a detailed information will be displayed in tip window:


3.7 Summary Window

 CodecVisa supports 2 types of summaries: Picture summary displays information about Picture resolution, picture statistics like encoding rate, as well as MB statistics.
Here is a picture on Picture Summary:



Stream Summary displays information about the streams. Here is a picture on Stream Summary:

3.8 MB Info Window

 CodecVisa supports 3 types of MB Information: MB Info contains detailed information for the focused MB, e.g MB position, encoding type, bit number.
Here is a picture on MB Info:

3.9 Video View

 Video View displays the picture according to the option. CodecVisa supports video display for following decoding states: Besides pictures in those decoding stages, CodecVisa also supports pictures in different fields in streams with interlace contents. CodecVisa also provides the functionality to bob the field for better quality check.

3.10 Binary View

 CodecVisa displays binary stream for each MB/CU for H.264 and HEVC codecs: Here is a picture on Binary View:

3.10 CTB Structure View

 CodecVisa displays coding block structures for CTB(HEVC) and SB(VP8/VP9). You can show motion vectors on the blocks and select struces between prediction unit and transfer unit.
Here is a picture on Structure View: