Nero Digital Information Thread

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Nero Digital Information Thread
updated 2th May 2005

News 2005:
May: Nero Digital AVC wins C't magazine video codec quality comparison!
Mar: Nero Digital™ certified Xoro DVD players available
Mar: Nero ShowTime Mobile Beta available
Jan: Nero Vision Express 3.0.1.27 supports Nero Digital export
Jan: VCPS content protection support announced for Nero Digital
Jan: Nero ShowTime Mobile announced

News 2004:
Dec: Nero Digital AVC wins in video quality in Doom9 2004 codec shootout
Dec: Recode 2.2 adds support for AVC
Oct: Beta test1 of the AVC-video codec on Doom9


What is Nero Digital?
Nero Digital™ is a collection of various different audio and video codecs, co-developed by Nero AG and Ateme, which is completely following the MPEG-4 standard

Nero Digital includes three different codecs following:
- ISO 14496-10, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Main Profile video
- ISO 14496-2, MPEG-4 Simple and Advanced Simple Profile video (as also produced by XviD, DivX5, 3ivx...)
- ISO 14496-3, MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)

Regarding the container Nero Digital also follows the MPEG-4 standard and uses the container format defined under ISO 14496-14 (uses the .mp4 extension)

Read more about the MPEG-4 standard (description of the codecs/codec options) in the MPEG-4 Information
Read more about the MP4 container (list of available tools, players...) in the MP4 FAQ

Main features of Nero Digital:
- MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Main Profile video
- MPEG-4 Simple and Advanced Simple Profile video
- MPEG-4 Video from 32*32 to 2048x1536 (AVC max reso), 8176x8176 (ASP max reso) High Definition resolutions
- AAC-LC and High Efficiency-AAC audio with up to 5.1 surround sound
- AAC Audio support from 8kbps to 480kbps
- 2 separate audio streams support
- Chapter support
- Multiple Subtitle track support (Subtitles are in DVD Subpicture format (aka VobSub))



How to encode with Nero Digital?
NeroDigital streams can be created with Nero Recode2 software available in the Nero 6.6 Retail package or Nero download package 2.
Starting from the Nero Vision Express 3.0.1.27, Nero Digital streams can be exported from Nero Vision Express, which is available also in Retail and Nero download package 2.

- Recode2 Encoding Guide on Doom9
- the MPEG-4 Information thread offers descriptions of the different encoding options



How to play Nero Digital?
As Nero Digital follows 100% the MPEG-4 standard you should be able to play the created .mp4 files with any player supporting .mp4 and the used codec (features), both hardware and software
For a complete list of the available MP4 players you can use have a look at the MP4 FAQ

Nero's own player is called Nero Showtime and is available in the same package as Recode2, available for free evaluation.

My favourite player doesnt give me Chapters, Subtitles or multiple audio streams?
After installing the Nero package this can happen, as Nero limits the playback of Chapters, Subtitles and multiple audio streams to Nero Showtime when using their directshow filters

In order to use other dshow based player, install either 3ivx (handles Chapters and multiple audio streams, but not AVC), Moonlight (handles multiple audio and AVC) or use a not directshow based player, like VideoLAN (multiple audio) aso...

Hardware playback of Nero Digital:
As it goes for software players, also all hardware players supporting the .mp4 container and the used codec (settings) should play the ND files, as they are following 100% the MPEG-4 standard
For a complete list of the available MP4 hardware players have a look at the MP4 FAQ

Still to avoid interoperability problems Nero created private MPEG-4 Profiles and the Nero Certification:
All Nero certified players should be able to handle
- MPEG-4 ASP video (most handle the "Standard Profile": not allowing QPEL and GMC)
- MPEG-4 AAC audio (with Standard Profile: AAC-LC, not multichannel, AAC-HE not with full quality)
- Chapters
- VobSub Subtitles
- 2 Audio streams

List of Nero Digital Officially Certified Hardware Devices:
NeroDigital MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile (ISO 14496-2/-3) playback supporting devices:
- Siemssen SCO5000
- Xoro/MAS HSD 310
- Xoro/MAS HSD 415

Coming Nero Digital support for Hardware Devices:
NeroDigital MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile (ISO 14496-2/-3) playback supporting devices:
- Apex AD2800X
- Apex AD8050X
- Apex DRV9400
- KiSS DP-558
- Siemssen DR 2004

Playback in Sony PSP supported using Recode's Memory Stick Video (PSP compatible) -profile.

Official press releases:
http://www.nerodigital.com/eng/Press.html

Official homepage:
http://www.nerodigital.com