wrong metadata for the DNxHD codec prevent playback on Specialized Broadcast Hardware

[NNois]

hi,

the "encoder" text metadata reported by ffmpeg with the dnxhd codec are wrong and this is blocking the playback possibility with many Specialized Broacast Hardware

the DNxHD encoder has profiles (doc):

  -profile           <int>        E..V.... (from 0 to 5) (default dnxhd)
     dnxhd                        E..V....
     dnxhr_444                    E..V....
     dnxhr_hqx                    E..V....
     dnxhr_hq                     E..V....
     dnxhr_sq                     E..V....
     dnxhr_lb                     E..V....

but all profiles Output the same "encoder" text Metadata, and this is not respecting the original Avid DNxHD encoder profiles..

for example the dnxhr_444 reports

encoder         : Lavf57.72.101
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: dnxhd (DNXHR 444) (AVdh / 0x68645641), yuv444p10le(progressive), 1920x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=2-1024, 200 kb/s, 25 fps, 12800 tbn, 25 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2017-06-15T13:05:36.000000Z
      handler_name    : Gestionnaire d▒alias Apple
      timecode        : 00:00:00:00
      encoder         : DNxHD 709

but the apple codecs (with avid codecs) reports the "encoder" text

    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: dnxhd (DNXHR 444) (AVdh / 0x68645641), yuv444p12le(tv, bt709/unknown/unknown), 1920x1080, 367001 kb/s, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2017-06-15T13:01:01.000000Z
      handler_name    : Gestionnaire d▒alias Apple
      encoder         : DNxHR
      timecode        : 00:00:00:00

to continue the avid codec reports the dnxhd "encoder" text with two spaces between DNxHD and 709, here's an ouput

Stream #0:0(eng): Video: dnxhd (DNXHD) (AVdn / 0x6E645641), yuv444p10le(tv, bt709/unknown/unknown), 1920x1080, 367001 kb/s, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2017-06-15T13:05:36.000000Z
      handler_name    : Gestionnaire d▒alias Apple
      encoder         : DNxHD  709
      timecode        : 00:00:00:00

so, the "encoder" text should be:

dnxhd "DNxHD 709"
dnxhr_444 "DNxHR"
dnxhr_hqx "DNxHR"
dnxhr_hq "DNxHR"
dnxhr_sq "DNxHR"
dnxhr_lb "DNxHR"

One second problem is that normaly the switch
-metadata:s encoder="DNxHD 709" works (for example the prores encoder needs special encoder by codec) but in the case with the mdxhd encoder this option has no effect and we can't change the "encoder" text

[NNois]

damn, wrong copy past
when I state
"for example the dnxhr_444 profile reports"
the ffprobe report is

encoder         : Lavf57.72.101
  Duration: 00:00:03.00, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 368544 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: dnxhd (DNXHR 444) (AVdh / 0x68645641), yuv444p10le(tv, bt709/unknown/unknown), 1920x1080, 367001 kb/s, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 12800 tbn, 12800 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : DataHandler
      encoder         : DNxHD 709
      timecode        : 00:00:00:00

[Carl Eugen Hoyos]

Did you test if changing the encoder text is sufficient to allow playback?

[NNois]

Hi, like I've said at the end, I usually change the "encoder" text for the prores codec and it works but with the DNxHD it don't... OR (it's highly possible i'm far than an expert) I'm using it wrong ;-)

-metadata:s encoder="DNxHD 709"

More importantly I have a very limited access to those specialised hardware... I can't try things... But it was the same for the prores codec, a typo in the encoder metadata and it don't work ;-)