Video demuxing problem

larrym · Member Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Location: United States

I've been capturing video from an analog Comcast Cable coax to a Hauppauge 150MCE card on my Gateway GT5476 computer with 64 X2 dual core processor 5000+ (2.6 GHz). Most of the time I am able to demux the captured mpg file using Project X, edit with Cuttermaran, author with GUI for DVD Author, then burn to DVD with ImgBurn.

Occasionally (maybe 1 out of 5 or 10?), I have a problem where the demuxed file is either split into many smaller pieces or the final files just don't work properly. By that I mean that the demuxed files are incomplete or the audio/vid sync is bad. In my latest problem recording, I tried to capture a movie, but the demuxing went bad somehow and the output file was only half the movie. I have information on this recording. Here is the output from MediaInfo on the original caputured mpg file:
-------------------------------------------------------------------

General
Complete name : K:\recorded tv\The_Replacement_Killers_0823_1700.mpg
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 7.66 GiB
Duration : 42mn 30s
Overal bit rate : 25.8 Mbps

Video
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, Matrix : Standard
Duration : 42mn 30s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 23.6 Mbps
Nominal bit rate : 8600 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4/3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.830

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 42mn 30s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Video delay : -111ms

Here is the last few lines of the Project X demux log (full log enclosed):

!> startPTS of GOP# 7266 is earlier than the end of last GOP.. (exp. 319984665)
-> more than 500 warnings/errors, stop logging..

-> Video: fr/ ct/ 1p/ cg/ og/ dg -> 106543/ 7029/ 5/ 7103/ 0/ 7029
-> Video length: 106543 frames @ 00:59:14.980
-> GOP summary: min. 26, max. 30 fields; contains interlaced frames
-> avg. nom. bitrate 8600177bps (min/max: 6074800/11125600)
-> set first sequenceheader bitrate to 9000000bps
---> new File: C:\Users\home\Desktop\junk\DVD files\The_Replacement_Killers_0823_1700.mpv

--> MPEG Audio (0xC0)
-> check CRC of AC-3 / MPEG-Audio L1,2
-> delete CRC in MPEG-Audio Layer1,2
-> add frames
Audio PTS: first packet 00:00:00.289, last packet 00:59:15.337
Video PTS: start 1.GOP 00:00:00.400, end last GOP 00:59:15.385
-> adjusting audio at video-timeline
-> src_audio: MPEG-1, Layer2, 48000Hz, stereo, 384kbps, noCRC @ 00:00:00.000
audio frames: wri/pre/skip/ins/add 148124/0/0/0/0 @ 00:59:14.976 done...
---> new File: 'C:\Users\home\Desktop\junk\DVD files\The_Replacement_Killers_0823_1700.mpa'

summary of created media files:
.Video (m2v): 106543 Frames 00:59:14.980 'C:\Users\home\Desktop\junk\DVD files\The_Replacement_Killers_0823_1700.mpv'
Audio 0 (mp2): 148124 Frames 00:59:14.976 0/0/0/0 'C:\Users\home\Desktop\junk\DVD files\The_Replacement_Killers_0823_1700.mpa'
=> 3,992,325,724 bytes written...
-> we have 21481 warnings/errors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm guessing that the problem is either a bad feed from certain stations (in this case the movie was on FX Channel) or my computer is burping during the recording somehow (though the processing is supposed to be on the capture card).

I don't know how to troubleshoot this, so looking for your help!

Larry

rep%20killers%20project%20x%20log.txt

olyteddy · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Location: United States

I too use a Hauppauge PVR (the USB2, I'm on a laptop) and found that de-muxing using PVA Strumento and authoring using GFD in MuxMan mode works for me. I don't usually edit out the commercials (I just mark a chapter at the end of each commercial break in GFD) but when I have clipped commercials I use AVI Demux to edit them out before I DeMux in PVA. I tried ProjectX and also had problems with it.

larrym · Member Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Location: United States

Thanks, Olyteddy!

I've tried PVAStramento in the past, but it has never succeeded on these bad files either. In this case, the demux output was 68 partial sets of mpa and mpv files with many of the audio files appended "DELAY -11ms" with delays of 2, 4, 10 and 11 ms noted. Log enclosed.

The log mentions "ALERT> PTS reset in video. Have to re-sync." and "ALERT> PTS jump in video" many many times.

So I think there is something wrong with the captured file, but how do I fix it, either during the capture or after?

Larry

the_replacement_killers_0823_1700.txt

Nelson37 · Member Joined: 14 Aug 2001

I think you have a bad feed. My setup is different, using antenna for OTA HD feed, but I got several similar errors before switching to a better antenna. The source was bad/broken/incomplete, no way to fix what simply is not there.

You might check the length of your cable run, splitters, perhaps an amplifier. That it happens rarely would seem to indicate the problem is not on your end.

You might also try running an S-video from the comcast box, if there is one, just to eliminate the card's tuner. I did find that the built-in tuner is particularly sensitive to weak signal.

olyteddy · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Location: United States

What app do you record with? I don't have MCE so I use WinTV 2000.

larrym · Member Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Location: United States

I'm using WinTV V6. I just attach a coax to a wall cable outlet, one of a few in my house. In another room the coax goes from the wall to the set top box.

Is there something to improve this arrangement short of buying another STB?

Larry

larrym · Member Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Location: United States

Poor explanation of my setup, sorry. My computer with the Hauppauge card is connected to Comcast Cable by a coax from the wall outlet to the coax connector on the Hauppauge card. The signal through this connection is analog only and only channels 1 - 99. I record using WinTV version 6 as mpeg files.

My main television is in a different room. Again, a coax runs from a wall cable outlet to the set top box and from the STB to the television. In this case, the service is "digital" and more channels are available.

This STB is a Motorola DCT-700, 6 inch square by 2 inch thick black box. There are only RCA-type red, white and yellow jacks available on the back besides the in and out coax connectors.

Larry

larrym · Member Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Location: United States

OK, so it seems I have a bad video feed when I get mpg's I can't demux properly. In that case, why do these bad mpg's run in mpg players like Windows Media Player? Do they have sophisticated routines that can fix those things on the fly?

I just tried to demux a movie, it came back with 10000 errors, so I'm not going to work on it further. But it seems to run fine in WMP.

Larry