Frameserving in TmpgEnc 3 Express produces black screen m2v

[DemonEyez]

Yesterday I finally managed to get VirtualDub frameserving working in TmpgEnc 3 Express. As people can read on many fora, it has been a hell to get it working. Almost all of the time you will be able to load the .vdr file in TmpgEnc 3 Express, but as soon you press the encode button the following error pops up: 'File is not supported (error code 0x80048003)

After doing some searching on Google I discovered a workaround and it works!!!

I've had pretty good luck getting non-frameserving-aware applications to
work with the combination of ReadAVS
http://video.mmsoft.cz/frameserver.htm
and VFAPIConv
http://www.divx-digest.com/software/vfapi.html
(VFAPI Converter creates the a dummy AVI, and ReadAVS allows VFAPI
Converter to open VDR files)

It's an extra step to create the dummy AVI, but I have yet to come
across a program that wouldn't read it.

Those two links don't work, but you can find both plugins with Google.
It works a follows: You first frameserve from VirtualDub and serve to an .vdr file. Then you open that .vdr file in VFAPI Converter (instead of TmpgEnc) and press convert. VFAPI Converter now creates a new dummy avi. You then load that new dummy avi in TmpegEnc 3 Express.
In the meantime, VirtualDub is still frameserving.

I then let TmpgEnc 3 Express encode my newly frameserved DivX avi. But now I'm facing a new problem! Although the file length is correct, and the avi now has a subpicture (that's the reason I'm frameserving. It's Japanese anime and I added a english subpicture with Vdub) it's totally blank, just a black screen, but with the subpicture!

What am I doing wrong? The avi plays correct in WMP9 and in VirtualDub.

When I encode the same file with TmpgEnc Plus 2.5 (using VirtualDub to frameserve) it also produces a correct m2v file with video. But I want to use TmpgEnc 3, because TmpgEnc Plus generates to much 'illegal floating point' errors and too much 'Read error occured at address xxx' errors.

There is no sound in the avi. I already demuxed the original AC3 steam out of it, to be sure the audio stream would'nt generated any errors

So I think, it isn't a codec-related issue,

Has anyone have an idea on how the resolve my problem? Thanx

[Baldrick]

if you play the vfapi fake avi with windows media player do you see the video then?

[DemonEyez]

Aha, haven't tried that one yet.

*Edit*
Well just tried it and wmp will not play the fake avi, the whole screen is black. What should I do next, I'm at a total loss.

[DemonEyez]

Kick!

Isn't there anayone who has an idea. I was so glad I finally managed to get frameserving from Vdub working in TmpgEnc 3 Express, and it would be a shame if I can't resolve the black screen problem.
Is it codec related or something?

[mats.hogberg]

Well, I experience a similar prob with MainConcept (green instead of black screen) since I reinstalled XP. Solution? Don't use VirtualDub. AviSynth can perform the same tasks (and more) as VDub, and MC has no problem reading AviSynth frameserved video.

/Mats
PS! Since the subs show, I'd say that VDub outputs a black video stream, so yeah, it might be a codec thing. What if you play the video in VDub? Does it show in the output pane? DS

[DemonEyez]

That's just the thing, frameserving from Vdub and AviSynth to TmpgEnc 3 Express doesn't work!
TmpgEnc 3 will load the .vdr but as when it starts encoding TmpgEnc 3 gives an error. That's been known for quite a while now, but I recently found a workaround, and that's using VFAPI convert It's a program that you can use for 'not-frameserving-aware- programs' (or in this case, a program that doesn't process a frameserved file)

You first frameserve with Vdub (in Vdub I use a sub filter to add the subtitles to the picture), but then instead of loading the .vdr file in TmpgEnc 3, you load the .vdr file in VFAPI Converter.
Then you convert the .vdr into a new 'dummy' avi. You load that new 'dummy' avi in TmpgEnc 3. This time it will start encoding correctly , without giving the error.
But now the resulting .m2v file is black, but with the subtitles. So what does that mean: frameserving from Vdub through VFAPI Convert does work, only it seems that the video portion has a problem.

When I try to load the dummy avi created by VFAPI Convert in WMP or in Vdub, the screen stays black.

[mats.hogberg]

OK, so this seems more like a VDub error than a frameserving error. Again, what if you play the video in VDub? Does it show in the output pane of VDub?

/Mats

[DemonEyez]

I haven't got those problems when I frameserve directly from Vdub to TmpgEnc plus 2.59. But since I have numerous errors during the encoding process in TmpgEnc Plus 2.59, I want to use TmpgEnc 3 Express.

The original DivX avi that is being frameserved shows correctly in the preview pane of Vdub. The 'dummy' avi thats being created by VFAPI Convert stays black, but it will show the subtitles in the preview pane.
So i'm thinking it's VFAPI Convert itself.

Could it be that VFAPI Convert doesn't recognize the DivX 5 codec? The program isn't very up to date (build is from 2001). Trouble is that it hasn't been updated since that build

[Abond]

Your problem with TMPG plus is the version you are using. 2.59 has too much bugs. Upgrade (2.510) or downgrade (2.58 ).
The problem with Express could be the color space of VFapi, though this should be not a problem for VDub.
Did you try simple Avisynth script directly to express simply to see if it get it?

[DemonEyez]

Thanx for the info mate! I'll change my TmpgEnc Plus version right away.

As for TmpgEnc 3 Express. I' ve tried frameserving directly from Avisynth to TmpgEnc 3 Express and it produces the same error you get when frameserving directly from Vdub to TmpgEnc.

My only option that I have left is to see if frameserving from AviSynth instead of Vdub to VFAPI Convert. But I prefer tot use Vdub, which is more user friendly for this newbie

But then again, if most of my problems are resolved by using a different version of TmpgEnc Plus, I'm a happy camper

In the meantime I'll do some more googling on VFAPI Convert and known problems, because it would be great if I could use TmpgEnc 3 Express.

[Abond]

Can you post the avisynth script you fed Express?
Hmm, I don't know the express, but for tmpg you should convert the color space in RGB24 or YUY2 (have seen such an example at doom9 - it works). So try to include as last line in the avisynth script:

ConvertToRGB24()

and try again. If it doesn't work try:

ConvertToYUY2()

AFAIK the output of VDub and VFAPI is RGB32 (!).
By the way there are utilities which will wrap an avs as avi. One is MakeAVIS and the other is Link2.

[DemonEyez]

Havent't got the Avisynth script right now anymore. It has been some time now that I tried using Avisynth and when it didn't work (frameserving directly to TmpgEnc 3) I trashed it. Can't create a new one right now, because I'm at work

I thought that VFAPI Convert automatically converts it's output to YUY2.
I've seen posting (on AfterDawn and DivX fora) of users using VFAPI Convert for converting their d2v files to fake avi's, just because VFAPI would automatically convert to YUY2.

Nevertheless I'll try again using your suggested settings with Avisynth. Thanx mate, really appreciate it!

[Abond]

It seems link2 will do the trick. They said in the last version TMPG Express support is included.

[DemonEyez]

That would be great!
I've been searching for like 3 months to get it working for TmpgEnc 3 Express, and just when I resolved one problem, I was faced with yet another one... very frustrating!

[DemonEyez]

*Update*

Many thanks Abond It finally works!!! Link2 would still give an error, something about 'can't open avi with forced color'. But your remark on my Avisynth script about using ConverttoRGB24 did the trick. I can now (finanally) frameserve from Avisynth to TmpgEnc 3 Express. Thanx a lot my friend