Hiccups When Encoding x264 -> xvid (0.0.9v)

[joshmunkey]

Hi. I seem to be having some weird problems with encoding, and am hoping to reach a resoultion. Essentially, I seem to get constant hiccups/glitches in any x.264 video files that I encode into a different codec, whether it be divx or xvid.

The encoding progress goes over very smooth, but the end result is, without fail, glitchy. I've tried not running other applications while encoding, changing codecs, uninstalling/reinstalling both the binaries and the ffmpegx app itself... but with no improvement.

The original file type I'm decoding is an mp4 type, and is checked ahead of time (and rechecked) to make sure no faults exist in the original file. I'm running Mac OS 10.3.9 on a dual processor 533 G4. I never experienced these problems before upgrading to ffmpegx ver 0.0.9v, so... could it just be that I need to downgrade? If so, I can't seem to find a previous builds page on the ffmpegx site...

Anyways, thanks for any help.

[Case]

When I try to convert H.264 x264 mp4 to DivX or XviD with ffmpegX 0.0.9v, I get smooth playing video. I tried mencoder and ffmpeg engines, the latter with and without QuickTime decoding. The mencoder encoded files lack audio, just like mplayer playback of the x264 file, so that makes some sense in a disappointing way. But I couldn't detect hiccups.

[joshmunkey]

But I couldn't detect hiccups

I can't quite explain it, but that's just what's going on with my encodes. Like I said, I've tried numerous uninstalls/reinstalls of not only the ffmpegx app but also the binary packages, I've checked and rechecked the source files for flaws, I've tried killing all other running applications... but nothing is working.

I'm trying it out using a different source file than before (but still an x264 mp4), so I will see if it is just a problem with the original source or really something wrong with my install of ffmpegx.

[joshmunkey]

Okay, I tried the different mp4 file, and it ran through just fine without any hiccups. I figured, 'great, it's all better.' So then I ran the file I had been experiencing troubles with before through ffmpegx and... hiccups again. So now it has become clear that it is the file itself, or rather the encoders who created the file, and the way it interacts with ffmpegx.

For those that are curious, the file giving me trouble is actually a collection of files, namely the past several encodes of the show One Piece. Initially, when the group doing One Piece switched from xvid to x264/mp4, I had no problems. Now, for maybe 5 or so past episodes, I've had these glitches when re-encoding. Does anyone else watch this show? Can I get a hand on this maybe from somebody who also re-encodes these releases?

I remember someone named "Beardfan" or something like that coming up with a guide to re-encode their releases, and I think I've seen him post here. Maybe he has a better way to switch the episodes from mp4 to divx/xvid?

[BeardFan]

I haven't watched the latest episodes yet (planning to wait until the gap to 207 is closed), so tell me in which episode you have the problems and I check if my reencode is also faulty.

I think K-F's encode is the worst I ever encountered, never had problems with other groups' x264 releases. Maybe they changed something again.

EDIT: Just checked out the latest episode. There seems to be like split-second jumping of the picture or lines to the left or right. Is this what you mean?

Can you tell me from which episode it started?

I'll try to figure something out on the weekend. So far I used ffmpeg to reencode the video. Maybe the latest mencoder will work? You'll get no audio, but on this encodes the audio has to be treated seperately anyway.

[joshmunkey]

awesome, thanks beardfan. if memory serves me correctly, i think it was somewhere around episode 173 or 175 that started giving me problems. the thing that i notice is that scenes with motion (such as in the opening sequence where the palm tree sways or usopp is shown walking) seem to have little gliches wherever there is movement.

i dont know if this will help or not, but this is the information i get when i am encoding the video from x264 to xvid:

Encoding started on Wed Apr 26 00:00:55 MST 2006
Mac OSX static build for ffmpegX
Seems that stream 0 comes from film source: 2997.00 (2997/1) -> 24.00 (24/1)
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2, from '/Volumes/Hard Drive 2/[K-F]_One_Piece/[K-F]_One_Piece_171-188/[K-F]_One_Piece_183_[D429DB98].mp4':
Duration: 00:23:08.1, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1406 kb/s
Stream #0.0, 24.00 fps: Video: h264, yuv420p, 640x480
Stream #0.1: Audio: aac, 24000 Hz, stereo
Output #0, avi, to '/Volumes/Hard Drive 2/[K-F]_One_Piece/[K-F]_One_Piece_171-188/[K-F]_One_Piece_183_[D429DB98].mp4.ff.avi':
Stream #0.0, nan fps: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 640x480, q=2-9, 1656 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
[mpeg4 @ 0x444b70]removing common factors from framerate
bench: utime=2184.550s
video:271900kB audio:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 0.419430%
Encoding completed on Wed Apr 26 00:47:18 MST 2006

does anything seem off in this? its all greek to me. i'll grab a screencapture of the visual flaw when i get back home. thanks.

[BeardFan]

I just checked the eps I already had burned on DVD. Seems like the problem starts with ep 178. I'll re-download the episodes and see if some different settings give better results.

[BeardFan]

OK, this was bugging me, so I didn't wait for the weekend.

I browsed the K-F forum, and it seems they changed something from ep 178 on (don't ask me what). The latest VLC showed the same glitches, as well as ffmpeg and the December binaries that came with ffmpegX 9v.

The latest VLC beta however played the movie and if you had a powerful Mac you could even transcode the h264 to mpeg4 with it (but not on my G4/800).

But rejoice: it seems that major made some new binaries for mencoder and mplayer wich can be found here:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/mplayerosx/ffmpegXbinaries20060307.zip

The link on major's homepage still links to the December binaries.

I did only some short testing, but it seems, that the new mencoder binary will not show the glitches.

Looks like audio with mencoder won't work, so you have to modify the steps I posted on the K-F forum like this:

1. Reencode the video with the mencoder DivX or Xvid preset
2. Reencode the audio with movie audio to mp3
3. Correct the sample frequency with audacity
4. Merge the avi

I also figured out a different way to do the audio. Get QTAmateur and you can batch-export the movies to aiff audio and then convert the aiff to mp3 with iTunes. I think it's faster than audacity and you can batch-convert multiple episodes in only one step in QTAmateur and one in iTunes. So it would be like this:

1. Reencode the video with the mencoder DivX or Xvid preset
2. Batch export the audio to aiff with QTAmateur
3. Convert the aiff to mp3 with iTunes
4. Merge the avi

Man, I hope they stop fiddling with the codec at K-F every 10 episodes.

So now I will reencode the last episodes and see if it works for me.

[BeardFan]

Encoded one episode. Seems to work this way.

[joshmunkey]

awesome, beardfan! i cant wait to try this out. i'll let you know how it runs on my system.

[BeardFan]

I posted the complete guide to the K-F forums:

http://kaizoku-fansubs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=62575#p62575

[BeardFan]

Guess I was a day to early

The new 0.0.9w will convert the K-F mp4s in one step including audio if you select "Divx ffmpeg" as target format. I already updated the guide at the K-F forum.

[joshmunkey]

holy smokes it'll convert it all in one step? sweet as hell, man. i'll have to give it a shot as soon as i am done with classes today.