Video not working after x264(MKV) to Divx/Xvid(AVI) conversion using TVC

[CthulhuSaves]

I'm trying to convert a file that's an x264 (is that a typo in the filename? Shouldn't that be h264?) in a Matroska container over to a standard HQ Divx (or Xvid) version, so I can play it on my standalone DVD player (supports MP4). I'm using Total Video Converter 3.1, which I've absolutely loved for a couple of years now due to (at least until now) flawless performance and excellent conversion speed (not to mention it converts back and forth from just about any format you can imagine --very cool).

For some reason, though, this time things aren't working properly. The audio is working fine (AC3 converted to MP3), but the video seems to remain frozen from wherever it initially begins. If I start the video from the beginning, it remains black. If I skip ahead quickly after it begins, it'll show a single frame from wherever it lands, then that's all it'll show as the audio continues to play from that point.

I saw something like this once before a few years ago when I was trying to simply play a file with a very high, non-standard frame rate, but I've checked, and this video is just 25 fps. That shouldn't be any problem. I've also tried to load the file into Gspot, just to see what info I could, but it doesn't give anything beyond the name of the codec (Matroska). None of the usual info is filled-in. Original file plays fine on my PC under VLC.

One thing worth mentioning is that I've set the software to retain the original quality settings for the source file's audio and video (bit rate, resolution, etc), since everything I can see doesn't fall outside of Divx's capabilities. No reason to lose quality, right? Still, that area is the first thing (heck, the only thing) that initially comes to mind as a possible reason for the problem. Could something be "too high," so to speak, in the source file to function after conversion?

Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Krispy Kritter]

Most likely just an issue with that particular tool. Try another tool.

On a side note, another OP was having mkv conversion issues: https://forum.videohelp.com/topic342909.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X264

[CthulhuSaves]

Thanks, but switching tools likely isn't necessary. I need to identify the problem, not bypass it. TVC is an excellent converter, and recognizes the input file's format/codec just fine. It's the output that's wonky. If I can understand the nature of the actual problem, I can correct for it with the software I have and am familiar with.

Edit: And thanks for the info on x264. Being a Divx fan, and with that being the format many standalone DVD player manufacturers have now accepted and support, I've avoided messing with alternative codecs that can only be played on the PC (without converting back to a compatible format, as I'm trying to do with the above file), so had never bothered to look into them or learn much. (Not to mention that my first encounter with h.264 was disastrous, as it bogged the system down due to being such a resource hog to the point that the video wasn't watchable and my PC practically locked up.) As far as I'm concerned, Divx is king. It does the job beautifully (if the encoder knows their stuff), and the vids can be popped into almost any cheap $30 DVD player nowadays.

[Krispy Kritter]

I only linked the above post because most of us here use VLC as a troubleshooting tool. It uses it owns codecs, so comes in handy with troubleshooting playback issues with other players and codec issues. If it works in VLC, then you know the file is good and can then troubleshoot your other issues. Anyway, the mkv files in question in the other post wouldn't play in VLC and wouldn't convert using the common tools in use by the mkv crowd. So we were thinking the files were corrupt. The OP didn't give up and found a player that would play the file (proving the file was not corrupt) and another tool for converting the file (which proved the existing tools apparently have issues with some encoding options in mkv files).

So your fix, if you insist on using only a single tool, is to contact the tool maker. They will likely have to update the tool to fix the issue that you are seeing. As mkv files are a relatively new format, I would expect more tools and numerous updates to existing tools to cope with all of the encoding options available in the mkv container format. Basically the same issues which surrounded (and still do to a smaller extent) the avi container format.

[jkleslie]

VLC uses its own internal filters/codecs to play files and isn't a good gauge to go by when troubleshooting conversion utilities that probably use external DirectShow filters and codecs. Try playing the original MKV in MPC or WMP and see if it works. If not, then you have problems decoding.

You may also want to try MediaInfo if GSpot does not give you any information. Even loading the file in MKVMerge can give you more specific information on the files within the MKV container.

[CthulhuSaves]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. The original file (x264/mkv) plays fine in any player, including VLC (which is what I use), as well as within the converter itself in preview mode. As I said, the converter does recognize the format and codec. (Although, to be precise, it says h.264, not x264, so unless x264 isn't 100% compatible...)

Playback of the resultant conversion exhibits problems. Audio is fine, but video seems to quickly freeze on whichever frame it began on. I've seen this happen once before, several years ago, when I attempted to play a video that someone had encoded at a very high frame rate that my system, at the time, just couldn't handle (including VLC).

As for switching software, there's very probably no need for that, and I'd like to avoid taking such an easy path that always seems to be the first thing suggested to bypass a problem. What I'm seeking is anyone that recognizes, or suspects the nature of, the actual problem, based on the info I've given. My goal is to understand the problem, so that I can correct for it, not just switch to another proggie that happens to give the desired results on its default settings. TVC will, I'm sure, work fine once I can determine what settings need to be adjusted, and in which direction, but to do that I need to figure out why the problem exists.

As I mentioned above, I did try Gspot, but it didn't give the usual info. I'll look into MKVMerge and see if it will tell me more (hadn't heard of that before).

On the update idea, I suppose it's worth a shot. There's only a single, minor update available (from 3.1 to 3.11), and I dismissed the idea because 1. the listed changes didn't include anything to do with this particular codec, and 2. the file in question decodes and plays fine on the system as-is, so clearly rendering isn't an issue. However, you may be right, perhaps there's a minor bug that, despite note directly addressing the issue, still may be at fault in a roundabout way. I'll see if I can update the program and give the conversion another shot.

Cross your fingers.

[Ai Haibara]

h.264 is the format. x264 is merely an encoder for the format.

[CthulhuSaves]

Well, I didn't actually figure out the problem, but I did get around it. Turns out I'd made a mistake when looking at my software's version #. I had 3.01, not 3.10. Major oops. So, I updated the software to current and everything's working fine now. Strangely, the version I had did show that it recognized the codec & format, so I can only guess that either it was using an outdated, internal version of same (as opposed to system-based resources, since we know those rendered things alright), or that it was using Directshow, but didn't know how to properly use it (although I'm fairly certain I've used it with DX9 before, so the former scenario is more likely).

Oh, for whatever sleuthing clue it's worth, conversion time has now doubled from 20 minutes to 40. Sure hope it's not that way with other formats. One of the things I liked about this software was it's [previously?] speedy conversion times.

Thanks for all the help. Having misread that version number earlier, I'd have never thought to check it again without the suggestion.

Regarding h.264 vs x264, would it be a correct analogy to say that if h.264 were Divx, then x264 is comparable in concept to x264? Basically a free version of same? Just curious.