Joining Huffyuv AVI Files.

[wasimismail]

Dear All,

I've been using the Huffyuv codec to convert VOB files to use for editing in Premiere.

Now I am trying to join a number of them together using VirtualDub. I tried different ways including the full processing mode and direct stream copy mode. The result is that some frames will have this white streak (flash) on them where the original edited files didn't. In fact, the result was worse with direct stream copy than with full processing mode, which is strange.

It seems like VirtualDub is not able to simply take the files and join them without having to read them again? It doesn't seem like this software is stable. It converted the VOBs pretty well though, with the odd frame flashing here or there.

I am trying to use AVIdemux to join the files and it seems fine, but I can't find the option to disable splitting the output file.

Any ideas? I just need a powerful software that can handle joining file that ends up about 60GB which in turn would be authored.

Many software packages I've tested out so far can't seem to take the AVI's and join them without modifying some properties.

Thanks.

[mpack]

Sorry, I can't help with the VDub problem as I've not encountered it. Huffyuv has no temporal compression so it should make for very easy AVI joins.

I really wanted to comment on your method. I think you are taking 1GB segmented VOBs and converting each to an AVI separately? In that case I would suggest you would be better off using a tool such as DVD Decrypter in stream mode which is able to produce a single continuous elementary MPEG-2 video file (m2v) from a set of segmented VOBs. This could then be converted to AVI if you really need to, and would eliminate the joining problem.

Alternatively, you could join the segmented VOBs into one continuous VOB, then convert that.

[guns1inger]

Even VOB2MPG or VOBMerge would be far better than doing it the way you are doing it now. Get a single file and encode from that.

You can set the split size in AVI Demux under Preferences->Video Output

[jagabo]

VirtualDub is one of the most stable video processing programs you will find. But as has been pointed out, rip your DVDs with DVD Decrypter in IFO mode with no file splitting. You'll get one big VOB.

[wasimismail]

Sorry, I can't help with the VDub problem as I've not encountered it. Huffyuv has no temporal compression so it should make for very easy AVI joins.

I really wanted to comment on your method. I think you are taking 1GB segmented VOBs and converting each to an AVI separately? In that case I would suggest you would be better off using a tool such as DVD Decrypter in stream mode which is able to produce a single continuous elementary MPEG-2 video file (m2v) from a set of segmented VOBs. This could then be converted to AVI if you really need to, and would eliminate the joining problem.

Alternatively, you could join the segmented VOBs into one continuous VOB, then convert that.

I took the VOBs and joined them using VOB Joiner; this is so that no skipped frames happen between VOB files if each VOB is converted to an AVI separately. I then convert the VOB to a Huffyuv AVI to edit in Premiere. I export half an episode at a time and back up each one as an AVI file on a single layer DVD - approximately 3.6 GB for about 10-11 minutes.

Now what I want is to take these AVI files and join them into one title so I can author them and the result will typically be about 56 GB for a 7-episode title with repeating opening/ending credits.

My computer is quite dusty and seems to be really hot, would that cause the glitches I mentioned in your opinion?

[wasimismail]

Even VOB2MPG or VOBMerge would be far better than doing it the way you are doing it now. Get a single file and encode from that.

You can set the split size in AVI Demux under Preferences->Video Output

The encoding happens in the DVD authoring software that I am using. You may recall my prior posts about Roxio DVDit Pro HD. I don't encode separately. I take the AVI into the DVD authoring software and then I am told how much space it will take along with the project. I am a junior at this and I do realize that there are other very expensive software packages that can do this, but I can't afford them.

I don't want AVI Demux to split the files at all, is there anyway I can disable that option?

[guns1inger]

I don't understand why you are splitting the files into chunks and putting them onto DVD. You entire process seems to be overblown and unwieldy.

What editing are you doing ?
What is the source - commercial disc or home made ?

[wasimismail]

I don't understand why you are splitting the files into chunks and putting them onto DVD. You entire process seems to be overblown and unwieldy.

What editing are you doing ?
What is the source - commercial disc or home made ?

I am remastering 1970's Japanese animation with those giant Super Robots (Grandizer etc.) I rip the 24 fps VOB files and them join them. After joining them I convert to Huffyuv AVI to edit in Premiere. I use the English soundtrack and synchronize with the Japanese DVD video because the English and Japanese are not the same.

Then I will need to back up my Huffyuv AVI files as data on single layer DVD.

Before doing that though, I want to join all the half episodes together along with opening/ending credits to create the title.

Then I take this title which is again is a Huffyuv AVI file, and author that in Roxio DVDit Pro HD which suports the 3:2 pulldown.

So when I am done, I have the AVI's backed up as data on single layer DVD in case I need to use them again, and I also have the DVDs which are viewable on a home DVD player.

I am having problems with flickering frames when I am joining the AVI files, this is my problem.

[jagabo]

I am remastering 1970's Japanese animation with those giant Super Robots (Grandizer etc.) I rip the 24 fps VOB files and them join them.

Rip them with DVD Decrypter in IFO mode with no file splitting. Each episode will come out as one VOB file.

To prevent splitting in AviDemux go to Edit -> Preferences -> Output. Set the Split option and enable Create OpenDML file.

[wasimismail]

I am remastering 1970's Japanese animation with those giant Super Robots (Grandizer etc.) I rip the 24 fps VOB files and them join them.

Rip them with DVD Decrypter in IFO mode with no file splitting. Each episode will come out as one VOB file.

Thanks, but I still have to join the Huffyuv AVI files in the end anyway, this doesn't solve my flickering frame problem in VirtualDub when joing the AVI's.

[jagabo]

Note added text in previous message.

If your hard drive is formatted FAT you won't be able to create files over 4 GB.

[wasimismail]

Note added text in previous message.

If your hard drive is formatted FAT you won't be able to create files over 4 GB.

It's NTFS, I checked. Virtual did make files that are 50-60GB, but the flickering problem is that I am facing.

I saw the Create Open DML files option and checked it as you stated. But what do you mean by "Set the Split option". It is sitting at 4,096 MB as default, so you're saying that by checking the box of Create Open DML files it won't split the output no matter what the split setting is?

[jagabo]

The original AVI spec did not support files over 4GB. The OpenDML extension added that ability.

[wasimismail]

The original AVI spec did not support files over 4GB. The OpenDML extension added that ability.

So as long as I check that box, I won't have to worry about any splitting even it it says 4GB in the split box correct?

[jagabo]

I'm not sure -- the split option refers to MPEG files. I don't know if it controls AVI files too. I'm running a test right now...

Yes, with ODML enabled you can create AVI files over 4 GB, regardless of the MPEG split size setting.

I don't know why VirtualDub created glitches when joining. I've never seen it do anything like that.

[wasimismail]

I'm not sure -- the split option refers to MPEG files. I don't know if it controls AVI files too. I'm running a test right now...

Yes, with ODML enabled you can create AVI files over 4 GB, regardless of the MPEG split size setting.

I don't know why VirtualDub created glitches when joining. I've never seen it do anything like that.

I joined an 8GB file in total and it didn't split it, thanks very much. Let's hope the this didn't cause any flickering. I am not sure why either ! Thanks to everyone here for their instant support.

[wasimismail]

Man this is rediculous, the exact same problem happens with AVI Demux. I think I may have a hardware problem. Do you guys think that the dust inside my system is causing it to overheat?

Even Premiere at times messes up on me, when I export a finished AVI from Premiere a random frame here or there will have strange colours and/or flickering.

[jagabo]

Single step through your AVI file with VirtualDub. Do you see the glitches there?

Overheating isn't likely. Crashes and lockups are the signs of overheating. On the other hand, blowing all the dust out of your system won't hurt.

[wasimismail]

Single step through your AVI file with VirtualDub. Do you see the glitches there?

Overheating isn't likely. Crashes and lockups are the signs of overheating. On the other hand, blowing all the dust out of your system won't hurt.

Sorry, but what do you mean by single step?

I tried to join the files in VirtualDub and the flickering on the end product still took place.

[wasimismail]

OK, here we go. I think the problem is not the joining part.

I just reviewed some of my finished AVI files which I had exported from Premiere and found flickering therein. I will attach examples.

Again, these are files which used to be VOBs, were converted to Huffyuv AVI in VirtualDub, then they were used in Premiere for editing, and finally exported as Huffyuv AVI. These are 23.98 fps files originally and were kept that way to eventually be authored with the 2:3 pulldown.

The exported files have this flickering in them. Please see attachments and let me know what you think.

[wasimismail]

Flicker.

[wasimismail]

Non-flicker.

[wasimismail]

Flicker.

[wasimismail]

Non-flicker.

[wasimismail]

Flicker.

[wasimismail]

Non-flicker.

[jagabo]

By "single step" I meant step through the video frame by frame (you can do this with the left and right arrow keys in VirtualDub) to view individual frames.

It sounds like that's what your doing and you are finding problems in the files put out by Premiere. Were there problems in the HuffYUV files before editing in Premiere?

Maybe different HuffYUV codecs are being used by the different programs? Versions that are slightly incompatible.

[wasimismail]

There were the occasional (not that many) glitches in the Huffyuv files before taking them into Premiere, but I would cut out those frames in Premiere as I was editing to get a good finished product. Besides, I formatted my computer very recently so the computer being unstable is defintely out.

The other thing which I wish I had done in the beginning since 1996 when I began doing all of this, is get a MAC. I use a PC, and I know that PC is probably a swear word in these forums.

Perhaps Premiere works best with the Microsoft DV AVI which I was always using before without problems. The Huffyuv AVI might too much for Premiere and/or a PC to handle?

[guns1inger]

Actually, PCs make up the bulk of computers here, and the PC has a far greater range of software available to it for this type of work. If you had switched over to the Mac world your horizons would be substantially more limited than they are now.

[wasimismail]

That's good to know.

So why do you guys think I am getting these funny looking frames after exporting from Premiere?

I almost never had this problem when working with Microsoft DV AVI 29.97 fps.

I was looking at Export Movie Settings and noticed something. I am working with 23.98 fps video so it is progressive. Under Fields, I have three options:

Lower Fields First
Upper Fields First
No Fields

The one selected by default is Lower Fields First. Am I doing something wrong, any other ideas?

Thanks.