Video compression error: The source image format is not acceptable

[jh443]

I have a WMV that I want to convert to AVI. Normally I do this with STOIK, and then clean that output up with VirtualDub so that VLC doesn't complain about having to "fix" the file. 99% of the time this works perfectly. I have one of those weird 1%.

The WMV is 720 X 480 and under 30MB in size. Clearly both the height and width comply with DivX's requirements. So, I take STOIK's (v2.1.1) output into VirtualDub (v1.7.8 ). As expected, it plays here just fine. I go to Video | Compression and select "DivX 6.8.4 codec (1 Logical CPU)". When I go to File | Save as AVI..., it starts working and immediately displays the following error:

Video compression error: The source image format is not acceptable (error code - 2)

Ok, I think, maybe VDub doesn't like the ratio. As it happens, the vid, for whatever reason, was a 640X480 that was letterboxed to 720X480. I use the null transform filter to crop 40 pixels from the left and right sides. I select the Video | Compression option "(Uncompressed RGB | YCbCr)". I then save the file. This goes smoothly - taking up gigs of HD space.

At this point, the file should be nothing more than your basic 640x480 AVI with absolutely no trace of compression, right? Just to be sure, I run GSpot on it. As I expect, GSpot says it is 640x480 - no codec needed.

Just to be safe, I exit VDub and load it up again (so no trace of my previous session interferes). I load in the huge AVI file and once again select Video | Compression | "DivX 6.8.4 codec (1 Logical CPU)". When I try to save, I once AGAIN get the same error.

I have used that codec successfully many times before (and have used it successfully since) - with the same configuration it's trying to use with this file.

To keep a long story from getting irrelevantly longer... during this story (sometime after my first attempt here with VDub and my current position), I found and installed the ffdshow Video Codecs. I am, at this point, completely unfamiliar with them but I try them anyway (what the heck, nothing to lose, right?).

I select its MPEG-4 encoder and set the bitrate at my desired level (1500). I leave the FOURCC set to XVID, and the Mode at "one pass - average bitrate" I go to File | Save as AVI... Success. I run GSpot on the output, and everything looks fine.

Now, my question is: WTF is "Video compression error: The source image format is not acceptable (error -2)"? The source video met all requirements of the codec.

BTW... when I attempt to load in the 20MB AVI created with VDub and the ffdshow codec back into Vdub and reencode it with DivX... I again get the same error and VDub crashes.

Not that it really matters...

WinXP SP2
Intel Celeron D 3.334 Ghz
1.5 GB RAM
GeForce 8500GT (with latest drivers - from NVidia website, released a week or so ago)
Over 100GB HDD space available.

[jh443]

Another fact... DivX Converter (from DivX), has no problem with the source image format of any of these files either. I just don't care for the quality of the output. It either resizes it to something very weird and/or uses an unacceptably low bitrate.

[jagabo]

Check the Certification Profile in the Divx config dialog.

[jh443]

I never even looked at that before. That was probably it. It was originally 720x480 at 30.122 fps. Home Theater Profile only allows up to 30fps. Thank you.

It's weird that the same profile with DivX Converter worked ok.

After perusing the forum, I've since updated to VDub 1.8.6 and installed the WMV filter (and enabled the WMV support - odd that it doesn't default to doing that)

[small45]

I had this problem with WMV files (I have the WMV plugin). Other WMV files recoded in VirtualDub, but these were High Resolution 900 x 504 files.

I resolved this problem simply by selecting a Microsoft WMV codec. So this problem is just a codec problem. Having said this, the solution for each user is different depending on the INPUT file. You have to find the right codec for your input file & get VirtualDub to recongize that codec so it is in the list of codecs available to VirtualDub.

[jagabo]

I had this problem with WMV files (I have the WMV plugin). Other WMV files recoded in VirtualDub, but these were High Resolution 900 x 504 files.

I resolved this problem simply by selecting a Microsoft WMV codec.

You could have just changed the profile in Xvid or Divx. Or whatever codec you were using. The whole point of having profiles is to limit the properties of the video for a target device. For example, Xvid's "Home" profile limits you to a maximum 720x576 frame because Divx/DVD players don't allow frames larger than that. If you don't want those limits use the "Unlimited" profile.

[El Heggunte]

I never even looked at that before. That was probably it. It was originally 720x480 at 30.122 fps. Home Theater Profile only allows up to 30fps. Thank you.

WMV @ 30.122 fps <-- quite likely a variable-frame-rate video.
If the clip contains audio, make sure it doesn't go out of synch.

After perusing the forum, I've since updated to VDub 1.8.6 and installed the WMV filter (and enabled the WMV support - odd that it doesn't default to doing that)

Latest VirtualDub is 1.9.something.

[jagabo]

After perusing the forum, I've since updated to VDub 1.8.6 and installed the WMV filter (and enabled the WMV support - odd that it doesn't default to doing that)

Latest VirtualDub is 1.9.something.

His post was over 2 years ago.

[El Heggunte]